Senior Bowl

[joeshmo]

Thought I would make the official Senior Bowl Thread. Practices are only 9 days away. Coverage starts on NFL network at 10 am Monday the 25th.

To start, some random thoughts.

1. The official roster - http://www.seniorbowl.com/rosters.asp

2. This Senior Bowl might the most interesting it has been in a while. One of the best rosters I have seen in a long time. Plus there will be a lot of talk about Tebow being there, although I think we will be tired of hearing about it by weeks end.

3. Top 10 senior bowl players I will keeping an eye on the most:
QB - Sean Canfield - I think he will be the best QB there.
LB - Jerry Hughes
S - Nate Allen
LB - Brandon Lang
LB - Cameron Shefield
QB - Tim Tebow
LB - Sean Weatherspoon
CB - Kyle Wilson
WR - Danario Alexander
DT - Dan Williams

 

[MoeIsBetter]

I really want to see Lang play also and Canfield has had my eye as well. I think Tebow will be a good (not great) QB but he will do enough to win games. That's all that matters.

 

[az jam]

Lots of players to watch. Others that I like:
DE Brandon Graham Michigan
DT Terance Cody Alabama
OL Mike Iupati Idaho
OL Charles Brown USC
QB Dan LeFavour Central Michigan
S Taylor Mays USC
TE Anthony McCoy USC
QB Tony Pike Cincinnati
LB Daryl Washington TCU
OL Trent Wlliams Oklahoma

 

[Chopper0080]

Players of interest for me and what they could bring to our team...

Sean Canfield-QB
-Accurate passer with a quick release. Hmmm...
Tim Teabow-QB
-I want to see where he is as a passer
Brandon Lang-DE/OLB
-I want to see what he does against better competition
Terrance Cody-DT
-I want to see if he strives to dominate
Brandon Graham-DE/OLB
-I want to see if he another Michigam 3-4 pass rusher ala Lamar Woodley
Jerry Hughes-DE/OLB
-I want to see how he holds up at point of attack, and his pass rushing moves
Mike Iupati-OG
-I want to see how he works in space
Dexter McCluster-RB/KR
-I want to see his return game
Eric Norwood-ILB
-I want to see if his instincts are good enough to make plays up the field
Tony Pike-QB
-I want to see if he has solid decision making
Myron Rolle-S
-I want to see if he has lost anything in his absence
Cameron Sheffield-ILB
-I just want to see him play
Dan Williams-DT
-I want to see if he has the strength at point of attack to play NT
Daryl Washington-OLB
-I want to see if his strength can match his speed to play inside in a 3-4
Kyle Wilson-CB
-I want to see his discipline, and if he can bigger than his size

 

[Russ Smith]

Lots of players to watch. Others that I like:
DE Brandon Graham Michigan
DT Terance Cody Alabama
OL Mike Iupati Idaho
OL Charles Brown USC
QB Dan LeFavour Central Michigan
S Taylor Mays USC
TE Anthony McCoy USC
QB Tony Pike Cincinnati
LB Daryl Washington TCU
OL Trent Wlliams Oklahoma

He, Damian Williams and Taylor Mays are 3 guys I love in this draft. Unfortunately we can't take a TE and a WR (that'll go in the first 3 rounds if not first 2) so Mays is the only guy we might look at and he'll go too early for us.

McCoy is a great blocker and a very underrated receiver, he and Graham would be terrific together.

Maybe I'll start some untrue rumor about him before the draft so his stock slips.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

I don't get the Canfield love. I saw him play one good game out of the 4 I saw this year (USC). Maybe hes a non producer who turns into NFL stud but as of now, I don't see it.

 

[TJ]

If the Cards pick a QB deep in the draft, i hope its Dan LeFevour out of CMU.

 

[joeshmo]

I don't get the Canfield love. I saw him play one good game out of the 4 I saw this year (USC). Maybe hes a non producer who turns into NFL stud but as of now, I don't see it.

Minus a couple of average games against Cincinnati, Arizona, and ASU, dude has been spot on. Even his average games werent bad, Not single bad game in 09.

Came into the season on fire even though he wasn't the starter and didn't get 1st team reps in spring ball after Moevao injured his shoulder. Super accurate, strong arm, might be the most calm pocket passer in the NCAA right now (its Warner-esque), doesn't get rattled or throw int's.

