Tribal Warfare
02-04-2011, 04:09 AM
Draft Dish: Damien Berry excites scouts at Texas vs. Nation showing
(http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/feed/2011-01/2011-nfl-draft/story/draft-dish-damien-berry-excites-scouts-at-texas-vs-nation-showing)
SAN ANTONIO — Because of frigid conditions, both teams moved inside the Alamodome on Thursday and players were able to show their skills.
Here’s a look at some players who performed well and some who struggled:
Good impressions
Damien Berry, RB, Miami (Fla.)
Berry showed quick feet and good agility to change directions easily and quickly. He was able to make sharp jump-cuts, displayed the ability to reach full acceleration quickly and showed the speed to turn the corner and outrun angles. He caught the ball well and demonstrated very good quickness as a receiver.
Jerrell Powe, NT, Mississippi
Powe sustained a strong week with his best day Thursday. He displayed excellent quickness and the agility to defeat offensive linemen easily in one-on-one drills. He also showed the brute strength to drive opponents backward into the pocket. Though there are some concerns about Powe because of his disappointing senior season, he is playing with the competitiveness and effort that was often missing this season.
Isa Abdul-Quddus, S, Fordham
He is a smooth, fluid athlete with good speed, quickness and range in coverage. He is a very instinctive coverage player who always seems to be in good position, takes good angles to the ball and displays a good burst to the finish point. Though he doesn’t have great size, he is a physical player who isn’t afraid to hit.
Tim Barnes, C, Missouri
Barnes consistently won one-on-one battles Thursday and was even able to block Powe. He played with a very strong base and showed good quickness and the ability to recover quickly. He uses his hands very well and consistently displayed excellent competitiveness.
Rob Housler, TE, Florida Atlantic
Housler had his best day of practice Thursday and showed he is the best tight end here. He ran precise routes and demonstrated the awareness, body control and ball skills to make tough catches on off-target throws. He also displayed the speed to get downfield quickly for a big tight end.
Jarriel King, OT, South Carolina
King had another strong day, showing he is the best lineman in the group. He displayed the flexibility to bend his knees and sink his hips to pass block and showed good base and leverage. He also used his hands aggressively to pop pass rushers and made it look easy sliding outside to protect the corner.
Jamar Newsome, WR, Central Florida
Newsome displayed quick feet and, combined with his athleticism, showed the ability to run sharp routes. He exploded out of his cuts to get separation against man coverage and caught the ball tremendously well. He consistently plucked the ball with his hands and did an excellent job of making catches on high passes on corner routes.
Bad impressions
Nathan Enderle, QB, Idaho
Enderle continued a disappointing week with another wildly inconsistent practice. He again showed excellent mechanics and looked smooth and efficient getting rid of the ball. However, his throws were all over the place. Enderle seems to be a true tease—a player who doesn’t produce up to his talent level.
Andre Holmes, WR, Hillsdale
He had another rough day of practice. Though he has good size and has made some good catches this week, he isn’t a fast-twitch kid and struggles to get off the line. He’s a raw route-runner who has inconsistent hands and seems to lack a feel for coverage.
Eddie Jones, DE, Texas
Jones didn’t show the strength to hold the point of attack against double-teams in short-yardage and goal-line drills. He continues to play from a four-point stance, then pops straight up, and he lacks the special athleticism to win on the edge. He struggled to fight free from opponents once they got their hands on him.
Isaiah Thompson, G, Houston
Despite having good size, he lacks strength and gets pushed around by pass rushers. He didn’t display the necessary competitiveness to overcome his lack of strength and athleticism. He was beaten too often and hasn’t shown the talent to play in the NFL.
Anthony Walters, S, Delaware
Walters displayed only average athletic skills and was consistently late anticipating throws in zone coverage. He also doesn’t possess a good closing burst. On one play during the seven-on-seven period, he was late to react on a deep seam route. He deflected the ball and Holmes pulled it in for a TD.
(http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/feed/2011-01/2011-nfl-draft/story/draft-dish-damien-berry-excites-scouts-at-texas-vs-nation-showing)
SAN ANTONIO — Because of frigid conditions, both teams moved inside the Alamodome on Thursday and players were able to show their skills.
Here’s a look at some players who performed well and some who struggled:
Good impressions
Damien Berry, RB, Miami (Fla.)
Berry showed quick feet and good agility to change directions easily and quickly. He was able to make sharp jump-cuts, displayed the ability to reach full acceleration quickly and showed the speed to turn the corner and outrun angles. He caught the ball well and demonstrated very good quickness as a receiver.
Jerrell Powe, NT, Mississippi
Powe sustained a strong week with his best day Thursday. He displayed excellent quickness and the agility to defeat offensive linemen easily in one-on-one drills. He also showed the brute strength to drive opponents backward into the pocket. Though there are some concerns about Powe because of his disappointing senior season, he is playing with the competitiveness and effort that was often missing this season.
Isa Abdul-Quddus, S, Fordham
He is a smooth, fluid athlete with good speed, quickness and range in coverage. He is a very instinctive coverage player who always seems to be in good position, takes good angles to the ball and displays a good burst to the finish point. Though he doesn’t have great size, he is a physical player who isn’t afraid to hit.
Tim Barnes, C, Missouri
Barnes consistently won one-on-one battles Thursday and was even able to block Powe. He played with a very strong base and showed good quickness and the ability to recover quickly. He uses his hands very well and consistently displayed excellent competitiveness.
Rob Housler, TE, Florida Atlantic
Housler had his best day of practice Thursday and showed he is the best tight end here. He ran precise routes and demonstrated the awareness, body control and ball skills to make tough catches on off-target throws. He also displayed the speed to get downfield quickly for a big tight end.
Jarriel King, OT, South Carolina
King had another strong day, showing he is the best lineman in the group. He displayed the flexibility to bend his knees and sink his hips to pass block and showed good base and leverage. He also used his hands aggressively to pop pass rushers and made it look easy sliding outside to protect the corner.
Jamar Newsome, WR, Central Florida
Newsome displayed quick feet and, combined with his athleticism, showed the ability to run sharp routes. He exploded out of his cuts to get separation against man coverage and caught the ball tremendously well. He consistently plucked the ball with his hands and did an excellent job of making catches on high passes on corner routes.
Bad impressions
Nathan Enderle, QB, Idaho
Enderle continued a disappointing week with another wildly inconsistent practice. He again showed excellent mechanics and looked smooth and efficient getting rid of the ball. However, his throws were all over the place. Enderle seems to be a true tease—a player who doesn’t produce up to his talent level.
Andre Holmes, WR, Hillsdale
He had another rough day of practice. Though he has good size and has made some good catches this week, he isn’t a fast-twitch kid and struggles to get off the line. He’s a raw route-runner who has inconsistent hands and seems to lack a feel for coverage.
Eddie Jones, DE, Texas
Jones didn’t show the strength to hold the point of attack against double-teams in short-yardage and goal-line drills. He continues to play from a four-point stance, then pops straight up, and he lacks the special athleticism to win on the edge. He struggled to fight free from opponents once they got their hands on him.
Isaiah Thompson, G, Houston
Despite having good size, he lacks strength and gets pushed around by pass rushers. He didn’t display the necessary competitiveness to overcome his lack of strength and athleticism. He was beaten too often and hasn’t shown the talent to play in the NFL.
Anthony Walters, S, Delaware
Walters displayed only average athletic skills and was consistently late anticipating throws in zone coverage. He also doesn’t possess a good closing burst. On one play during the seven-on-seven period, he was late to react on a deep seam route. He deflected the ball and Holmes pulled it in for a TD.