NFLPA Game practice risers and fallers

[Tribal Warfare]

NFLPA Game practice risers and fallers

by Wes Bunting

Risers

CB Anthony Gaitor: Florida International
He isn’t the biggest of defensive backs, but the guy is feisty off the line, possesses good awareness down the field and can make plays on the football. He’s still a bit raw and will get overextended off the line with both his punch and footwork, but with some time/development I could definitely see this guy playing inside as a tough, savvy nickel defender.

OC Zane Taylor: Utah
He checked in at nearly 6-3 with 32-inch arms and has the type of anchor to hold the point of attack in the pass game and create some movement off the line as an in-line guy. He’s a bit limited as an athlete and will lose his balance at times through contact, causing him to fall off blocks. But he’s a tough, nasty interior blocker who has a passion for the game and looks like a draftable pivot.

DE Roberto Davis: NW Missouri State
In all honesty I never even saw a lick of Davis until this week, but he’s one of two small-school guys who really jumped out to me in San Antonio. He displayed a good first step off the snap, has some bend when asked to flatten out around the corner and uses his length/hands well to keep himself clean. Plus, he played the run game well shooting gaps inside and looks like at worst an intriguing priority free agent who could get a real shot as a 3-4 OLB to make a camp.

CB Buster Skrine: UT Chattanooga
Skrine was the other small-school kid who really jumped out to me this week. He’s a bit raw initially in his drop. However, he’s a fluid kid with good feet and balance and was a tough guy to separate from all week long.

DT Kenrick Ellis: Hampton
The guy was downright dominant at times on Tuesday, using his explosive first step and natural leverage to knife his way into the backfield and close on the ball. Yesterday, he wasn’t nearly as impressive and seemed a bit disinterested in practice — one of the big concerns I have with a character concern guy like Ellis. However, he’s a talented kid with a great frame and if the light ever goes on, the guy could be a very good starting pro in either a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme.

OC Tim Barnes: Missouri
I was expecting a very good week from Barnes and I came away not disappointed at all. He showcased good snap and step ability, can sit into his stance and anchor vs. bigger defenders and works his hands well through contact. At times he gets a bit overextended initially into blocks trying to be physical off the snap. Nevertheless, he’s one of the few centers in the class who I think has some starting potential at the next level and showed well for himself this week.

Fallers

DB Jay Valai: Wisconsin
Coming in at only 5-8 and 203 pounds is never a good way to start the week for a safety. However, it got worse, as he really struggled holding up in coverage, consistently trying to jump routes in order to make plays, but routinely guessing wrong and stopping his feet. Add that in to the fact he misses far too many tackles and he looks like a camp body at best.

DB Kevin Rutland: Missouri
It’s tough to give a good grade to a tall, long-legged corner who struggles to turn and run. But that is exactly the case with Rutland. He gives up far too much separation out his breaks, lacks balance and fluidity when asked to redirect and has had a tough time covering just about any wideout down here.

DT Jerrell Powe: Ole Miss
I’m not saying that Powe isn’t one of the best prospects down here and that he won’t be one of the first guys drafted from this game. But in all honesty I was pretty underwhelmed by his performance this week. Now, he is tough to move in the run game, I will give him that. However, he isn’t a gifted pass rusher, gets upright if/when he gains a step inside and doesn’t do a great job finding the football. Looks limited to more of a two-down run guy who can eat up space, but in my view isn’t worth more than a mid-to-late round pick.

OLB Wayne Daniels: TCU
After watching Daniels this week the one thing that jumped out to me is that there's just nothing real dynamic about his game as a pass rusher. He’s got an average first step, isn’t overly sudden or shifty on his counter and in my mind his best pass rushes down here came on the bull rush. He’s got enough talent to get a look as a 34-rush guy, but don’t see him as anything more than a fringe roster guy.

[salame]

I'm telling you guys Powe will be a third round pick

[jd1020]

Originally Posted by salame

I'm telling you guys Powe will be a third round pick

I'd honestly rather draft Fua at this point.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by jd1020

I'd honestly rather draft Fua at this point.

And why is that?

[jd1020]

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

And why is that?

Because I think Fua is a better player. He's only gotten better since Stanford switched to a true 3-4. Their run D went from, I believe, 50th to 19th with Fua plugging up the middle. He's been consistently impressive and he's slowly been rising up the draft boards of every scout.

On the other hand, all Powe has done is steadily fall down the draft boards with mediocre play. He's had impressive PRACTICES but then what?

