RSSBot
News Junkie
By David Ubben
The Senior Bowl wrapped up on Saturday, but the effects of the past week should carry on through the draft in April. ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay was in Mobile, Ala. all week, and weighed in on a few players whose stock rose and fell with the week of practice and Saturday's game.
No. 2 on his list of risers is Baylor defensive tackle Phil Taylor.
"Taylor is the highest-rated two-gap nose tackle prospect for a 3-4 defense in this year's class. At 6-3½ and 337 pounds, he's a mammoth in the middle," McShay writes. "He'll never be a huge pass-rushing presence, but he proved in practice and even showed in the game that he has the initial first-step quickness and power as a bull rusher to collapse the pocket and create some havoc."
McShay also lists Baylor offensive tackle Danny Watkins as someone whose stock is on the rise, as well as Oklahoma State running back Kendall Hunter.
Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller was his No. 1 player, consistent with what we heard out of Mobile all week.
"It didn't take long for Miller to establish himself as the top prospect at this year's Senior Bowl," he writes. "He is a sideline-to-sideline run defender and a menace on passing downs. Miller has great natural athleticism and quickness in coverage, and his diagnostic skills will only improve in that area with more reps. Plus, he was clearly the most dynamic pass rusher in Mobile this week."
Colorado tackle Nate Solder was his No. 2 overall best prospect at practice during the week.
"Solder still can improve his technique and overall consistency but he proved to be the most dominant offensive lineman in Mobile," he writes.
It wasn't a good week for Oklahoma defensive end Jeremy Beal, who was No. 3 on McShay's list of prospects whose stock has slid.
"The one sack he had in Saturday's game, he jumped offside and the refs somehow missed it," he said. "We loved his effort, his toughness and the way he approached every practice and the game. He's strong enough and instinctive enough to contribute in the NFL, but for a player who has been talked about as a potential second-round pick, he didn't fare as well when going up against some of the top offensive tackles compared to what players like Von Miller and Ryan Kerrigan did throughout the week. Beal is not athletic enough to make the move back to OLB, which means he's going to have to find a way to make it happen as an undersized DE in a four-man front. We'd be surprised if he came off the board before Round 3."
Originally posted by ESPN.com - Big 12 Blog
Click here to view the article.
The Senior Bowl wrapped up on Saturday, but the effects of the past week should carry on through the draft in April. ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay was in Mobile, Ala. all week, and weighed in on a few players whose stock rose and fell with the week of practice and Saturday's game.
No. 2 on his list of risers is Baylor defensive tackle Phil Taylor.
"Taylor is the highest-rated two-gap nose tackle prospect for a 3-4 defense in this year's class. At 6-3½ and 337 pounds, he's a mammoth in the middle," McShay writes. "He'll never be a huge pass-rushing presence, but he proved in practice and even showed in the game that he has the initial first-step quickness and power as a bull rusher to collapse the pocket and create some havoc."
McShay also lists Baylor offensive tackle Danny Watkins as someone whose stock is on the rise, as well as Oklahoma State running back Kendall Hunter.
Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller was his No. 1 player, consistent with what we heard out of Mobile all week.
"It didn't take long for Miller to establish himself as the top prospect at this year's Senior Bowl," he writes. "He is a sideline-to-sideline run defender and a menace on passing downs. Miller has great natural athleticism and quickness in coverage, and his diagnostic skills will only improve in that area with more reps. Plus, he was clearly the most dynamic pass rusher in Mobile this week."
Colorado tackle Nate Solder was his No. 2 overall best prospect at practice during the week.
"Solder still can improve his technique and overall consistency but he proved to be the most dominant offensive lineman in Mobile," he writes.
It wasn't a good week for Oklahoma defensive end Jeremy Beal, who was No. 3 on McShay's list of prospects whose stock has slid.
"The one sack he had in Saturday's game, he jumped offside and the refs somehow missed it," he said. "We loved his effort, his toughness and the way he approached every practice and the game. He's strong enough and instinctive enough to contribute in the NFL, but for a player who has been talked about as a potential second-round pick, he didn't fare as well when going up against some of the top offensive tackles compared to what players like Von Miller and Ryan Kerrigan did throughout the week. Beal is not athletic enough to make the move back to OLB, which means he's going to have to find a way to make it happen as an undersized DE in a four-man front. We'd be surprised if he came off the board before Round 3."
Originally posted by ESPN.com - Big 12 Blog
Click here to view the article.