HBCU practice report: Underexposed prospects get chance to show stuff

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Alabama A&M running back Ulysses Banks wasn't going to let a high left ankle sprain keep him from a rare opportunity to run in front of NFL scouts.

"At A&M, we don't get a chance to run for NFL scouts -- I had to do it," said Banks.

So he was among approximately 100 prospects on hand for Tuesday's athleticism testing at a YMCA facility near the Auburn University leading up to Saturday's Russell Athletic Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Bowl.

Prospects performed the seemingly all-important 40-yard dash, three-cone drill, 20-yard shuttle, vertical jump, broad jump and bench press (reps of 225 pounds).

Most ran one- to three-tenths of a second slower than most top prospects will at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis in February, but Banks was among a handful to impress scouts. He posted a 4.5-second 40 at 200 pounds on the ankle that has bothered him most of the season. Banks still rushed for 1,123 yards and added 213 more on 16 receptions to go along with a 23-yard average on kick returns.

Teammate Thomas Harris, a wide receiver, ran a sub-4.5 40 on his second try and displayed a 35-inch vertical, giving scouts measurables to add to his productivity. In addition to his 56 receptions for 808 yards and seven touchdowns, Harris averaged 14.8 yards on punt returns and 26.3 on kickoff returns. His yardage totals were actually less than in the previous two seasons (916 in 2007, 1,007 in 2008) because of more reliance on Banks and the running game.

Alcorn State receiver Antonio DeJarnett (6-1, 185 pounds) looked every bit the athlete, running a sub-4.5 40 and performing well in the other drills. He had only 10 catches in 2009 but gained 275 yards and scored three times. If DeJarnett can prove his hands to scouts over the next couple of days, a training camp invite may be on the way. Teammate Tim Buckley also ran in the mid 4.4s at 6-feet, 185 pounds, making some scouts wonder if he can transition from quarterback to receiver.

Florida A&M left tackle Robert Okeafor, who at 6-4, 320 pounds is likely to move inside at the next level, was also an impressive athlete for his size and level of competition. He ran in the high 5.1s in his 40, put up 24 reps, and though performing slightly below average on his three-cone and shuttle runs, his footwork in short bursts showed teams what they needed to see in a late-round pick or priority free agent.

Long-time Hampton and current FAMU coach Joe Taylor leads the East team this week. Not only does he believe Okeafor is an NFL-caliber athlete but "is a very hard worker, and as high a character player as I've seen."

Running debate

At least 16 prospects were announced as being "advised not to run" or "not ready to run." Scouts need to accurately judge their speed for comparative purposes. But players not confident they'll record a certain time decide not to run or are advised not to run by their agent because they don't want teams to summarily dismiss them as prospects because of a slow 40 time.

Dallas scout Kevin Simon, a former second-team All-SEC Tennessee linebacker and seventh-round choice of the Washington Redskins, explained to some players considering sitting out the 40 that they "will never have the opportunity to run in front of this many NFL scouts again. And this is perfect conditions -- no rain, no wind, no sleet."

Most will run at their campus pro day, scheduled sometime in March. If they don't run this week then disappoint on their pro day, they've missed a big opportunity.

Simon's talk did sway Alabama A&M center Xavier Manuel, who had a strained hamstring but gave it a shot. His unofficial 5.6 40 didn't wow any scouts, but nobody expected the 325-pound pivot man to break any land speed records even if fully healthy.

One-on-one time

Two players pulled aside by NFL scouts for quick interviews after the workouts were Morehouse tackle Ramon Harewood and Arkansas-Pine Bluff cornerback Kevin Thornton.

Harewood did not work out but will participate in practices. The two-time first-team All-SWAC pick at left tackle (along with second-team on the right side in 2007) is one of the more impressive physical specimens here, towering over most at 6-8 and with an athletic build.

Thornton is looking forward to his second consecutive first-team All-SWAC selection after making 63 tackles, six interceptions, breaking up seven other passes and forcing three fumbles. His impressive physique and 6-1, 200-pound frame are intriguing to teams.

Both players can make themselves draftable prospects with a solid practice and HBCU Bowl game this week.

Practice report

The East and West teams will be practicing simultaneously, switching between the Montgomery's Cramton Bowl and Hornet Stadium on the campus of Alabama State University. The first part of the East's practice at the Cramton Bowl on Tuesday focused on special teams, where FAMU return specialist Leroy Vann and South Carolina State's Oliver "Tre" Young took kickoffs and punts.

Vann isn't going to wow anyone with his 40 time (mid 4.5s at 5-8, 185 pounds is considered average, at best) or pure explosiveness as a returner. But his solid hands, ability to run in traffic and low center of gravity make him tough to bring down -- he had three kickoff and three punt returns for touchdowns in each of the past two seasons.

Young is a classic glider who needs a hole to make big yardage but can take full advantage -- he doesn't dance after getting the ball. He showed the same good hands on returns and in scrimmages that he used to make 65 catches for 995 yards and nine touchdowns, along with very good return skills (26.1-yard average on kickoffs with one score, 18.2 on punts), in a first-team All-MEAC senior season.

Next came stations for defensive players, who rotated between strip technique, interception and tips and fumble recovery drills, then worked on lateral movement by moving down the goal line or sideline.

Fluid athletes like Norfolk State safety Terrell Whitehead and Vann stood out those early drills, as did Vann in the change-of-direction drills where prospects move back and forth while moving laterally in a "W" pattern according to coaches' commands.

When seven-on-seven and other team drills began, however, Vann worked as a slot receiver rather than at cornerback. He didn't look like a newbie there, running fairly crisp inside routes and snatching the ball from the air. Vann also tapped both feet in-bounds when making catches on the sideline.

At 5-8, he's likely to be much more at home on offense than on defense at the next level. In fact, with secure hands and long dreadlocks, Vann looked a bit like former Hawaii and current Miami Dolphin receiver Davone Bess.

Former Kentucky quarterback and reigning MEAC Offensive Player of the Year Curtis Pulley is getting some attention this week but isn't an elite prospect. He has a deliberate delivery and an inconsistent ball flight. It's still unclear if he can make quick decisions against a pro defense.

The 6-4, 200-pound senior shows the arm strength to place a ball downfield 40 to 45 yards without problems, albeit against a non-existent pass rush, hitting teammate Vann down the seam. The diminutive All-American had to reach back to make the grab, as Pulley failed to lead him appropriately. Later, Vann repaid Pulley by not adjusting to a deep ball that most top receiving prospects will be expected to bring in.

Two cornerbacks stood out during Tuesday evening's East practice. Philip Adams from South Carolina State was tough for Young and other receivers to beat at the line of scrimmage when in press, even past the 5-yard mark. The 6-1, 180-pound corner played with nice attitude and speed -- which correlates to his first-team All-MEAC performance (five tackles for loss, three interceptions, 11 pass breakups).

Shaw University's Quintez Smith (6-1, 187), the 2009 CIAA Defensive Player of the Year with nine interceptions (four returned for touchdowns), has the size teams want on the edge. His ability to shadow his man out of his route was impressive, beating receivers to the sideline on a couple of out routes.

Smith's recovery speed could be better; he failed to get to the ball when giving a lot of cushion off the line. He seemed to be around the ball, catching one tipped pass, and just missing on two more. After getting just one hand on another tipped ball, he dropped down to do a pushup as his penance.

At the East Coast Bowl Thanksgiving weekend, Smith led his team with 13 tackles. We won't see that in practice this week, but he'll get his chance on Saturday.

Chad Reuter is a senior analyst for NFLDraftScout.com.