Live From the Senior Bowl
Linebackers and Cornerbacks
Next Level Scouting's John Murphy reports from Mobile

posted January 31, 2005 - print me!
neworleansprofootball.com

LINEBACKER: Nebraska’s BARRETT RUUD (North) -- weighed in at 6017, 240 pounds… good, but not great definition… little smaller than I expected… makes quick decisions on the field… hit’s the hole with good intensity… shows good lateral quickness… able to make plays between the tackles… but is also very good in pursuit… firm tackler, although he could get stronger in that area… very coachable… learns and processes the game quickly… has the intelligence, character and leadership skills to run a defense one day… good, but not great all-around athlete… does not always play to his reported 40-time… will over pursue on occasion… looked fine during individual drills… a few false steps when back pedaling… dropped a few balls, as well… can be a little stiff when turning to run with ‘backs or tight ends… good enough recovery speed to not get in poor position… plays the game the way it should… really has a lot invested in football… takes losses to heart… wants to work to get better… some see him, as being an over-rated prospect in terms of ability and upside potential… I would agree in some part, since he is not an overly flashy prospect, but he does a lot of the little things that can help a ball club win games… has lined up primarily at middle linebacker… should be able to develop into a solid, every down middle linebacker… as he will make all the plays you expect, and even a few you thought were out of his reach… this is the type of guy/player that the New England Patriots have drafted in recent years, as he will get the most out of his ability…

Troy State’s DEMARCUS WARE (South) -- weighed in at 6035, 247 pounds… small chest, has some definition, but could probably carry another 10-15 good pounds if desired… long arms (34”) and good-size hands… flashes one of the quickest first steps in recent memory… which is a reason why many feel they would not want to drop him back off the line of scrimmage… has decent, but not great play strength… he can still be pinched or engulfed off the snap if he gets locked onto by an opposing tackle… can dominate his side of the line with his speed… also creates plays for others when an opponent has to post a tight end or full back to his side in order to slow him down… very good in pursuit… shows an extra burst of closing speed to the ball… good all-around motor… does not mind playing on special teams… does not have ideal experience in pass coverage, but would appear to be a good enough athlete to develop in that area if chosen by a team that is using more of a 3-4 defensive scheme… has lined up at right defensive end and not as much at the outside linebacker spots… opened a lot of eyes during his 1-on-1 encounters, which when added to what will surely be “Workout Warrior” type production at the Combine… should land him somewhere between picks 20-32 of the first round…

Connecticut’s ALFRED FINCHER (North) -- weighed in at 6010, 237 pounds… pretty well-defined in most areas… little shorter arms than desired… shows very good instincts and aggressiveness… quick to read the play and locate the ball… explosive upon impact… got up the field in a hurry during the team drills… pretty fluid in most of the individual sessions, as well… good range in pass coverage… has enough speed to drop back into his zone… takes good angles to the ball… plays faster than his reported 40-times… his football smarts and intangibles make him a better football player than workout guy… but has reportedly improved his overall speed and quickness, while training for the Combine… underrated in terms of not being hyped or promoted, as a possible top-notch defender before the start of this season… has lined up primarily at middle linebacker… has made a number of teams take notice of his ability… does not have great size, but could probably carry 245 pounds… very consistent on his game films, and did not look lost or out of place against top-notch competition this week…

San Diego State’s KIRK MORRISON (North) -- weighed in at 6003, 233 pounds… thickly built frame with a good upper body… was moved outside because the North roster was heavily manned with guys that played mostly inside in college… took to the position change right away… was making plays all over the field in team drills… showed better range and athleticism than previously expected… plays faster than his reported 40-times… strong instincts… reads the play quickly… strong enough to shed blockers quickly… drops the hammer when he makes a tackle… showed some potential to improve, as a pass rusher… will be much better in zone coverage, as a pass defender… not stiff, but does not have great lateral movement skills to play man on a consistent basis… high-energy guy… shows good leadership skills with his group and on the field… always around the ball… looked to jump in whenever a coach was calling for an extra player… has lined up primarily at weak-side linebacker, but may also play some in the middle… added value to his game by playing outside this week… would fit best in an attacking, Cover-2 scheme, as he could be very similar to Lance Briggs (Bears)…

