As promised, some more thoughts, but first a question answered:
Mase, I hate asking you for this because I would rather be asking you when the Broncos Press day is but where do we find the rating of all of these college players for the draft. Some of these seniors are pretty good but where are they rating. Please help a fellow fan pacify his need of dreaming big or fast for his sweet sweet team … Also how’s the weather down there and who’s down there with you if your allowed to say or not …come on, give us the scoop.
Well, there’s any number of sites that can help you out … the one I tend to use most often is NFLDraftScout.com. Unfortunately, most of the information there is available only to those who fork over some cash for an annual subscription. I find its database of prospects that goes back through the decade to be quite informative and helpful; it’s always interesting to read their analysis of players before they were drafted. DraftDaddy.com is a site that offers a pretty decent roundup and is free of charge, but is plagued with pop-ups and Google ads and such Web annoyances of that ilk.
The weather is decent … as long as the clouds don’t spit rain, we’ll be okay. Pencil-lead-gray-yet-dry skies are okay by me, especially since I’ve incurred some serious sunburn on particularly bright days in past years.
As for who else is here … the scouts, of course, along with personnel director Jim Goodman, general manager Ted Sundquist and coaches Ronnie Bradford and Jim Ryan. And from our little Web site, video/audio producer Kasey Byers.
That leads me to perhaps the defining moment of the day, a scrum between Hampton’s Kendall Langford and Newberry’s Heath Benedict that required the assistance of two coaches — one of whom was 49ers head coach Mike Nolan — in order to defuse.
Opined Byers: “It’s getting a little chirpy out there.”
A quizzical look crossed my face. Only a few minutes later could I stammer, “You meant ‘chippy,’ right?”
No, he didn’t. He was referring to the talking going on between Langford and Benedict. I’ll give him that, and as you can see over on the main site, his video has been outstanding, even if his phraseology left me a bit confused.
Quoth “Gumbel 2 Gumbel” star Bryant Gumbel, “Let’s move on.”
Hawai’i’s Colt Brennan has an at-times unusual delivery. He seemed more comfortable at times on Wednesday afternoon as the South team offense operated out of the shotgun and utilized some rollouts that played more to his strengths. But the day wasn’t all smiles and sunshine for Brennan, as he missed some passes and lost a fumble on a collision with Peyton Hillis.
This just happened when I focused my camera upon the backfield, expecting a handoff to Kentucky’s Rafael Little. Little got the football all right, but not in the intended manner:
Whistles quickly blew on the play, which explains why Brennan remained standing as Little dove upon the football.
This is what happens in seven-on-seven drills, when there’s no down linemen to attack the backfield. Erik Ainge could pretty much take his pick of targets, opting here for fellow Tennessee product Brad Cottam, who at nearly 6-foot-8 is the tallest player here.
The simplest thought I can offer on Cal tailback Justin Forsett is this — he runs much bigger than his 5-foot-8 frame. He has enjoyed a productive, consistent week so far.
And Appalachian State wide receiver Dexter Jackson wasted little time making an impact; upon arriving Wednesday to join the South team roster, he made the longest reception of one-on-one drills, beating Tennessee State’s Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie for this reception.
Time for beddie-bye – assuming I can actually fall asleep. I reckon my cough has kept half of the Spa Building here at the Marriott Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Ala. awake. However, I’ve spent about five hours at the computer tonight, my on-line time bracketing dinner at locally renowned Wintzell’s Oyster House, and I’ve gone through pretty much the entire catalog of Sam Spence music on my iPod, most of it coming from the exemplary Autumn Thunder 10-CD collection of NFL Films music. That’s a good sign that it’s time to part.
One more shout-out, though … to J. Michael Moore and his fellow bird-watchers from AtlantaFalcons.com, with whom we communed the last couple of days. Moore, of course, is a DenverBroncos.com alumnus who was here with us at this time last year. We said, “Bye-bye” to the birdies today, as they flew back to their north Georgia nest to cover the hiring of new coach Mike Smith. Good to see you guys, as always.
Au revoir from southern Alabama.
Tags: Senior Bowl
Great stuff Mason, it seems like the Broncos are out there in pretty full force this year. Tell us some of the players they’re talking to. . . (pretty please?)
