Posts tagged 2014 Sr Bowl

Reese’s Senior Bowl Offensive Practices Day 3

January 22, 2014 0 Comments read 2014 NFL Draft, Players, Quarterback, Running Back, Tight End, Wide Receiver

It may look like Dan McCullors in a Sr. Bowl uniform, but it is his twin brother Reese. Photo by Thomas Vanderwal. — It may look like Dan McCullers in a Sr. Bowl uniform, but it is his twin brother Reese. Photo by Thomas Vanderwal.

Players Who Grew On Me

Oregon’s Josh Huff leads this list of players who I like more as I leave Mobile than I did upon my arrival. The receiver demonstrated that he could catch the ball with his hands on a consistent basis. While he doesn’t make receptions at the level of difficulty we see from the top receivers in the NFL, he caught a few passes where he had to lay out for the ball and made a few tough plays down field against tight coverage in the end zone. I’ll be reviewing my game research and watching more of Huff in the coming weeks.

I am not among the draft analysts bullish on Antonio Andrews. However, the Western Kentucky running back demonstrated some sweet movement as a route runner and some maturity as an interior runner. I still don’t see Andrews as a future starter, but I’ll be taking another look because he’s a bigger, stronger back than I thought at a surprising 225 pounds and he did some things at practice a little better than I anticipated from him as a decision-maker.

Northwestern’s Kain Colter made an excellent catch up the flat on a go route that handily beat Pierre Desir in practice today. The throw led Colter a little far, requiring a diving extension with his back to the quarterback. This was one of the types of targets I wanted to see from the QB-WR conversion project and Colter came strong. His breaks still need a lot of work, but he’s held his own this week and I’m more optimistic about his potential than I was when I arrived.

Shaq Evans also had an excellent catch in the corner of the end zone in tight coverage on an under-thrown ball this morning. The acrobatic effort cost Evans some practice time because he landed funny on his leg and walked to the sideline with a slight limp and trying to jog off the injury before realizing it wasn’t going away.

Evans has dropped the ball multiple times this week, but they were often situations one could explain away with logic that could exonerate him, including poor communication from the quarterback with regards to the placement and timing of the throw and difficult adjustments required in tight coverage. I believe his hands are better than the final outcome of these targets revealed, but there will be analysts who think otherwise. The UCLA receiver will be a mid-to-late pick, but I think he has potential to grow into a starter one day.

Jerick McKinnon flashed some speed after a cutback that his tape hinted at, but did not truly fulfill. I’m still not sure this run during 11-on-11’s was a fair indication of his speed, but it was more than what I saw against Florida and Georgia. His performance was a positive step towards convincing a more cynical viewer like me that he could emerge as a more than a special teams player.

Players Who Lost a Little In My Eyes

Jordan Matthews’ skill at making the tough catch in the thick of the hit zone between the hashes is something that endears him to me. Truth be told, his difficulty separating from defenders in this practice on a daily basis is an issue. Matthews’ is big and strong enough to bait a corner into a poor angle and then use hands to knock the defender off-balance. He did this well for some big plays this week.

What Matthews couldn’t do was separate deep without initiating contact. There were multiple plays over the past few days where Matthews failed to earn separation within the first five yards and it prompted him to initiate contact a second time with the hope of knocking his opponent off-balance in the process. I didn’t see this as a good sign.

Moreover Matthews is not an efficient runner. I’m not talking about his ball-carrying skills. I’m reiterating something that my colleague Turron Davenport of Pro Football Central – a former college wide receiver – mentioned about Matthews working hard and less efficiently to get to his top speed.

I know that some of my data-head, analytic-thinking brethren have looked at Matthews’ height (and hopefully pay attention to the fact that he’s not as heavy as they assumed) and volume of production in the Vanderbilt offense and believe he’s a bargain compared to Sammy Watkins. I’m leaning harder to the point of view that in this year’s draft Watkins is the “you get what you pay for” option.

Matthews will cost less because he is a lesser physical talent with good, but not great skills. Fantasy owners might not notice the difference at the end of their rookie year, but when it comes to talent the numbers won’t make them right.

Arthur Lynch is a wily route runner. Watching the tight end set up linebackers and safeties in the short zone this week was a lot of fun. I only wish I had Adam Sandler’s remote from the movie “Click” to pause, rewind, and slow-mo the action. As an underneath option, I think Lynch can do good work, but his lack of explosion limits him more as a receiver than I believed when I arrived in Mobile.

