Senior Bowl notes (Includes Day 2 and Day 3 updates)

I've noticed no talk about the Senior Bowl this week.  Here are some interesting notes from Day 1 for guys that we've discussed that I have found around the net:

From tfydraft.com

North notes:

Sorry Eric:

Hmmmmmmmmm:

SOUTH NOTES:

Caldwell is a little bigger than I thought.  I thought he was in the 285-290 range.  If his weight is around 310 and he is strong and stout enough, he can be added to our current list of 3 draftable early round Centers....

Or maybe he'll just replace Luigs on that list:

????:

FROM DRAFTCOUNTDOWN.com

NORTH NOTES:

• The headliner of the day might have been Missouri DT Evander "Ziggy" Hood, who showcased his trademark hustle and tenacity. Hood's motor seemed to run non-stop and he was able to consistently make plays in one-on-one drills, dipping and getting past Alex Mack on more than one occasion.

  • Boston College DT B.J. Raji had a good day, showing why he is one of the best defensive tackles in this draft. If not the best. Raji was singled out on quite a few coaching points but it was more a case of working with him than a negative thing. Raji was also noticeable quicker than his teammate Ron Brace, even though they are about the same size. Brace looked slow and lethargic.

   • Oklahoma St. TE Brandon Pettigrew really looks the part. I didn't get to see Pettigrew work as a pass catcher much today but as a blocker he was able to extend his arms and easily drive a linebacker out of the player.

  • Northern Illinois DE Larry English was more physically impressive than I anticipated and he drew praise from coaches for his technique.

 • I was pleasantly surprised with Iowa DT Mitch King, who always seemed to be around the action and drew a lot of praise from the coaching staff. Alex Mack was able to hold him in check for the most part though.

   • South Florida OLB Tyrone McKenzie looked real good on one play, reading the play quickly and attacking the ball carrier but then missed the tackle behind the line of scrimmage. I didn't see much of him but I liked what I saw.

   • The most impressive running back today was Oregon's Jeremiah Johnson, who looked noticeably quicker than his counterparts.

SOUTH NOTES:

  • Southern Miss TE Shawn Nelson was a natural receiver, the most reliable of the South TE today in that aspect of the game. Nelson shows burst, crisp route running and separates from the coverage, without dropping any balls. Interesting side-note, former Carolina Panthers TE Kris Mangum (now a Southern Mississippi assistant coach) was in attendance, and it's apparent he's been sharing the tips of the trade with Nelson.

   • The Pit battle of the day was between Ole Miss OT Michael Oher and Tennessee DE Robert Ayers. This was a back-and-forth bout, with early rounds going to Ayers and his quick first step. Ayers is a tough, feisty and competitive player, aggressive, showing good hands and a nose for the quarterback. After reps, Ayers would holler and clap, getting emotional and loud.

   • Louisville OC Eric Wood played guard and center, was excellent in pulling, and impressed on lookers with his toughness, grit and coachability. He's a smart technician who has real potential to start in the league. However, Wood was overwhelmed at the point of attack several times, and could stand to improve his core strength.

 • Southern California LB Clay Matthews shows signs of being a true football player and takes every opportunity to stick his face in the fan. He worked only at 'backer today and did a better than expected job in coverage.

Finally, although it's tough to judge in shells, LSU FB Quinn Johnson could be this year's LeRon McClain. Give Johnson the ball, he powers through the line and just doesn't go to ground easily.

WalterFootball.com Senior Bowl blog

Todd McShay notes, ESPN:

-Georgia Tech DE Michael Johnson was a late scratch and there are mixed opinions about the reason he is not in Mobile. Some are saying he's letting a minor but lingering shoulder injury rest. Others theorize he simply isn't motivated to deal with what tends to be a mentally and physically grueling week NFL draft prospects. Either way, Johnson's no-show is being frowned upon by NFL decision-makers. Johnson has the skills of a top-10 player but he's frequently performed like a middle-round pick and some have questioned his commitment to the game, so scouts should planting red flags firmly next to his name.

NORTH:

• It's especially tough to evaluate linemen in a first-day practice in shorts and shoulder pads, but Boston College DT B.J. Raji is the clear front-runner to emerge as the top lineman from either side of the ball. Raji showed excellent lateral mobility and initial quickness during one-on-one pass rush drills today.