Louisville’s ROBERT MCCUNE (South) -- weighed in at 5115, 245 pounds… had the best body of anyone in attendance; might be a bit too bulky in the upper body… very active… takes pretty good angles to the ball… impressive straight-line speed guy… can make a ton of plays between the tackles… looks much more comfortable close to the line of scrimmage… but can track down most backs in pursuit… good, but not great instincts… can be a bit slow to read/diagnose the play at times, which causes him to look slower on film than his recorded 40-times (4.5 range)… has lined up primarily at middle linebacker… little bit older prospect (26 years old), as he spent some time in the military… workout numbers will be off the charts at the Combine… probably would need to be proper schemed in order to protect against his weaknesses… but he’s a relentless motor kid with good character and a love for the game… should be a special teams demon early on, as well…

Alabama’s CORNELIUS WORTHAM (South) -- weighed in at 6007, 231 pounds… pretty well-built upper body… sort of fell off the charts after a good start to his career… but really revived his draft status this week… showed good speed between the tackles… made quick reads/diagnosis of the play call… will not always do that, as his instincts are not always ideal… firm tackler in most drills… got to his spot in pass coverage… might even be a step faster than expected in terms of straight-line speed… was very solid against the run, especially in team drills… has lined up primarily at middle linebacker… could be somewhat versatile, as he also has experience at strong-side linebacker… dislocated his left elbow, which required surgery, and missed the entire 2003 season… has terrific weight-room strength (near 500-pound bench press), but it does not always translate onto the field… good football smarts, but can be a bit of a high rep guy… still has some upside left to his game…

Southern Mississippi’s MICHAEL BOLEY (South) -- weighed in at 6021, 231 pounds… well-defined upper body and good physique… not nearly as small as some had anticipated… showed some versatility during the week… was able to handle being lined up over the tight end… but did get pushed around at the line of scrimmage at times… pretty good athleticism… better in zone than man coverage… but can run with most back’s and tight ends… little stiff in the hips when turning… aggressive against the run… very good straight line speed to the ball… over pursued on several plays… missed a handful of tackles… and was not in good position on a few other plays… more of a drag-down or grab-and-hold type tackler… lacks ideal upper body strength… needs to get much better in that area… has trouble shedding blocks quickly… and will also look to run around or slip through the gap in order to avoid heavy contact… looks best when he is protected up front and allowed to survey the field… has lined up at both weak/strong-side linebacker… more of a hit-and-run type defender… who will need to play on the weak-side in order to stay productive… also like his special teams potential…

South Carolina’s MARCUS LAWRENCE (South) -- weighed in at 6015, 237 pounds… good-looking physique… could probably carry 245 pounds without too much trouble… shows good instincts… not able to get off blocks, as quickly as you would like… could still make better use of his hands, which would help in that area… good at seeing the play, but will get there a step slower at times than he would be capable of had he shed his blocker quicker… shows good range in pass coverage… better off in zone than man… more of a straight-line speed athlete… does not take many false steps… good strength to handle being lined up over the tight end… might want to explore using him more as a blitzer than he was in college… seems to have a nose for the ball… has lined up primarily at strong-side linebacker, but could also see time inside… would have liked to see him take more/equal amount of reps in the middle… should have the versatility to play both in the league… not known for doing more than what is required of him off-the-field… also needs to play with a greater sense of focus/determination, as he tends to take off a few downs…

Oklahoma’s LANCE MITCHELL (North) -- weighed in at 6015, 239 pounds… good-looking upper body and big arms… was moved outside based upon the number of inside ‘backers (three) on the North’s roster… did so without question to the coaching staff, but did not seem to be a big fan of it when asked… has good enough strength to handle being lined up over the tight end… little tight in pass coverage… lacks ideal speed… plays faster when moving forward and attacking the line of scrimmage… struggled some during individual drills… stiff in the hips… looked like he was looking down or counting his steps to stay balanced/coordinated… can still lay the wood in the open field… firm tackler… but was a little slow to react to the play in team drills; might just see the game better from the middle… has lined up primarily at strong-side linebacker, but may also play some in the middle… very good kid who coaches seem to love once they meet and work with him… has room to improve his pass coverage skills, and can be a stout run stopper from the inside… will make most of the plays he can get to, but also miss a few that a faster/more fluid athlete would reach…

