Chase Patton: The next Matt Cassel?

[KChiefs1]

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/story/11306872

Texas All-Star notes: Patton could follow Cassel route

Jan. 27, 2009 By Chad Reuter NFLDraftScout.com

EL PASO, Texas -- Success breeds imitators in the NFL, from players to coaches to schemes. Thanks to the emergence of Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel filling in for injured Tom Brady in 2008, scouts are scouring high profile colleges looking for quarterbacks with upside who were stuck behind productive starters. Few people got to know Chase Patton's face or game at Mizzou. (Getty Images) Enter Missouri's Chase Patton, who has an opportunity to improve his stock dramatically at The Texas vs. the Nation All-Star Challenge this week. After being considered a top-five quarterback nationally by recruiting services coming out of high school, Patton spent his career as "the other Chase" in his hometown of Columbia. He threw just 31 passes while watching All-Big 12 quarterback Chase Daniel start the past three seasons. While it's far too early to project his career following that of Cassel's, Patton certainly has the tools to garner late-round consideration. Cassel, who served as a backup to Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at Southern California, was a seventh-round pick in 2005. During Monday's practice, Patton's size stood out as he measured in at 6-feet-4 5/12 and 222 pounds. So, too, did his fair arm strength and tight spiral. It's tough to be accurate with receivers you've never played with at these all-star games, but Patton seemed comfortable making all the typical NFL throws. Game on the rise Texas vs. the Nation is the last and least-known of the three major all-star games. Its three-year history pales in comparison to the tradition-laden East-West Shrine Game and Senior Bowl. However, the demise of the Hula Bowl has raised the level of football played in El Paso this week. Several players in this game could have fit in at Houston's East-West practices. Between the Texas and Nation rosters, as many as 25-30 players could be drafted, and the majority will sign as free agents. Nineteen players from last year's game were selected, including one of Houston's two third-round picks [cornerback Antuan Molden] and Cardinals fifth-round rookie running back Tim Hightower, who emerged as an excellent short-yardage back. In 2007, 12 players were drafted including Denver Broncos starting defensive tackle Marcus Thomas. Practice notes • The star of Monday's practice was Abilene Christian's Bernard Scott. The 5-11, 199-pound running back displayed impressive vision and quickness inside, even for the first practice of the week. Every time he ran the ball there was a buzz. More of the same is expected throughout the week, given his running for more than 4,300 yards in just the past two seasons. • Two other backs who stood out were Pittsburgh's Conredge Collins and Wyoming's Devin Moore. Collins, son of former NFL back Tony Collins, looked like a pro fullback as he pounded defenders in the hole, adjusted to a high throw to bring it down in the flat and displayed a little wiggle as a ballcarrier. Moore's speed is evident when seeing him in person. Even though he measured at 5-9, 191 on Monday morning, he appears strong enough to carry the ball in addition to receiving and returning kicks. • Scott's teammate, Johnny Knox, was one of three non-FBS receivers who impressed despite very windy conditions. Stephen F. Austin receiver Dominique Edison is unquestionably the best receiver here. The 6-2, 199-pounder has sub-4.4 speed and displayed great hands throughout practice. Next in line was Gardner Webb's Dobson Collins, who snatched every pass thrown his way. • This year's senior quarterback class is among the worst in recent memory, which makes Patton's story even more interesting. Another intriguing prospect is Division III's Jason Boltus from Hartwick. He could be the first D-III passer drafted since 1991 because of his 6-3, 224-pound frame and more than adequate arm strength and athleticism. As this week progresses, scouts will watch whether he gets comfortable enough with receivers to display accuracy and timing. • Purdue's Curtis Painter started the year highly-regarded, and his arm is still strong enough to cut through the El Paso wind. But his lengthy release makes it too easy for defensive backs to get a jump on him. Rutgers' Mike Teel looked solid Monday, continuing his late-season surge after a disappointing start to 2008. • Ohio cornerback Mark Parson was one of the top defenders on the field. His speed, smooth backpedal and solid hands stood out. Furman's William Middleton is a 5-9, 190-pound corner, just like Parson, but his speed and toughness made scouts take notice despite the presence of several FCS corners trying to better their stock this week. It's not often you see a 293-pound linebacker. That's right, 293 pounds. Central Oklahoma's Michael Reed (through Yuba Community College and the University of Oklahoma), however, still manages to attack the ball in the flat and even gets into the deep third. Stamina is a bit of an issue, as you'd expect. Alcorn State linebacker Lee Robinson is all of 6-2, 249, and appears destined to be a 3-4 inside linebacker to use his strength and athleticism. Nebraska linebacker Cody Glenn stood out in coverage, as did Kansas' James Holt (although his slight 218-pound frame may be an issue for scouts). • It's normal for scouts to flock to "the pit" to watch one-on-one matchups between offensive and defensive linemen. The top lineman on either side of the ball was Tennessee State left tackle Cornelius Lewis, a Florida State transfer who will probably move inside at the next level. He used his arm length and athleticism to hold up his man at the point of attack or direct him around the pocket in drills and scrimmages. • Eastern Michigan left tackle T.J. Lang moved inside for Monday's practice and proved he belonged, refusing to back down from anyone. Nebraska's Lydon Murtha played a strong right tackle, anchoring and moving his feet like a good Cornhusker should. Pitt center C.J. Davis and Penn State teammates left tackle Gerald Cadogan and left guard Rich Ohrnberger played as though they were from the major programs. Cadogan's athleticism on the edge and Davis and Ohrnberger's mauling style inside were as expected. • The defensive line may be the weakest group here. Tennessee defensive tackle Demonte Bolden weighed in at only 281 pounds, and struggled to move Lang and other linemen. He ended up on the ground way too often in drills and team play. Ohio State's Nader Abdallah dominated his man in one-on-one drills because of his superior hand usage and swim move. Once in tight quarters during team play, his moves were not as effective. Tulsa tackle Moton Hopkins III flashed raw power as a 6-2, 273-pound power end.

