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Saturday Jan, 2019 12:30 PM | by | NO COMMENTS

Tropical Bowl: Day 1 Observations – American Team

Defense Takes Control for the American Team

Emory Hunt

As the 2nd practice of the day began, it seemed to be all about the defense as they had a fantastic day from start-to-finish. That’s not to say that the offense didn’t have their fair share of success, it just seemed as if defensively, the American Team had it on their minds from the time they got off the bus, to the time they left the field.

Ivy League Representing 

OT Thomas Dennis was outstanding in 1-on-1s on Day 1. Dennis saw a variety of edge rushers during the drill, guys that wanted to bull rush, guys that tried to beat him with speed and quickness, none were successful as the former Penn Quaker was able to stonewall guys throughout the drill. He’s the only Ivy League participant in the Tropical Bowl, and is doing a great job of representing the Ancient Eight down here in Daytona Beach, as he did back in December at the FCS Bowl.

Clanga Smooth

Mississippi State Tight End Justin Johnson (6’4 238) had a fantastic day catching the ball. For a bigger guy, Johnson moves really well and did a great job in the route running department as well. He seemed really comfortable out there in space, reading coverage well on the fly and working himself open. During the 1-on-1 periods, I don’t recall seeing a pass that was thrown his way hit the ground. Needless to say, he’s checking off a lot of boxes here in Daytona Beach.

Practice Standouts

WR – Jaelan Austin (6’2 205), TCU: Austin was money all practice long, catching everything thrown his way. I loved how he consistently attacked the ball when it was in the air. Whether it was going up high, or reaching out in front, or snatching it away from the defender, Austin came up 100% every time.

OT – Benjamin Knox (6’6 315), Colorado State: Impressive show of technical skills by the former CSU Ram. Knox uses his long arms to stymie defenders and was able to keep his feet moving effectively enough to run defenders out of the club in 1-on-1s.

QB – Tanner Mangum (6’3 210), BYU: I thought Mangum threw the ball really well yesterday. Very impressive short-to-intermediate accuracy as well. Talking with him after practice, he realizes how big this week is for him and is primed to take advantage of the opportunity.

OL – Breontae Matthews (6’4 330), North Carolina A&T: Matthews got off to a great start yesterday during 1-on-1s. He has tremendous core strength and is able to absorb and redirect defenders with ease. He’s coming off of a really strong week in Fort Worth, Texas at the College Gridiron Showcase.

OL – Shamdu Nalls (6’4 315), Virginia Union: Nalls was strong in his performance during the National Bowl back in December, which got him the invite back for the Tropical Bowl. He just consistently wins. He’s got very good feet and quick hands to reposition himself to get the block.

WR – Quinn McElfresh (6’3 220), Mississippi Valley State: McElfresh has a ton of smoothness about his game. He’s able to fluidly get in-and-out of his breaks and does a great job of tracking the ball. The FCS Bowl was a big showcase for him and he’s already off to a great start here in Daytona.

CB – DeMarcus Owens (5’9 194), New Mexico State: Compete. Compete. Compete. That’s what I like about Owens’ performance yesterday. He’s is able to stay in the hip pocket of the receiver and gets his head around to find the ball. No reception will come easy with him in coverage.

DB – Kurron Ramsey (6’3 195), Alabama State: Another strong start for an FCS Bowl Alum. Ramsey has the length that scouts covet and is able to use it really well to his advantage. I’m very impressed with how he’s able to close quickly on the ball for a taller defensive back.

WR – Ryan Schadler (5’11 192), Kansas: Schadler’s explosiveness and quickness gave defensive backs fits yesterday in both 1-on-1s and in team drills. He might be the most explosive wideout on the American Team, or at least it looked that way yesterday. He also catches the ball extremely well.

DB – Joshua Simmons (6’0 190), Limestone College: Simmons is a bigger corner with ball skills. He uses his hands well to stay with the receiver without getting grabby. Plus he’s able to get his head around and find the football. This will be the 2nd of three all-star games for Simmons as he’s off to the NFLPA game after the Tropical Bowl.

