Ten players with something to prove during all-star process
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| Kendall Wright aims to use the all-star circuit to emerge from Robert Griffin III's shadow. (US Presswire) |
The BCS title game, in many ways, is only the beginning -- at least for the fortunate college football stars invited to prominent all-star games.
Scouts want players to take advantage of these opportunities. Players show a passion for the game by accepting the invitation and putting aside concern that they might expose weaknesses or even incur an injury that could put their first payday in jeopardy.
Prospects from relatively small programs are there to prove they can stand out regardless of the competition. Others clearly are talented but may have durability or character questions to answer.
The three most prominent all-star games -- the East-West Shrine Game, NFL Players Association Collegiate Bowl and Senior Bowl -- kick off in the next two weeks and scouts will be kept busy tracking hundreds of prospects with thousands of questions to answer.
You won't have to expend the same energy. NFLDraftScout.com has done the legwork and will be on the scene throughout the draft process, providing answers all the way up to April's 2012 NFL Draft. Here are prospects with the most on the line in upcoming all-star games:
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10. Greg Childs, WR, Arkansas: Midway through the 2010 season, Childs looked like a future first-round pick. He was the unquestioned star of the Razorbacks' talented receiving corps, leading the team in catches, receptions and touchdowns for the second consecutive season. A torn right patellar tendon, however, ended Childs' junior season early and he may have done more damage to his stock by attempting to come back too soon. The explosiveness that once defined the 6-foot-3, 217-pounder's game was noticeably absent in 2011. Childs was limited to only 21 catches for 240 yards as a senior but that didn't stop the East-West Shrine Game scouts from latching on to him. Last year it was former Miami running back Graig Cooper who parlayed a surprisingly strong showing at the Shrine Game into a combine invitation and eventual spot with the Eagles as an undrafted free agent. It could be Childs' turn in 2012.
9. Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State: One of three Buckeyes playing in the Senior Bowl despite serving suspensions at Ohio State, Adams can expect straightforward questions from scouts. Even more importantly than what he tells them in interviews, Adams needs a strong week of practice in Mobile to resurrect his falling draft stock. The 6-6, 320-pound Adams flashes the agility to remain at left tackle in the NFL but struggled at times facing pass rushers with speed, including in several late-season matchups to end his Buckeyes career. With one last game wearing the familiar gray helmet, Adams has a chance to recoup his status as the top senior offensive tackle in the country.
8. Brandon Lindsey, OLB, Pittsburgh: Lindsey makes this list because scouts want to see whether the 6-2, 250-pound college defensive end has the flexibility to handle adjusting to outside linebacker full-time. Lindsey saw time at outside linebacker while at Pittsburgh, but did most of his damage with his hand in the dirt. Lindsey's burst off the snap isn't in question. He finished with 54 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 8½ sacks in 2011. His statistics won't mean a thing to scouts from 4-3 teams, however, if Lindsey can't prove at the East-West Shrine Game the ability to drop back into coverage effectively.
7. Alex Hoffman-Ellis, OLB, Washington State: Though questions about the level of competition aren't a legitimate concern in the Pac-12, few scouts are willing to take the time to travel to the Palouse considering the talent and wins from Washington State have been lacking in recent years. That is the primary reason why few outside the WSU campus know much about the 6-1, 232-pound Hoffman-Ellis, who quietly led the Pac-12 with 68 solo tackles in 2011. Hoffman-Ellis won't get the instant feedback from scouts he might like, as the NFL has mandated that its talent evaluators not attend the NFLPA's all-star game due to underclassmen being involved. If Hoffman-Ellis is able to create a buzz anyway, his stock will certainly improve as he's among the more intriguing second-tier 4-3 outside linebackers available this year.
6. Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor: Some Heisman voters cast their ballots for Baylor's Robert Griffin III citing a perceived weak supporting cast -- compared to the offensive line protecting Stanford's Andrew Luck or the weapons Southern Cal's Matt Barkley gets to throw to each game. While RG3 certainly is a star, the playmaking Wright still isn't getting the recognition he deserves for a breakout senior campaign in which he caught 108 passes for 1,663 yards and 14 touchdowns. With several big but relatively slow-footed receivers expected to suit up in the Senior Bowl, don't be surprised if it is this Baylor Bear who winds up dazzling onlookers and erasing any doubts as to the talent of Griffin's supporting cast.
5. Tony Dye, S, UCLA: Like Arkansas' Childs, Dye is well known by scouts because he has played at a high level. Injuries (neck, right leg) ruined the 2011 season for Dye. Considering the impressive legacy of UCLA defensive backs in the NFL and the versatility Dye showed in starting at strong and free safety for the Bruins, perhaps it isn't surprising that the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl invited him to participate. A strong showing in front of the local Los Angeles fans could be just the thing that Dye needs in 2012 to forget about 2011.
4. B.J. Coleman, QB, Tennessee-Chattanooga: Coleman originally signed with the University of Tennessee out of high school but elected to transfer to UTC because he believed he wasn't being given a fair shot at the starting job with the Vols. Not surprisingly, the strong-armed quarterback quickly emerged as one of the elite talents at the FCS level, throwing twice as many touchdowns passes (43) as interceptions (21) in his first two seasons. A shoulder injury robbed Coleman of three complete games in his senior season and he finished with disappointing numbers overall in 2011, so he'll enter the week of practice at the East-West Shrine game lacking the hype of Miami's Jacory Harris, Florida's John Brantley or even San Diego State's Ryan Lindley. A strong week of practice in St. Petersburg, however, and you may see his stock soar.
3. Ryan Lindley, QB, San Diego State: Before Brady Hoke took on the challenge of morphing Michigan's Denard Robinson into a pro-caliber passer, he helped Lindley emerge as one of the more intriguing quarterback prospects in the nation. At 6-4, 230 pounds, the strong-armed Lindley rewrote the Mountain West record books for passing but played second fiddle this season to the Aztecs' star running back Ronnie Hillman, who, incidentally is making the jump to the NFL following his redshirt sophomore season. Lindley originally agreed to play in the East-West Shrine Game but is no longer on their roster. He may have been "promoted" to the Senior Bowl as a replacement for Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill, who will miss the all-star game circuit with a broken foot. Regardless of where Lindley plays, scouts are paying close attention to whether he can function in a pro-style offense against top competition.
2. Olivier Vernon, DE, Miami (Fla.): It was Vernon's college teammate, offensive lineman Brandon Washington, who was the first underclassman to confirm he would be attending the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, thereby keeping pro scouts from the game. It could prove to be Vernon, however, who is most helped by the opportunity to show off his unique skill set. While scouts won't be able to attend the practices or game, don't be fooled into thinking they won't get the tape and the inside scoop from the NFLPA coaches (Dick Vermeil and Tom Flores). Vernon stunned scouts with his decision to leave Miami after a junior season in which he was suspended the first six games of the season and only posted 18 tackles. The 6-3, 265-pounder has legitimate NFL athleticism as evidenced by his "breakout" 2010 season in which he recorded 10½ tackles for loss and six sacks. Considering that he could be playing for his NFL life next week, few have more on the line in the upcoming all-star game docket than Vernon.
1. Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State: He set the record for career wins by a quarterback (50) and had a staggering 142 touchdown passes against only 28 interceptions over his illustrious career. Even so, Moore goes to the Senior Bowl with more eyes fixed on him than any quarterback prospect in Mobile since Tim Tebow. That's because most scouts expect the 6-0, 195-pound Moore to struggle to adjust to the speed brought by the elite senior prospects in the country. If Moore is successful, it should instead kill many of the excuses scouts like to use -- for example, that Moore relies on timing with his receivers rather than a strong-enough arm -- to explain why he can't carry on his success at the pro level.