[DaKCMan AP]

No thanks.

[OnTheWarpath15]

I bet he's drafted, which is more than I can say for Chase Daniel.

[KChiefs1]

Texas-Nation: Who to watch for during practice

Jan. 27, 2009 By Chad Reuter NFLDraftScout.com

EL PASO, Texas -- The fact that players from lower levels, or even non-BCS conferences like the Sun Belt, take on Big 12 and SEC talent makes the week of practice at the Texas vs. the Nation All-Star Game all that much more interesting. Jordan Norwood has a stage to showcase his receiving skills. (US Presswire) The week of practice can be enough for a player to lift his stock from late-draft consideration to mid-round pick and others from priority free agents into the late rounds. It's hard for any player to really hurt himself this week. None of the prospects are so highly rated that they'd experience a considerable slide. The game is a true win-win situation for prospects and teams, many of whom sent top scouts to El Paso to find the best fit for their system. During Tuesday's practice, these 13 players boosted their stock: Texas squad 1. Monday's top receiver, Dominique Edison (Stephen F. Austin) sat out Tuesday with a minor injury, and is expected he'll be back today. Northwestern State's Dudley Guice took Edison's place as the premier wideout on the field. Guice snatched several balls outside the frame of his body and high-pointed a few in red zone drills. In another drill, he faked the fade and used his hands to get inside position for a quick slant near the goal line. The 6-foot-2, 213-pound Guice is not a track star but his feet were quick in and out of routes. 2. Tuesday's defensive star for the Texas squad was Chris Owens from San Jose State. He had at least two interceptions on the day, stepping in front of his man as if he'd heard the route called in the huddle. He has been the "other" corner opposite Dwight Lowery and Coye Francies the past two seasons, partially because of size (5-9, 182) but Owens' game should make his phone ring sometime on Sunday during draft weekend. 3. Lee Robinson, a linebacker from Alcorn State, continues to impress with his athleticism. Even at 249 pounds, he has the ability to track running backs in the flat and get to receivers in short zones. He's a guy who looks like Tarzan -- and plays like him, too. Of this week's participants, Robinson should be one of the first players drafted. 4. WR Jordan Norwood brought his polished routes, nice quickness and soft hands with him from Happy Valley. He's taking full advantage of the same all-star contest opportunity afforded his Penn State teammates in the East-West Shrine Game (Deon Butler) and Senior Bowl (Derrick Williams). 5. Furman CB William Middleton is holding his own. Likely too small for some teams at 5-9, 193, his ability to stick with receivers downfield and play the ball will be coveted by teams primarily using zone schemes. 6. RB Devin Moore (Wyoming) is very tough to catch in the open field. On swing passes, he continually shows superior quickness against linebackers or safeties in space. A bit small for an every-down back (5-9, 191), a team might try him as a slot receiver/kick returner in training camp. Nation squad 1. ILB Florida Atlantic Frantz Joseph was intense and ready to go today while his Nation teammates were chilling out before practice. He popped pads all day in the box and although he's not really fluid, he gets into position to make plays in coverage. 2. T.J. Lang played left tackle for Eastern Michigan for the past two-plus seasons, but his play at left guard this week proves he'll be a solid NFL player at that spot. Strong at the point of attack, Lang can also get out in front of screens and dominate defensive backs at the second or third level. 3. At 5-10, 189, Louisiana-Lafayette's Jason Chery is not the most physically imposing receiver in El Paso, but he has caught everything thrown his direction. Whether on a slant, quick-out or nine route, Chery has the quickness to get position on his man and the hands to secure each pass. 4. Boston College TE Ryan Purvis missed having QB Matt Ryan around this season, but has looked smooth and sure-handed this week. His straight-line speed is questionable, however, so he'll be best finding the hole in zones and moving the chains. 5. Purvis' teammate, Kevin Akins, spent 2008 bouncing between cornerback and linebacker on BC's depth chart. Once again he showed great versatility Tuesday, playing strong at the point of attack and looking fluid in coverage as a linebacker and coming up into the box to support the run as a free safety. 6. Montana safety Colt Anderson is reminiscent of undersized but heady Jim Leonhard of the Baltimore Ravens. The 5-10, 191-pound Anderson is plenty physical despite his slight frame. He also displayed nice reflexes intercepting a ball after it went through a receiver's hands. 7. DE Pierre Walters (Eastern Illinois) has the size at 6-4, 269, to hold up on early downs but flashed good speed off the edge and an ability to spin or loop inside to get to the quarterback stepping up into the pocket.

[The Franchise]

The only way I'd take a look at him.....is as an undrafted FA.

[RealSNR]

If a successful spread O Big XII QB like Graham Harrell isn't that great, why the hell would a backup be great?

[KChiefs1]

2009 Texas Vs The Nation Day Two Texas Practice Report

by Sigmund Bloom and Cecil Lammey on 01/28/09


The wind gusted at times, but otherwise the weather at the Sun Bowl was ideal for the Tuesday morning Texas practice, and we got a chance to evaluate the QBs, WRs, and CBs in much better conditions than the Monday Texas practice.