Practice Highlights

WR/TE/RB vs LB/DB 1-on-1s

OL-vs-DL 1-on-1s

Saturday Jan, 2019 11:57 AM | by | NO COMMENTS

Tropical Bowl: Day 1 Observations – National Team

National Team Kicks Off 2019 Tropical Bowl Practice

Emory Hunt

It was a beautiful day in Daytona Beach, Florida as the 2019 Tropical Bowl got underway. The National Team got things started in the mid-afternoon with their practice, and there wasn’t a shortage of ‘wow’ plays made by both the offense and defense. The only issue from the National practice was the amount of false starts coming from the offensive side of the ball, as guys just couldn’t get the snap count correct. It slowed down the practice and caused a loss in some valuable reps.

Hail 2 Pitt

Day 1 was a great day to be a Pitt Panther as DE Dewayne Hendrix, LB Elijah Zeise and OL Connor Dintino had really good days of practice. Both Hendrix and Dintino were strong in OL/DL 1-on-1s, while Zeise was solid in coverage as well as very active in team periods.

Rock Chalk-EMAW Connection

Along the offensive line, both Dwayne Wallace (Kansas) and Abdul Beecham (Kansas State) had really good 1-on-1 periods. I thought Wallace was the most dominant offensive lineman out there yesterday. I don’t believe he lost a rep during 1-on-1s. You also saw him coaching up the other OL during the drill, like Beecham. The former K-State Wildcat drew rave reviews from scouts because of how well he competed yesterday.

A Lot of Length in the Secondary

One thing that stood out instantly from the National Team practice was how long and athletic they were in the secondary. Kentucky Wildcat corner Chris Westry stands 6’4, corner Herbert Miller (FAU) is 6’2 and his teammate Ocie Rose is also 6’2. Being a taller defensive back can be both a gift and a curse, but yesterday I thought it was all gifts as guys were able to move and transition really well.

Practice Standouts

RB – Isaiah Johnson (5’11 215), Eastern Illinois: Johnson has a 2nd gear that is very impressive. He is very comfortable catching the football and has the type of acceleration that can be a problem trying to defend him in the passing game.

DB – JT Hassell (5’11 200), Florida Tech: Hassell had the hit of the day as he laid his shoulder into Notre Dame Tight End Nic Weishar, who hauled in a reception over the middle of the field. His hit seemed to wake up the defensive side of the ball and brought some much needed energy to practice.

WR – Workpeh Kofa (6’0 205), Charlotte – I was really impressed with the explosiveness of Workpeh. He was able to find soft spots in the zone throughout practice, and once he made the catch, was able to explode past defenders.

DE – Charles Harris (6’4 267), Buffalo – Harris had a strong day going up against the offensive line in 1-on-1s. He can rush with both power and quickness, and shows really good hand usage as well.

DB – Aaron Williams (5’10 185), Nebraska – The coverage skills and technique is strong with Williams. There’s no panic in his approach and he did a really good job yesterday in coverage – both in 1-on-1s and team drills.

Day 1 Practice Highlights (National Team)

WR/RB/TE vs LB/DB 1-on-1 Drills

OL-vs-DL 1-on-1s

Wednesday Jan, 2019 9:54 PM | by | NO COMMENTS

College Gridiron Showcase: Wranglers Scrimmage

Wednesday Jan, 2019 6:18 PM | by | NO COMMENTS

College Gridiron Showcase Desperados Scrimmage

Wednesday Jan, 2019 1:46 PM | by | NO COMMENTS

College Gridiron Showcase: Day 3 Observations (PM Practice)

Wranglers Offense Takes the Field in the Afternoon vs the Desperados Defense

Emory Hunt

In what turned out to be a gorgeous afternoon in Fort Worth, the 2nd practice of the day between the Wranglers Offense and Desperados Defense, was just as spirited and intense as the morning group. There was no drop-off in both ‘wow’ plays and moments from McNair Stadium.

Safety First

This was a really good practice for the Safeties. David Griffith (UL-Monroe), Rob Rolle (Villanova) and Ezekiel Edmonds (Clark Atlanta) all had really good days in 1-on-1s and in Pass Skel. The way this group worked today, you’d think they’ve played with one another for years. This was evident during pass skel. The communication they showed amongst their group was impressive.Edmonds seems to always be around the ball.

