The South won the Senior Bowl over the North 24-10 today, but the final outcome isn't really the point.
Players were there to impress NFL personnel. While the practices during the week are vastly more importantly, some players are simply better on game day.
But In a game that doesn't allow blitzes and forces cornerbacks to play off coverage, it's hard to gauge who exactly had a bad Senior Bowl game. DeMarcus Love and Allen Bailey stick out as having a poor game.
However, instead of dwelling on the negative, find a breakdown of the game's winner after the jump. (Click on the photo to see a gallery from the game)
2011 Senior Bowl game winners
Kendric Burney | CB | North Carolina
If one player considerably helped their stock on Saturday, it was Burney. He covered the slant perfectly in the first quarter and showed throughout the game he’s a good tackler. Burney will have to play the right scheme – either cover-2 or off slot – but he should be very good. His speed and size are going to scare you away, but they shouldn’t.
Christian Ponder | QB | Florida State
Of the six quarterbacks in this game, none played better than Ponder. Hew as accurate, especially going over the middle. But his pocket presence was far and away better than any signal caller today. Ponder was named the game’s MVP.
Leonard Hankerson | WR | Miami
The Miami product was by far the best wide receiver in today’s game. When he uses good technique, Hankerson shows good hands and body control to create space. but Hankerson has a habit of letting the ball into his pads.
Lance Kendricks | TE | Wisconsin
Kendricks didn’t necessarily have a great game receiving. But he showed on multiple occasions he can block. He took it to Miami’s Allen Bailey on a few plays, which was impressive.
Colin McCarthy | LB | Miami
McCarthy may never be a great NFL linebacker. He’s more of a special teams and backup linebacker. But he should be good in that role. On Saturday, he showed his lateral range and hitting ability on several plays.
Von Miller | OLB | Texas A&M
The athletic pass rusher is proving me wrong. He showed during the game today that he has plenty of mobility to drop back in coverage. Everyone is aware of how good he can be as a pass rusher. The only question that remains is consistency. Whether or not Miller can hold up play-in, play-out against the run will seal his fate as a pro.
Derek Locke | RB | Kentucky
Most of the attention this week was given to other running backs like
, DeMarco Murray and
. Locke showed he has the speed and enough power to hit the hole with authority. He had six carries for 35 yards on the day. Locke’s feet are quick and he decisive with the ball in his hands.
Sam Acho | DE | Texas
Acho is one of those guys who doesn’t blow you away athletically during practices. But during the game, he was consistently making plays. He’s good against the run and projects as a left defensive end in a 4-3.
Ryan Kerrigan | DE | Purdue
It’s still unclear where Kerrigan projects to the pros. Either as a 3-4 linebacker or 4-3 end, Kerrigan is going to charge up a defense. He’s not terribly explosive off the snap, but has a good spin move and always seems to be in on a play.
Christian Ballard | DT/DE | Iowa
Like Kerrigan, it’s still hard to project where Ballard will line up in the NFL. He’s played inside and outside and done both well. His versatility could garner him a spot in the second round. On Saturday, Ballard showed he can get off blocks and shoot gaps pretty well.
Phil Taylor | DT | Baylor
For a player who is 337 pounds, Taylor moves around exceptionally well. Because he’s a natural nose tackle filling a big need, he could have turned himself into a top 64 pick in April.
James Carpenter | OT | Alabama
A lot of offensive linemen switched positions this week. Most expected Carpenter to move to the right side or even kick inside to guard. But he stuck at left tackle and played really well. He’s never going to be an elite left tackle, but he plays with a good base in the run and is just agile enough to handle outside rushers.
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