ICON
04-01-2006, 08:55 AM
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/football/nfl/03/31/risers.sliders/index.html http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2006/football/nfl/03/31/risers.sliders/t1_chadjackson_si.jpg
By Tony Pauline, Special to SI.com
The final full week of pro days offered no major revelations for NFL scouts. Still, a few players who performed in front of NFL decision-makers improved their draft stock.
On Sunday, the biggest pro day of the year takes place as hundreds of NFL people descend on Troy to watch the USC Trojans work out.
Risers
1. Joe Klopfenstein, TE, Colorado: Scouts are comparing the Colorado tight end to Todd Heap more and more each day. What really excites them is the way this pass-catching specialist has improved his blocking. Klopfenstein is poised to break into the early part of the second round.
2. Chad Jackson, WR, Florida: After putting on a clinic at the combine, Jackson has blown people away with interviews in recent weeks and wrestled away the top spot at wide receiver from Ohio State's Santonio Holmes.
3. Charles Spencer, G, Pittsburgh: The big-bodied blocker has caught the attention of several teams, including the Cowboys. In Spencer, teams see an athletic blocker with unlimited upside who can be used at tackle or guard.
4. Kamerion Wimbley, DE, Florida State: Teams compare Wimbley to a bigger version of John Abraham. A fringe first-round choice in early January, Wimbley could jump into the draft's first 15 selections.
5. Greg Jennings, WR, Western Michigan: The ultra-productive wideout has received a lot of attention recently. Teams that employ the West Coast offense love his ability to pick up yards after the catch, while conventional coaches admire his reliability. In a weak receiver draft, Jennings is moving toward the second round.
6. Joe Toledo, OT, Washington: Teams are becoming more enamored with the former tight end who moved to tackle last season. At 330 pounds, Toledo was hampered with a high ankle sprain last season. Scouts don't want to let him slip through the cracks as they did his college teammate Khalif Barnes last year.
7. Philip Alexander, DE, Duke: An athletic pass rusher whose college career was beset by injury, Alexander recently weighed in at 274 pounds and ran a 4.80 40. He completed 25 reps on the bench and is getting late-round consideration as a 3-4 end.
8. Brandon Guillory, OLB, Louisiana-Monroe: A 'tweener who projects to rush linebacker in a 3-4 alignment, Guillory had a sensational workout in front of scouts. Weighing near 255 pounds, he clocked a 4.55 in his 40 and touched the wall at 37 inches in the vertical jump. He is another player getting late-round consideration.
9. Justin Holland, QB, Colorado State: After a terrific senior season, the Rams quarterback felt snubbed after not receiving an invite to the combine. Holland threw the ball well during Colorado State's pro day, showing a strong arm and solid accuracy.
10. Quinton Ganther, RB, Utah: The productive back has impressed scouts with his poise and maturity in recent interviews. Considered a middle-round pick, he could make a run toward the first day.
Sliders
1. Shelton Sampson, RB, Northwestern State: Before last season Sampson was on everybody's radar as the top small-school back in the nation, but a poor senior campaign left him out in the cold, and a horrible pro day has pushed him out of the draft. Sampson weighed a stout 225 pounds, ran a slow 4.79 and completed only 11 reps on the bench.
2. Alan Zemaitis, CB, Penn State: He was a quality player considered a first-round candidate at one time, but character issues have arisen. He was a late no-show at the Senior Bowl, then performed below expectations at pro day.
3. Marcus Vick, QB, Virginia Tech: If he wasn't a Vick, no one would really care about him. Don't expect Michael's little brother to get selected in the draft's seven rounds.
4. Maurice Avery, WR, Memphis: A big-body receiver who was forced to play quarterback last year because of injuries, Avery ran a pair of very slow 40s, covering the turf in 4.75 seconds, then looked barely average catching the ball.
5. Joe Sykes, DE, Southern: The former West Virginia defensive end performed well on a small-school level last year but has done nothing in the run-up to the draft to impress scouts. Weighing just 267 pounds, Sykes ran an average of 5.10 in the 40.