Don’t let the Size Fool You

Defensive Tackles Miles Brown (Wofford) and Rodney Jackson (Grambling) are your shorter defensive tackles that win with natural leverage, but also explosiveness and quickness off the ball. It’s easy to get fooled by their height, but that’s how many OL on Day 3 were fooled by that assumption. Albion’s Sean Kubit-Miller is another one that has put together a strong week of work. He’s been one of the more consistent defensive tackles in attendance.

Canadian Defensive Prospects Stellar in 2nd Day

There’s a big difference in the style of play between the Canadian game and the American game. And the biggest difference is along the line of scrimmage and out on the perimeter. On Day 2 both DT Connor Griffith (British Columbia) and DB Jamie Harry (Ottawa) had a bit of an up-and-down day as they were getting acclimated to the differences of the American game, which includes the consistency of the speed, the more physical play and along the line of scrimmage, being a yard off the ball. Well, those guys are some fast learners as they got off to a great start to Day 3 and it remained that way throughout. Griffiths was able to have a lot of success in both 1-on-1s and 9-on-7s, finding himself in the backfield a lot. While Harry was a completely different player in coverage on Day 3, using his 6’1 206lb frame to his advantage, winning a lot of battles in 1-on-1s.

Practice Standouts

QB – Drew Anderson (6’4 222), Murray State: Anderson was excellent today in Pass Skel periods. He’s got really good zip on the ball and has definitely elevated himself this week in the eyes of scouts.

TE – Ari Werts (6’3 220), East Tennessee State: Despite playing with a slight injury, Werts was excellent on Day 3. He does a really good job catching the ball away from his body, also showing the ability to sacrifice his body for the reception. Him gutting it out on Day 3 earned him a lot of praise from the scouts in attendance.

OC – Chandler Miller (6’2 300), Tulsa: A quiet consistency for the former Golden Hurricane, Miller was strong in 9-on-7 periods on Day 3. He’s quickly able to get underneath the pads of the defensive linemen and move them from defensive line to safety. That’s how far his moves guys off the spot.

OT – Dino Boyd (6’3 293), Cincinnati: I don’t think I’ve seen Boyd lose a rep in 1-on-1s since I’ve been here. He’s been stellar in that regard. And despite not having the ‘ideal measurables’, Boyd gets it done in pass pro and does a great job exploding off the ball in the running game.

WR – Jody Fortson (6’4 224), Valdosta State: I really like the game of Jody Fortson. You can envisioning him playing on the outside or inside as a bigger slot receiver. He doesn’t shy away from the fact that he’s 6’4, as he is always willing to use his body to make the reception.

CB – Keenan Johnson (5’10 183), Central Florida: Johnson is one of the more active corners out there this week. I was impressed with his ability to mirror-and-match, play press and how he plants-and-drives on the ball. He’s been one of the better corners here all week.

CB – DeAndre Farris (5’9 196), Western Kentucky: Farris has very good recovery ability for the position. He’s very quick, explosive and seems to always be involved in the play. He’s going to have a home inside as a pro.

CB – Ike Warren (6’0 192), Delta State: Warren definitely looks the part of what you want at the position, and has played that way as well. He’s a physical corner that I feel as though could thrive in a heavy press scheme.

Day 3 Practice Highlights: Wranglers Offense vs Deperados Defense

WRs/RBs/TEs-vs-LBs/DBs in 1-on-1s

OL-vs-DL 1-on-1s

9-on-7 Drills

Pass Skel Drills

Wednesday Jan, 2019 1:16 PM | by | NO COMMENTS

College Gridiron Showcase: Day 3 Observations (AM Practice)

Desperado Offense Takes on Wrangler Defense in the Morning

Emory Hunt

On Day 3 of the College Gridiron Showcase, it was a cross practice that got things kicked off. In the morning we saw the Desperados Offense practice against the Defense of the Wranglers. This was a recent addition to the CGS All-Star event, as it allows guys from one group to match skills and compete against the other. And competition, especially in an all-star setting, is good for everyone involved as it brings out the best in all who participate.

The Man in the White Helmet

After a few days here, we finally figured out who the receiver was wearing the plain white helmet and it is Julius Wingate (6’3 199) of Stony Brook. This was important to figure out because Wingate has been having himself a really good week of work here at the CGS. He’s a long receiver that is able to get in-and-out of cuts with ease.