QB
Sean Glennon (QB-Virginia Tech) - It’s too bad that its difficult to get past the huge hitch in Glennon’s delivery, because his accuracy and touch on deep passes is very natural, and otherwise his mechanics are smooth and true. He also looked comfortable throwing on the run. He’s got ideal size, so something might be there if an NFL QB coach can tighten up his delivery.
Chase Holbrook (QB-New Mexico State) - Holbrook is probably the eighth best of the eight QBs here. Just like yesterday, it seems like everything he does is slow compared the other Texas QBs. He did make a few nice touch passes today, dropping the ball into spots on both inside and outside throws, but just as many of his throws sailed over the intended receiver.
Chase Patton (QB-Missouri) - Patton is struggling. He looks like a QB that hasn’t had much game action in the last four years. Patton has been tentative, sometimes appearing to be guessing more than reading the play. He’s also had to step from the line to double check something about the play multiple times after the offense is set. His mechanics are inconsistent. Still, when the mechanics are on, he throws a nice ball with a high release point. There’s no way that this is Patton’s A game, so we’ll give him a pass and hope that things improve by the time Saturday’s game rolls around. While we were hoping for Patton to come in and turn heads, rocketing up draft boards, he’s probably an end of draft practice squad stash at best.
David Johnson (QB-Tulsa) - At times Johnson eerily reminds us of another Tulsa QB who put up astronomical numbers, Paul Smith. Johnson has a quick release, although with a small hitch, and he puts great zip on his short and intermediate passes. Johnson surveys the field well, but he was very cautious in 7 on 7s and 11 on 11s, sometimes holding the ball too long - but it didn’t prevent him from throwing an interception. His arm strength to make the deep pass is inconsistent and he’s looking like a low upside project.

RB
Chris Ogbonnaya (RB-Texas) - A lot of Ogbonnaya’s runs were bottled up in the backfield, due to no fault of his own, but he impressed as a receiver once again. For the second straight day he ran his routes with WR precision and caught the ball with WR hands. Ogbonnaya looks like a real nice special teamer/end of the roster RB who is going to be able to be on the field for all situations because of his versatility and no nonsense running style.
Devin Moore (RB-Wyoming) - Moore’s hyped speed has not disappointed, when we were watching film of him in practice it looked like he was on fast forward compared to the rest of the players. He is definitely not afraid to mix it up between the tackles and he runs with a good low pad level in traffic - clearly not shying away from contact. Moore also showed us good fight for the ball in the air as a receiver, in addition to natural deep ball tracking and improving sideline awareness.
Bernard Scott (RB-Abilene Christian) - Scott’s feet and quickness left us breathless on a few plays again today, and his lateral agility and crisp cuts allowed him to bounce one run outside when the hole was filled, but still crisply cut upfield and turn a likely three yard loss into a three yard gain. Like Moore, Scott tracks deep balls like a WR, and has the speed to threaten a defense deep. He runs low, and if his lower body was stronger, we’d say he’s got a chance to be a surprise NFL starting RB. We still think he looks like a terrific change of pace back with a bright NFL future.
Tarrion Adams (RB-Tulsa) - Adams has been more like Ogbonnaya than Moore and Scott. A good all around back with some skills and value to an NFL team, but not a gamebreaker. Like the rest of the Texas RBs, he catches the ball with WR hands, and tracks the ball well - Adams hauled in a deep over the shoulder pass like a seasoned WR Tuesday. He’s also sudden and crisp through the breaks in his routes and cuts in his runs.
Frank Summers (RB/FB-UNLV) - It’s easy to like Frank the Tank’s game. Today, he had two outstanding runs, winning multiple collisions and getting low to go under a would-be tackler. He’s got terrific leg drive and he holds the ball high, tight, and very securely. Summers also has good hands for a compact lead blocking FB, and he seems like the kind of player who will be a fan favorite on his eventual team.

WR/TE
Jordan Norwood (WR-Penn State) - Norwood missed Monday’s practice because he was participating in a skill competition soon to be aired on ESPN, but he showed up Tuesday in mid-season form. His game was indistinguishable from teammate Deon Butler’s at the Shrine Game practices on the whole. Norwood flashed terrific natural quicks and speed, efficient, tight breaks in his routes, and exceptional body control. Norwood sinks his hips low on comebacks, and also uses head and shoulder fakes to create extra separation in his routes. He also gets his head around to locate the ball in flight very quickly and makes most everything look easy. Like Butler, he plays at a high speed, but still completely under control. Most of the defensive backs that tried to cover him were left befuddled, and he capped off the goal line drill with a one-handed, both-feet-in catch in the end zone that no defensive back on earth could have defensed. Norwood is in a class of his own among the WRs in El Paso.
David Richmond (WR-San Jose State) - Richmond’s natural quicks and speed stand out, and he continued to get open with startling head and shoulder fakes that left DBs stumbling. His over the shoulder ball tracking is excellent.
Johnny Knox (WR-Abilene Christian) - Knox is getting respect from the Texas DBs in the form a big cushion, and he’s using it to get wide open on short routes. His quicks, hands, sideliness awareness, and conversion to run after catch mode all look excellent out there, and like John Matthews from the Nation side, Knox has a possible future as an NFL slot receiver.
Michael Jones (WR-Arizona State) - Jones is frustrating because he’ll make a sick play, like using his short are quicks to get huge separation on a short end zone route, but then he’ll do things like give away his route and not fight when an excellent CB like Chris Owens jumps the route for an INT. For the second straight day, Jones performance was marred by multiple drops and bobbles. He joins Jaison Williams in the tease category, and we can’t endorse Jones unless he plays with consistency on Wednesday.
Dominique Edison (WR-Stephen F Austin) - Edison banged up his shoulder and did not practice on Tuesday, but there’s hope that he’ll return on Wednesday, because the game did call in a replacement.
Michael Reed (WR-BYU) - Reed was mostly down on Tuesday. He wasted way too many steps throttling down in a stop and go, and that very problem was exploited for an INT. He also rounded his routes and did not sell the double move. Reed had one real nice deep catch in 11 on 11s, but otherwise struggled to make a good impression.
Dudley Guice (WR-Northwestern St-La.) - Guice is winning us over. He fought the ball a little early in practice, but otherwise smoothly snagged everything thrown his way. He turned Chauncey Calhoun all the way around with his crisp double move and created separation with route running, quicks, and speed. Guice extends to catch the ball outside of his frame like a natural, and his body control to get both feet in on a fade astounded us when we watched the play on tape, just as it did in real time at the stadium. Guice high points the ball instinctively, and he also handfights aggressively to beat the jam. Guice wasn’t on many watch lists going into this week, but we think he’s got to be shooting up draft boards now.
Brandon Ledbetter (TE-Western Michigan) - Ledbetter showed excellent ability to haul in over the shoulder catches on flag routes, and once he caught the ball, he secured it away from the pursuing defender.