Cody Hoffman’s difficulty winning against press coverage – especially today – was an eye-opener. The South team corners have grown more patient when facing Hoffman’s opening release moves and the receiver had difficulty moving them off their spots. The result was frequent collisions with defenders that disrupted Hoffman’s gate, balance, and timing.

There’s a good chance that Hoffman will trick a few defenders on the North squad during the game because they aren’t familiar with him. This is why the practices reveal more than the game. The sessions this week are indicative of how NFL teams will adjust over time and become familiar with a player’s style. The game is more like the first game or two where that familiarity isn’t game.

Unfortunately, you’ll see fans tout a player because of a good in-game performance when there’s often a lot more to it than the guy being a “gamer.” Hoffman might earn that “gamer” label, but the practices revealed a long-strider with a quick first step but not the guile or technical repertoire to win at a consistent rate. He’s capable of amazing catches, but the consistency is missing right now.

Inconclusive Evidence

Davenport told me that Wake Forest’s Michael Campanaro is coming off a collarbone injury. The receiver had good moments as an underneath option this week. However, I still don’t have a good feel for his skill to separate and make difficult plays against physical coverage.

Jimmy Garappolo is the hot item this week. I didn’t see enough to form an opinion. I wish I did, but what I witnessed was a quarterback with Derek Carr’s size, some true zip in the range of 10-20 yards, and a consistent predilection for placing the ball to the back shoulder or hip of receivers when the more optimal choice was leading them down field.

At first glance, there’s a lot of open space that Eastern Illinois’ offense generated for Garappolo. I’m looking forward to examining this quarterback’s game in greater detail.

Wyoming wide receiver Robert Herron’s practice performances were predictable in the sense that he experienced a slew of 2-3 dropped passes during a period of practice and then caught everything else, including some difficult targets. I didn’t see this type of behavior on tape, but I want to re-examine him nonetheless.

They Are Who I Thought They Were

Versatile, agile, and mature between the tackles, Charles Sims is a Senior Bowl darling. You’ve read enough about him on my blog, go here.

Jared Abbrederis may not be the size I thought he was, but he’s the same fine all-around receiver I saw at Wisconsin. He’s a player I’d love to have on an NFL team who can play a variety of roles as a returner and receiver.

Quarterbacks Stephen Morris and Logan Thomas offer eye-popping physical characteristics and flashes of promise, but lack the conceptual feel or the game and consistency to generate interest beyond a late-round pick (save a rogue team that falls in love with looks over the substance of their performances).

C.J. Fiedorowicz is a blocking tight end in training. Gator Hoskins is an H-back in training. And arguably the best potential all-around tight end was Crockett Gillmore from Colorado State – a late edition who, along with the likes of Alex Bayer, were more intriguing options than the original picks for this game. Bayer was not in attendance, but Gillmore made a beautiful over the head catch about 25 yards down field on a corner route and his blocking was physical and on-point today.

Jeff Janis continues to intrigue folks who see the big body with a reasonably quick gait, but ignore that he caught over 75 percent of his targets against his body and didn’t have more than a handful of receptions on targets of moderate difficulty.

I almost gave Ryan Grant consideration in my tier of players who raised their standing in my eyes. He had some slick releases and did a fine job of getting on top of defenders early on vertical routes. There were still several routes where he lost control of his footing trying to break harder than his balance would allow. I liked the effort, but as I mentioned during the preview, Grant has to demonstrate consistency. This was a step in the right direction.

For more Senior Bowl Info also check out:

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Sr. Bowl WR Technique Roundtable

January 22, 2014 0 Comments read 2014 NFL Draft, Players, Wide Receiver

Norris' first skill player for Joe Flacco is a youngish, Boldin-ish receiver in Michael Crabtree. Photo by Football Schedule. — Among the seven players I interviewed Monday night at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, five of them mentioned Michael Crabtree as one of their two favorite players – including a running back. The most common answer why? “He’s smooth.” Find out how the five WRs below are trying to make their games smooth. Photo by Football Schedule.

Five Senior Bowl wide receivers talked with Matt Waldman and provided helpful tips behind the techniques of playing their position.

RSP: Cody, tell us about your development transitioning from high school to college.

Cody Hoffman: In high school, we didn’t even have a receiver’s coach. When I got to BYU I worked on route running and the technique of getting in and out of routes. I have always tried to have an emphasis of working on press coverage. It’s nice to be able to work on it out here with a receivers coach and against some good DBs.

RSP: Kevin, what is your technique focus in Mobile this week?