Linebackers Rule the Day

Day 3 was a really good day for the Linebackers in my opinion. I thought the group was able to excel in blitz pickup against the running backs and during 9-on-7 periods. I thought Eastern Michigan’s Kyle Rachwal, Luke Gifford (Nebraska), Jonathan Willis (Oregon State), Malik Fountain (Central Michigan) and Washington’s Tevis Barlett made their presence felt early and often during the practice.

No Fly Zone

During the WRs/DBs 1-on-1 periods, it was more Red Zone work today than the other practices. This gave you the opportunity to see how spatially aware the defensive backs, and receivers for that matter, really are. There is little room for error inside the 20-yard line and guys have to know where they are on the field in addition to being able to play with sound technique.  The secondary, in my opinion, had the better day in this regard. Impressive performances by San Jose State’s Dakari Monroe, PJ Locke (Texas), OJ Johnson (Middle Tennessee State), Lee Moses (UMass), Mckinley Whitfield (Tulsa) and Nick Watkins (Houston) just to name a few.

Practice Standouts

QB – Layton Rabb (6’4 209), Midwestern State: Rabb threw the ball really well today, especially during 1-on-1s. I thought the placement was on point, and was consistent throughout the day.

RB – Ryan Ross (5’7 208), McNeese State: Ross caught the ball really well this practice. He’s a more shifty than you think and was able to create separation against the LBs in 1-on-1s. His feet never stop moving, which helps him get out of a jam in traffic and be able to sift through the trash, as he did during 9-on-7s.

TE – Vincent Hobbs (6’3 259), Texas A&M-Commerce: Hobbs had the best day of the Tight Ends on Day 3. He’s such a fluid and easy route runner with great hands. The consistency he showed in both areas definitely had the scouts buzzing throughout the morning workouts.

OL – Gavin Wiggins (6’3 318), Youngstown State: Wiggins in 1-on-1s won the majority of his reps. I really like how his hands were able to consistently stay inside the defender, keeping him in a position of control the entire rep.

OC – Breontae Matthews (6’4 330), North Carolina A&T: The former Aggie put together an impressive practice in both 1-on-1s and in 9-on-7s. Matthews is a well put together offensive lineman that can play C, Guard or Tackle. Over the course of the week I’ve been impressed with his versatility. His home will more than likely be inside as a pro. He’s been outstanding.

OL – Travis Vornkahl (6’5 285), West Texas A&M: Vornkahl does a great job of bringing his feet with him in the running game. He was able to consistently move guys off the spot during 9-on-7s. In 1-on-1s, his long arms, and how quickly he was able to get them up, was an advantage for him throughout the period.

WR – Trevor Knight (5’11 192), New Hampshire: I like the smoothness in which Knight runs his routes. He does a great job of setting up the defender before exploding out of his breaks. He also has a very good understanding of how to position his body to shield the defender away from the ball.

WR – DJ Brown (5’9 180), Northern Illinois: Quietly, DJ Brown has been one of the more consistent wideouts this week. You can tell he has played a lot of football, as his savvy is on another level. It’s been a joy to watch him work all week.

DE – Durrant Miles (6’4 261), Boise State: The former Bronco had a really good 9-on-7 period, showing a variety of ways to be disruptive. We saw the long-arm approach, quick kung-fu hands and even explosiveness off the edge.

CB – Josh Miller (5’10 183), Ball State: Every time you look up Miller seems to be locking down his wide receiver or has the ball in his hands. His ability to quickly react and drive on the ball is why he’s been having a ton of success this week.

TE – Marvin Fanfan (6’0 266), Virginia Union: On the surface it doesn’t look like Fanfan would win many 1-on-1 battles, but the big guy knows how to run routes and doesn’t drop many passes. I think he’s more along the lines of a fullback at the next level. He’s having a solid week.

Practice Highlights: Desperados Offense vs Wranglers Defense

WRs/RBs/TEs vs LBs/DBs 1-on-1s

OL-vs-DL 1-on-1s

9-on-7 Drills

Pass Skel

Tuesday Jan, 2019 4:20 PM | by | NO COMMENTS

College Gridiron Showcase: Day 2 Observations (Wranglers)

Wranglers Hit the Field in the Afternoon for their 1st Workouts

Emory Hunt

Day 2 of the College Gridiron Showcase was as good as advertised in the afternoon group, as the Wranglers hit the field for a 2-hour practice, on a beautiful afternoon here in Fort Worth, Texas.