You're giving up some size with Fua but, imo, you are getting a better player.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by jd1020

Because I think Fua is a better player. He's only gotten better since Stanford switched to a true 3-4. Their run D went from, I believe, 50th to 19th with Fua plugging up the middle. He's been consistently impressive and he's slowly been rising up the draft boards of every scout.

On the other hand, all Powe has done is steadily fall down the draft boards with mediocre play. He's had impressive PRACTICES but then what?

You're giving up some size with Fua but, imo, you are getting a better player.

I'm pretty sure they won't draft a 300 lbs. nose tackle. However, I do think Fua will be quite effective as a 1 tech in a 4-3. I don't think he's got the frame to hold anything more than he's carrying now while still maintaining his athleticism. He simply doesn't have the mass or mass potential to effectively hold the nose position against two 300+ NFL level guys. If either he or Paea were 6'5", it would be a completely different story. However, that's what makes guys like Ngata so unique.

Powe, on the other hand, is exactly what you want in a zero tech 3-4 NT. Immovable, two gapper that redirects the plays and keeps a guard and center from getting into the second level.

I'm hoping that Powe's down year has him there in the third when the Chiefs pick. While it's a critical position, I think that the job description doesn't require a supreme athlete to do the job effectively. I mean, if you've got a Ted Washington on the board, I'd happily embrace the concept of drafting a guy like that in the first round. However, a guy like Washington is a generational level talent for the position and you don't see them come around that often.

[Saccopoo]

Nice to see Taylor get some press. The guy is a beast, and contrary to what the guy stated above, he's pretty athletic for a guy his size. Wouldn't be a bad later round draft pick at all by the Chiefs.

I was really surprised that he wasn't at the East/West or the Senior Bowl to be honest. Three year starter at center, two BCS games, two time all-conference and four time all academic all-conference. Team captain as well.

They could do worse.

[Chiefnj2]

The game isn't televised?

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

The game isn't televised?

Doesn't look like it. No listing from the NFLPA site, nor can I locate it on my Direct TV program guide. Shame. Couple of players that I really like for the Chiefs playing in this one.

[aturnis]

I think it was on CBS-C whatever that is. I found it on my mediacom, but I do not have that channel in my subscription so that kind of sucked.

[the Talking Can]

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

I'm hoping that Powe's down year has him there in the third when the Chiefs pick.

ditto...maybe his age will work against him too

[Wilson8]

Some info on Buster Skrine...last name is pronounced "screen".

Born April 26, 1989, in Woodstock, Ga ... son of Bernice and Darry Skrine ... Majoring in Business Management.

Elected one of three captains by his teammates.

4.22 40-yard time is a school record.


http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2...ine-shines-40/

http://www.gomocs.com/ViewArticle.db...ATCLID=1600015

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2jksB_vrsM

[Wilson8]

Stand gives Texas win over Nation in PA star game … Texas edged the nation 13-7 in the NFLPA All-star game earlier today in San Antonio. The outcome wasn‘t decided until late, though, as Texas LB Eddie Jones stopped Miami RB Damien Berry on a 4th down run at the Texas 1-yard line with less than a minute on the clock. 55 seconds to go, helping Team Texas hold on for a 13-7 victory over Team Nation in the NFLPA All-Star game on Saturday. Texas Tech QB Taylor Potts led the Texas team on two scoring drives and was named the game’s offensive player of the game after he completed 9 of 15 passes for 107 yards. Berry scored the Nation‘s lone TD on a 72-yard run earlier in the game. Meanwhile, DE Roberto Davis of Northwest Missouri State was named the defensive player of the game after he posted two sacks and recovered a fumble deep in his own territory.

http://www.gbnreport.com/

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by the Talking Can

ditto...maybe his age will work against him too

Nose tackles have a long career than alot of other positions, its one where is age really wouldn't effect him as much.

[Saccopoo]

Didn't get to see the game but here is some commentary by Chad Reuter:

The wind and temperature had little effect on battles in the trenches, however, which featured the most talented players on both teams. For example, Utah center Zane Taylor was one of the more impressive physical specimens at the morning weigh-ins, and he fought off Nation team defensive linemen very well in the afternoon practice.

Former South Carolina and current Hampton star defensive tackle Kenrick Ellis came into the week looking to make an impression, and he looked like the potential top 75 pick everyone expected him to be, strong and quick for his massive 6-foot-5, 336-pound frame throughout most of the day. But Taylor stood up very well to Ellis and current SEC tackles Lazarius Levingston and Ladi Ajiboye, both of whom have a chance to be drafted in April because they are active and play with leverage despite neither cracking 300 pounds.