Clemson’s LEROY HILL (South) -- weighed in at 6004, 223 pounds… solid upper body; could likely carry 228-231 pounds… has good strength in his arms and hands… fights off blockers… can shed quickly and get to the play… takes the proper angle to the ball… plays with fierce intensity… type of guy that the more you see of him, the more you like… which is certainly the case with me, as he was also at the East-West Shrine game… has decent coverage skills, but it would not be his main asset… good decision-maker off the snap… hardly ever takes false steps… plays faster than he times… strong character and leadership type guy… has lined up primarily at strong-side linebacker… but should also be a standout on special teams… like him, as a fourth rounder, but could go higher, since there are not many quality strong-side linebackers in this draft…

Cincinnati’s TRENT COLE (North) -- weighed in at 6020, 245 pounds… good upper body and long arms… started most practices with the linebackers… did not always look smooth in those drills… little heavy-footed, especially in pass coverage… stiff in the hips… does not have great lateral movement… looks much better when attacking the line of scrimmage… the strengths of his game are hampered if he is waiting to read/react rather than attack… got engulfed on occasion when he lined up in a three-point stance… but did show good quickness and pass rushing tools in several 1-on-1 encounters… needs to learn how to get off blocks quicker… has lined up at both strong-side linebacker and defensive end during the week…even took a few snaps at middle linebacker, but was not too impressive at that spot… will fit best, as a 3-4 outside linebacker or situational pass rusher, while also being fine special teams guy…

Stanford’s JARED NEWBERRY (North) -- weighed in at 6004, 239 pounds… good shoulders and chest, but a little soft in some areas… looked much better during team drills than while doing individual drills… little stiff and not as athletic when working out initially… but really warmed up once the contact started… needs to get stronger… as he can get and stay blocked at times… makes good use of his hands… determined athlete… firm tackler once he gets to the ball carrier… read the plays quickly… takes pretty good angles to the ball… does not always breakdown in the open field… average range in pass coverage… trailed behind the tight end on several occasions when in man coverage… looks better when moving forward or playing the run… good aggressiveness… comes up hard to fill… but got turned back on a few plays… lined up at both weak/strong-side linebacker… has bulked up from 222-227 pound range last summer… agreed with me after one of the practices that it is taking him some time to adjust to his new playing weight; might do best to drop down to the 230-232 pound range for the Combine…

CORNERBACK: Auburn’s CARLOS ROGERS (South) -- weighed in at 6000, 195 pounds… very good overall definition… looked good in most of his initial drills… showed very good recovery speed… can be a bit over aggressive and will bite at times on double moves… great ball instincts… also played more in-your-face coverage in college than they were using at this week’s game… can be a little slow to turn around when the ball is in the air… but does not get beat too often… decided to skip the rest of the week’s practices and game after suffering a strained left hamstring… several people indicated that he has almost certainly locked up a position in the first round…

Florida State’s BRYANT MCFADDEN (South) -- weighed in at 5115, 187 pounds… good definition, but not outstanding… tough defender who plays with some good aggressiveness… more quick than fast… does not have great recovery speed… but has not been beaten over the top too often because of his fine instincts and technique… can be a little slow to recognize the ball, while it is in the air… does not always have a great feel for the game; too many catches happen right in front of him… strong hands, as he can create turnovers and also strip/knock the ball away from potential receivers… very good leaper allows him to out jump taller receivers… drops his head and will attempt a few too many arm tackles… overall is a solid tackler… lined up primarily at left cornerback, but has also played on the right side in the past… lack of an ideal burst of closing speed makes me wonder how well he would perform in a zone coverage scheme… has had a few problems with lower back and groin injuries during his college career… played well during the week… could develop into a solid pro corner, but maybe not a pure “Shutdown” type defender…