Kevin Norwood: Getting off press a little better and getting my footwork right. The Jaguars receiver coach is teaching me something I can use to get open more and to beat pressure more, which is to stand on the balls of my feet, which helps me be quick on my feet.

Shaq Evans: Playing on the balls of your feet is how you keep your base. If you’re on your heels you’re going to slip and fall. You’re also not going to get out of cuts very well. It’s why they always want us out with our heads over our toes and on the balls of our feet. When you do those things you can make really accelerate out of your cuts.

RSP: A lot of receivers at this stage of their development entering the NFL possess 1-2 refined moves to beat press with either their feet or with their hands, but they lack the skill to integrate the hands and the feet together or demonstrate variety.

Shaq Evans: It’s something that progresses over the years. Like you said, at first I was just using my feet or just trying to win using my hands. But these last two years I felt like I’ve put them both together, especially this year.

Robert Herron: You also have to mix it up. Like coming off slow and then use a sudden move to keep them guessing. But you always want to attack them. You don’t just want to do a move at the same way at the same spot because they can just sit there and then you have to change direction into the man [and you’re back at the same point you started]. You want to attack him and make him feel uncomfortable [about what you’re going to do next].

Ryan Grant: You want to have a bag of tricks and I try to use one of at least three types of releases coming off the line. If he’s outside, then I’m going to try to give him something outside to think about and if he’s inside I’m going to do something inside and if he’s heads-up, I’m going to take a step at him to freeze him.

RSP: Is there something that you see from a defensive back that tells you what techniques you should be using when you line up against them on a given play?

Evans: Yeah, definitely. If the corner is a guy that [doesn’t play as aggressive] I like to take the line of scrimmage back to him and quick-set him. If the guy plays really physical then I want to do something really quick with my hands first before he gets his hands on me. That way I can get past his hips. Once you get past a defender’s hips and it’s hard for him to recover. Watching how a corner plays in press coverage is one of the main things I watch on film.

RSP: What are some things that you’re working on past the stage of the initial release?

Evans: Making sure that I’m always going vertical. When you get a DB’s hips to turn down field you have him because you can break in any direction or stop. Whenever you get to the top of your route you always want to have his hips turned towards the end zone. Once you get his hips turned towards the end zone your always have him beat.

RSP: Talk about the difference in mindset and action for a receiver when he’s facing zone coverage instead of man coverage.

Herron: It’s the timing and knowing where the other players are and against man, you only have to get open against one dude. With zone you have to know where the inside dude is and adjust your route off him. When you come out of your break you either have to see where he is or know where he’ll be. You might be running an out route against zone and settle into a spot after your break because the corner could be sitting where you’re headed.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDHrdSZwVug&start=24&w=560&h=315]

RSP: Would it be accurate to say that routes against man coverage is like telling a story to the defender that you want him to believe whereas versus zone you’re reacting to your opponents’ stories and trying to find what he’s hiding from you fast.

Herron: It is like that, but with both you still want to make them do what you want them to do. It’s just with zone you have to adjust to what they’re doing.

RSP: In man you dictate, in zone they dictate . . .

Herron: Yeah.

RSP: Is there anybody you faced during your career whose game you really respect?

Evans: D.J. Hayden from Houston who was the 12th pick overall with the Oakland Raiders last year is a really good corner who I faced my junior year. He was a tough player to go against, I’m not going to lie. He was very patient as well as strong and fast. You had to be more patient than him and get physical. He helped me raise my game because I realized that I had to become a more physical receiver.

RSP: Facing a patient corner is a difficult challenge for receivers because there’s an expectation of when a receiver thinks he’ll get his opponent to bite on a route. When that time doesn’t arrive . . .

Evans: It’s tough. When a corner is that patient and moves his feet well and uses his hands well you have to be able to knock him off his spot or use your hands to rip through.

Grant: If he’s patient you have to make him move his feet. You attack the foot that he doesn’t want to move and make him move it. If he’s head-up you probably want to make him move that inside foot. If he’s outside then you want to make him move that outside foot.

RSP: Let’s move on to making the catch. How important is it to attack the ball at the earliest window within your range to make contact with the ball?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL6TYGjj2XA&start=285&w=560&h=315]

Grant: At first, I wasn’t that good at attacking the ball in the air when I came to Tulane. But my coaches told me that I had to be hungry for the ball and attack it. You want to catch the ball at its earliest and highest point that you can reach. You want to always be going up early, going up strong, and taking it away. If you do those things you’ll be fine.

