Notes from the East-West Shrine workouts

[hogred]

By War Room scouts
For Sporting News


While most elite prospects will play in next weekend's Senior Bowl, last week's East-West Shrine Game workouts were a chance for some mid- and low-range prospects to showcase themselves for NFL scouts. Here are some scouting notes from what we saw at the practices and in the game:


Oregon State quarterback Derek Anderson showed impressive arm strength and accuracy. He has prototype NFL size and build. He is tough and fearless in the pocket, and we were impressed with how smooth he looked.

Purdue quarterback Kyle Orton looked shaky and a bit unsure of himself. He has a nice arm and squeezes passes into tight spots, but he must improve his mechanics and accuracy.

Louisiana Tech running back Ryan Moats, a junior, entered the draft pool early enough to participate with the seniors at the East-West game. Moats was impressive -- an explosive back who runs with power, is elusive and has a good second gear in the open field. He is undersized but has a lot of talent.

Hawaii wide receiver Chad Owens is small -- maybe too small for the NFL -- but shows great hands and elusive moves. His best shot to make an NFL roster might be as a return specialist because he can fly.

Louisville wide receiver J.R. Russell can be impressive because he has nice size and speed and is not afraid of contact. He dropped some passes last week, though, and he must improve his route-running skills. Still, he shows good potential.

Florida State wide receiver Chauncey Stovall is a tough, fearless player who runs sharp routes. However, he lacks the burst and speed to separate from NFL cornerbacks. His stock took a serious tumble at the East-West workouts.

Lehigh tight end Adam Bergen has good size and hands but lacks the quickness of most NFL tight ends. He will have trouble gaining separation from NFL defenders.

Toledo offensive tackle Nick Kaczur must add bulk but is an impressive athlete with great skills. His footwork is excellent, he is very quick and he has long arms with a quick, strong hand punch. He is very impressive.

Maryland guard C.J. Brooks looks as if he will develop into a darn good NFL player. He is big and shows remarkable strength and agility. He moves well and is versatile enough to play guard or tackle.

New Mexico guard Claude Terrell is not an impressive athlete but is massive and strong. He shows great blocking skills and technique. No doubt he will hold his own against NFL defensive tackles.

Oklahoma safety Donte Nicholson struggled mightily in coverage last week. He shows a lot of toughness and hard-hitting ability, but he must improve his coverage skills.
UNDERCLASSMEN THOUGHTS

Some additional underclassmen made the decision this past weekend to enter the 2005 NFL Draft:


Missouri defensive tackle C.J. Mosley is a superb, natural athlete who is strong and quick. He is good against the run and an excellent pass rusher who consistently gets into the backfield. He has the tools and attitude to be a solid NFL player. He should be a Day 1 selection.

Fresno State safety James Sanders is a fast, physical player who was All-WAC the last two seasons. He is a tough, big hitter who can intimidate receivers and is an excellent tackler. He is smart, has a great sense for the game and is a leader. He is a bit undersized but plays big. He is a lock for Day 1.

Cornerback Michael Hawkins is a terrific athlete who played a short while at Oklahoma before joining the Arena Football League. He has outstanding speed, good ball skills and a sense for the game. He has good height but must get bigger and stronger. He is inexperienced but has good potential. He looks like a Day 2 prospect but could prove to be a big sleeper.

Houston outside linebacker Bryant Brown is fast and never stops hustling. He is a tough hitter, a great tackler and is relentless in pursuit with an excellent burst. He has good size but could use some more experience. He is a likely Day 2 selection.

Defensive end Rashad Jeanty -- who spent some time at Central Florida before jumping to the Canadian Football League -- is fast, a great pass rusher and solid against the run. He also is an excellent tackler. He likely will be a Day 2 pick.

[Redskin in Canada]

Take everything you read with a grain of salt before the draft...

...
Defensive end Rashad Jeanty -- who spent some time at Central Florida before jumping to the Canadian Football League -- is fast, a great pass rusher and solid against the run. He also is an excellent tackler. He likely will be a Day 2 pick.

Edmonton Eskimos
...

Defensive line - C

This unit really struggled for most of the season. Injuries were a factor. Dorian Boose disappointed after a good rookie season and he was cut. Randy Spencer looked good in his second season but he faltered at the end. Rahim Abdullah and Rashad Jeanty were average at the end positions. Albert Reese was solid clogging up the middle.

http://www.cfl.ca/CFLInsight04/1103a.html

[Hill66]

Yeah, I've watched Rashad many times in the past couple of years. He is very quick off the ball, and is also pretty big body.
Redskin in Canada, I must tell you that the reason Randy Spencer tailed off, was because of an injury to his shoulder. Trust me, he will come back bigger, stronger and faster.

[Redskin in Canada]

Yeah, I've watched Rashad many times in the past couple of years. He is very quick off the ball, and is also pretty big body.

Is he better than our curret DEs?
Should the Skins draft him with a lower round?

[Hill66]

Hmmmm, not to sure if they should or not.
Like I said he is very quick off the ball. I think we should see how this guy works out first. I mean he has been playing in the CFL, which by no means is easy, but I want to see how he does against some higher quality OT's.