Oklahoma State’s DARRENT WILLIAMS (North) -- weighed in at 5081, 170 pounds… was the smallest defender in terms of height/weight… very quick… shows terrific recovery speed… plays bigger than his size… broke on the ball very quickly… much better in man coverage… but will gamble too much, while trying to bait the quarterback into throwing his way… created several turnovers during the week… not afraid to come up in run support… but tries to tackle by going for an opponent’s legs too often… gets into poor position on many open field tackles… shows good vision and straight-line speed, as a return man… there are some that have compared his skill-level to that of former All-Pro Aaron Glenn (Texans), while others would say more like Ray Mickens (Jets)… lined up primarily at right cornerback… his character and off-field record are highly questionable… had two drug charges, upset several coaches and teammates with his attitude at times… and then missed the second part of the year due to a broken forearm, which led many to speculate that he sat out to protect his draft status… made another possible mistake by firing his recently signed agent just weeks after building that relationship…

Howard’s RONALD BARTELL, JR. (North) -- weighed in at 6005, 208 pounds… had one of the better body types in the game… long arms (32 ¼”) and big hands… looked very good during early individual drills… fluid for his size… good hands… breaks on the ball quickly… shows an extra burst of speed, as well… struggled against some of the more experienced receivers during 9-on-7 and team drills… but did not lose confidence… listened to the coaches… and lined right back up in rotation… shows superior athleticism for being a big corner… does not always play, as physical as his size would indicate… much better in man than zone coverage… good leaper who can use his long arms to breakup passes… still learning how to stick receivers with equal or better speed… bit on a few double moves, but getting beaten over the top by Oklahoma’s Mark Clayton is not the worst thing in the world, as he was clearly the best receiver in Mobile this week… needs to develop better ball instincts… little slow to turn around at times… has the ability to play more aggressively… but would also have to be aware of not drawing too many flags… lined up primarily at left cornerback, but was also tried some at free safety… could struggle some if forced into the lineup too early (IE: Mike Rumph, 49ers), but the fact that he is a flexible/fluid athlete with very good size and straight-line speed it will be hard to keep him out of the Top-50 picks…

Miami, OH’s ALPHONSO HODGE (North) -- weighed in at 5103, 201 pounds… little shorter than expected, but has a thick build and big hands… looked impressive right away during the individual drills… good hands… extra burst to the ball… plays a physical brand of ball… can get caught out of position at times doing that… takes a few false steps in zone coverage… like how he did not overly respect some of the bigger named receivers he was matching up against… looks best when he is allowed to get up in the face of receivers… fluid enough to turn and run with most… will have some trouble occasionally with a guy like Oklahoma’s Mark Clayton, but so would most current NFL defenders… as good as any corner here against the run… will bite on a receiver first move at times… seemed to be very coachable… got the attention of Raiders staff, who seemed to be surprised at how good of a player he was… lined up primarily at right cornerback… rapidly developing into one of the better all-around cornerback prospects in this year’s draft… type of guy that some in the business would call a “Comer”, which means his best football is in front of him…

LSU’s COREY WEBSTER (South) -- weighed in at 5112, 197 pounds… good overall definition… looks fluid in all of his individual drills… struggled during some of the 9-on-7 and team drills… did not seem all that comfortable playing the soft zone coverage that was installed by his coaching staff… was backing off receivers on the snap, and then struggling to stop, plant and drive to the ball before receivers were able to make the reception… was caught guessing too often… needs to show better anticipation skills… proved to be one of the best ball-hawking defenders in the country over the past two years… but was sort of hot-and-cold, as a senior… has not lost his confidence, but is not playing with the same kind of boastfulness, as he did previously… would have been taken in the mid-to-late first round had he declared, as a junior… but has likely slide to the second round, as of today… has lined up at right cornerback for most of the week… personally, although this week did not help improve his draft positioning it certainly bodes well for the team that gets him, as they will be getting a top-notch defender at a few spots lower than expected… if proper schemed in a defense that allows him to either play up in a receivers face or be aggressive at all times… they will see the same guy that shutdown one side of the field for nearly two years at LSU…

