Guest Aloysius Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 The folks behind the Texas vs. The Nation game have released the official rosters for next week's game. Here are some guys the Browns may be looking as possible Day Two or UDFA diamonds in the rough: Devin Moore, RB, Wyoming - 5'9", 190 lbs., 4.38 40 - Projected: mid-Day Two - Moore wasn't a true "feature back" until his senior year, but he made the most of the opportunity, running for 1300 yards and scoring 7 TD's. The super-speedy running back has drawn comparison to Steve Slaton. He's also a dynamic returner, which adds to his value. Zach Potter, DL, Nebraska- 6'7", 284 lbs., 4.98 40 - Projected: late round/UDFA - Originally recruited as a tight end, Potter has fairly good athleticism for his size. His physical profile lends itself to projecting him at 3-4 DE, but he'll need to prove that he's strong enough to take on double teams. He'll have a chance to do that at Texas vs. the Nation, where he'll be sliding inside to defensive tackle. Rulon Davis, DE, Cal- 6'5", 282 lbs., 4.97 40 - Projected: UDFA - Durability concerns, along with Rulon being older than the average prospect (he's 25), should result in him being an undrafted free agent. However, if he can stay healthy, he could develop in a nice rotational 3-4 DE. But he'll need a year in the weight room before that happens; at this point, Davis has marginal strength for a guy playing 5 technique. Ian Campbell, DE-OLB, Kansas State- 6'4", 255 lbs., 4.87 40 - Projected: late round/UDFA - It's almost become a cliche to call a guy a 'tweener, but Campbell truly fits the "no fit" mold: he's not strong enough at the point of attack to play defensive end, but he may not be athletic to play linebacker, even in a 3-4 scheme. Campbell will be hoping to show scouts that he does have the hips & quicks to make the transition. Dallas Reynolds, OL, BYU- 6'5", 324 lbs., 5.37 40 - Projected: UDFA - Big lineman played center his senior year after being an All Mountain West left tackle as a junior. His versatility will get him into an NFL camp, where he'll impress coaches with his strength and smarts. One thing that won't impress coaches is his marginal athleticism, particularly his stiff hips. But if Reynolds drops some weight, he could be a solid utility OC-OG in the NFL. Stephen Hodge, S, TCU- 6'0", 214 lbs., 4.63 40 - Projected: UDFA - Hodge was all over the field in TCU's bowl game, putting in what was one of the most impressive performances this bowl season. Hodge is more of an in the box type, and his combination of size and adequate at best speed has some scouts thinking his best fit may be at 4-3 weakside linebacker. He'll be looking to show that he has the coverage skills to make it as a safety in the pro's. Hodge also has a history of trouble with the law, which will scare away some teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aloysius Posted January 26, 2009 Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 The draftguys put together an even better list of players to watch/read about in this game: 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timugen Posted January 26, 2009 Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 Should be an interesting game, as many of the players playing in it won't necessarily be playing for draft position (how much money they will make,) but just laying it all out to see if they can make some money by making it into the NFL. I'm not sure how much attention scouting departments pay this game, but I would imagine that there won't be a whole helluva lot "left on the field" by the players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aloysius Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Some interesting prospect reports from the draftguys: Frantz Joseph(LB-Florida Atlantic) - Joseph had a terrific day, playing downhill and blowing up run plays as advertised, but he also got deep into his zone drops well and even collected an interception on a tipped ball. One observer compared him to Ray Lewis against the run, and we can’t disagree based on how he looked on Monday. Antonio Appleby(LB-Virginia) - Like Joseph, Appleby played well enough to make you wonder why he wasn’t at the Shrine Game or Senior Bowl. Appleby flowed to the ballcarrier very well against wide runs and shed blockers to make the tackle like a stout middle linebacker. Julius Williams(DE-Connecticut) - Williams got in the backfield consistently against the run in 11 on 11s, and he dismissed his opponent easily with strength more than once in the pit. He’s off to a great start and surely caught the scouts eyes today. (Williams is a late round/UDFA 3-4 OLB prospect -Alo) 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. 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. 