OL
Dallas Reynolds (C-BYU) - Reynolds opened some holes on running plays in 11 on 11s. He did something few lineman have done this week, dominating Nader Abdallah on a run play, opening a hole that a truck could drive through, and absorbing a quick spin move from Abdallah in another chapter of one of the better rivalries in the Texas practice.
Colin Brown (OT-Missouri) - Brown is huge, but he’s surprisingly light on his feet. He’s not crushing it, but he’s definitely an intriguing developmental prospect.
Jose Valdez (OT-Arkansas) - Valdez was getting soundly defeated on Monday, but he recovered well on Tuesday and won most of his battles with Cyril Obiozor in the pit with superior strength and footwork. His play drew a lot of praise from the coaches.
Roger Allen III (OT-Missouri Western State) - Allen got beat a lot in the pit and 11 on 11s, but he also flashed rare brute strength when he got under opponents and good footwork for a 320+ pounder - sometimes. Allen is a project, but one that could work well for a power running team in time.

DEF
Nader Abdallah (DT-Ohio State) - Abdallah continues to operate at an advanced level compared to his counterparts on both sides of the ball. His swim move and hand placement are winning battles consistently both in the pit and in 11 on 11s. He often penetrated to blow up running plays in the backfield.
Cyril Obiozor (DE-Texas A&M) - Obiozor wasn’t getting to the QB as much as he did on Monday in the pit, but he did sky to bat down a pass, and showed terrific recognition of the QBs intent to through to change strategies in the process. He doesn’t have any unstoppable physical tools, but Obiozor’s motor and heady play should find him a spot in the NFL.
Adrian Grady (DT-Louisville) - Grady played like a bowling ball of butcher knives at times, decisively beating his opponent in the pit and in 11 on 11s, and displaying great intensity throughout. He plays very low to the ground always lands good jolting punch on his opponent.
Moton Hopkins III (DE-Tulsa) - Hopkins had a strong day because of his high motor play, and he split a double team to bust up a play in the backfield during 11 on 11s.
Rulon Davis (DE-California) - Davis impressed us with his superior handfighting and ridiculous ups to attempt to block a pass in 11 on 11s. Davis hasn’t been dominant, but he’s flashed tools and has the natural size to be a very good 3-4 DE in time.
Lee Robinson (LB-Alcorn State) - Robinson is by far the best athlete of the LBs on either squad, and he uses that edge to make plays. He stayed with speed demon Devin Moore step for step on a deep route, and also stuck to Bernard Scott down the field in backs on backers. He also displayed terrific quickness and drive to penetrate and shoot gaps against the run, and explodes into his tackles. Robinson is definitely one of the best prospects in this game.
Ladarius Webb (DB-Nicholls State) - Webb impressed us with an easy interception on a deep pass that displayed his natural hands, and his ability to read a WRs route (Michael Reed and his wasted steps on a stop and go), He also recovered well when beaten initially.
Lydell Sargeant (CB-Penn State) - Sargeant played with the aggressiveness we love to see in corners, jumping routes in 11 on 11s, and destroying Michael Jones on an end zone route when he gave away his intentions.
Chris Owens (CB-San Jose State) - Owens was the most outstanding player in the Texas practice. He recorded one interception despite opening his hips to the outside too early when the WR broke in. He even jumped a Jordan Norwood route for another interception, and shut down Norwood by getting inside of him on a fade. Even when Owens was beaten initially at the goal line, he recovered quickly enough to strip the WR as he was bringing the ball after the catch. He’s ultra smooth out of his breaks and backpedal, and Owens was generally toying with the competition all day.
Stephen Hodge (S/LB-TCU) - Hodge’s game is full of big hits and big plays, and he recorded an interception in 11 on 11s that got his teammates pumped up.

[KChiefs1]

Chase Patton(QB-Missouri) - Now that Matt Cassel has proved that a backup college QB can be a good starter in the NFL, everyone wants to know if there are any other backups who might have NFL game even though they were blocked for their entire college career. We think we've found the answer- Chase Patton has ideal NFL size at 6'5" 220, and he was highly touted coming out Rock Bridge HS in Missouri. He was Rivals #4 QB in the country in 2003, and their #69 overall prospect. This week he'll get a chance to show the scouts why he could be the next Cassel.

Curtis Painter(QB-Purdue) - Painter came into the season ready to jump into the draft's top 50 with a good season in Joe Tiller's spread offense that produced NFL starting QBs Drew Brees and Kyle Orton. Instead, Painter's year was marred with a shoulder injury and he threw only 13 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. None of the Senior QB class have made a strong move at the Senior Bowl and Shrine Game, so Painter has a chance to jump well into the top 10 QBs taken in April with a good postseason.

Branden Ore(RB-West Liberty State) - You might remember Ore from his 1,137 yard, 16 touchdown season as a sophomore at Virginia Tech in 2006. Ore barely missed back to back thousand seasons with 992 yards in 2007, but the year was considered a disappointment for a back that seemed to be on the verge of superstardom. Frank Beamer decided it was best for Ore and the Hokies to part ways in March 2008, so he finished his career at West Liberty State with his cousin DB Darren Banks. Just like current Pittsburgh Steeler RB Gary Russell, Ore's road to NFL redemption begins in El Paso.

Devin Moore(RB-Wyoming) - If you're looking for this year's Chris Johnson, Moore might be your man. By all accounts, Moore should run a sub 4.4 40, but maybe not at the combine - Moore hasn't gotten an invitation, but he says he's using that to fuel him. Moore topped 1,300 yards rushing and 2,000 all purpose yards this year.