Stanford’s STANLEY WILSON (North) -- weighed in at 5111, 186 pounds… little smaller than I expected… but had decent definition to his body… could probably carry 195-200 pounds over time… technically he is very sound defender… smooth, fluid back pedal… does not always play, as aggressively as you would desire… tried to jam Oklahoma’s Mark Clayton on one occasion and was nearly decleated by the receiver… tends to be overly conscious of getting beat over the top… several receivers used that against him in 9-on-7 and team drills… as they would drive up the field and then cutoff their routes, catching the ball right in front of him… pretty good tackler for his position… functional, as a run supporter, but may need to get stronger in order to improve in that area… flashes impressive recovery speed… has lined up mostly at left cornerback… also the son of former NFL running back Stanley Wilson, Sr… likely to post some very impressive workout numbers at the Combine; has been timed at or below 4.4 in the past…

LSU’s TRAVIS DANIELS (South) -- weighed in at 6001, 187 pounds… decent build, but could add more weight to his frame… made a number of good plays during the week… broke up a few passes, and intercepted a couple of others… played aggressively while the ball was in the air… showed very good ball skills… savvy type defender that does not get caught flat-footed in zone… was able to drive to the ball quickly and also showed very good recovery speed… liked his hands… not afraid to come up and support the run… has lined up at both left cornerback and free safety… little on the small side in terms of his overall build, but has the frame to carry 195-200 pounds given the proper weight plan… overshadowed throughout his college career, but could end up being drafted above a number of other more recognizable names…

Hawaii’s ABRAHAM ELIMIMIAN (North) -- weighed in at 5087, 183 pounds… well-defined in most areas… also has long arms (32”) for his size… tough, feisty defender… not afraid to come up in run support… and is a better tackler than you might imagine… gives up a bit too much space at times, as he lacks superior straight-line speed… wins most of his battles thanks to using good technique, instincts and aggressiveness… will get beat, but come right back and make a big play… gave up far too many catches right in front of him this week… took a few too many false steps when trying to drive forward on the ball… was also a bit sloppy during individual drills… from what I have seen on film and now in person… he might just be a better “Game Day” guy than practice player… has lined up at both right cornerback and free safety… would probably fit best in a Cover-2 scheme…

Virginia Tech’s ERIC GREEN (South) -- weighed in at 5105, 188 pounds… small upper body, but has some definition… looked good during individual and 9-on-7 drills… has quick feet… very good recovery speed… and was one of the top pure cover corners at this week’s game… does not have great hands though, as he struggles to hold onto the football when attempting to create turnovers… suffered a strained right hamstring, which kept him from practicing the rest of the week or playing in the actual game… while he flashes an impressive combination of speed, quickness and man coverage skills I am concerned with his durability and the fact that his greatest asset would be his speed, and he has suffered a major knee injury in the past, plus a few other nicks/bumps… so there is no guarantee that he won’t just become another Eric Kelly (former Vikings draft choice)…

Bethune-Cookman’s NICHOLAS COLLINS (South) -- said that he weighed in at 5107, 201 pounds, as he was a late injury addition for Virginia Tech’s Eric Green… was thrust right into the action on Thursday afternoon, but while he was beaten on a few plays it also happened without the benefit of pads… and with him having flown in just 12-15 hours earlier… good-sized kid… has some good upper body strength… shows an extra burst of speed while the ball is in the air… bit on a few double moves, which got him beat… showed only average instincts… does not lack confidence… but seemed to press some in his first practice to prove he belonged… has lined up on both sides, but mainly right cornerback… his biggest asset will be the impressive 40-time and overall workout numbers he posts at the Combine… plus, he played throughout the secondary in college, so he could be a good special teams contributor, as well… the actual game on Saturday will be more important to him than most others… will wear jersey #6 in the game…

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