Herron: It’s big! If I were to give anyone advice it’s that you have to snap your head and hands to the quarterback as soon as you get out of your route. It was something that I had to learn over the years. You want to almost see him throw the ball. If not, you want to see the ball just out of his hand or else it’s more difficult to find the ball in the air.

RSP: It sounds like something so simple to do, but when you have a helmet on and you’re trying to snap your head around it can have a discombobulating effect on your vision. Is there a hint or tip on doing this well?

Herron: You want to locate the “X” of the football (the point where the seams intersect) and watch it all the way until it lands in your hands. Because the ball is spinning you can’t always see the outside of the ball. In college there’s a strip on the ball, but there’s no stripe on the NFL ball.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlygLcdCoOU&w=560&h=315]

RSP: When it comes to catching the ball where on your hands do you want to make the reception?

Grant: On your fingertips. I don’t want the ball on the palms of my hands. When that happens it bounces off hard.

Reese’s Senior Bowl Report Day 2: North-South Offense Notes

January 21, 2014 0 Comments read 2014 NFL Draft

Brent Musberger said he talked to scouts who compared Tajh Boyd to Russell Wilson. Let's have a look from the pocket. Photo by PDA.Photo. — Tajh Boyd had a couple of good throws today, but his team isn’t the one to watch for signal callers. Photo by PDA.Photo.

Today’s practice report will have a stream of conscious format minus my id. I wouldn’t do that to you.

If you haven’t heard elsewhere, the jet stream made a personal appearance at Ladd-Peebles Stadium for Day 2 of Senior Bowl practices. I’m not sure if tomorrow will be as blustery, but the morning practice could feature sub-30-degree readings on the thermometer. One can imagine what swirling winds with gusts over 30 mph can do to a vertical passing game so keep that in mind as I proceed through my notes of the day.

Maybe it’s the fact he wears No.1 and he’s in the front row I see during stretches, but Josh Huff continues to be the player I’m drawn to first. This is the second day in a row where the Oregon receiver has earned at least two steps on a defensive back multiple times in a practice session. He had one drop today during drills, but the rest he caught and he used his hands well enough to earn these receptions while attacking the football.

Still, I haven’t seen situations where I would classify the quality of his hands beyond the term “competent.” The passes he has caught in the short an intermediate zones have been on the money with little need to adjust. The vertical looks he caught were in situations where he was wide open.

Huff’s drops on film come in more challenging situations where a player like Jordan Matthews has earned his reputation as a crunch-time performer: plays versus impending contact, tough adjustments to the football, or often both at the same time. Another issue I notice with Huff is some minor difficulty moving to his left. During footwork drills, Huff was much slower in lateral drills where he had to run patterns from right to left and even had to repeat a rep.

Huff had three reps with this lateral drill and each time he was far more deliberate and less precise with his feet than the other footwork drills where he was often one of the three best on the North roster. How this could matter, I’m not sure.

Maybe a defensive back picks up that Huff is slower or less precise moving left and that makes his job easier undercutting routes or funneling Huff in a direction where the receiver’s balance and agility is less dangerous. Then again, it could mean nothing.

Speaking of Matthews, the Vanderbilt receiver had the catch of the day – a back-shoulder fade at least 30 yards up the left sideline where he made a smooth turn to the ball, extended for the target and had two-thirds of his body parallel with the ground as he tight-roped the sideline. That said, the Jaguars staff had to remind him to work back to the ball after his breaks on shorter routes.

A receiver who might not be earning the same kind of buzz in Mobile because he’s not paired with the best trio of quarterbacks is Shaq Evans. However, he has made a good impression on me for a number of reasons.

Evans’ routes are among the smoothest of the group and I especially enjoyed watching him run a stem that worked so deep into the safety’s frame that the defensive back couldn’t react in any direction. It allowed Evans to catch the defender off-balance, drop the safety with a forearm shiver, and then break outside for an easy catch. That’s how I’d define “crawling up a defender’s ass.”

Unfortunately Evans isn’t earning easy down field targets despite getting separation. One specific target up the right sideline featured a throw from Stephen Morris that was low, inside, and under thrown when it should have been high, outside, and leading the receiver. If Evans could have caught this ball it would have been the catch of the week, but he couldn’t stop his momentum, turn, drop for the low throw, and make the catch.

Where Evans has erred twice this week is throws that arrived a beat earlier than the receiver anticipated and he wasn’t looking for the ball as soon as he made his turn. As the result the passes were on top of Evans before he could react with his hands.