Nick Moore(WR-Toledo) - Many people hadn't heard of Lance Moore before he broke out for the New Orleans Saints this year, this is your chance to get the dirt on his brother Nick while we watch him this week in El Paso. Big brother Lance may still hold all the records at Toledo, but little brother Nick is actually bigger at about 6'3" 195. Moore will try to revive memories of his 20 catch day (no that's not a typo) at Michigan Stadium when the Rockets upset the Wolverines this year.

Devon Drew(TE-East Carolina) - Drew came to East Carolina as a QB - a QB shaped like fellow Pirate and current Jacksonville Jaguar starter David Garrard. After two years on the bench as a QB, Drew was converted to H-Back/TE and he took to the position well. Drew finished with 38 catches for 575 yards and three touchdowns this year - not including his five catch, 120 yard day against Kentucky in the Liberty Bowl.

Cornelius Lewis(OL-Tennessee State) - Lewis has an NFL frame at 6'5" 314 and he played at Florida State before being dismissed from the team in 2006. He dominated the Ohio Valley Conference the way you'd expect a future pro to, making the first team FCS all-American team as a left tackle.

Rulon Davis(DL-California) - Davis is older than the typical draft prospect at 25 years old, but we'll forgive him since he spent four years in the Marines, including a six month tour of duty in Iraq. Davis also survived a near-fatal motorcycle accident, so obviously toughness and perseverance are not issues. Davis has experience playing end in a 3-4 at Cal, which has to be attractive to a league that continues to add to the list of teams playing that defense as their base set.

Maurice Crum(LB-Notre Dame) - If the name sounds familiar, that's because Crum's dad Maurice Crum Sr. was an all-American linebacker at Miami in 1990. Crum Jr. has made a name for himself by being a rare four year starter at Notre Dame. He was also named captain twice and played all three linebacker positions in the Fighting Irish defense.

Joe Burnett(DB-Central Florida) - Not many players get named to their all-conference team at three positions, but Burnett did this year in Conference USA (Cornerback, Punt Returner, Kick Returner). He started his career at Central Florida by being named to three different freshman All-American teams, and kept up his level of play ever since, earning eight different first team all-conference awards in his four years as part of the Knights.

[KChiefs1]

2009 Texas Vs The Nation Day One Texas Practice Report

by Sigmund Bloom and Cecil Lammey on 01/26/09

The wind was whipping through the Franklin Mountains and making it very hard for QBs to make good throws, which made it hard for us to evaluate them (and the WRs and DBs). Still it was a great day for the pit and unlike the Senior Bowl and Shrine Game, the players practiced in full pads on Monday. The practices had only a little bit of position work, instead focusing on one on one battles, 7 on 7s, and 11 on 11s. All of the QBs had trouble handling the ball on snaps from center, we recorded at least 9 bungled center-QB exchanges in the practice

QB
Sean Glennon (QB-Virginia Tech) - Glennon had nice velocity in the wind and a good release point, but his wind up takes way too long.
Chase Holbrook (QB-New Mexico State) - Holbrook had heavy feet and lumbered in his dropback and set up to throw, he also had trouble driving through the pass and putting good zip on the ball.
Chase Patton (QB-Missouri) - Patton had a nice smooth throwing motion and stood tall in the pocket, but he also looked like a QB who hadn’t played much and was scared to make mistakes. He seemed to have to check what the play was after going to center a few times, and also had multiple balls batted down at the line of scrimmage. He threw one terrible pass off his back foot on the run after he would have been sacked, and it would have been an interception if the DB hadn’t dropped it.
David Johnson (QB-Tulsa) - Johnson was very light on his feet through his drops and transfers his weight from his front foot to his back foot well, and he displayed good mechanics, except on deep balls, when he drops his shoulder. Johnson seemed least daunted by the wind, putting the most zip on the ball and completing the most passes in the wind.

RB
Chris Ogbonnaya (RB-Texas) - Ogbonnaya flourishes as a one cut and go RB who gets his pads parallel to the line of scrimmage, but he looks ordinary on sweeps. Ogbonnaya also missed a few cutback lanes, causing us to question his vision. He did record the best RB block of the day on Moton Hopkins, and he also showed WR like precision and quickness in his routes out of the backfield, and WR hands to make the catch.
Devin Moore (RB-Wyoming) - Moore’s first step explosion was apparent, and he looked like a legit sub-4.4 RB when he was up to speed. Even though he’s only 5’9” 191, Moore is willing to run inside - although not always with success. Moore has great feet and suddenness in his cuts, allowing him to get open easily and use his good hands as a receiver out of the backfield. Moore also threw a good block in pass protection, something that will surely be a question in his profile because of his size.
Bernard Scott (RB-Abilene Christian) - The key to Scott’s game is his feet. He does the stop/start “matador” well, even running inside, and he also showed us great hands and a terrific initial burst and second gear. He doesn’t have the thick lower body you want in an NFL RB, but he looks like an excellent playmaking 9-12 touch a game RB who could surprise if he’s given more work.
Tarrion Adams (RB-Tulsa) - Adams wants to push the pile, but doesn’t have the lower body strength or pad level to move the mass. Adams has good feet through the hole to get through the trash and showed decent balance after contact. He’s definitely a change of pace back at best, but he looks like he’ll be able to hang with a talented group of Texas RBs.
Frank Summers (RB/FB-UNLV) - Summers never stops churning his legs when he hits the pile. He’s a good lead blocker and he can also catch the ball out of the backfield well for a fullback.

