Throughout these three cold, gloomy days at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, I’ve been fortunate enough to meet and see a lot of the minds that make the National Football League great. Today for example, brought several new faces to the field, including Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel, New York Jets head coach Eric Mangini, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards, Arizona Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt, Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips, Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid, University of Southern California head coach Pete Carroll and former Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl winning quarterback Trent Dilfer.
With another day of practice in the books, it is time to discuss how the seniors looked in their second to last practice before they clash Saturday, Jan. 26.
A couple of fights broke out among the South squad. In one altercation, two players threw several punches at one another while still wearing their helmets. The coaching staff eventually broke it up, and neither player was removed from the field of play.
During San Francisco 49ers and the South’s head coach Mike Nolan’s press conference that followed the third day of practice he was asked to respond to the fights. When asked if he thought it was a positive or negative, Nolan replied, “Positive.” He believes that when two guys fight, it’s because they care about something, and if you don’t fight over it then you don’t care about it. Personally, I couldn’t agree more. He also joked about how punching in the stomach made more sense, since it was the least covered portion of the upper body, and laughed that punching in the facemask wasn’t the brightest move.
The day also showed some calmer emotions and good football plays. University of California-Berkley running back Justin Forsett continued to show how dynamic of a back he is, looking extremely quick when matched up against a linebacker in drills. He also broke a 40-yard run while the North squad was in team drills.
University of Southern California running back Chauncey Washington hadn’t done anything to impress me up to this point, until today. He broke off a big run while in team drills and looked as though he picked up his overall play today.
In what was probably the best play of the day, Cal wide receiver Lavelle Hawkins made a tremendous catch on a streak pattern. The play accumulated more than 40 yards and brought a loud roar from the stands that had a large group of high school kids looking on.
There were some injuries of note today as well. Louisiana State wide receiver Early Doucet (hamstring), who had set himself apart from the other South receivers, was a no show for practice today, after he tweaked his hamstring in Tuesday’s practice. Coach Nolan is hopeful that he can play, but if he isn’t able to participate in practice the next two days, he will likely head on home. Appalachian State wide receiver Dexter Jackson would replace Doucet, according to Nolan.
A couple of injuries that occurred today involved University of Michigan defensive back Jamar Adams (undisclosed) and Michigan linebacker Shawn Crable (undisclosed). Adams injury wasn’t made known and he walked into the locker room after receiving some attention from one of the coaches. Crable suffered an apparent lower back and knee injury when being attended to on the sidelines. He later returned to the field without his helmet and watched the remainder of practice.
