Senior Bowl 2013: Raiders, Lions to coach North, South rosters

The Senior Bowl often leads to the Super Bowl. Over a quarter of the players starting in the Big Game for the San Francisco 49ers played in the Senior Bowl to help boost their draft stock -- including both starting quarterbacks.

Joe Flacco and Colin Kaepernick obviously didn’t take the quick route to the NFL, as Delaware and Nevada aren’t exactly known for pumping out pros. Both took trips the college All-Star game and worked their way up: Flacco was a late replacement in the game for Matt Ryan, and his play Senior Bowl week was a big reason he ended up a first-round pick. You can read about Kaepernick’s story from draft afterthought to second-rounder and San Francisco starter via Mobile in this story from SB Nation.

With the Senior Bowl later today, its time for one final review of the rosters for the North and the South with a quick check on whose stock has gone up this week:

North

On Saturday, some of the nation’s best college football seniors take the field for the Senior Bowl in their continuing efforts to boost potential rankings and interest for the upcoming 2013 NFL Draft.

After wrapping up practice on Friday morning, both teams feature players who have elevated their draft stock over the week, as NFL scouts and analysts -- including many from SB Nation -- have covered every nook and cranny of the event.

The Senior Bowl is one of college football’s oldest All-Star games. Every year since 1950, the game has featured some of the best players in college football who (you guessed it) have finished up their eligibility. The game has been held in Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala., every year after the first game was held in Jacksonville, Fla. The game itself is interesting enough. The squads are split North-South, and are coached by NFL coaching staffs. More importantly, however, players get to show off their talents in front of NFL Draft scouts in hopes of improving their stock.

Over the last five years alone, 52 Senior Bowl participants have gone on to be drafted in the first round of that year’s NFL Draft. Last year marked the first time in 16 years that a player from the Senior Bowl was not drafted in the top 10, and the first time in six years that 10 or more players from the game weren’t drafted in the first round.

The 2013 Senior Bowl’s week of practice in Mobile, Ala., hits Thursday, as prospects will continue to jockey for potential position in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Quarterbacks, as always, have been under a lot of watchful eyes, including SB Nation’s BJ Kissel, who has been on the scene in Mobile all week long.

SB Nation’s B.J. Kissel was on the scene, and he confirmed what many have noted over the last two days: Glennon throws a really pretty deep ball.

Nassib wasn’t quite as sharp as he was Tuesday. The quarterback was reportedly sailing passes during 7-on-7 drills. Dysert also sailed passes, according to Optimum Scouting’s Eric Galko, who also saw Nassib struggling with the deep ball and Glennon missing on short routes.

Graham could be a strong model for Goodwin’s game. He was drafted in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills (69th overall), and worked mostly out of the slot this season for a struggling offense. Graham managed to make a quiet impact as a rookie, with 31 receptions for 322 yards and a touchdown. He saw his targets increase significantly late in the season, though that may have had something to do with Donald Jones and David Nelson landing on IR.

Like Graham with the Bills, Goodwin was used sparingly with the Longhorns. He had a very strong Alamo Bowl performance against Oregon State, however, catching four passes for 68 yards and a touchdown. He blew past defenders for the game-winning score, making a nice over-the-shoulder grab in the end zone on a fade route. The consensus seems to be that he is undervalued (he is just the 19th best WR in this year’s draft, according to SB Nation’s Dan Kadar), but NFL teams may question whether he can overcome his lack of size.

Honey Badger don’t care! About rivalries all that much.

(via r/CFB)

More notes:

-- Stanford running back Stephan Taylor had a good day, other than an incident tripping over a pad during a footwork drill.

More Notes:

-- 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.

Robinson is attempting to transition from quarterback, where he played four years at Michigan, to wide receiver, where he stands a better chance of earning a high draft pick. Mel Kiper projected Robinson as “no later” than a second-round draft pick, though it’s clear that Robinson has a lot to prove before NFL teams trust him as a pass catcher.

There’s no denying Robinson’s physical talents, however. He was known for his breakaway speed in college, and despite his recent injury issues he did a better job running through tackles than his 6’0, 197-pound frame suggests. A full workload in practice could go a long way toward making him feel more comfortable at his new position. At the very least, the extra reps won’t hurt.