Running Backs Doing Well on Both Ends

The Wranglers have an impressive group of backs here at the showcase: AJ Ouellette (Ohio U), Tevin McCaster (Youngstown State), Dontae Strickland (Syracuse), Xavier Turner (Tarleton State), Aeris Williams (Mississippi State), Dom Bragalone (Lehigh) and Jonathan Hillman (Rutgers). All caught the ball really well during one-on-ones. And in 9-on-7, I thought they ran well also. Guys bring a variety of skills to the table. I love the explosiveness of Strickland and Williams. The suddenness of Hillman, McCaster and Ouellette was on display. And the feature-back-like vision from both Turner and Bragalone was impressive as well throughout the practice.

Ya “Herd” Me??

The Marshall Thundering Herd’s duo of LB Chase Hancock and OC Nathaniel Devers put together a strong practice. Hancock excelled throughout the 9-on-7 periords, while Devers was consistent during 1-on-1s.  I thought Hancock also showed very good ability in coverage as well.

Strength on the Perimeter

The Wranglers also boast an impressive group of wideouts led by Justin Sumpter (Kennesaw State) and Juston Christion (Marist). Both guys were excellent during 1-on-1s. Another FCS standout was St. Francis wideout Kamron Lewis. While Colorado Buffaloes star wide receiver Kabion Ento was one of the smoothest route runners out there.

A Hokie-Cavalier Partnership

Along the offensive line, both ACC and state of Virginia rivals OG Braxton Pfaff (Virginia Tech) and OT Marcus Applefield (Virginia) served as RG & RT during 9-on-7 and were able to perform well throughout the drill. Both players also were excellent during OL/DL 1-on-1s.

Practice Standouts:

DE – Justin Alexandre (6’5 255), Incarnate Word: Alexandre is explosive coming off the edge and shows a good understanding of how to bend and accelerate to the QB. He stood out in 1-on-1s.

TE – Cole Herdman (6’4 245), Purdue: Herdman makes catching the football look rather smooth and easy. He consistently worked himself open all day.

QB – Jacob Dolegala (6’6 240), Central Connecticut State: When you talk about a prospect that ‘looks’ the part, Dolegala has that look of an NFL QB. It also helps when you have the ability to put the ball wherever you want to on the field. I thought he threw the ball really well yesterday.

DE – Hunter Snyder (6’6 245), Florida Atlantic: He’s another rather explosive edge rusher that’s participating this week. He’s also surprisingly solid vs the run, using his length to disrupt plays during 9-on-7s.

S – McKinley Whitfield (6’3 210), Tulsa: Another taller Safety in this All-Star game that’s as fluid as a slot defender. Whitfield matched up well inside in coverage during 1-on-1s and showed good awareness during Pass Skel.

OT – Jerrod Brooks (6’6 290), UTEP: Brooks is a very good athlete that is capable of using his long arms to his advantage. He looked solid in both 1-on-1s and 9-on-7s.

DE – Jonathan Harris (6’5 290), Lindenwood: It seems as if every year there’s a strong defensive prospect coming out of the Lindenwood program. Harris can rush with both power and quickness.

OT – Brandon Hitner (6’5 305), Villanova: Hitner was hittin’ well during 1-on-1s. He had a devastating punch that put one defender on the ground immediately.

DT – Deshawnte Lloyd (6’2 315), New Mexico State: With his natural leverage, Lloyd found himself being a constant nuisance to the offensive linemen in 1-on-1 drills.

DT – Kalil Morris (6’2 315), Kent State: Every time you looked up, you saw the Kent State helmet making plays in the backfield. He’s explosive off the ball and works his hands extremely well.

DT – Ronald Ollie (6’2 280), Nicholls: Another squatty, but explosive defensive tackle, Ollie showed that he could work well in any technique along the interior. The versatility was impressive yesterday.

WR – Justin Sumpter (6’2 220), Kennesaw State: Despite coming from a triple-option offensive, Sumpter shows a mastery of route running, playing physical at the catch point and soft hands. I thought he had the best day of all the receivers in attendance.

Wranglers Practice Highlights

&nbspWR-vs-DBs and RBs/TEs-vs-LBs 1-on-1s

OL-vs-DL 1-on-1s

9-on-7 Drills

Pass Skel Drills

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