WR/TE
David Richmond (WR-San Jose State) - Richmond is probably the best athlete of the Texas WRs, and he breaks very suddenly in his routes, all arms and legs flailing in one direction before he busts the route back the other direction, usually creating great separation. He went up for the high ball very well and surprised us with his raw tools.
Johnny Knox (WR-Abilene Christian) - Knox had one of the plays of the day with a one handed catch in stride, and he turned Marcus McClinton inside out with one of his routes. Knox’s hands and adjustments to the wind-blown balls were uncanny, almost like the ball was controlling him - like he was at some hypnotic level of concentration. He had the best hands of the Texas WRs by far.
Michael Jones (WR-Arizona State) - Jones had terrible hands early, dropping an inordinate amount of passes that were blown off course by the wind, but he seemed to settle down as the practice wore on. Jones was making a point to practice handfighting the tackler after the catch, even when he was uncovered.
Dominique Edison (WR-Stephen F Austin) - Edison made a low catch just off the ground, and he also skied to catch a few balls overhead. He did have a few body catches, but he was still consistently making the reception. He looked like a good athlete at 6’2” 199.
Michael Reed (WR-BYU) - Reed had a solid day, making mostly good hands catches, but letting a few get through to his pads. He did have an excellent leaping catch that was one of the highlights of the practice.

OL
Lydon Murtha (OT-Nebraska) - Murtha stood out with his quickness into his stance and very strong punch, sometimes staggering his opponent in the pit. He’s light on his feet for a 6’7” 310 tackle and he used that quality to recover when initially beaten.
Cornelius Lewis (OT/OG-Tennessee State) - Lewis had a few outstanding plays where he sealed the edge on a run, or completely stalemated his opponent in the pit. Then he would be beaten way too easily by garden variety moves. One of pair of battles with Cyril Obiozor in the pit, Lewis was beaten by a swim move that left him standing still, and then landed a punch that jolted Obiozor off his rush on the next rep. Lewis had some of the best and worst plays in the pit.
Blake Schlueter (C-TCU) - Schlueter showed great strength absorbing the initial push and kept his feet well, giving little ground in the pit. He was the most technically sound of the Texas offensive linemen, and he showed the ability to recover when beaten.

DEF
Nader Abdallah (DT-Ohio State) - Abdallah put on a show in the pit, clubbing his opponent to the ground on one decisive win, freeing himself with a spin move on another, and pushing back his opponent with a irresistable bullrush on yet another. He also defeated blockers to make plays against the run in 11 on 11s. Abdallah turned heads as much as any Texas player today.
Zach Potter (DT-Nebraska) - Potter and his TE-like frame got overpowered more than once in the pit, but once the action turned to 11 on 11s, he showed a knack for tipping and batting down passes and generally disrupting passing lanes. He got his hands on two of Chase Patton passes, and Patton goes 6’4 1/2” with a high release point.
Cyril Obiozor (DE-Texas A&M) - Obiozor was one of the pleasant surprises today, winning pit battles with a great burst upfield, great strength and violence in his handfighting, and a great motor. He turned the corner like a pass rush specialist, and often blew up running plays to his side in 11 on 11s.
Rulon Davis (DE-California) - Davis showed uneven effort at first in the pit. On one matchup he made a terrific move to win the initial battle, but then did not drive through the QB strong enough to finish the play. Once his fuse was lit, he flashed a terrific swim move and handfought with the best of them for the rest of the day.
Rashad Bobino (LB-Texas) - Bobino is short at 5’9 1/2”, but he was shedding blocks and shooting gaps vs. the run in 11 on 11s all day.
Lee Robinson (LB-Alcorn State) - Robinson had the defensive play of the practice with a twisting interception snagged out of the air at full extension on a Chase Patton fastball. Robinson showed excellent coordination staying on his feet and turning instantly into a returner after the spectacular pick. He’s clearly a tremendous athlete.
Londen Fryar (CB-Western Michigan) - Fryar played hard-nosed corner all day, and he showed excellent recovery speed when initially turned inside out by David Richmond, one of the fastest WRs on the Texas squad. He didn’t fall for much and looked like a veteran out there.
Lydell Sargeant (CB-Penn State) - Sargeant was very aggressive, physically challenging the wide receivers and making a good bid to break up most every pass thrown in his direction. Sargeant is anything but tentative when the ball is in the air.
Chris Owens (CB-San Jose State) - Owens had the easiest time of it mirroring the Texas wideouts and looked like the most polished corner on the Texas side.
Stephen Hodge (S/LB-TCU) - Hodge clearly loves to hit. He blew up Frank the Tank Summers, lowering the boom on a hit that resonated throughout the Sun Bowl, and he seemed to be lining up would be victims on most plays.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by SNR

If a successful spread O Big XII QB like Graham Harrell isn't that great, why the hell would a backup be great?

Chase Patton is not a spread QB. Here's a piece that ESPN did on him for the magazine.


http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/st...ine&id=3632340

Here's a prediction for the 2012 NFL season: Three weeks in, a superstar quarterback blows out his knee. He's lost for the year. Crushed fans write off their team because the backup, a 2009 seventh-rounder out of Missouri named Chase, has hardly played. And in fact, he starts out looking pretty shaky. But then he completes a few passes. And a few more. Soon he's winning regular-season games…then a divisional playoff game…then a conference championship…then…yes…the Super Bowl! Suddenly, Chase is worldwide. There he is chuckling with Conan. That's him with Regis and Kelly. Now he's inking a multiyear deal. Reporters scramble to Columbia, Mo., looking for clues to his unlikely success. Meanwhile, humiliated NFL scouts wonder how, after Tom Brady and Kurt Warner and Tony Romo, they missed another hidden star.

And to think, this Chase from Missouri isn't even that Chase from Missouri.

Back in 2008, scrappy and stumpy Chase Daniel is looking an awful lot like the best college player in the country. Funny thing is, he might not even be the best NFL quarterback prospect on the Tigers. That could be the statuesque specimen holding his clipboard, Chase Patton.

It's one of the toughest things for football fans to fathom. You've followed the NFL and college games for years, watching College GameDay as if it were porn and listening to Kiper like he was a prophet, and yet you're left scratching your head when a college QB goes from Pac-10 star to combine stud to draft castoff. All while a guy you never heard of from Northeast Montana State suddenly emerges as the hope for the future of your favorite NFL team.