• California's Alex Mack and Oregon's Max Unger are Scouts Inc.'s top two center prospects and are playing next to each other this week. Mack lines up left guard when Unger lines up under center and vice-versa. Both fared well at guard on Day 1 and showing that kind of versatility can only help their draft stock, but like Raji they will also give a more accurate read when they are in full pads.

SOUTH:

• Of the three USC linebackers on the South roster, it was OLB Clay Matthews who stood out. Matthews put his overall athleticism on display in the shoulder-pads-and-shorts session. The 246-pounder linebacker displayed quick change-of-direction and the ability to run in open space that gives him sideline-to-sideline range. Matthews also displayed strength at the point of attack when he was able to shed Tennessee OT Anthony Parker and fill the hole during the inside run period.

• Right behind Matthews' performance today was that of former college teammate OLB Brian Cushing, who looked right at home lining up over the tight end. Cushing was strong at the point of attack and was able to hold down the edge against the run, but it was his ability in coverage that really caught the eyes of scouts.

• The tight ends had a chance to show off their receiving skills with the teams practicing in shells and Southern Miss TE Shawn Nelson took full advantage. Nelson was by far the most athletic and fluid of the South tight ends, displaying the ability to stretch the field with his top-end speed and creating separation in and out of his breaks. He also was able to use his long arms and soft hands to pluck the ball out of the air without breaking stride. Nelson is off to a solid start this week after impressing scouts on the field and also checking in at a lean 238 pounds, which means he should be able to add bulk without losing his quickness.

Todd McShay's Senior Bowl Storylines

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[Note by Kurupt, 01/20/09 11:28 PM EST ] Updated notes for Day 2

DAY 2 UPDATE:

From tfydraft.com

North Day 2 notes:

Tony Fiammetta: Tuesday Practice Notes: Strong looking fullback who seems to thrive as a lead blocker.

Brandon Pettigrew: Tuesday Practice Notes: Had a very good practice.  Showed good agility for his size, blocked well, and looked shape in scrimmage work.

Conner Barwin: Tuesday Practice Notes: Inconsistent overall with his blocking.  He would handle his man on one play and draw praise from his position coach, then get beat and have to be coached up soon thereafter. 

Alex Mack: Tuesday Practice Notes:  This pivot continues to not practice at his level of talent would indicate. He continued to be overpowered by the big North defensive tackles. Mack struggled when asked to move and block laterally. He was able to get downfield and makes a few nice blocks.

Max Unger: Tuesday Practice Notes: Watching the former Duck, he has not played as well as some think. Certainly, Unger is very athletic and moves very well laterally and in space. But so much revolves around his inability to properly shoot his hands to get control of defenders. And it was apparent as this became a coaching point though out the practice. When Unger shoots the hands tight and inside the body, he is very good. But when he does not, he will be lifted up and put on his rear like defensive tackle BJ Raji did in today’s practice.

Larry English: Tuesday Practice Notes: An impressive day for the undersized defensive end. Blockers had a rough time keeping English out of the backfield.. Takes a perceived disadvantage, his size, and uses it to play with very good leverage by getting under all the offensive linemen’s pads. He worked hard down the line. All helped him have a much better day against the run. He really used a nice speed rush today as well.

B.J. Raji: Tuesday Practice Notes: Not quite as dominant as the day before, but still very good. Again, Raji was getting up field and really disrupting the offense. He is just very powerful to try and block one on one. Though a couple areas that needed work today included not picking a side against the run as well as splitting double teams.

SOUTH DAY 2 NOTES:

Quinn Johnson: Tuesday Practice Notes:  A very dependable blocker.  Johnson gets good leverage and uses his lower body strength to drive his man out of the play.  He finishes his blocks with authority.

Shawn Nelson: Tuesday Practice Notes: Had a solid practice.  Blocked really well throughout the session.  He is a physical tight end, but can make plays in the passing game.  He ran good routes and showed off his athleticism with a diving catch in 7-on-7 work.

Antoine Caldwell: Tuesday Practice Notes: Best overall day of any lineman along the unit but nothing spectacular. Playing both guard and center this week, Caldwell really battled throughout the drills. He was very strong once he got his hands on a defender, but tends not to get extension. His best moments of the day were as a guard and asked to pull within the offensive scheme.

Johnathan Luigs: Tuesday Practice Notes: This former Rimington Trophy winner looked better today at guard than he did at center. Looked much quicker off the snap when not asked to snap the ball. Luigs still needed to sink his hips and play a little less stiff.