 

[joeshmo]

If the Cards pick a QB deep in the draft, i hope its Dan LeFevour out of CMU.

Not a fan. He is a cheap mans version of Tim Tebow. Has all the same issue that people have of Tebow, but Dan's arm strength is even lower, has even worse mechanics, and will take much longer to develop. You only take Dan if you have 3 years to develop the kid.

 

[Gaddabout]

I don't get the Canfield love. I saw him play one good game out of the 4 I saw this year (USC). Maybe hes a non producer who turns into NFL stud but as of now, I don't see it.

I'm with you. Canfield three something like 68 percent of his passes to the Rogers brothers, and many of those were 5-year dump offs and let them run down the field. Riley did some serious game management for him to keep him productive and out of trouble. I see him more as a late-round pick or even an undrafted free agent. He may have some physical pluses, but he doesn't jump out at me at all like, say, Dan LeFevour, who *I* think will be far and away the best QB at the Seniro Bowl

 

[Gaddabout]

Not a fan. He is a cheap mans version of Tim Tebow. Has all the same issue that people have of Tebow, but Dan's arm strength is even lower, has even worse mechanics, and will take much longer to develop. You only take Dan if you have 3 years to develop the kid.

I say a better comparison is Drew Brees. He has a similar throwing motion, throws a deadly accurate ball, and can throw on the run. Just the fact he's the next MAC QB to the NFL makes him enticing in, say, the third round.

 

[TJ]

Not a fan. He is a cheap mans version of Tim Tebow. Has all the same issue that people have of Tebow, but Dan's arm strength is even lower, has even worse mechanics, and will take much longer to develop. You only take Dan if you have 3 years to develop the kid.

LeFevour has the moxie, size and speed of a Tebow, but has better accuracy and much better mechanics

He is also a 4-year starter, so I dont think it would take much more than one season to transition him into the NFL

IMO, he won't make it out of the 3rd round and most sites have him as the 4th or 5th best QB in the draft, so he could go in the late 2nd if someone reaches.

 

[Shogun]

I don't like any of the senior QBs except Tim Hiller. All of them are projects. It will be interesting to watch Tim Tebow at QB. I think he has a better chance at thriving at the position than some people initially think.

There's too many guys that I will find interesting to watch to list them. This Senior Bowl will be a good one.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Minus a couple of average games against Cincinnati, Arizona, and ASU, dude has been spot on. Even his average games werent bad, Not single bad game in 09.

Came into the season on fire even though he wasn't the starter and didn't get 1st team reps in spring ball after Moevao injured his shoulder. Super accurate, strong arm, might be the most calm pocket passer in the NCAA right now (its Warner-esque), doesn't get rattled or throw int's.

Well that would make sense then because the UA and ASU games were the others I saw, as well as the Oregon game. I just wasn't impressed at all though.

 

[joeshmo]

I say a better comparison is Drew Brees. He has a similar throwing motion, throws a deadly accurate ball, and can throw on the run. Just the fact he's the next MAC QB to the NFL makes him enticing in, say, the third round.

You talk about Canfields accuracy being deceiving because he only throws 5 yard dump offs when in fact LeFevour has 30 more 5 yards or less passing attempts then Canfield did last year.

 

[joeshmo]

LeFevour has the moxie, size and speed of a Tebow, but has better accuracy and much better mechanics

LeFevor does not have better accuracy. Tebow's completion percentage of pass attempts 10 yards or more is 65%. LeFevour completion percentage of pass attempts 10 yards or more is under 50%. Passing attempts under 10 yards Tebow is also more accurate but not by much. It is why Tebows average yards per passing attempt is a full 2 yards per attempt better then LeFevour.

Yards per attempt is an easy way to tell if a QB is a dink and dunk type QB or not. LeFevour and Canfield for that matter are dink and dunkers with pass attempt average of 7.5 yards an attempt. Tebow is not your typical spread QB, he actually throws the ball down field.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

QB's i want nothing to do with: Tony Pike, Dan Lefevour, Colt McCoy, Jevan Snead.

A guy who i find interesting and seems to me to be the closest to Drew Brees is Max Hall from BYU. He has similar size and played in a prolific passing offense. I don't really know alot about Canfield. Another guy who had a good senior year in a pro style offense was Bill Stull from Pitt.

 

[Stout]

QB's i want nothing to do with: Tony Pike, Dan Lefevour, Colt McCoy, Jevan Snead.

