Serior bowl practices day 2

[Elway777]

The buzz today continues to be the two inches that DeAngelo Williams "lost" during the weigh-ins. A few scouts are even starting to whisper "third down back". Even South coach Mike Nolan called him the "little running back" when talking about Williams to reporters. A few fans have noted that Barry Sanders was also 5'8". Just to set the record straight DeAngelo Williams doesn't have anywhere near Sanders agility and moves. His height is going to make a big difference come draft day. To prove that point; before this week Williams was being compared to Curtis Martin. Now he's being compared to a slower Brian Westbrook. If he doesn't turn in an excellent 40 time at the combine, he could fall out of the first round. That being said Williams is still talented. He showed his quickness on some impressive runs and displayed excellent hands. He even did well for a "little running back" during the blocking drills.

The running back that everyone is taking notice of is Jerious Norwood, Mississippi State. He's showing incredible speed and elusiveness; breaking long runs on both days of practice.

Brodie Croyle , Alabama, was the most impressive quarterback on either practice field today. He showed pinpoint accuracy hitting receivers on intermediate routes. Also displayed a quick release and a surprisingly strong arm. He may be pushing himself into the second round.

Maurice Stovall, WR, Notre Dame, looks like an elite WR prospect. His size, speed, and hands will have many teams looking to call his name on draft day. He's looked impressive in 1-on-1 drills. The smaller CBs are having a hard time dealing with his size. He gets good separation and presents an excellent target for his QB.

Meanwhile, fellow North WR, Derek Hagen of Arizona State continues his slide down draft boards. After numerous drops in Monday's practice, Hagen continued his Koren Robinson impression with more drops today and had difficulty getting open. He needs to show something impressive in the next few days or his draft stock is going to plummet.

Nick Mangold, C, Ohio State, continues to dominate in 1-on-1 drills. He could elevate himself to the top center prospect in the draft if he continues to impress.

D'Brickashaw Ferguson, OT, Virginia, might be the top prospect in the draft. Today he pushed around top DE prospect Mathias Kiwanuka in 1-on-1 drills. While Bush, Leinart, and Young get all the press Ferguson could be the best player to come out of this draft. It would be surprising if he gets past the Jets at the fourth pick. They need an offensive tackle and have been very interested in Ferguson. They'd be foolish to pass him up at four. If it wasn't for the need to sell tickets and appease the 'average fan', the Texans would pass on Bush or Young with number one pick and draft Ferguson. They may live to regret passing on such a talent.

Max Jean-Gilles, G, Georgia, has looked slow and out of shape. During a 1-on-1 drill, Gabe Watson ran him over.

[Needa Pass Rush]

Brodie Croyle, Alabama, was the most impressive quarterback on either practice field today. He showed pinpoint accuracy hitting receivers on intermediate routes. Also displayed a quick release and a surprisingly strong arm. He may be pushing himself into the second round.


I want to watch him play. Does anyone have any dirt on this kid?

[Needa Pass Rush]

Thanks for the post, 777.

[epicSocialism4tw]

Brodie Croyle, Alabama, was the most impressive quarterback on either practice field today. He showed pinpoint accuracy hitting receivers on intermediate routes. Also displayed a quick release and a surprisingly strong arm. He may be pushing himself into the second round.


I want to watch him play. Does anyone have any dirt on this kid?

I've seen him play since his freshman season, and I always came away impressed. He can make all of the throws, and is a fighter. He's a winner. I'm sure he'll be a starter in the NFL. He's a pocket passer for a WC offense. I would love to see Croyle in Denver. I bet that someone picks him up in the first round, though.

[RocBronc]

Brodie Croyle, Alabama, was the most impressive quarterback on either practice field today. He showed pinpoint accuracy hitting receivers on intermediate routes. Also displayed a quick release and a surprisingly strong arm. He may be pushing himself into the second round.


I want to watch him play. Does anyone have any dirt on this kid?

Croyle did have a torn ACL a couple of years ago but I was impressed with him with how he played. Croyle and D.J. Shockley are my 2 favorite QB's for the draft...

[anthonypacino]

[QUOTE=Elway777]
Nick Mangold, C, Ohio State, continues to dominate in 1-on-1 drills. He could elevate himself to the top center prospect in the draft if he continues to impress.


Hell yeah! I remember when Steponavitch got injured and Mangold came off the bench to releive him, that kid did a stand up job, and Steponavitch is starting in the NFL for the Cards now. GO BUCKS!

[brncs_fan]

Maurice Stovall, WR, Notre Dame, looks like an elite WR prospect. His size, speed, and hands will have many teams looking to call his name on draft day. He's looked impressive in 1-on-1 drills. The smaller CBs are having a hard time dealing with his size. He gets good separation and presents an excellent target for his QB.



Pick 29 anyone?

[anthonypacino]

Pick 29 anyone?
I was worried about his height match up against the Bucks in the Fiesta but our smaller CB's did alright , of course the blitz on Quinn helped out alot.

[brncs_fan]

I was worried about his height match up against the Bucks in the Fiesta but our smaller CB's did alright , of course the blitz on Quinn helped out alot.
I like the guy a lot. Big, quick, good hands, good route runner. Comes out of a Weis offensive system so he could pick up Shanny's really quickly.

He would probably need some work on his blocking (I really can't say for sure how good he is at that).