Eric Wood: Tuesday Practice Notes: Definitely a day where improvement will be needed afterwards. Particularly, Wood was coached up on a proper initial pass set. The pivot was firing out and whiffing on blocks, instead of sitting back in his set. His hand play was a little inconsistent as well.

David Veikune: Tuesday Practice Notes: Best day of the bunch. Started the practice by really being a hard assignment against the run. He read his keys and fought hard against pressure. His pass rush was impressive today, even making top rated left tackle Michael Oher look bad on an occasion or two. Plus he worked hard on every down, just a tenacious defender.

Lawrence Sidbury: Tuesday Practice Notes: Athletic off the edge, Sidbury showed the ability to dip his shoulder and bend the edge. Uses his long arms well to keep bigger lineman off his body. A perfect example was when the former Spider got under big Herman Johnson’s pads and drove him back into the quarterback in a pass rushing drill. When he did not shoot his hands quickly, he had trouble getting off the blocks.

Robert Ayers: Tuesday Practice Notes: Strong all around performance for this defensive end. Particularly, Ayers was very hard to move against the run. He planted himself and held up well against the likes of offensive tackles, Michael Oher and Troy Kropog. Also improved as the day went along in his pass rush.

Fili Moala: Tuesday Practice Notes: Once again proved proficient in using his hands well to swat those of his opponent. Played well throughout the day, both against the run and pass, but showed a tendency stand straight up off the snap and give up his chest.

Rey Maualuga: Tuesday Practice Notes: Very strong at the point of attack.  He is able to move guys, and shed blocks, easily when he gets leverage.  He looked stiff and flatfootted at times, but overall had a solid practice.

Brian Cushing: Tuesday Practice Notes: Not as physical as his USC counterparts on a consistent basis.  Appeared to shy away from contact at times, but did lay a thundering hit on Rashad Jennings during scrimmage work.  Overall, a very mediocre day however.

Clay Matthews: Tuesday Practice Notes: He showed very good recognition and good sideline to sideline range.  He is a physical player who likes to hit.  Looked comfortable with what was asked of him assignment wise, and had a good practice.

Chip Vaughn: Tuesday Practice Notes: The more you see Vaughn the more you like him.  He's not flashy or explosive just very steady in centerfield and does a great job constantly putting himself in a position to make plays or help out the cornerbacks.

DraftCountdown.com

NORTH DAY 2 NOTES:

• I just can't say enough about Oklahoma St. TE Brandon Pettigrew's blocking skills. He is simply awesome and makes it look easy. He didn't look to shabby as a pass catcher today either, evading a Tyrone McKenzie tackle and then showing great power as a runner. He is without question the #1 tight end in this draft.

• Boston College DT B.J. Raji continues to impress, simply overpowering blockers. An upfield rusher, Raji's strength and quickness off the ball really stand out.

• I don't know whether Cincinnati's Connor Barwin is going to be a defensive end or an outside linebacker in the NFL but I am fairly confident he isn't going to be a tight end. Barwin was smooth and quick, which is to be expected from someone with his athleticism, but he struggled mightily as a blocker. I mean mightily.

• Ohio St. OLB Marcus Freeman looked like the best linebacker on the field today. He appeared to be very athletic and displayed quick feet then was able to overpower running backs when they attempted to block him.

• I have maintained all along that Cal C Alex Mack is the #1 player at his position and a fringe first round value. So far this week he hasn't done anything to change my opinion. About the only guy who has been able to make any time of impact against Mack is B.J. Raji and that is nothing to be ashamed of.

• Oregon C Max Unger looked real good when he pulled on a sweep play, showing good mobility in getting the edge. He was also one of the few blockers to get the best of B.J. Raji, even putting him on the ground at one point.

• Oregon's Jeremiah Johnson is clearly the best running back on the North squad. Today he broke a nice long run on the outside and also used his vision to create in the open field. Johnson is also a good receiver out of the backfield.

SOUTH DAY 2 NOTES

TODD MCSHAY DAY 2 NORTH:

• On Monday, we said that Boston College DT B.J. Raji is the clear front-runner to emerge as the top prospect at lineman -- defensive or offensive -- in his class by the time we leave Mobile. After this morning's practice, we now feel that he is one of the top two or three prospects here regardless of position. Raji continues to showcase his rare blend of size, burst and agility, and he manhandled highly touted Oregon C Max Unger on more than one occasion. In fact, he got under Unger's pads, drove him back and then put him on his back on one snap during one-on-one pass-rushing drills.