Today’s late reaction was a throw to his back shoulder up the right sideline about 25 yards down field. Evans juggled the ball and had two chances to secure it, but wasn’t successful. He’s a good player on this squad who has room to get better, but between the wind and his quarterbacks I’m skeptical we’ll get to see Evans show off his vertical game like he hoped.

QB Logan Thomas was hesitant where he needed to be aggressive today.

Logan Thomas is one of these North squad quarterbacks and his accuracy beyond the 10-yard range has been sub par the past two days. The worst of these attempts was a deep streak up the right flat where the receiver broke wide open 20 yards past the line of scrimmage, Thomas saw it, and didn’t pull the trigger.

He hesitated for another two beats before attempting the throw. This was the kind of decision-making in the vertical game that Kerry Collins used to make in Oakland that almost ended Randy Moss’ career. Thomas’ throw was so late, the receiver had to wait on the ball and attempt to win the target against two defenders while facing the quarterback rather than running under the ball in stride 3-4 steps behind only one defender.

Tajh Boyd also missed a notable attempt in the deep passing game during a morning session where the wind wasn’t as great of a factor. While the throw to the right flat traveled 45 yards with nice touch, the pass was short and inside rather than long and outside. He did manage an accurate deep out at the right sideline resulting in a strong catch from Jared Abbrederis, who high-pointed the ball at the boundary for one of the better catches of the day.

The most confident throws came during the South practice. David Fales didn’t challenged the deep zones much, but he was willing to split zones in the short and intermediate game with good timing into tight spots.

Both Derek Carr and Jimmy Garappolo were sharp in the short game, but each had multiple throws targeting wide open receivers up the left sideline during wind gusts that carried the ball outside the boundary during the afternoon. There was little I’ve gained from watching these quarterbacks compared to what I’ve seen on tape, thanks to the weather and the nature of the practices.

A player I have gained a lot of knowledge about this week is former Northwestern quarterback Kain Coulter. Although lacking the dynamic promise of Denard Robinson, Coulter is a far better pass catcher than his Michigan counterpart at this stage of their conversion process.

This time last year, Robinson was struggling to catch the football. Some of this had to do with an injury and over-thinking his routes. Coulter has experienced no such problems.

The best quarterback performance on the North Roster might have come from Kain Colter at wide receiver. Photo by West Point Military Academy.

The novice receiver has struggled earning separation and his routes need refinement at the top of his stems, but catches almost everything his way, including targets where the placement is to awkward locations to his frame. One such target was a ball that Coulter had to reach against his momentum and snare low and away from his back hip that even the best receivers in this class would have dropped 60-70 percent of the time.

A final evaluation on the upside of player making a position change is always one of the more difficult calls. What I can tell you at this stage is that Coulter’s hands aren’t a problem and I think if he displays a flair for the difficult play after he’s had time not to think about what he’s doing as a route runner, he’ll be a keeper.

Another intriguing position conversion project is Georgia Southern’s Jerick McKinnon, who displayed sharp cutback ability in the backfield both to his left and his right this afternoon during 11-on-11 drills. I had an AFC scout tell me that his team is excited about McKinnon’s athleticism and they believe he has upside to develop into a contributor at the running back position. I’m still waiting to see a situation where he can showcase his long speed and an opportunity or two where he must display greater maturity to get down hill.

Charles Sims is the best all-around skill player I’ve seen after two days and while I should know better not to play amateur psychologist, I get the sense that he knows it. I interviewed Sims last night and he was an affable young man who possessed a looseness with his interactions that I’d hazard to characterize as a quiet confidence. Or to be more accurate, he was brimming with quiet confidence.

Sims was by far the best in blocking drills today and he won every match-up I saw against linebackers thanks to his quick feet, strong angles, a decent punch, and good hand position. He was decisive to the holes in 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills, found a cutback lanes in the creases and found his way to the third level of the defense multiple times.

One of Sims’ more impressive displays of athleticism was a stop-start move to sidestep a linebacker who that he had Sims dead to rights in the backfield outside right end. I still don’t get the Matt Forte comparisons other than I believe these “Forte compers” see a bigger back with quickness and receiving skill and related it to the Bears’ back. The way Sims carries his pads and cuts is more akin to Demarco Murray if you ask me.

What matters is that he’s earning comparisons to good NFL starters. I’ll have another analysis if his game on the blog soon enough. If you haven’t seen the one I did this summer, you can find it here.

