Each year for the last eight years I have made what I call the “Ultimate Road Trip.” I travel to the Shrine Game, Senior Bowl, NFL Scouting Combine, and NFL Draft each year. On this road trip I get to see some of the best college talent coming into the NFL.
The all-star trip continued this year with another trip to Mobile, AL and the 2014 Reese’s Senior Bowl.
Players like Joe Flacco (2008), Andre Ellington (2013), Marvin Jones (2012), Demarco Murray (2011), Jordy Nelson (2008), LeGarrette Blount (2010), Colin Kaepernick (2011) and Russell Wilson (2012) have stood out during the week of practice that game in recent years.
Here’s a look at players that stood out to me in Mobile this year.
Quarterbacks
Jimmy Garoppolo
Eastern Illinois, 6’3” 222
Sometimes players who star at the East-West Shrine Game get called up to the Senior Bowl. Garoppolo was one of those players this year.
He was a standout player at the Shrine, and he looked good against better competition in Mobile.
Garoppolo can zip passes when rolling out, and his accuracy does not suffer when he throws on the run. He’s light on his feet and can elude defenders while keeping his eyes downfield.
One attribute to highlight was his ability to change the release point of the football depending on where the defense is at. He doesn’t sidearm passes regularly, but he will if he has a clogged passing lane above his head. Garoppolo can also do this on the run.
Derek Carr
Fresno State, 6’3” 218
Carr was simply the best quarterback at the Senior Bowl this year.
The ball explodes out of his hands as a passer. He can throw passes 25 or more yards downfield with ease, even off platform. That arm strength gets him out of trouble sometimes when he has to fit a pass into a small window.
His footwork is outstanding. Carr gets proper depth on his three-, five- and seven-step drops. He’ll quickly pick them up and put them down, and he’s got the footwork to evacuate the pocket if pressure arrives during his drop.
I’d like to see Carr throw with more touch going forward. There were a few plays on shorter routes (screen passes, swing passes) where putting more air under the ball would be advisable. Carr fires most passes in like a rocket, and that can lead to interceptions if a close receiver is not ready for that kind of heat.
Other quarterbacks attending: David Fales (San Jose State), Logan Thomas (Virginia Tech), Stephen Morris (Miami), Tajh Boyd (Clemson)
Running Backs
James White
Wisconsin, 5’10” 195
White impressed me during the week of practice. He’s not the biggest back, but he runs with great determination between the tackles. White is an efficient runner who wastes little motion when making a cut.
Even though he’s smaller, White does a good job in pass protection. I have multiple notes on him winning in backs-on-backer drills. A large portion of pass blocking is “want to”, and White has no problem with that.
He has multiple moves with the ball in his hands. White will use a spin move, juke move or stutter step to try and create his own space. He does abandon his reads too early sometimes and will bounce a carry outside. That may work in college, but it does not work that well at the pro level.
If a play is designed to the edge (toss play, sweep) then White excels. He’s also good on draw plays and screen passes.
Charles Sims
West Virginia, 6’0” 213
Sims is the next Matt Forte.
Sims is one of my favorite backs in this draft class. I was excited to see him in Mobile, and Sims did not disappoint.
He keeps the ball high and tight when he runs. Ball security is not a problem for Sims, but it sure is an internal emphasis. He’ll quickly secure the ball after the handoff and before contact comes in.
Sims has outstanding feet. He can change direction smoothly, and he doesn’t lose much speed when changing direction.
This footwork shows up in between the tackles as well. Sims does a good job of running through trash in the middle. He keeps his knees high and his shoulders low when running inside.
He can cut crisply when at the second level, and does a good job of setting up defenders in the open field. Sims can also use a spin move to get by an unsuspecting opponent.
He’s a patient runner who will press the hole, waiting for his opportunity to strike. His last option on every carry is to bounce it outside. However, when he has to—Sims can get to the edge quickly and successfully. He processes quickly and has outstanding vision.
Sims also stood out in pass protection drills. He stonewalled Jordan Zumwait (UCLA) three times in backs-on-backers drills. The fourth time they matched up, Sims tipped the larger linebacker over like he was tipping a cow.
Other running backs attending: David Fluellen (Toledo), Antonio Andrews (Western Kentucky), Lorenzo Taliaferro (Coastal Carolina), Jerick McKinnon (Georgia Southern)
Wide Receivers
Robert Herron
Wyoming, 5’10” 187
Herron can release off the line of scrimmage with multiple different moves. He’s not a big wide receiver, but Herron is difficult to jam near the line because of his bag of tricks.
One into his route, Herron can make cuts without losing much speed. Before the catch, think of him as a poor man’s version of Marvin Harrison. He can get off the line in multiple ways, has moves in the open field when he makes his break and Herron will create separation.
The catching the ball part of being a receiver needs some work.