• At this point, Raji's collegiate teammate DT Ron Brace is probably used to living in his shadow, but Brace's play hasn't gone unnoticed by the coaches and front-office personnel in attendance. Brace isn't as explosive or athletic as Raji and is a little too top-heavy at times, but he's doing a good job of holding his ground and flashing the ability to collapse the pocket. In other words, he played like a late second-round or early second-day pick today.

• Northern Illinois's Larry English is separating himself from another undersized defensive end/outside linebacker prospect -- Connecticut's Cody Brown -- and working his way into the first day of the draft. English is playing with more of an edge and showing better upper body than Brown as a run defender. He has also been a step quicker around the corner than Brown has been in rushing the passer.

• While Unger clearly had problems sinking his hips and anchoring in pass protection Tuesday despite weighing in at a respectable 299 pounds, Cal C Alex Mack fared better. Missouri DT Ziggy Hood did beat Mack with a spin move during one-on-one pass rush drills, but Mack did a better job of holding his ground. In addition, he looks to be a split-second quicker than Unger.

TODD MCSHAY DAY 2 SOUTH:

Biggest risers
1. Boston College DT B.J. Raji
2. Southern Miss TE Shawn Nelson
3. USC linebackers Rey Maualuga, Brian Cushing and Clay Matthews
4. Western Michigan S Louis Delmas
5. California C Alex Mack

• USC's Brian Cushing is the rare prospect who will fit in any defensive scheme in the NFL. He can play inside or outside in either a 3-4 or 4-3. Very few linebackers have that ability. Where he looked best, though, was over the tight end as a strongside linebacker in the 4-3. His body type, power and aggression lend well to doing battle with opposing tight ends. For a taller linebacker, he gets low and is not a leverage liability. He showed quick hips turning and running with the tight ends. The one area in which he didn't look quite as comfortable was in his read-and-react skills while working in zone coverage. But overall, Cushing's wide skill set drastically reduces his draft-bust factor. If anyone here is a great fit for New England, it's Cushing.

• Cushing's teammate at USC, Clay Matthews, continues to be extremely impressive. He bends very well and always seems to be in proper football position. His change of direction is abrupt yet smooth. As an edge rusher, he did not lose speed bending the corner and got his shoulder low to the ground, making him very difficult to block. His pad level is consistently exceptional and he is an excellent hit-on-the-rise player who makes contact with the same leg and shoulder when taking on blocks. Matthews is very fundamentally sound but also very athletic. He would be an immediate demon on special teams while learning the linebacker position at the NFL level. At this point, it won't surprise us if the USC trio of Cushing, Matthews and Rey Maualuga are all off the board in the first 40 picks.

• Southern Miss TE Shawn Nelson continues to turn heads. He isn't the biggest tight end and this type of forum plays very well to his skill set, but his tools are undeniable. He looks like a Dallas Clark-type prospect who can create a lot of schematic problems for an NFL defense if he ends up with a creative and innovative offensive coordinator at the next level. Nelson is a seam-stretching presence who is capable of plucking the ball outside his frame and presents a big target area for his quarterback. He covers a lot of ground and can run past linebackers in man coverage. More surprising, however, has been Nelson's effectiveness as a blocker -- particularly in pass pro. His lateral agility and ability to recover were on full display during the one-on-one drills. He also was able to drop his hips and handle the bull rush from the linebackers off the edge. Needless to say, Nelson is climbing up NFL draft boards this week.

• Centers Antoine Caldwell (Alabama) and Jonathan Luigs (Arkansas) are faring better than the players mentioned above. Caldwell is a grinder with a chip on his shoulder and Luigs moves well for his size. However, both have shown noteworthy flaws as well. Caldwell plays far too high at times and Luigs has problems countering power moves. In fact, the more we watch Caldwell, Luigs, Oregon's Max Unger and Cal's Alex Mack, the clearer it becomes that Mack is the best center prospect here.

• There have been moments when USC DE Kyle Moore and DT Fili Moala have looked unstoppable during one-on-one pass rush drills, but don't be fooled by these classic teasers. Moore is built well and is athletic while Moala has above-average initial quickness for his size, but both get lazy with their technique and lack ideal instincts. In addition, Moala wants no part of double-teams. So while they looked like first-round picks at times during pass rush drills, they were far less effective during the team portions of practice.