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. Khalif Mitchell(DT-East Carolina) - Mitchell played with boundless energy, although he doesn’t seem to have the technique to harness it yet. He was beaten soundly on the initial rush in the pit more than once, only to get off the ground and push through to the QB with little resistance. Mitchell played with tremendous strength, and quickness that made it easy to forget that he runs about 6’5” 315. He clearly has upside to match any defensive lineman in this game. Nick Moore(Toledo) - Moore showed no reluctance to go up for the high ball and leave himself open for hits and hard landings. He had great hands at full extension. Moore had terrific run after catch instincts, automatically turning upfield after the catch and looking for the big gain. He was also surprisingly sudden in and out of his breaks for a long limbed wideou Branden Ore(West Liberty State) - Ore looked to be in great shape, and he was light on his feet with great juice in his cuts. Ore made would-be tacklers miss more than once and he also showed soft hands as a receiver. Ore instinctively gets skinny between the tackles and he knows how to dip his shoulder away from outstretched arms. He has good vision for the cutback lanes and seems to be rehabilitating his draft stock after getting dismissed from Virginia Tech this past Spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timugen Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 The game will be airing on the 31st at 3PM EST on CBS College Sports Network (DirecTV channel 613.) You DO NOT need the sports package to get the channel on DirecTV, so double-check to see if you get it if you're interested in the game. It very well could be more interesting/entertaining than the Senior Bowl or Shrine game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. T Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 The game will be airing on the 31st at 3PM EST on CBS College Sports Network (DirecTV channel 613.) You DO NOT need the sports package to get the channel on DirecTV, so double-check to see if you get it if you're interested in the game. It very well could be more interesting/entertaining than the Senior Bowl or Shrine game. Thanks for the info I have Directtv but the only local I cant get is CBS, so this will be on the CBS college sports channel then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aloysius Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 I wish I could watch the actual game...Well, the practice reports are a nice consolation prize. I'm finding out good things about a linebacker I love and one I think I'm going to fall in love with: --ILB 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. --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 receiver 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aloysius Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Here's an interesting scouting report that I found on Frantz Joseph: Positives: Very physical at the line, throws his body into the hole...Gets very low in his ready stance...Will not win any track events, but seems to get to every play with good football speed...Attacks the line with great ferocity...Runs through the ballcarrier on tackles -- behind the line or after hustling to the sideline on quick screens...Swarms to the ball downfield, plays through the whistle...Possesses one of the most ferocious punches in the country; slams the pads of linemen when attacking the run...Can also slip through traffic to hit a back in the hole...Rarely gets knocked to the ground on cut blocks...Uses his hands to get off blocks near the line and at the second level from full-grown guards...Should be a fine special teams player due to his aggressiveness and sure tackling. Negatives: A two-down player...Only adequate size and muscle development for an inside linebacker...Lacks great lateral speed to corral quick backs and receivers...Little coverage ability, although he can level a receiver coming into his zone...Not very fast in his drop and comes out of his stance too early, but he still manages to cover enough ground to stop middle routes short of the first down. I think the size/muscle development concerns were mostly based on him being listed at 6'2", 235 lbs. At the Texas vs. The Nation weigh-in, he came in at 6'1 1/2", 243 lbs. - plenty big for playing 3-4 ILB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aloysius Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 More from the DraftGuys: Frantz Joseph (ILB-Florida Atlantic) - Joseph is flat out fun to watch. He plays with a natural violence that would fit in with players like Ray Lewis and Jack Lambert, and he’ll blow up running backs and offensive lineman with the same zest and effectiveness. He looked good against the pass today, using body position to cover faster RBs, and breaking well on the ball in flight and timing his breakups to avoid penalties. Antonio Appleby (ILB-Virginia) - Appleby, like Joseph, seems to relish the chance to hit offensive players. He flows well to the ballcarrier on running plays, and flies to the ball when he has a lane. Appleby has great size, but he doesn’t defeat blockers as well as Joseph. 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. 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. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aloysius Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Here's some footage from the practices. Frantz Joseph (#56) delivers a nice hit on a tight end about 45 seconds in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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