By Tony Pauline, Special to SI.com
The final full week of pro days offered no major revelations for NFL scouts. Still, a few players who performed in front of NFL decision-makers improved their draft stock.
On Sunday, the biggest pro day of the year takes place as hundreds of NFL people descend on Troy to watch the USC Trojans work out.
Risers
1. Joe Klopfenstein, TE, Colorado: Scouts are comparing the Colorado tight end to Todd Heap more and more each day. What really excites them is the way this pass-catching specialist has improved his blocking. Klopfenstein is poised to break into the early part of the second round.
2. Chad Jackson, WR, Florida: After putting on a clinic at the combine, Jackson has blown people away with interviews in recent weeks and wrestled away the top spot at wide receiver from Ohio State's Santonio Holmes.
3. Charles Spencer, G, Pittsburgh: The big-bodied blocker has caught the attention of several teams, including the Cowboys. In Spencer, teams see an athletic blocker with unlimited upside who can be used at tackle or guard.
4. Kamerion Wimbley, DE, Florida State: Teams compare Wimbley to a bigger version of John Abraham. A fringe first-round choice in early January, Wimbley could jump into the draft's first 15 selections.
5. Greg Jennings, WR, Western Michigan: The ultra-productive wideout has received a lot of attention recently. Teams that employ the West Coast offense love his ability to pick up yards after the catch, while conventional coaches admire his reliability. In a weak receiver draft, Jennings is moving toward the second round.
6. Joe Toledo, OT, Washington: Teams are becoming more enamored with the former tight end who moved to tackle last season. At 330 pounds, Toledo was hampered with a high ankle sprain last season. Scouts don't want to let him slip through the cracks as they did his college teammate Khalif Barnes last year.
7. Philip Alexander, DE, Duke: An athletic pass rusher whose college career was beset by injury, Alexander recently weighed in at 274 pounds and ran a 4.80 40. He completed 25 reps on the bench and is getting late-round consideration as a 3-4 end.
8. Brandon Guillory, OLB, Louisiana-Monroe: A 'tweener who projects to rush linebacker in a 3-4 alignment, Guillory had a sensational workout in front of scouts. Weighing near 255 pounds, he clocked a 4.55 in his 40 and touched the wall at 37 inches in the vertical jump. He is another player getting late-round consideration.
9. Justin Holland, QB, Colorado State: After a terrific senior season, the Rams quarterback felt snubbed after not receiving an invite to the combine. Holland threw the ball well during Colorado State's pro day, showing a strong arm and solid accuracy.
10. Quinton Ganther, RB, Utah: The productive back has impressed scouts with his poise and maturity in recent interviews. Considered a middle-round pick, he could make a run toward the first day.
Sliders
1. Shelton Sampson, RB, Northwestern State: Before last season Sampson was on everybody's radar as the top small-school back in the nation, but a poor senior campaign left him out in the cold, and a horrible pro day has pushed him out of the draft. Sampson weighed a stout 225 pounds, ran a slow 4.79 and completed only 11 reps on the bench.
2. Alan Zemaitis, CB, Penn State: He was a quality player considered a first-round candidate at one time, but character issues have arisen. He was a late no-show at the Senior Bowl, then performed below expectations at pro day.
3. Marcus Vick, QB, Virginia Tech: If he wasn't a Vick, no one would really care about him. Don't expect Michael's little brother to get selected in the draft's seven rounds.
4. Maurice Avery, WR, Memphis: A big-body receiver who was forced to play quarterback last year because of injuries, Avery ran a pair of very slow 40s, covering the turf in 4.75 seconds, then looked barely average catching the ball.
5. Joe Sykes, DE, Southern: The former West Virginia defensive end performed well on a small-school level last year but has done nothing in the run-up to the draft to impress scouts. Weighing just 267 pounds, Sykes ran an average of 5.10 in the 40.