Thursday, Jan. 24, we will be returning to KFFL’s headquarters in Southern California. I fear that I may not have been here long enough, especially when hearing that Mardi Gras festivities will resume the day I leave!
# | Pos | Player Name | School |
HT
|
WT
|
ARM
|
Hand
|
10 | QB | Erik Ainge | Tennessee |
6054
|
225
|
32 5/8
|
9 1/4
|
2 | WR | Donnie Avery | Houston |
5110
|
186
|
30 1/2
|
8 3/4
|
78 | OL | Heath Benedict | Newberry College |
6046
|
321
|
33 4/8 (L)
|
9 5/8 (R)
|
87 | TE | Cole Bennett | Auburn |
6041
|
246
|
33 1/2
|
9
|
15 | QB | Colt Brennan | Hawaii |
6022
|
185
|
31 1/2
|
9 3/8
|
39 | P | Durant Brooks | Georgia Tech |
6000
|
205
|
30
|
9 1/2
|
56 | LB | Titus Brown | Mississippi State |
6025
|
239
|
32 1/2
|
9
|
85 | DL | Red Bryant | Texas A&M |
6046
|
326
|
34
|
8 1/8
|
5 | WR | Andre Caldwell | Florida |
6004
|
207
|
32 1/4
|
8 5/8
|
2 | DB | Simeon Castille | Alabama |
5117
|
190
|
31 1/2
|
8
|
33 | RB | Tashard Choice | Georgia Tech |
5105
|
210
|
30 1/4
|
9 1/8
|
86 | TE | Brad Cottam | Tennessee |
6075
|
271
|
34
|
9 1/2
|
79 | OL | Oniel Cousins | UTEP |
6041
|
301
|
34 7/8
|
9
|
96 | K | Brandon Coutu | Georgia |
5112
|
187
|
28 1/2
|
8 1/4
|
23 | DB | Quintin Demps | UTEP |
5116
|
203
|
31 1/8
|
8 1/2
|
9 | WR | Early Doucet | LSU |
5117
|
211
|
30 3/4
|
8 7/8
|
85 | WR | Harry Douglas | Louisville |
5111
|
178
|
32 1/8
|
7 3/4
|
61 | OL | Robert Felton | Arkansas |
6037
|
313
|
34
|
9 5/8
|
96 | DL | Andre Fluellen | Florida State |
6017
|
285
|
32 1/2
|
9 1/2
|
25 | RB | Matt Forte | Tulane |
6011
|
221
|
31 3/4
|
9 3/8
|
92 | DL | Wallace Gilberry | Alabama |
6024
|
263
|
33
|
8 7/8
|
52 | LB | Tavares Gooden | Miami |
6011
|
233
|
32 1/4
|
10 1/8
|
26 | DB | Marcus Griffin | Texas |
5101
|
198
|
29 7/8
|
9 1/8
|
22 | WR | D.J. Hall | Alabama |
6022
|
190
|
31 1/8
|
8
|
55 | DL | Marcus Harrison | Arkansas |
6026
|
310
|
33 1/2
|
8 7/8
|
18 | RB | Jacob Hester | LSU |
5105
|
230
|
30 1/8
|
8 7/8
|
7 | LB | Ali Highsmith | LSU |
5115
|
229
|
31 3/8
|
9 5/8
|
32 | RB | Peyton Hillis | Arkansas |
6007
|
240
|
31 1/8
|
8
|
21 | DB | Chevis Jackson | LSU |
5114
|
188
|
32 3/8
|
8 1/4
|
74 | OL | Steve Justice | Wake Forest |
6032
|
289
|
31 1/2
|
8 3/4
|
54 | DL | Kendall Langford | Hampton |
6053
|
275
|
33 1/2
|
8 1/8
|
20 | DB | Patrick Lee | Auburn |
5117
|
194
|
30 1/2
|
8 1/8
|
60 | OL | Kory Lichtensteiger | Bowling Green |
6023
|
296
|
30 7/8
|
8 5/8
|
24 | RB | Rafael Little | Kentucky |
5087
|
194
|
30 1/2
|
8 5/8
|
75 | OL | Mike McGlynn | Pittsburgh |
6043
|
309
|
32 7/8
|
8 5/8
|
34 | DB | Leodis McKelvin | Troy |
5105
|
190
|
30 1/4
|
8 1/2
|
59 | LB | Ben Moffitt | South Florida |
6010
|
231
|
31 3/4
|
8 5/8
|
93 | DL | Dre Moore | Maryland |
6041
|
307
|
33 3/8
|
10 1/4
|
71 | OL | Barry Richardson | Clemson |
6063
|
331
|
34 1/2
|
8 7/8
|
91 | DL | Darrell Robertson | Georgia Tech |
6037
|
247
|
33
|
9 1/4
|
4 | DB | Dominique Rogers-Cromartie | Tennessee State |
6013
|
183
|
31 1/8
|
8 1/8
|
67 | DS | Garrison Sanborn | Florida State |
5117
|
239
|
31 5/8
|
9 3/4
|
4 | WR | Limas Sweed | Texas |
6040
|
212
|
33 1/4
|
9
|
81 | TE | Jacob Tamme | Kentucky |
6036
|
234
|
32
|
8 1/4
|
98 | DL | Jeremy Thompson | Wake Forest |
6043
|
264
|
34 3/4
|
9 3/4
|
70 | OL | Cody Wallace | Texas A&M |
6041
|
290
|
33 3/8
|
9
|
41 | LB | Philip Wheeler | Georgia Tech |
6020
|
245
|
33 1/4
|
9 1/4
|
77 | OL | Chris Williams | Vanderbilt |
6061
|
320
|
32 7/8
|
9 7/8
|
25 | DB | D.J. Wolfe | Oklahoma |
5106
|
200
|
29 7/8
|
8
|
3 | QB | Andre Woodson | Kentucky |
6042
|
234
|
32 1/2
|
9 3/4
|
46 | LB | Wesley Woodyard | Kentucky |
6005
|
219
|
32 7/8
|
9 1/4
|
# | Pos | Player Name | School |
HT
