College Players The Eagles Are Interested In - 2007

[PhillyPhreak54]

I've done one of these threads the last two years and with the Shrine Bowl past and the Senior Bowl week coming up I figured it was time to crank it up again. A lot of the news comes from goeagles99 from the EMB. He combs through newspaper articles and finds nuggets of info and is one of the best with knowing college players. There are also various websites out there who report on who team are meeting with.

Here is the 2006 thread if you want to see if this has any correlation to who they end up drafting or signing as a UDFA.

Position Breakdown - Offense

Quarterbacks
Matt Gutierrez - Idaho State

Running Backs
Thomas Clayton - Kansas State

Full Backs
Brian Leonard - Rutgers

Wide Receivers
Steve Breaston - Michigan

Tight Ends

Offensive Lineman
Jacob Hobbs [OT] - Albany
Tony Ugoh [OT] - Arkansas
Justin Blalock [OG] - Texas
Mansfield Wrotto [OG] - Georgia Tech
Manuel Ramirez [OG] - Texas Tech

[PhillyPhreak54]

Position Breakdown - Defense


Defensive Ends
Brian Robinson - Texas

Defensive Tackles

Linebackers

Cornerbacks
Marcus McCauley - Fresno State
Daymeion Hughes - Cal

Safeties
Kevin Payne [SS] - Louisiana-Monroe

Specialists

[PhillyPhreak54]

NFL scouting Danes
Seniors Hobbs, Coleman, Barksdale attract interest

By MARK SINGELAIS, Staff writer
Click byline for more stories by writer.
First published: Saturday, October 28, 2006

ALBANY -- Unfamiliar faces have taken over the University at Albany football team's film room this fall.

Fueled by coffee and doughnuts, the men pore over UAlbany game footage. They're NFL scouts from about 20 teams who have visited the campus this season to see if the Great Danes have pro prospects.

The NFL teams are looking at three UAlbany seniors: offensive lineman Jacob Hobbs of Schenectady; cornerback Rashad Barksdale of Hudson; and defensive end Andre Coleman.

"It's really exciting," said Hobbs, who met with an Eagles scout on Wednesday. "It's always something I've thought about doing ever since I played football back in high school."

This is from ge99. He also noted that the Eagles met with Texas DE Brian Robinson at the Shrine Bowl.

Also, Mark Eckel said in the paper the other day that Reid has an interest in Rutgers FB Brian Leonard

[rjs246]

Get Leonard.

[MDS]

Punter. Get a punter.

[EJ72]

Only indirectly related, but the Senior Bowl practices are being aired on the NFL Network for those that have it and may be interested, I believe all week.

[Rome]

Sign Donte.

[ice grillin you]

nfl network senior bowl coverage...

Monday, Jan. 22
4 p.m. - Day 1 Practice (90 minutes)
8 p.m. - Day 1 Recap (30 minutes)

Tuesday, Jan. 23
10:30 a.m. - Day 2 Morning Practice (90 minutes)
5 p.m. - Day 2 Afternoon Practice (2 hours)
9:30 p.m. - Path to the Draft: Day 2 Recap (30 minutes)

Wednesday, Jan. 24
10:30 a.m. - Day 3 Morning Practice (90 minutes)
5 p.m. - Day 3 Afternoon Practice (2 hours)
9:30 p.m. - Path to the Draft: Day 3 Recap (30 minutes)

Thursday, Jan. 25
10:30 a.m. - Day 4 Morning Practice (90 minutes)
5 p.m. - Day 4 Afternoon Practice (2 hours)
8 p.m. - Path to the Draft: Day 4 Recap (30 minutes)

Saturday, Jan. 27
3 p.m. - NFL Total Access pregame show (1 hour)
4 p.m. - 2007 Under Armour Senior Bowl, Live (3 hours)
7 p.m. - NFL Total Access postgame show (1 hour)

[PhillyPhanInDC]

ESPN Insider's Scouts Buzz from Day 1:

Around the North practice
When the rosters initially were released, the North team had three top prospects in Wisconsin OT Joe Thomas and Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn and WR Jeff Samardzija. However, none of those standouts will hit the field in Mobile. While Thomas opted out for no specific reason, Quinn elected not to participate due to a "minor knee injury" and Samardzija released his decision to pursue baseball over football at the professional level.

With those defections behind them, the North squad, coached by Jon Gruden and his Buccaneers' staff, took to Ladd-Peebles Stadium on Monday for the first of four practices this week. The weather was hardly ideal, but the team was able to get through most of its individual and unit drills before the skies opened up and the rain poured down.

Michigan State QB Drew Stanton did not seemed fazed by the conditions, as he turned in an impressive first day of practice. The oft-injured gunslinger displayed an impressive blend of mobility, arm strength and accuracy while spreading the ball around to an array of talented receivers during one-on-one and seven-on-seven drills. Ohio State's Troy Smith looked sharp, as well, but Stanton was clearly the best pro quarterback prospect on the field for the North team Monday. As a side note, Smith measured in at 6-foot even during the morning weigh-in process, which was a moral victory for the diminutive quarterback prospect.