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DAY 3 UPDATES

From tfydraft.com:

NORTH DAY 3 NOTES:

Tony Fiametta: Wednesday Practice Notes: Proved today that he could provide equally good pass protection to go along with his run blocking.  A very solid all-around fullback who has had a good week of practice.


Jeremiah Johnson: Wednesday Practice Notes: Blocked extremely well in pass rush drills against the linebackers.  Showed good open field speed as a ball carrier, and picked up some nice yards showing a sharp cutback, even when the play wasn't developing.

Brandon Pettigrew: Wednesday Practice Notes: Blocked very well in both position drills and scrimmage work.  He seals the corner very well on strong-side runs, neutralizing the defensive end.  Overall, it was another impressive practice and solidified his status as the best tight end on the field for the north squad this week.

Conner Barwin: Wednesday Practice Notes: Had to be coached up some on his route running and his timing on releasing his blocks.  He looks to be more of a polished run blocker than pass blocker at this point.  He was not given many opportunities to make plays in the passing game./Moved back to the defensive line after starting the week at tight end. Barwin looked like he was transitioning mid week really struggling to hold the point of attack against the run and consistently getting off blocks in his pass rush. There were some flashes of ability to rush the passer by being able to dip the shoulder and get underneath tackles.

Alex Mack: Wednesday Practice Notes: Mack asked to play to guard this week when he initially excepted his invitation, and he has gotten more comfortable at the position as the days have passed. Another prospect who has been asked to work on his hand play and gradually he has improved. The pivot mirrored well in his pass set but at times can be overwhelmed by bigger defensive linemen.

Max Unger: Wednesday Practice Notes: Another prospect slowly becoming more comfortable at guard. Having never played guard it has been a transition for the center prospect. Also never playing from a three point stance, Unger has struggled slightly earlier in the week. Today was much better. He improved his hands by added a flash punch to his technique. It is an automatic punch thrown directly off the snap to keep the hands high and in place, or to improve quickness if slow initially. Also looks very good when asked to move in space or laterally. His ability to hook an opponent has been impressive.

Larry English: Wednesday Practice Notes: Once again strong all around day. His pass rush continues to be very impressive.

Ron Brace: Wednesday Practice Notes: Two bad habits have presented themselves over the past few days. Brace struggles to keep full concentration in drills and continues to jump offsides repeatedly and has trouble keeping his balance. The big defensive tackle was found on the ground two or three times, just like the previous practices. When on his game, this large interior defender was eating up double teams, became very hard to move, and can reestablish the line of scrimmage.

B.J. Raji: Wednesday Practice Notes: A presence each time the overstuffed interior lineman is on the field. Again Raji fired off the ball very quickly and reestablished the line of scrimmage. He countered all his pass rush moves well. His only area which looked to need improvement on the day would be quicker recognition of pressure placed by his blockers on some running plays.

Marcus Freeman: Wednesday Practice Notes: Looked very good in linebacker drills, drawing praise from his position coach on several occasions.  He was all over the field during the scrimmage work and made a terrific play on a bobbled pass for an interception.  Overall, he had an excellent practice.

DAY 3 SOUTH NOTES:

Quinn Johnson: Wednesday Practice Notes: Jackson continued to impress with his lead blocking.  On one occasion he planted Rey Maualuga in the turf while paving the way on an off tackle run.  He neutralized his man consistently in 1-on-1 pass blocking drills with the linebackers.  Also showed good hands and made plays as a safety valve receiver out of the backfield.  Overall, another impressive practice for the LSU fullback.

Shawn Nelson: Wednesday Practice Notes: Nelson did not have a very good day catching the football.   He did an excellent job of getting separation and giving the quarterback a target, but had trouble reeling many of them in for receptions.

Antoine Caldwell: Wednesday Practice Notes: Started out strong, but as the day wore on his play lessened. Caldwell appeared to be very tough to beat in a limited area. He was tenacious at the point of attack and really battled opponents. His run blocking was solid all around but his struggles came predominantly in his pass set where he was corrected by coaches for giving up the inside rush and playing with too wide a base.

Johnathan Luigs: Wednesday Practice Notes: Again looked better at guard than center. Luigs was moving well down the line zone blocking and out in space at times. The interior lineman did have troubles in pass protection needed to keep his hands inside, sinking his hips, widening out defenders, and not initially oversetting.