First the good: Several observers have noticed Robinson’s ability to separate from defenders downfield. He was known for his breakaway speed at Michigan, and it appears that he hasn’t lost anything off his top gear since finishing his career at the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1.

Robinson is also getting work in as a punt returner, where he should be a natural fit. Again, however, his lack of experience shows.

Who’s Eric Fisher?

Perhaps the No. 1 pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. That’s who.

Mathieu spoke with reporters in an effort to show how he is moving forward from his past problems, which include being dismissed from the LSU football team following a failed drug test and an arrest in October after authorities found marijuana in his apartment. The embattled star said he won’t give up in his effort to change people’s minds, no matter how long it takes:

Look through SB Nation’s many excellent college football blogs to find your team’s community.

One day of 2013 Senior Bowl practice is in the books, and Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson was the passing star of the day on Monday. Wilson showed off many of the physical tools that NFL scouts drool over, including just making the height cut at 6’2.

CBS Sports’ Rob Rang thought Wilson showed why he is considered the best available quarterback participating in the Senior Bowl. Rang was particularly impressed with Wilson’s accuracy on a variety of passes:

Dane Bugler of CBS was on the scene at North practice, and he notes that Robinson was limited and wore a yellow no-contact jersey. In his notes, Bugler thought that a pair of defensive ends dominated the day:

Eric Galko of Optimum Scouting also thought that Wheaton stood out, but wasn’t quite as impressed as Saunders. Galko believed that Wheaton showed his weaknesses just as much as his strengths:

Not only will Johnson look to take on defensive roles normally occupied by his other talented teammates, he hopes to impress friends and family. The Alabama native said that the Senior Bowl has always held a special place for players from the state.

Johnson was Alabama’s third-leading tackler on the season, racking up 55 tackles. He had 163 over four seasons, including 16.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions. He specializes in run defense, with some concerns about his quickness and ability to play in space.

Robinson also played running back in his final games with the Wolverines. He rushed for 100 yards against South Carolina in the Outback Bowl to set the NCAA career quarterback rushing record with 4,495 yards. Robinson is expected to return punts in the Senior Bowl. Some believe that he could play cornerback at the next level, as well.

Still, Robinson put together a string of impressive performances over the final three games of his career, despite throwing just one pass over that span. He rushed for 98 yards on 13 carries against Iowa, and 122 yards and one touchdown on 10 carries against Ohio State to close out the regular season. He rushed for 100 yards on 23 carries against a Top-20 South Carolina rush defense to become the NCAA’s all-time leading rushing quarterback.

Mellette has the production to back up the invite. He had 97 receptions for 1,408 yards and 18 touchdowns in 11 games as a senior last season. During his junior year, the 6-4, 220-pound wideout set Southern Conference records with 1,639 yards receiving off 113 receptions.

Syracuse lost five games this past season, but Nassib performed admirably in his third year starting, completing 62.4 percent of his passes for a school-record 3,749 yards and 26 touchdowns, with 10 interceptions. His solid mechanics and accuracy on the move could very well attract the attention of an NFL franchise looking for a starting quarterback in the first round, provided Nassib can impress in pre-draft workouts.

The 2013 Senior Bowl released its list of early announced acceptances, including a few potential first-round quarterbacks. Mike Glennon and Tyler Wilson have been as high as the top 10 in many mock drafts, but Oklahoma’s Landry Jones may have the most to prove in Mobile, Ala.

Jones, a 6’3, 220-pound passer, showed plenty of the skills and tools necessary to be a first-round pick, but struggled with decision-making and showed many aspects of his game that need improving. At the Senior Bowl, Jones, along with the other players in attendance, will go through a week of NFL-style practices that will give prospects an opportunity to show scouts and coaches their skills as well as their ability to listen and adapt to NFL coaching.

Barkley’s draft stock took a beating in 2012, and no doubt missing the Senior Bowl won’t help. After ending the 2011 season talked about as the possible first overall pick, USC’s severely disappointing season will have a strong impact on where Barkley ends up in April.

The Senior Bowl announced today that staffs from the Detroit Lions and Oakland Raiders will handle coaching duties for this year’s all-star game.

The Raiders coaches will be in charge of the North team while the Lions manage the South team. The game, played annually in Mobile, Ala., takes place on Jan. 26. It is the week of practices leading up to the game where NFL prospects can show their skills off to NFL teams in attendance.