We're knee-deep into the NFL Draft scouting process and Today's Senior Bowl is one of the most crucial events in draft preparations. It's debatable if the actual game is more important than the previous week's practices, but for some players who may have had a rough week, the game is where they can redeem themselves.
Good thing for us, this game is loaded with talent at running back, corner back and offensive line. It would be a safe bet to say one of these players will be in stripes next season. Here's a few players on the South squad to keep your eyes on.
Cyrus Gray - Texas A&M - 5'10" 198 lbs
Terrance Ganaway - Baylor - 5'11" 241 lbs
Vick Ballard - Mississippi State - 5'10" 217 lbs
Chris Rainey - RB/WR/PR - Florida - 5'8" 178 lbs
This group isn't as talented as the North squad but they all could be mid-round steals. Ganaway and Ballard are two guys that have the build to be better pros than they were college players.
Ganaway is built like Tampa Bay's LaGarrette Blount but has a little more straight line speed. He was highly productive in Baylor's spread and speed offense. I'm interested to see how he does in a traditional role.
Ballard is a short and thick and can run between the tackles. He has a surprising burst and he's definitely a guy I could see having a solid NFL career. He built to take on the NFL game right now.
Gray is a guy that most people like but I've soured on since his Sr. Bowl weigh-in. On tape, he looks like a Rudi Johnson and shows similar athletic ability. I figured he'd show up at about 215 lbs. Instead, Gray is less than 200 lbs and doesn't look any faster.
Rainey is a gadget player who showed he can play WR during this week's practices. That added dimension only increases his value. He's the fastest player in the draft and speed is always coveted. I could see him in a Dexter McCluster role in the NFL.
Cordy Glenn - T/G - Georgia - 6'5' 346 lbs
Jeff Allen - T/G - Illinois - 6'4" 306 lbs
Ben Jones - C/G - Georgia - 6'2" 304 lbs
Phillip Blake - C/G - Baylor - 6'2" 312 lbs
William Vlachos - G - Alabama - 6'3" 306 lbs
Obviously the big name of this group is Cordy Glenn. He played primarily OT for Georgia but he projects to be a much better NFL guard. When you watch him, he has an Andre Smith body and plays with poor technique. The crazy thing is he gets it done. He has the tools and power to be a road grading guard in the NFL. He will probably be selected between picks 20-40 in April.
Jeff Allen is a Tackle that measured only 6'4"; small by most NFL standards. Some teams may be viewing him as a guard at the next level and we know how the Bengals love converting OT to OG.
The next group of guys can be flexible in the interior. All could play Center or Guard in the NFL. Blake is a guy that caught my eye while watching the Sr. Bowl practices. He anchored surprisingly well and now I want to see him with his hand down trying to block; something he didn't do much at Baylor. Jones and Vlachos are guys from the SEC with that tough-man mentality. They'll fight through the whistle and both have played in pro style offenses.
Janoris Jenkins - North Alabama - 5'9" 191 lbs
Casey Hayward - Vanderbilt - 5'11" 183 lbs
Dwight Bentley - La-Lafayette - 5'9" 176 lbs
Ryan Steed - Furman - 5'10" 190 lbs
The star of this group is Janoris Jenkins. Know for his off the field trials as well as his raw coverage ability. Jenkins had a good week of practice to show that he hasn't lost a thing in one year of FCS football. He's a little shorter than most would've liked and his entire draft stock still depends on the interview process.
Casey Hayward is a guy I like in my top-5 CB. He's long and lean with great ball skills. He reminds me of a Tramon Williams type. He will probably be selected between picks 25-50.
The next two guys are FCS prospects who have shined. Bentley really surprised everybody with his aggressiveness and toughness. He's a feisty sucker who didn't back down from the elite talent he faced in practice. Steed is built for the NFL game. I want to see him match up against some of these quicker and faster WRs on the North squad. That should give us a better idea of Steed's ability. Both guys look like 4-6 round picks.
Markelle Martin - Oklahoma State - 6'0" 203 lbs
Antonio Allen - South Carolina - 6'1" 203 lbs
Both of these guys are versatile players with NFL bodies and good ball skills. Both aren't afraid to tackle or lay a hit. Martin had a better week of practice but Allen is a guy I really liked on tape. Both players could be fits for the Bengals in rounds 2-4.
0 recs | 26 comments
Did not realize Jenkins was that short
Thought he was at least 5"10
biggie22 - January 28, 2012
jenkins and bentley cant be same size
If Jenkins 5’9 then Bentley is 5’6
pray4gm11 - January 28, 2012 via mobile
They measured-in on Sunday. All the numbers I posted are official. Jenkins was 5’9 6/8" and Bentley was 5’9 7/8". So Bill Bentley is taller.
Joe Goodberry - January 28, 2012 via Android app
Really looking forward to seeing Jenkins play, since didn't see him much this season.
Only highlights, which don’t exactly tell you much. Wonder who will do all the kick returning/punt returning, etc. for each squad? Will be interesting to see some of these playmakers get back there and see what they can do in the open field.
The Van Buren Boys - January 28, 2012
Heyward is a beast!!!
Could be 2nd corner selected
pray4gm11 - January 28, 2012 via mobile
He’s my #5 CB
Joe Goodberry - January 28, 2012 via Android app
He's good but not that good.