I’m also glad to report that James White displayed good feet and tenacity as a pass protector as well as maturity to hit the crease between the tackles and finish with strong pad level on runs where a larger opening did not appear. In contrast, David Fluellen – a 225-pounder – attempted to reverse his field on plays where the interior creases didn’t open. Although these plays looked good to less experienced eyes, it’s not a great sign in 9-on-7 drills where the intensity isn’t as high and the aim is to demonstrate mature decisions.

In pass protection Fluellen’s performance was spotty. He held his own numerous times with decent footwork and hand position, but he also lacked the aggression to deliver the first punch. He caught a punch from a linebacker that forced him into bubble of space near the coaching playing the quarterback during the drill.

Michael Campanaro is a player whose tape had me vacillating with my overall take. Is he a nice reserve capable of contributing along the lines of Falcons receiver Harry Douglas or can he do more as a super productive slot receiver? Nothing from practices is moving me firmly into one camp.

On some plays, he’s earning quality separation and others he’s too deliberate with his route or jammed at the line of scrimmage. If I had to make the call today, I’d say Campanaro’s upside is along the spectrum of Douglas. It means he’s a nice NFL prospect, but one only die-hard fans will find exciting.

I’m not a fan of Jalen Saunders’ game. Now that he’s asked to do more in practice than catch screens, crossing routes, and verticals, we’re seeing a player whose size is an impediment. Saunders was knocked off track almost every rep during press drills and has difficulty getting the opposition to give up position in tight man.

A receiver I was excited to see this week was Cody Hoffman, but I think his performance is another that exemplifies a prospect not playing in an offense that maximizes his positives. Hoffman is a free-access receiver along the lines of Vincent Jackson and it means he’s not a great route technician in close quarters prior to the break. Unlike Jackson, I don’t see the speed. Hoffman isn’t slow, but I’d be shocked if he ran under a 4.5-40.

Other than C.J. Fiedorowicz dropping a pass high and away from his outside shoulder in the flat and Jake Pedersen making a nice grab in tight quarters between zone defenders, I didn’t see much from the tight ends worth reporting at this stage.

Tomorrow, the Falcons and Jaguars coaching staffs will switch teams. Yes, you read that right. Stay tuned for Jene Bramel’s Day 2 report on the defense – there’s a maniac lurking on the South roster.

For more Senior Bowl Info also check out:

Jene Bramel: Does the Reese’s Senior Bowl Put Edge Rushers In Position to Succeed?

January 21, 2014 0 Comments read 2014 NFL Draft

Kyle Van Noy epitomizes the glut of rushers that aren't an easy fit for the current specifications of 4-3 defenses seen at the Senior Bowl. Photo by Ken Lund. — Kyle Van Noy epitomizes the glut of rushers that aren’t an easy fit for the current specifications of 4-3 defenses seen at the Senior Bowl. Photo by Ken Lund.

Players may be more scheme diverse than ever before, but short practice schedules and a traditional mindset may limit their ability to display their true upside at the Senior Bowl.

By Jene Bramel

The NFL evolves quickly. Decades ago, Jimmy Johnson’s preference for speed first and size second generated a new wave of defenders. Defensive ends looked like linebackers. Outside linebackers looked like safeties. Some defensive coordinators adapted immediately. So, too, eventually did old school defensive coordinators and fans, who began recognizing that 255 pound defensive ends and 230 pound inside linebackers weren’t liabilities in a base defensive package.

A similar transition started some years ago as many of the league’s best defensive minds began using a 1-gap, attacking 3-4 and hybrid fronts. Then, the default term for a pass rusher considered too slight to hold up as a down defensive lineman but too big to be successful in coverage was “tweener.” It was rare to find a “tweener” who was a dominating pass rusher from both two and three point stances and could also handle stand up linebacker responsibilities. That skill set is much more common today. Even those that do struggle to handle more traditional linebacker responsibilities are often adept at rushing the passer from either stance.

That’s made the term “tweener” obsolete. These players are now scheme diverse. They deserve to be called what they are – edge rushers – without forcing them into a given base defensive scheme. And in today’s NFL, those players are now prized commodities.

Here at the Senior Bowl, however, these players aren’t treated as such. Even worse, when too many are invited to the game, some are forced into a more traditional, base 4-3 strong side linebacker role. It may not necessarily hurt their draft stock, but it isn’t putting them in a position to succeed.

It wasn’t a major issue in recent years, as there was enough all-around outside linebacker talent in the ranks that each squad had a well-rounded group of defensive end and outside linebackers. The coaching staffs also did an admirable job of giving players like Courtney Upshaw, Cam Johnson, Sio Moore, Melvin Ingram, Ty Powell, Shea McClellin and others opportunity in multiple situations over the past two seasons. This year’s rosters seem more unbalanced, however. Many of the linebacker prospects – and some defensive end prospects – may not see many snaps in the roles they may be best suited for on Sundays.