Herron gets open with ease, but he’ll drop too many passes. It’s weird because he’ll drop three easy passes in a row, then never drop a pass the rest of the day. He did this more than once in Mobile.
It’s like he just needs to get those initial drops out of the way before he starts to excel. Herron can regularly make difficult catches seem routine—after he’s had a few early drops.
Patience will be needed with a player like Herron, but the route-running ability makes him an intriguing prospect.
Mike Davis
Texas, 6’2” 195
Last year in Mobile, we got to see another Longhorns receiver standout—Marquise Goodwin. He was selected by the Bills in the third round of the 2013 NFL draft, and fantasy owners certainly know he’s a player on the rise.
Davis is no Goodwin, as he lacks Olympic speed. However, he does play with good quickness.
He’ll come back to the ball cleanly, and Davis does a good job of looking in passes. He can catch over his shoulder, and Davis shows sharp concentration when tracking passes deep.
Davis does need to work on his route running. His “9” routes and comeback routes are solid. However, he tips off his slant, post, flag, sideline routes by leaning his body before the break.
NFL cornerbacks will be able to jump all over his routes if he doesn’t improve that part of his game.
Ryan Grant
Tulane, 6’1” 191
Grant made some plays in Mobile. He works well on underneath routes where he uses his quickness to get open with ease.
Even though he’s not the biggest wide receiver, Grant plays bigger than his size. Most of that is due to his leaping ability and knack for catching passes at their highest point.
Grant plays “above the rim” which makes him a great target in the red zone. He’ll naturally catch the ball with his arms extended away from his body.
Jordan Matthews
Vanderbilt, 6’3” 206
Think of Eric Decker (Broncos) when you think of Jordan Matthews.
Matthews was my favorite wide receiver entering this game. He was clutch for the Commodores on film, and Matthews was certainly a standout in Mobile.
He can run beautiful routes. Of course that makes sense as Matthews is a cousin of former 49ers great (and Hall of Fame wide receiver) Jerry Rice. Like Rice, Matthews will use his guile to get open.
Once open, Matthews can easily make the catch. He has strong hands, but his concentration is outstanding. He’ll fight for contested passes if a defender is closing in on the ball.
Matthews gets his head around quickly in his route. It’s so fast that one coach told Matthews “quick head fella!” after an amazing sideline catch. Matthews finds the ball quickly in the air, and he has the body control to keep defenders away from the ball.
His body control also helps him near the end zone.
On one play, Matthews was able to get two feet down while catching the ball near the front pylon. In college, wide receivers only have to get one foot down—Matthews is already used to getting two down consistently.
His moves are subtle, and I believe Matthews could step in and start as a second wide receiver for a team from day one.
Solomon Patton
Florida, 5’9” 171
Patton can makes plays with the ball in his hands. He’s lightning fast and incredibly quick. This makes him dangerous as a receiver, but he’s also capable of being a dangerous return man.
He’s tough to get a bead on in the open field. Patton is the definition of slippery.
Patton runs good routes, and he’s the type of receiver who can consistently and effectively work the edges of a defense.
Other wide receivers attending: Jared Abrederis (Wisconsin), Eric Thomas (Troy), Bennie Fowler (Michigan State), Michael Campanaro (Wake Forest), Jeff Janis (Saginaw Valley State), Kevin Norwood (Alabama), Jalen Saunders (Oklahoma), Cody Hoffman (BYU)
Tight Ends
Crockett Gillmore
Colorado State, 6’6” 245
Like Garoppolo, Gillmore was a standout at the Shrine Game who got a chance to showcase his skillset against better competition at the Senior Bowl.
He eats up yards quickly after the catch, and Gillmore can make plays after contact. Gillmore has good balance, and it’s difficult to knock him off his route.
Gillmore does a good job of looking in passes, and he gets his hands up quickly to snare throws immediately upon arrival.
His athleticism is still underrated by some. Gillmore uses multiple fakes to get open in the route tree. He’ll use shoulder dips, head fakes, juke moves, stutter steps and jabs to get open.
C.J. Fiedorowicz
Iowa, 6’7” 265
Standing next to Fiedorowicz is akin to standing next to a giant. He’s simply huge, strong and has a large catch radius because of his long arms.
Fiedorowicz seemed like a favorite of the Falcons’ coaching staff. There are some who have speculated he could be drafted by the team to replace Tony Gonzalez.
He’s so big, Fiedorowicz blots out defenders as a blocker. Fiedorowicz is strong enough to control an opponent when his hands are in place.
Fiedorowicz has strong hands, and he’s flexible enough to catch low passes in stride.
Other tight ends attending: Marcel Jensen (Fresno State), Arthur Lynch (Georgia), Jacob Pederson (Wisconsin), Gator Hoskins (Marshall)