Late 2nd round.
jimbasa - January 28, 2012 via mobile
Terrence Ganaway
5’10- 241….? Wow, that’s a hoss right there. I don’t know too much about him Joe.
whodeycommish14 - January 28, 2012 via mobile
5'11 241*
whodeycommish14 - January 28, 2012 via mobile
Extremely productive at Baylor (like all of their offensive players). Not a complete player. Baylor had a 3rd down RB that replaced him. Ganaway is power and straight line speed. Not very agile and not great acceleration. He’s really fun to watch though. Needs to be more powerful at times.
Joe Goodberry - January 28, 2012 via Android app
Thank you sir
whodeycommish14 - January 28, 2012 via mobile
Going to be focused intently on Cordy Glenn in this game
He had a solid week of practice. He even had some nice one-on-one battles with highly touted edge rushers like Melvin Ingram and Courtney Upshaw (both likely top 20 picks) this week during the South practice.
Also, Glenn was primarily a Guard at Georgia, not tackle. He was a four year starter at Georgia who actually broke our own Clint Boling’s school record for most starts by one player on the offensive line (where, again, most of those starts were at OG – both left and right). Of his 50 careers starts on the offensive line, only 17 were at Tackle. He played tackle his entire senior season (all 13 games) and while he admittedly struggled at times, his play at guard in his first three seasons showed that he can be an absolute mauler-type NFL guard. Glenn’s versatility, alone, will more than likely make him first round pick. General managers and coaching staffs really put a premium on players who are able to play multiple positions, and Glenn can literally play 4 different positions on the offensive live. I really, really like him as an OG prospect.
Finally, I would compare Glenn’s body-type to Carl Nicks more than Andre Smith. I can see the Andre Smith body-type comparison, but Glenn is a full inch taller than Andre ( and the same height as Nicks), and Glenn is about 15 pounds heavier than Andre, but almost identical in weight to Nicks. Remember that Andre came into camp ( and played the season) at around 330lbs.
Plus, the Bengals tend to prefer heavier guards (big Bobbie and Livings are both 330lbs-plus), and Glenn fits the bill. I think they tend to prefer bigger guards because of the fact that 4 of their games, each year, are played against 3-4 defenses who employ a monster NT (Ngata and Hampton – although Hampton is on the decline and not what he used to be, and may even be cut this offseason). Also, with Big Phil Taylor emerging in Cleveland, strengthening the interior o-line (a major team weakness) with a massive, mauler guard like Glenn may be too tempting to pass up at pick 21.
We’ll see how Glenn performs during the game.
The_Black_Stripes - January 28, 2012
glad you’ll be here with us
Joe Goodberry - January 28, 2012 via Android app
Pumped for this game! Love the senior bowl
The_Black_Stripes - January 28, 2012
To note: My “played primarily OT” was because I watched 6 games while he was at OT and 2 games from each Guard spot. Teams will look for him to play OT first, then OG. So I did the same.
Joe Goodberry - January 28, 2012 via Android app
Gotcha. I'm sure his agent will want him to play guard (higher average salary), but I agree with you that he can be an absolute mauler-type guard
I remember watching some UGA games in 2009 and 2010, and he stood out on tape (against SEC competition, aka “NFL lite” as a dominating guard.
The_Black_Stripes - January 28, 2012
Meant to say, I'm sure his agent will want him to play tackle ( higher average salary than guard) , and I'm sure his agent will be stressing to teams that he's a tackle, first, then guard.
The_Black_Stripes - January 28, 2012
I meant, I'm sure his agent will want him to play tackle ( higher average salary than guard)
The_Black_Stripes - January 28, 2012
no love for Brandon Boykin, Joe?
Brennen Warner - January 28, 2012
Ahh just over-looked him
I love Boykin
Joe Goodberry - January 28, 2012 via Android app
Wagner again
messjunk - January 28, 2012
I'm not a fan of going after Cordy Glenn in the 1st round (or the 2nd if a highly rated RB is there)
My reasoning is that all the experts are consistent in their analysis that Glenn absolutely mauls people but is not technically sound. The competition in the NFL is much higher and there have been many guys coming out of college who dominated but lacked technique and just couldn’t dominate in the NFL. I have a lot of concerns that Cordy Glenn is one of those guys. What does he do against a guy like Ngata? I’m not sure he can maul Ngata, or any of the other stud DT’s in the North, with bad technique. I also wonder about his ability to get to the second level b/c of that lack of technique. Getting to the LB’s is what makes a 2-3 yard run a 7-9 yard run.
WOOD98 - January 29, 2012
+1 Agree
BPA for me I don’t care if it’s a LB DE Dt Wr or SS. Why waste a first round pick on a G that’s not an elite talent Peter Konz would be a good option.
messjunk - January 29, 2012
As to Jenkins
I didn’t realize he was that short. Being stuck like glue to a guy is great unless he is 6" taller with a vertical. There isn’t much a 5’9" corner can do in that instance.
How did he fair in the game against the taller WRs?
WOOD98 - January 29, 2012
He did not play well at all
messjunk - January 29, 2012
It seems like Heyward and Norman would be good targets and could both be had without hurting other needs.
As for a 1st RD shot at a corner I would go with the South Carolina kid. Worked out well before.
WOOD98 - January 29, 2012
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