The North squad is using Trent Murphy exclusively at defensive end. That’s likely a good decision. But Michael Sam and Marcus Smith would seem better fits in an edge rushing role than the strong side linebacker role they’re being used in currently. In Monday’s North practice, Sam and Smith saw just three pass rushing reps each in one-on-one drills and zero reps in team drills. Teams want to see both players in a new role, but they should be given an opportunity to show how their best skill holds up against Senior Bowl competition.

It’s even worse on the South roster, where there’s not a prototype middle linebacker on the roster. Instead, it’s a mix of flow-and-chase 4-3 outside linebacker talents and edge rushing prospects. That mix led to the Jacksonville coaching staff using Jerry Attaochu at inside linebacker for a handful of reps today, according to those who watched the South practice on Monday.

It’s early in the week and there are lots of practice reps yet to be taken. Tomorrow could be the day the coaches have planned to work Marcus Smith in heavily as a weak side end or use Attaochu exclusively in an edge rushing role. We could see a heavier installation of 4-3 Under concepts than in past seasons as the week progresses.

More likely, however, the limited practice time will prevent the coaching staffs from deviating from the early week plans. Unfortunately, that means the “tweeners” of the Senior Bowl experience may not get a chance to see how their best skill stacks up against elite college competition.

Under Phil Savage, the Senior Bowl has been more progressive and NFL-friendly over the past two seasons. It’s time to continue the trend on the field and find new ways to highlight this critical group of players.

Jene Bramel’s Reese’s Senior Bowl Defensive Practice Day 1 Notes

January 21, 2014 0 Comments read 2014 NFL Draft

Borland was fundamentally strong and instinctive, but might not have one elite skill. Photo by Enrique Sanabria.

Jene Bramel posts his takes on the North squad’s front seven on the opening day of practice.

By Jene Bramel

The first day of practice in Mobile is a transitional practice of sorts. Each NFL team that I’ve seen coach in Mobile runs their practice a little differently. Players that assimilate concepts in drills and installation work quickly and players with superior raw talent and technique stand out and draw rave reviews early. Players asked to do drills that may be just a little different than those they ran in college, who are learning a new position or who are now facing elevated competition for a full 90-minute period either do not draw any notice or are called disappointments.

Today was no exception on the defensive side of the ball.

I focused on the front seven today during the North practice, watching a mix of linebacker and defensive line drills and focusing on line play during the team sessions.

DT Aaron Donald, Pittsburgh: Without question, Donald was the most dominant player on the North defense today. Showing a mix of strong hands, a technically sound base and quick first step, Donald improved with each repetition. He was unblockable during 9-on-7 and team drills, including a stretch where he made Baylor’s Cyril Richardson look like a stationary heavy bag. Penetration is Donald’s game and today was a great start for the 288-pound defensive tackle. During team drills, Donald would have had at least three sacks had he been allowed to finish plays at the quarterback.

DT Ra’shede Hageman, Minnesota: Entering today, Hageman carried a higher consensus draft grade than Donald. He showed very quick feet during drills, especially moving laterally, but the Atlanta staff wanted him lower as he moved through the bags. Hageman was better in 9-on-7 and team drills, but didn’t flash as Donald did. Hageman’s size and athleticism are intriguing and it’s early, but if he’s unable to show he can be consistently disruptive, scouts may start to look at him as more of a 5-technique than a 4-3 defensive tackle.

DE Kareem Martin, North Carolina: In our weigh-in review earlier today, I implied that Martin’s above-average length might become a hindrance if he was unable to control his opponents with his hands. Technique was an issue for him today, as he frequently lost leverage with a base that was too wide for his pass rush plan. Notre Dame’s Zach Martin, a tackle whose measurements have observers wondering if he’s better suited to play guard, handled him with relative ease.

DE Trent Murphy, Stanford: Zach Martin also handled Murphy on the vast majority of their matchups. Murphy may have just had a bad opening practice, but he looked stiff laterally at times and had difficulty with his footwork in bag drills. He also seemed to noticeably tire at the end of his 2-3 rep bursts. It’s notable that, while Michael Sam and Marcus Smith joined the defensive line group for 1-v-1 pass rush reps, I didn’t notice Murphy join the linebacker group for coverage drills. Given his struggles with footwork in line drills, it may not be a surprise that Murphy is being looked at exclusively at end.

