Senior Bowl 2013: OT Eric Fisher, QB Ryan Nassib impress for North squad
The North squad took to the practice field first Tuesday at the 2013 Senior Bowl. Central Michigan offensive tackle Eric Fisher and Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib were among the most impressive participants of the day.
Tons of observers were on hand Tuesday to watch the North squad practice at the 2013 Senior Bowl. We're happy to round up the highlights of the day for you, starting with Central Michigan offensive tackle Eric Fisher, who has been so dominant in practice that some are suggesting he could be the No. 1 tackle prospect in the draft ahead of Texas A&M's Luke Joeckel. Eric Galko at Optimum Scouting had more.
The stud of the day was Eric Fisher of Central Michigan. He extended away from his body to seal the edge well, arched his back to absorb bull rushes, and overall showed the body control, kick slide, balance, and hand adjustments to merit being considered the top OT in this draft. Looking forward to keeping up with him as well as reviewing Luke Joeckel this week to compare the two.
The quarterback position, where NC State's Mike Glennon and Syracuse's Ryan Nassib are considered the cream of the crop, was also watched closely. Both quarterbacks impressed in Galko's eyes, with Glennon showing off a pretty deep ball and Nassib showing off tremendous foot speed and short-intermediate accuracy in the pocket and on the run. Thomas Melton of The Football Standard, however, was underwhelmed:
Today was the first chance I got to see a full North practice, but I again came away underwhelmed. Glennon looks to be the cream of the North class, he has the strongest arm, and the most consistent ball placement. Ryan Nassib looked decent throwing on the run, but struggled from under center, and had trouble reading from the pocket.
Both quarterbacks were ahead of Zac Dysert out of Miami (OH), however. Based on the reports from both Galko and Melton, Dysert is behind both Glennon and Nassib in terms of mechanics and his ability to read defenses.
More Notes:
-- Kenjon Barner is using the Senior Bowl to fight against his reputation as a one-trick, speed-only running back. On Tuesday, he reportedly had a nice day in pass protection.
-- Denard Robinson showed off his breakaway speed, but overall earned mixed reviews during practice Tuesday. He is expected to be cleared for contact Wednesday.
-- Marquise Goodwin showed off "wow" speed, and according to Galko did a nice job running crisp routes.
-- Oregon State wideout Markus Wheaton may have been the best at his position on the day, however. He showed quick feet and speed to burn.
-- UCLA defensive lineman Datone Jones was once again a standout, according to Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com. According to several observers, he was the only defender to give Fisher any trouble on the day.
-- Galko noted that several offensive linemen called Purdue’s Kawann Short the best lineman they faced on Day 1, and he apparently impressed again Tuesday, according to BTN’s Rick Pizzo.
-- Wrapping up with defensive backs, Galko called Washington's Desmond Trufant "the most NFL-ready" defensive back on the North squad, and Mike Loyko of NEPatriotsDraft agreed, adding that Oregon State's Jordan Poyer has been outstanding as well.
For more pictures, quotes and observations from the 2013 Senior Bowl, be sure to follow SB Nation’s men on the scene, B.J. Kissel of Arrowhead Pride and Matt Weaver of ThunderJags, on Twitter.