Eric Wood: Wednesday Practice Notes: Looked a little quicker off his snap in this practice. Wood had some troubles when asked to move in space. He also struggled reestablishing his hands after defenders swatted them. The center did get a little extra work when he was not participating in the drills by trying to time his punch more effectively with his footwork.

Clay Matthews: Wednesday Practice Notes: Saw a few repetitions in pass rushing drills where he was able to get a nice bulrush on former Rebel Michael Oher. Fought off blocks well against the run and also in pass rush drills.  Appears to enjoy contact and can be very disruptive to ball carriers if not blocked well.

DRAFTCOUNTDOWN.COM NOTES

DAY 3 NORTH NOTES:

• Cincinnati's Connor Barwin finally got his opportunity to play some defensive end today and he looked much better there than he did at tight end. Barwin really gets upfield fast and he displayed the quickness and explosion that helped him lead the Big East in sacks this year. Back at tight end the results were once again very lackluster and he looks out of position there. Let this man rush the passer!

• Northern Illinois DE Larry English had a very good day, flashing on a number of occasions and appearing to have a good motor. Early on English looked real impressive in bag drills then later he showcased a nice inside move and even recorded a sack in 11-on-11's. English is solidifying himself as a Day One pick.

• Oregon's Max Unger saw action at both center and guard today. He once again showcased his mobility and also got a good push in the run game.

• Ohio St. OLB Marcus Freeman had another strong performance, making a play in the backfield then later intercepting a pass that Kory Sheets bobbled.

• Boston College DT Ron Brace did an excellent job of holding his ground against the double-team but Alex Mack flattened him on the ground later on.

• Oklahoma St. TE Brandon Pettigrew once again did a fantastic job in the blocking drills but he looked stiff as a receiver.

TODD MCSHAY'S DAY 3 NORTH NOTES:

• Northern Illinois OLB/DE Larry English continues to make a case for himself as one of the premier pass-rushers of the senior crop. English turned in another strong performance during one-on-ones, showcasing a variety of pass-rush moves. He displays the ability to bend when coming off the edge, which makes it extremely hard for tackles to get their hands on and control him. He also has lined up at defensive tackle at times, using his explosive first step to disrupt a play in the backfield on one snap and surprisingly driving Oregon C Max Unger back into the pocket on the next play. That's not all, either. Texas DE Brian Orakpo skipped Senior Bowl week, and English has seized the opportunity to step into the spotlight and is making a name for himself.

• One of the stories we were interested in heading into Senior Bowl week was the duel between two highly touted centers from the Pac-10: California's Alex Mack and Oregon's Max Unger. Mack was able to create some separation from Unger in the first two days and continued to distance himself on Day 3. Mack was beaten a few times by Raji during the team period, but Raji has not been slowed down much at all this week and Mack returned the favor in one-on-one drills, doing a nice job of dropping his hips and anchoring against 334-pound Raji. Mack also continued to do a great job of sliding and mirroring rushers while displaying the ability to redirect when caught out of position. Mack is the clear-cut leader among centers from both rosters.

MCSHAY'S DAY 3 SOUTH NOTES:

Southern Miss TE Shawn Nelson continued to shine with two exceptions. He dropped what would have been an acrobatic catch after running a deep seam route, and he failed to get under a ball thrown at his shoe tops. We are obviously nitpicking, but now that the buzz around him is building, every move he makes is going to be put under a stronger microscope.

Nothing has changed when it comes to USC's talented linebackers. OLB Brian Cushing is flying around the field; Maualuga is showing above-average closing speed for his size; and OLB Clay Matthews always seem to be around the ball. All three prospects belong in the top 40, and some of the NFL personnel people we talked to Wednesday said they won't be surprised if all three come off the board in the first round.

• Alabama C Antoine Caldwell continues to turn in stellar showings. He did a much better job on Day 3 of staying low and playing with a wide base. This was apparent in one-on-one pass pro as Caldwell was able to get sound initial hand placement on Georgia Tech DT Vance Walker, then did a nice job of sinking his hips for leverage while mirroring and sliding to stay in front of Walker's counter moves.

• Although Caldwell showed a big improvement from Day 2, the same can't be said for Arkansas C Jonathan Luigs, who continued to struggle in pass pro against the bigger and more powerful defensive tackles such as Ole Miss DT Peria Jerry. These problems are caused by Luigs' playing with a narrow base in his sets, which causes him to get off balance against any bull-rush or club move. Adding to his problems, Luigs did not show the ability to recover when knocked off balance and was beaten multiple times throughout the afternoon.