Won’t do any good, Shanny rarely talks to the players he intends to draft. He shows little interest and relies on his POC’s for advise on the players.
Let’s just hope we don’t “give” any picks away this year! We could use to get a little younger, and hopefully we don’t draft this early again for a while!
I hope the Broncos draft the best athlete available regardless of position (except for QBs and TEs). Do the Broncos have 2-4ths, 2-5ths, 1-6th and 2-7ths? The 1st & 2nd round picks should be capable of starting in ‘08. The others should be able to make the team. This group seems to have quality depth. Second day picks should be good if the scouts have done their job. Since the recent unrestricted free-agent experience seems to have been less than a smashing success (although an examination of the roster shows mixed results), perhaps the Broncos will bring to camp more than the usual six undrafted college free-agents this year.
does anyone think we will draft kenny phillips?
If he falls to Denver, I sure hope so. He could make an immediate impact and there is plenty of DT depth in this draft to score a good one in the 2nd, like one of my favorites, Dre Moore. He is one of the bigger DT’s in the draft and also one of the fastest. If Lynch stays, I can’t think of a better player to teach Phillups.
The Denver Draft is going to be heavily influenced by Javon “it’s all about me” Walker and possibly Travis Henry. It will also be influenced by whether or not Lynch stays or goes. I haven’t heard any new news on those two coming or going in Denver. It’s going to be interesting to watch what pans out this offseason.
…OH, I got a new nick name -
Phillup “Cry me a” Rivers and the “Baby Bolts”
I agree sam. Draft the best talent we can. Having 6 picks within the first 140 kids to choose from will do us good. We need to start signing these guys from within and build this team again through the draft. Hey any word on Cam Cameron as a possible OC?
The name here to remember is Kendall Langford.
Hey Mas !
There’s a rb prospect (170lbs) that runs a 4.26, take a good look if he’s there, I have no idea if scouts are thinking rb, db, or returner and damned if I forgot his name, but, I am intrigued, get back to us on him OK?
Thanks Mase for the reply!!! Get well my friend….
Hey superchop7, is the prospect you’re looking named Chris Johnson?
He’s a RB out of East Carolina. 5′8 and 195 lbs.
I just looked up the nfldraftscout and it showed he ran a blazing 4.27 in the 40 yard dash..
I think we could get more young guys because miami is willing to trade their 1st round pick…I think somebody’s thinkin Javon…
yeah chris johnson is great in returns and running the rock!!
It is a great time of year. You get so torn between what needs to address in the draft and which ones to address via free-agency. It’s so easy to criticize coaches and GM’s for failed draft picks, but when you see all of these guys in action, read about them and get to know them like a lot of fans across the country do this time of year, it’s so easy to see how a coach can buy into any of these guys out here.
The difference in Connor and Dizon for example, to most of us, we see them play, we look at their stats, read their interviews and there’s little or no difference in their potential and character as men. How do you tell if Connor’s better numbers are a result of his coach, the defensive system, the competition he played against, the surrounding players on his own team, his football smarts or his physical ability? It would be so easy for Sundquist and Shanahan to look at Dizon, see that maybe his numbers weren’t quite as great, but with the right coaching, the right system and a great d-line in front of him, that he could develope into an all-pro. Not only that, but if you can pick up Dizon in the 4th round, vs spending a first rounder on Connor, you’d be way ahead of the game.
It’s a pretty complicated thing really. The difference in the 1st round athletes vs. the 5th round athletes is so tiny and has so many other factors involved in it. Randy Moss would be a great example. If he didn’t go to Marshall, a very small and relatively unknown college, he’d have been the top pick in that years draft. Instead, he falls to what? 17th I believe. That was a great move by Minnesota to look beyond the obvious and see the potential. Shanahan did it just a few years ago with Dumervil. I’d bet if you look at Dumervil’s numbers vs. every other DE taken before him, that Dumervil’s would dwarf most of them.
That’s how you grade a draft 3 yrs later. Put the same players in the draft pool and see where they’d get picked after being in the league 3 yrs. If your player, say Dumervil, would be a 1st round pick after a 3 yr review, then Shanahan made a GREAT pick by getting him in the 3rd.