It's enough to drive you crazy, but it shouldn't. Because you're hardly alone. The men who are paid to figure out this stuff are mostly bluffing. When an NFL GM claims there's a universal truth explaining why some great college quarterbacks flop in the NFL, he's lying. And if he says with certainty why so many mediocre college QBs end up NFL stars, he's really lying. Because nobody really knows why some QBs make the leap and some don't. "A GM who's had two out of every 10 quarterbacks he's drafted turn into Pro Bowlers—he's a genius," says 49ers GM Scot McCloughan. "You never know what goes through a quarterback's head when it's third-and-10 on the road. You just don't know."

Every franchise puts its stock in different traits. Some teams, like the Raiders, want rocket arms. Others, like the Patriots, want heady passers with good intangibles. The Ravens, meanwhile, have three different approaches on their current roster: big-time arm (Kyle Boller), proven winner from a big school (Troy Smith), small-school no-name with good fundamentals (Joe Flacco). Michael Lombardi, a former player personnel chief for the Raiders, wrote on the website National Football Post a list of questions he asked when evaluating college QBs: How often does he watch tape? Alone or with the coach? When during the week does he get the game plan? How much time does he need to "know it"? How thin-skinned is he? When do his turnovers occur? What are his cold-weather habits? Can he see down the field? How comfortable were the coaches with his changing plays at the line? What is the main coverage he faces every week? Against which types of defenses does he complete the most passes? How accurate is he in practice compared to games? What do his teammates say about him, off the record? Is he a gym rat? What kind of ball (old, new) does he throw in practice and in games? QBs who have a favorite ball are scary. It fits their hand like a glove. In the game, all the balls are new.

And that's just one guy's list. In the next few months, dozens of scouts will ask those questions, and plenty more, about two Missouri seniors. On a warm September evening, the two Chases in question are eating dessert at The Upper Crust, a restaurant one block from Mizzou's campus. Daniel is with his girlfriend, Blaire Vandiver; Patton is with his wife, Ashley. Patton offers his brownie sundae to Daniel. "Man, Chase, you gotta try this," Patton says. "It's extra good tonight."

"That's what she said," Daniel retorts, repeating the line from The Office. It's his new catchphrase, and he says it regardless of relevance or logic. It keeps things fun, as if this season hasn't been fun enough. The 22-year-old from Southlake, Texas, is the Heisman front-runner. After finishing fourth in last year's race and missing the BCS championship because of a Big 12 title game loss to Oklahoma, Daniel has played as if he expects to possess both trophies by season's end. Directing the Tigers' mighty spread offense, he's completing 76% of his passes and averaging 333 yards passing a game and has thrown 15 touchdowns and one interception. Because of his familiarity with the offense, he says, he knows where he's going with the ball before the snap 85% of the time. "Every time I play," he says, "I expect myself to be better than anyone on the field and better than anyone in college football."
The Chases have differences, far beyond playing time. Daniel is charismatic and carefree, Patton shy and cautious. Daniel is particular about throwing only broken-in footballs; Patton doesn't care. Daniel gets waved in at his favorite bars, Shiloh and Harpo's; Patton hangs at the condo he and Ashley own. Patton is a premed major who's been accepted to dental school in Kansas City; Daniel maintains a 3.45 GPA in finance while watching video of opposing defenses on his iPhone during lectures.


But the biggest gap between the two is their build, and by virtue of that, their NFL futures. Daniel is listed at six feet, 225, but scouts have measured him as anywhere from 5'11" to 6'00". Patton, on the other hand, is designed for the next level: 6'4", 230 pounds, with 7% body fat and an arm so strong that after each practice, he stands at midfield and throws passes over the crossbar. The Chases' height difference is raised constantly, even at dessert. Mowing through his apple pie and digging into Patton's brownie, Daniel says that they've got a 7:30 a.m. weigh-in: "I'll be about 228."

"I'll still outweigh you," Patton says.

"Yeah," Daniel says, "but how tall are you?"

"Six-four," Patton says.

"Exactly," Daniel says. Blaire squeezes her boyfriend's arm and says, "You're a little short one."

That's what she said—and it's no joke. Daniel's stats scream first-round prospect, but his height cries training-camp project. Making his NFL case, Daniel says a few things. One, his high release point: Only three of his 563 passes in 2007 were tipped at the line. Two, his résumé: He owns 34 school records. Three, Drew Brees is barely six feet. But Daniel still worries. "If I get measured at 5'11"," he says, "I might not even get drafted." That's why when talk turns to pro futures, Daniel turns to Patton, who hasn't started a game since high school and in his four years at Mizzou has completed 16 of 26 passes with one interception. Daniel says to his backup, "You'll probably get a better shot than me."

Five years ago, Patton didn't know that a sculpted body and a stellar arm get a quarterback only so far. The golden boy from Rock Bridge High, just three miles from Mizzou's Faurot Field, was the Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year and was rated a top-five national quarterback recruit. Patton's coach, A.J. Ofodile, a former pro tight end, watched his signal-caller zip deep outs and told the kid he was already comparable to an NFL third-stringer. Patton, much to Mizzou's surprise and delight, stayed home instead of going to Tennessee, UCLA or Iowa. His plan: redshirt one year, back up Brad Smith for another, then start for three.

In 2005, after Patton's redshirt season, head coach Gary Pinkel scrapped Mizzou's conventional offense for a spread attack. Patton struggled, but a true freshman from Texas did not. Daniel had led Carroll High to the Class 5A state title by running the spread. Adapting to Missouri was like majoring in Spanish after living in Mexico. "A lot of the concepts were identical to what he did in high school," says Pinkel. "He had a good base and background the moment he walked in."