I could just be a ND :homer: though

[Drek]

Pick 29 anyone?
I was really hoping to get him in the 2nd round. Wait and see on his combine stats, he might not wow with his 40 which would drop him down again, but from the looks of it we might have to go for him at 29 if we want to get him. I wouldn't especially care for that, I think our two firsts need to put guys on the roster who'll be major contributors in '06, which a 3rd WR (if that, Terrell could still impress, and Adams isn't a slouch) won't likely do.

[Traveler]

Pick 29 anyone?

Sounds like the perfect Shanny pick! Never heard of him.

[brncs_fan]

Sounds like the perfect Shanny pick! Never heard of him.
You spent a lot of time watching the SEC didn't you?

[Drek]

Sounds like the perfect Shanny pick! Never heard of him.
He's a definate name, so he's not your normal Shanny pick. He was an elite WR coming out of high school, didn't produce much at ND for his first few years, but under Weis' pro style offense he's flourished. He's big, strong, pretty fast, and is findamentally (blocking, catching, route running) pretty good. There was some talk before the end of the season of teams wanting to potentially convert him to TE since he weighed in to start this season at 6'5", 223 lbs.. He is now down to around 216 pounds, though his entire college career he's had a tendancy to get heavier than desirable in a WR, hence the talk of making him a TE.

Very good player, if we drafted him with the 29th pick I wouldn't be heart broken, though I'd be a bit disapointed since prior to his senior bowl workouts he was probably a late 2nd/early 3rd pick.

[anthonypacino]

I like the guy a lot. Big, quick, good hands, good route runner. Comes out of a Weis offensive system so he could pick up Shanny's really quickly.

He would probably need some work on his blocking (I really can't say for sure how good he is at that).

I could just be a ND :homer: though
that one year under Weis is going to help all of those ND guys in the draft. Didn't TW have Stovall at Qb at some point in his career? I know I am starting to sound like a broken record but take a look at Brandon Marshall from UCF, he is huge and atheltic and will probably be a steal.

[brncs_fan]

Very good player, if we drafted him with the 29th pick I wouldn't be heart broken, though I'd be a bit disapointed since prior to his senior bowl workouts he was probably a late 2nd/early 3rd pick.
What I was hoping for too. If he has a string senior bowl and combine though, I could see him going late first. I think he is the possesion reciever we have been looking for.

[Traveler]

You spent a lot of time watching the SEC didn't you?


Nah! More of an ACC type.

[brncs_fan]

that one year under Weis is going to help all of those ND guys in the draft. Didn't TW have Stovall at Qb at some point in his career? I know I am starting to sound like a broken record but take a look at Brandon Marshall from UCF, he is huge and atheltic and will probably be a steal.
Stovall came in as a QB but changed quickly to WR. I am not so sure if it was Weis though that helped or just the removal of the stagnant Willingham offense.

He will be a gamer though.

[Drek]

that one year under Weis is going to help all of those ND guys in the draft. Didn't TW have Stovall at Qb at some point in his career? I know I am starting to sound like a broken record but take a look at Brandon Marshall from UCF, he is huge and atheltic and will probably be a steal.
No, Stovall was considered one of, if not the, top high school WR his graduation year. You're probably thinking of Carlyle Holliday who was Willingham's QB much of his time in South Bend, but later converted to WR. He didn't see more than a tryout at the NFL level if I recall. Arnaz Battle was a similar situation, but he didn't see as much time at QB as Holliday. He's now on the 49ers, still as a WR.

[chanesaw]

I watched Stovall all year, and he would be a great 2nd, but probably not a 1st rounder.

[ludo21]

Shockley has fumbled a few snaps already.

Croyle looking good. This is prob the first offseason i will try and understand the draft board a bit more

[ro_50]

Croyle has a great arm and can make the throws. But his problems lies in he holds on to the ball a little long at times and his decision making could improve but I'm probably nit picking. Most of the time, he is patient back there but other times, he's not.

He has ok agility despite the torn ACL he suffered at the start of the 2004 season. He is a team leader and has solid touch on the deep routes, especially the fade in the endzone.

Croyle is a warrior and winner but to think of him as a second round pick right now is a bit premature. I would say third to fifth round area but I'm not a scout or talent evaluator.

But thats coming from me and from someone that lives in the Deep South who has seen almost all of his games.

[ludo21]

Croyle has a good arm and can make the throws. But his problems lies in he holds on to the ball a little long at times and his decision making could improve.

He has ok agility despite the torn ACL he suffered at the start of the 2004 season.

Croyle is a warrior and winner but to think of him as a second round pick right now is a bit premature.

But thats coming from me and from someone that lives in the Deep South who has seen almost all of his games.


yeah what do you know anyway/:~ohyah!:

How about Shockley, does he translate well into an NFL QB?

[ro_50]

Dont get me wrong, Croyle has a chanceto be an ok quarterback on the next level, but second round, that kind of talk down here in Alabama was not heard of during the season or his career.

As for DJ Shockley, to me, I think he played sensational this past season.

Remember, if he doesnt sprain his knee in the Arkansas game, UGA beats Florida and would have had only one loss going into the bowl season (They should have defeated my AU Tigers but lost by one point, 31-30).

Shockley has a outstanding arm, he can throw the deep ball w/ accuracy, especially on the run. He's an great athlete for the position but needs refining because he started just one full season.

He does need to develop patience more in the pocket, there were times that he would tuck it and run it before the pass protection broke down. But that anticipation comes w/ more time playing.

And he's only 6-1 but his upside is tremendous.