A guy who i find interesting and seems to me to be the closest to Drew Brees is Max Hall from BYU. He has similar size and played in a prolific passing offense. I don't really know alot about Canfield. Another guy who had a good senior year in a pro style offense was Bill Stull from Pitt.

If we waste even a 7th rounder on this guy, I will PUKE. If Pitt had had a decent QB they would have done far better in the last few years. I live in the area and, take it from me--Stull SUCKS.

 

[Chopper0080]

You have to remember that when looking at potential players, you have to look at what they can do and apply that to what you do as an offense or defense.

What Canfield does is read defenses, identifies the open guy and gets the ball out of his hands quickly and accurately. For what we do as an offense, he fits. Yes, he may never be a great QB, but he doesn't get rattled under pressure and can make the throws to make it as a backup at least.

I like this guy, and I think that he could be good in the offense that we run. Also, I think that he can be had later than some of the other "top" prospects that don't fit our system as well. 6'4" 214 ain't bad either.

 

[TJ]

LeFevor does not have better accuracy. Tebow's completion percentage of pass attempts 10 yards or more is 65%. LeFevour completion percentage of pass attempts 10 yards or more is under 50%. Passing attempts under 10 yards Tebow is also more accurate but not by much. It is why Tebows average yards per passing attempt is a full 2 yards per attempt better then LeFevour.

Yards per attempt is an easy way to tell if a QB is a dink and dunk type QB or not. LeFevour and Canfield for that matter are dink and dunkers with pass attempt average of 7.5 yards an attempt. Tebow is not your typical spread QB, he actually throws the ball down field.

Remember that LeFevour did pretty much the exact same thing with less talent around him. Florida is a hot bed for football talent (both the school and the state) CMU, not so much.

Dont forget that the Cards offense has gone away from the long bomb and doing more dink and dunks, letting the wide outs do the rest of the work. R

There are many reasons why he is one of the higher rated QBs in the draft and widely considered a steal in the 3rd round.

Look at his 2007 stats (as a sophomore)

3652 passing yards
1112 rushing yards
27 pass TDs
19 rush TDs
65.4% completion
13 INTS

2008 (he only played 11 games)

2784 passing yards
592 rushing yards
21 pass TDs
6 rush TDs
66.8% completion
6 INTs

2009

3438 passing yards
713 rushing yards
28 pass TDs
15 rush TDs
7 INTS
70% completion

An accurate QB who can move out of the pocket and create yardage with his feet. I mean every draft pick, especially QBs are a crap shoot, but just by watching him and looking at the numbers, he seems to be a good fit.

 

[Gaddabout]

You talk about Canfields accuracy being deceiving because he only throws 5 yard dump offs when in fact LeFevour has 30 more 5 yards or less passing attempts then Canfield did last year.

I know this: LeFevour WAS Central Michigan, while Canfield deferred to Brothers Rogers. Sorry, but Canfield is not a guy who steps on a field and demands respect from an NFL player. And for a big QB, Canfield has a LONG list of injuries. That's two big knocks against him in my opinion.

 

[WarnerHOF]

We better pick Brandon Graham in the 1st round. He's the going be the Clay Matthews of 2010 imo.

 

[Doc Cardinal]

I don't like any of the senior QBs except Tim Hiller. All of them are projects. It will be interesting to watch Tim Tebow at QB. I think he has a better chance at thriving at the position than some people initially think.

There's too many guys that I will find interesting to watch to list them. This Senior Bowl will be a good one.

Keep at eye on Dan LeFevour of Central Michigan at QB.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

What Canfield does is read defenses, identifies the open guy and gets the ball out of his hands quickly and accurately. For what we do as an offense, he fits. Yes, he may never be a great QB, but he doesn't get rattled under pressure and can make the throws to make it as a backup at least.

I like this guy, and I think that he could be good in the offense that we run. Also, I think that he can be had later than some of the other "top" prospects that don't fit our system as well. 6'4" 214 ain't bad either.

Keep at eye on Dan LeFevour of Central Michigan at QB.

UA shut down both these guys. Maybe thats effecting my perspective but no thanks.

 

[Doc Cardinal]

Maybe the senior bowl will answer some questions......but all this QB talk is mute...if Kurt stays QB talk is over.

Speaking of the senior bowl.....someone here had WR Taylor Price of Ohio University on their mock and he's been added to the roster.