|
WT
|
ARM
|
Hand
|
22 | DB | Jamar Adams | Michigan |
6022
|
209
|
32 7/8
|
8 5/8
|
11 | LB | Xavier Adibi | Virginia Tech |
6015
|
220
|
34
|
9 5/8
|
32 | DL | Cliff Avril | Purdue |
6030
|
252
|
33 3/4
|
8 1/2
|
79 | OL | Sam Baker | USC |
6044
|
308
|
32 3/8
|
8 1/4
|
90 | DL | Kentwan Balmer | North Carolina |
6044
|
308
|
32 1/2
|
9 3/4
|
74 | OL | Kirk Barton | Ohio State |
6043
|
303
|
33 1/4
|
9 1/8
|
52 | LB | Beau Bell | UNLV |
6015
|
243
|
31 3/8
|
9
|
10 | QB | John David Booty | USC |
6023
|
213
|
31 1/8
|
8 3/8
|
1 | WR | Adarius Bowman | Oklahoma State |
6027
|
220
|
33 1/4
|
8 1/2
|
9 | WR | Dorien Bryant | Purdue |
5095
|
169
|
31 5/8
|
8 5/8
|
54 | DS | Tim Bugg | Indiana |
6000
|
255
|
31 7/8
|
9
|
77 | OL | Gosder Cherlius | Boston College |
6065
|
315
|
35 5/8
|
11 1/2
|
40 | LB | Dan Connor | Penn State |
6025
|
233
|
31 1/2
|
8 1/8
|
2 | LB | Shawn Crable | Michigan |
6051
|
241
|
34 1/4
|
9 7/8
|
99 | DL/B | Bruce Davis | UCLA |
6025
|
241
|
33 3/4
|
9 7/8
|
83 | TE | Fred Davis | USC |
6025
|
250
|
33 1/4
|
9 4/8
|
89 | TE | Kellen Davis | Michigan State |
6062
|
259
|
33 1/4
|
9
|
4 | DB | Thomas DeCloud | California |
6014
|
196
|
32 1/4
|
8 7/8
|
44 | LB | Jordon Dizon | Colorado |
5117
|
228
|
31
|
8 2/8
|
88 | P | Mike Dragosavich | North Dakota |
6052
|
207
|
32 1/4
|
7 3/4
|
59 | DL | Chris Ellis | Virginia Tech |
6042
|
260
|
31 3/4
|
9 1/8
|
49 | DL | Sedrick Ellis | USC |
6007
|
308
|
32 1/2
|
8 3/8
|
5 | QB | Joe Flacco | Delaware |
6062
|
232
|
32 7/8
|
9 1/2
|
21 | RB | Justin Forsett | California |
5076
|
190
|
30 1/4
|
10 1/2
|
13 | DB | Charles Godfrey | Iowa |
5116
|
207
|
31
|
8 7/8
|
17 | WR | Lavelle Hawkins | California |
5111
|
187
|
30
|
9 1/4
|
7 | QB | Chad Henne | Michigan |
6027
|
228
|
31 1/4
|
8 1/4
|
96 | DL | Lawrence Jackson | USC |
6043
|
261
|
33 3/4
|
8 1/2
|
24 | RB | Chris Johnson | East Carolina |
5104
|
195
|
30 1/4
|
7 1/2
|
83 | DL | Jason Jones | Eastern Michigan |
6051
|
272
|
34 7/8
|
9 1/8
|
98 | DL | Trevor Laws | Notre Dame |
6007
|
297
|
32 1/2
|
9 3/4
|
27 | WR | Jordy Nelson | Kansas State |
6025
|
215
|
32
|
9 1/8
|
73 | OL | Carl Nicks | Nebraska |
6047
|
343
|
35
|
9 1/4
|
76 | OL | Mike Pollak | Arizona State |
6033
|
299
|
31 1/2
|
9 1/8
|
19 | DB | Tracy Porter | Indiana |
5105
|
184
|
31
|
8 7/8
|
92 | DL | Demario Pressley | NC State |
6032
|
300
|
34
|
9 3/4
|
75 | OL | Drew Radovich | USC |
6043
|
302
|
33 1/2
|
9
|
72 | OL | Chad Rinehart | Northern Iowa |
6052
|
317
|
33 1/8
|
9 1/4
|
55 | LB | Keith Rivers | USC |
6017
|
236
|
33
|
10 3/8
|
4 | WR | Eddie Royal | Virginia Tech |
5095
|
182
|
30 1/2
|
8 1/4
|
82 | TE | Martin Rucker | Missouri |
6046
|
248
|
34 1/8
|
9
|
22 | RB | Dantrell Savage | Oklahoma State |
5082
|
187
|
30 1/4
|
7 7/8
|
35 | RB | Owen Schmitt | West Virginia |
6016
|
247
|
31 1/4
|
9 1/4
|
67 | OL | Roy Schuening | Oregon State |
6035
|
308
|
32 7/8
|
8 5/8
|
13 | K | Alexis Serna | Oregon State |
5064
|
168
|
27
|
7 1/2
|
14 | WR | Marcus Smith | New Mexico |
6007
|
214
|
31 1/8
|
8 3/4
|
78 | OL | John Sullivan | Notre Dame |
6033
|
294
|
31 1/8
|
9 3/4
|
28 | DB | Terrell Thomas | USC |
6003
|
197
|
33 3/8
|
8 1/4
|
27 | DB | DeJuan Tribble | Boston College |
5084
|
190
|
30 1/2
|
9 5/8
|
23 | RB | Chauncey Washington | USC |
5114
|
215
|
30 1/2
|
9 5/8
|
26 | DB | Terrence Wheatley | Colorado |
5093
|
187
|
29 5/8
|
8 3/4
|
9 | DB | Tom Zbikowski | Notre Dame |
5111
|
209
|
29 5/8
|
8 3/4
|
Walt’s 2008 NFL Mock Draft Walt’s 2009 NFL Mock Draft Matt McGuire’s 2008 NFL Mock Draft 2008 and 2009 NFL Prospects NFL Mock Draft Database |