The defensive player that impressed us the most was Cal cornerback Daymeion Hughes. The 5-10, 192 pounder displayed outstanding agility and instincts throughout practice. There wasn't a receiver on the team, including standouts such as Jason Hill (Washington State), Rhema McKnight (Notre Dame) and David Clowney (Virginia Tech), who could shake Hughes in one-on-one drills. While it's important to put everything into perspective this week, I think it's safe to say that Hughes showed better man-to-man cover skills this afternoon than Michigan's Leon Hall, who is widely considered the top cornerback prospect and a potential top-15 pick in this year's class.

It was good to see Northern Illinois RB Garrett Wolfe get some reps as a return specialist. At 5-7, 184 pounds, Wolfe is entirely too small to make it in the NFL as a premier back. However, he's elusive and fast enough to carve a niche as a scatback and return man. Wolfe showed good hands returning some punts today and also impressed with his fluidity catching the ball out of the backfield during unit and seven-on-seven drills.

FB Brian Leonard (Rutgers) looks quicker than usual because he has trimmed down to 224 pounds. Leonard clearly wants to prove to NFL scouts that he is capable of becoming a full-time running back at the next level.

Notre Dame DE Victor Abiamiri is one of the most impressive players from a physique standpoint. He checked in at nearly 6-5 and 271 pounds with hardly any body fat. Abiamiri also turned heads during practice, as he consistently beat Boston College OT James Marten during unit drills. If Abiamiri continues to dominate practice sessions this week, he could solidify a spot late in the first round.

Finally, the most surprising result of this morning's weigh-in process may well have been the weight loss of Louisville DT Amobi Okoye. Listed as 305 pounds from last spring's measuring for NFL scouts, Okoye showed up in Mobile weighing a slender 287 pounds. While he looks to be in good shape, Okoye may have turned some teams off that viewed him as a bigger interior presence.

Around the South practice
South practices got underway on a wet Majors Field at Fairhope Municipal Stadium and the squad clearly looked as sloppy as the field at times. However, there was no shortage of enthusiasm during the high-tempo workout.

Texas' Michael Griffin and Miami's Brandon Meriweather apparently play at one speed. Despite wearing just shoulder pads, both safeties delivered big hits over the middle. There's a lot to like about their physical style of play, but they won't have a lot of fans if a player gets hurt. There's just too much on the line this close to draft day.

The safeties weren't the only secondary players making noise today. Texas CB Aaron Ross came down with a ball that he or Florida WR Dallas Baker could have caught, and Auburn CB David Irons picked off a pass downfield.

Georgia TE Martrez Milner dropped several passes he should have caught during the 2006 season, but he did a good job of hauling in the slick ball today. He made two nice catches and held onto the ball despite getting popped.

Florida State RB Lorenzo Booker caught the ball well and made some nice moves in space. He also made crisp cuts and exploded through holes, but scouts will want to see how the undersized back does when the South goes to full pads and the linebackers can wrap up.

The kickers spent most of the practice on the sidelines but Arizona's Nick Folk didn't just stand around. He could be seen working on planting his foot in the soggy conditions and looked strong when he attempted field goals. In addition, Baylor punter Daniel Sepulveda is built like a linebacker. He weighed in at 228 pounds this morning and body fat was nowhere to be found.

Texas OL Justin Blalock, who has lined up at tackle as well as guard, held his own in pass protection drills today. However, officials measured him at just 6-foot-3 this morning. His lack of height raises concerns about his ability to line up on the outside, so it looks like he will play at guard at the next level.

USC center Ryan Kalil used his quickness to get into good position and flew around the field. He has gained some weight, but Kalil is still undersized and lacks ideal power. It showed on the field, as defenders overpowered him at times.

LSU DE Chase Pittman appeared to jump off sides on a play during the team drill, but it didn't seem to faze Central Michigan OT Joe Staley. Staley got set quickly and then used his long arms to ride Pitman past the pocket.

I watched some of the pratice last night. The Garret Wolfe kid out of Northern Illinois really impressed me, but he is tiny. I am starting to hope that Griffin falls to the Eagles in the first round, he's going to be good.


Brian Leonard   

[ice grillin you]

http://www.seniorbowl.com/2007/rosters.htm

[PhillyPhanInDC]

The Eagles did not conduct any interviews yesterday after the Senior Bowl practice. Here is who did and who they interviewed:

Miami Dolphins - QB Drew Stanton
N.Y. Jets - DE Jay Moore
Houston Texans - LB Paul Posluszny
Atlanta Falcons - DT Amobi Okoye
Tampa Bay Bucs - WR Jason Hill
Kansas City Chiefs - CB Daymeion Hughes
Cleveland Browns - DE Victor Abiamiri, DT Quinn Pitcock.

[PhillyPhreak54]

DraftDaddy blog

Philadelphia Eagles: CB Marcus MacCauley

Fresno cornerback Marcus MacCauley seems to be getting stronger with each practice, especially notable was his closing and recovery speed, both of which cannot be coached. He as well as Michigan cornerback Leon Hall displayed smooth ball skills during drills, using their hands rather than trapping the ball.

[Dillen]

McCauley has a ton of potential but if you based draft position on performance only, he'd easily be the worst first round pick. He was benched this year. Even after Richard Marshall left.

[Quasimoto]

Watched some of the practices today.  That DT from Louisville (Okoybe or whatever) is a farging beast.  He merked every OLinemen he came up against today in 1-on-1's.

[Dillen]

Amobi Okoye is only 19 too. He was a 16 year old freshman.