LB Chris Borland, Wisconsin: Borland played inside at Wisconsin, but is taking reps as the Will linebacker in Mobile alongside UCLA’s Jordan Zumwalt. In a group of linebackers featuring two edge rushers trying to learn a more traditional strong side linebacker role and others more athletic than instinctive, Borland stood out today as the only linebacker who looked confident in his reads and instinctive enough to put himself in position to make plays. He was in the right place to pick up at least two turnovers today and frequently was waiting in position to finish a tackle. The other North linebackers looked a step slow to the play and were often seen reaching to get a touch on a ballcarrier. I didn’t watch the LB v RB/TE coverage drills today. If Borland holds his own there, he may quickly move up draft boards.

CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Nebraska: Though I didn’t watch the CB v WR drills today, I did make a point to watch Jean-Baptiste footwork and hip turn during a handful of team reps. He looked fluid on those occasions and not limited by his 6-2, 215 pound frame. I expect he’ll generate lots of buzz if he holds his own during press drills during the week.

The North safeties are a promising group. Ahmad Dixon seemed to generate the most positive discussion from observers today. I’m also looking forward to watching Dixon, Jimmie Ward and Deone Bucannon more closely tomorrow.

Tomorrow is arguably the most critical practice session of the week. Players who struggled today can relieve concerns with a bounce-back effort while those who impressed early can further boost their momentum with another strong set of reps. North players on the hot seat include defensive ends Kareem Martin and Trent Murphy and outside linebacker Chris Kirksey.

Inside linebacker Jonathan Brown has an opportunity to take advantage of a relatively weak group of linebackers with a better day of practice. And the two edge rushers working primarily as strong side linebackers – Michael Sam and Marcus Smith – must show more comfort in playing the run off the line of scrimmage and recognizing run-pass from the second level.

[We’ll have coverage of both North and South practices on both Tuesday and Wednesday.]

Futures: Senior Bowl Preview

January 15, 2014 0 Comments read Matt Waldman

Is UNC defensive end Quinton Coples the next Jason Pierre-Paul? Jene Bramel says the potential is there but like everything earned in life, he has to put in the work to hone his gifts. — The Senior Bowl practices begin next week on the Martin Luther King holiday. Photo by Jene Bramel.

Another year, another Senior Bowl. What I am looking for, and what does the format of the Senior Bowl help me see?

Futures: Senior Bowl Preview

by Matt Waldman

There will be hundreds of Senior Bowl Previews available within the next seven days. Most of them will explain why the game is important to the NFL and the participating player. Only a few writers won’t provide 3-4 sentence summaries of the prospects.

I have provided this type of preview in one form or another since I began attending five years ago. I’m doing some of that once again this year, but I’m also sharing a more personal preview of the event. In addition to disclosing what I want to see from dozens of players, this preview will cover what else all-star games offer me as an evaluator of talent with my own publication devoted to offensive skill prospects.

Continual Football Education

At its core, studying tape is a solitary pursuit focused on the end product. Attending all-star game practices provides a glimpse into another dimension of the game, its coaches, and its players behind the scenes.

The opportunity to watch two NFL coaching staffs conduct a practice for a week provides insight into not only what’s important to them, but also what I can reasonably expect a player to reveal about his game during these sessions.

There are prospects that arrive in Mobile with a reputation for a certain skill set based on their junior and senior film, but the practices reveal something important about their game that the past two years of tape doesn’t show. I was fortunate enough to see Bengals receiver Marvin Jones showcase his skills as vertical threat during his sophomore year, but because his role at Cal changed after his sophomore year, many observers had their eyes opened for the first time when they witnessed Jones’ big-play ability at the Senior Bowl.

Practices vary in tone, tempo, and detail and it means the type of information one can gain varies from year to year. While I’ve expressed my utopian ideal for the Senior Bowl in the past, the practical approach is to be prepared to take what you can get.

When Buffalo’s staff ran a week of practice a few years ago, special teams had heightened priority and the teaching moments from individual drills were less frequent. There’s still a lot to see, but practices don’t serve as an informal technique clinic, which Bengals and Lions practices often were.

Former Detroit offensive coordinator Scott Linehan’s practice sessions for the offense at the Senior Bowl were especially good. He had an up-tempo style and packed the mornings with a variety of drills that tested and taught details that prospects needed to develop into more complete players.

Learning What’s Valuable (And What’s Not) From Practices

Everyone gets something different from watching practice. My book focuses on skill prospects, so I don’t spend much time . . . (read the rest at Football Outsiders)