It took only 18 practices for Daniel to rise from fourth-string to second. Patton, slow to read coverages, was forcing passes. "I'd let bad plays eat me up all day," Patton says. Daniel recognized Patton was overthinking and experiencing a crisis of confidence. The two had bonded quickly in preseason practices that summer, with Daniel intimidated by Patton's arm and Patton amazed at how well Daniel knew the spread. Being a friend first and a position rival second, Daniel tried to help: "Chase," he'd tell his friend slowly, "just throw the ball to the guy in our colors." It didn't work. Patton was stuck as the third-stringer.

Against Iowa State in 2005, Daniel relieved an injured Smith midway through the fourth quarter and rallied Mizzou from 10 points down to a 27-24 overtime win. Daniel's star was born, and nobody knew it better than the guy still on the bench. Patton and Ashley drove around Columbia in her Pathfinder for 90 minutes after the game. "He was devastated," Ashley says. "It was the first time he realized he wasn't the best at something, especially when he could have been."


Patton is proud of what he did next, something he'll preach to GMs: Instead of publicly complaining or transferring, he vowed to his coaches that he'd show them the kind of quarterback he was. To build his confidence, Patton watched high school tapes and read old clips. By his sophomore year, in 2006, the offense started clicking for him, even if he got to show it only in practice. The past two years, Patton's stats in the annual Black and Gold spring game compared favorably with Daniel's. Patton is proud of those numbers, not so much as a metric of his ability but as a measure of his perseverance. "I've learned that mental toughness is the biggest part of being a quarterback," Patton says. "If you can't flush a play and move on, you can't play."

Problem is, he never gets a chance to really prove himself. His job is to back up Daniel and prep him for Saturdays. That means partaking in all the starter's peculiarities. Daniel likes routine—his clothes are organized in his closet by color. Pregame for the Chases begins Friday afternoon with "cold tub confessionals," when they sit in ice baths and go over new plays. At 7 p.m., Daniel and Patton move to the team hotel, always Room 215—the number of the room they shared as sophomores. At 10:30, they watch film of their 2008 completions (Daniel now has 119, Patten 10). Lights out by 11. Quarterbacks coach David Yost enters at 6:45 a.m. and, in the Zen-like sunrise, reads the 60 plays the Tigers use each week. A few hours later, the Heisman favorite excites the nation. On the bench is his backup, who Yost says "throws the prettiest ball I've ever seen."

FANS LOVE Tom Brady's sixth-rounder-to-Hall-of-Famer story, but it terrifies scouts. So does the fact that 25% of current NFL starting quarterbacks were once afterthoughts. Brady, Matt Hasselbeck, Marc Bulger, Derek Anderson and J.T. O'Sullivan were all sixth-rounders. Romo, Warner, Jake Delhomme and Jon Kitna weren't drafted at all. Because of those unlikely successes, most teams mandate that their scouts fully research all seniors, regardless of how much they've played. That's how Matt Cassel, who threw 33 passes in four years at USC as a backup to Matt Leinart and Carson Palmer, ends up drafted. And how in next year's draft, overlooked QBs like Patton, Ohio State's Todd Boeckman and others (see right) might end up on a team as well.

Twenty-five scouts have visited Yost to inquire about his two senior quarterbacks. They always ask about Daniel and his arm strength first. Yost says Daniel doesn't have the biggest gun but makes any throw asked of him. "He'll get drafted later than he should," he tells the scouts. "And he'll be better than you thought." After first-round disasters like San Francisco's Alex Smith, some scouts are wary of spread passers who line up exclusively in the shotgun, lacking drop-back skills. One such scout says Daniel is probably a fourth-round pick. But another says, "He's accurate in the spread. You can't teach accuracy." He sees Daniel going one round earlier.

Scouts always ask about Patton, too, but never about his size or arm strength. When they wonder about his accuracy, Yost says Patton can put the ball exactly where he wants when his feet are set, and when they're not, he misses. When scouts ask about Patton's learning curve, Yost says that despite taking a few months to grasp the spread, it's been quick. One scout likes that Patton toughed it out at Missouri; another thinks that not transferring—and applying to dental school—means he doesn't love football. One scout cares that Patton hasn't played much; another thinks he's a good player beaten out by a phenomenal college quarterback. Both like that he's married—he began dating Ashley in high school—and mature. "Is Chase a project?" Yost says. "Yes. But he's on their radar."

Without game tapes for scouts to dissect, Patton will have to prove himself at Mizzou's pro day. The scouts say Patton could be a seventh-rounder if he performs well. "You simply have to take a hard look at a guy who has those types of measurables at a big school," says one. "Because there's no set way to find a quarterback."

Exactly. Fortunately for the Chases, there's a football season to be decided before the draft. They finish dessert and lean back, laughing about a win against Illinois last season. Daniel had run up the middle for 17 yards and was hit so hard, he blacked out. Patton came on and handed off on a running play. The next call was a rare chance: a play-action pass to the right, with three receivers as options. But as Patton yelled the signals, he got slapped on the back. It was a glassy-eyed Daniel, who had sprung off the bench without telling anyone. Missouri was flagged for an illegal substitution. Patton went back to the bench. Daniel finished the game. Patton, laughing and shaking his head, says, "That was my chance."

At least in college.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by SNR

If a successful spread O Big XII QB like Graham Harrell isn't that great, why the hell would a backup be great?

If Patton knew how to run the spread like Daniel did then he would have been the starter. If Mizzou ran a Pro-style offense Patton would have been the starter.

[talastan]

I'd offer a 5-7th rd pick for him. Heck he might be one of those "Patriot style" late round QBs that Pioli has had success with?

[KCrockaholic]

good luck to the guy, i wouldnt mind using our 7th rnd pick on him.

[KCrockaholic]

Originally Posted by talastan

I'd offer a 5-7th rd pick for him. Heck he might be one of those "Patriot style" late round QBs that Pioli has had success with?

i was thinking the same thing

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by kcrockaholic4life

i was thinking the same thing

A 5th round pick is far too valuable to spend on a guy who didn't step on the football field for 4 years.