The practices of the Senior Bowl have concluded for the week and my time in Mobile has come to an end for the year. It was a fun week with plenty of excellent contributors with some being expected top names and others coming out of nowhere to steal the show. Overall though Youth Jack Doyle Jersey , what an excellent week of practices with these senior players putting on a show for scouts and evaluators.I would like to personally thank the city of Mobile for being excellent as always and Jim Nagy and the entire Senior Bowl staff for this wonderful event. This was my second trip down to cover the event and the change from year one to year two was amazing. I hope that all of you enjoyed my coverage throughout this week of practices.With all of that being said, here are my top performers and underrated performers from every position that I saw in Mobile this year.Top Performer QB: Drew Lock, MissouriThe week overall for quarterbacks were pretty rough. All of the QBs in Mobile were quite inaccurate in the practice and struggled mightily in the team drills. Lock was far from perfect but he stood head and shoulders above the rest of the group. He has the strongest arm of all the participants and strung together a few consistent moments where he looked like a top quarterback. On top of that, he killed the interviews from his killer Jon Gruden impersonation to his overall humble and genuine demeanor. He may have some work to do but Drew Lock made himself some money this week.Second Best Performer: Daniel Jones, DukeUnderrated Performer: Gardner Minshew, Washington StateTop Performer RB: Dexter Williams, Notre DameThe running back group was another one that was a tad underwhelming. Nobody really stood out or really made a name for themselves in the group. Nobody outside of Dexter Williams that is. Williams was running HARD this week. He was productive back for Notre Dame that needed a big week to separate himself in a fairly underwhelming running back class. He came out with a ton of intensity and looked great when planting his foot and getting upfield. His patience, strength, and ability to find holes really impressed scouts this week. He’s the clear winner from the group. Second Best Performer: Karan Higdon, MichiganUnderrated Performer: Wes Hills, Slippery RockTop Performer WR: Deebo Samuel, South CarolinaThe wide receiver group was so strong this year in Mobile and they absolutely torched the secondary players all week. The main star of the week however was Deebo Samuel as he tore it up each and every day. Starting with the weigh-ins— where he is a solid 216 pounds— and ending on the practice fields—where he showed his explosion and route running abilities— Samuel was just another level. He proved to many people watching that he was the top prospect in this game. He may have even put himself into the first round conversation with this week.Second Best Performer: Terry McLaurin, Ohio StateUnderrated Performer: Keelan Doss, UC DavisTop Performer TE: Trevon Wesco, West VirginiaThis was perhaps the toughest decision so far in this piece. Much like the receivers, the tight end group had an excellent week with no player truly pulling away. I leaned Wesco over others though because of how impressive his transition was. Coming into Mobile as a fullback, the 270 pound player looked excellent running routes and beating defenders in space. His excellent blocking was on display all week as well, proving that he will have a solid role in the NFL. I really liked what Wesco showed me this week and think he has an excellent NFL career ahead of him.Second Best Performer: Foster Moreau, LSUUnderrated Performer: Dax Raymond, Utah StateTop Performer OT: Andre Dillard, Washington StateHeading into the week, Dillard was the top tackle as he has been projected to go in the first round by some reputable people. This week only out an explanation point next to those projections. He was dominant in the one on one reps as his hand usage and footwork are so developed. He controlled almost every rep and rarely allowed edge defenders to get into his body. Louisiana Tech pass rusher Jaylon Ferguson was visibly frustrated on many reps. Dillard may not be a first rounder for me— at the moment— but I have no problem with that high of a ranking for him.Second Best Performer: Chuma Edoga, USCUnderrated Performance: Tytus Howard, Alabama StateTop Performer IOL: Garrett Bradbury, NC StateThere were so many good offensive lineman this week but nobody stood out to me as much as Garrett Bradbury. Coming in as perhaps my top player in the event, he did nothing to hurt his draft stock with his performance. After struggling with a few monsters like Renell Wren and Khalen Saunders early in the week, he showed his insane ability to counter and anchor and still manage to win reps against these guys. His athleticism is top notch and that combined with quick feet and perfect technique means he’ll likely be the first drafted center come draft time. I’m a huge fan of Bradbury and expect a long NFL career from him.Second Best Performer: Chris Lindstrom, Boston CollegeUnderrated Performer: Erik McCoy, Texas A&MTop Performer DL: Khalen Saunders, Western IllinoisA surprise here but the so called “Aaron Donald of the FCS” was incredible all week. Saunders is insanely strong and a very nimble athlete as well which is apparent by his love of performing backflips despite being 320 pounds. In one on ones, he was almost impossible to block and gave first round talents fits all week. There was one rep that he lost early but simply put his arm out and drove Wisconsin guard Michael Dieter back all the way to the quarterback. Along with looking like the best defensive lineman this week, Saunders also celebrated the birth of his daughter this week. Impressive week for the rising star.Second Best Performer: Renell Wren, Arizona StateUnderrated Performer: Demarcus Christmas, Florida StateTop Performer Edge: Charles Omenihu, TexasCharles Omenihu came down to Mobile as one of the more highly regarded players down here. He solidified that status with a strong week. With excellent length and size Jack Doyle Jersey Stitched , he was able to bring that raw power and pass rush skill to the one on ones. He wasn’t outstanding by any means but he did show a lot of traits that evaluators have been salivating over with his game for years. The question still remains if he is an edge player or an interior guy at the next level but his length and strength should help him have a nice career regardless.Second Best Performer: Montez Sweat, Mississippi StateUnderrate Performer: L.J Collier, TCUTop Performer LB: Terrill Hanks, New Mexico StateThe linebackers in Mobile didn’t really stand out too much as they struggled to cover these impressive tight ends in one on ones. One major standout though was Terrill Hanks. Hanks won the week almost immediately at weigh-ins when he came on stage looking like a body builder. He was absolutely shredded and there is not an ounce of fat on him. He backed up that with impressive play throughout the week where he moved smoothly and showed some aggression in run defense. In a league where linebackers are getting smaller and smaller, Hanks could be a solid addition to a LB needy team.Second Best Performer: Germaine Pratt, NC StateUnderrated Performer: Bobby Okereke, StanfordTop Performer CB: Rock Ya-Sin, TempleIt was a rough, rough week for the cornerbacks down here in Mobile. They were no match for the top receivers that were here and struggled mightily in one on ones. One player who really caught my eye though was Rock Ya-Sin. He displayed excellent movement skills in the drills and for the most part was able to mirror and match receivers off of the line all week in practice. He has some things that he needs to develop— like being physical at the line and his ball skills— but he showed me enough to have faith in his development.Second Best Performer: Lonnie Johnson, KentuckyUnderrate Performer: Jordan Brown, South Dakota StateTop Performer SAF: Will Harris, Boston CollegeThis pick here.. will likely not be agreed upon by many. Hear me out first though. I still think Nasir Adderley is the better prospect but Will Harris had a better week. The safeties were put into a bunch of different situations to see how they would react. Harris looked unfazed by this as he looked good in man-to-man, box zone, blitzing, and even showed good instincts in deep coverage. Adderley really struggled in anything besides deep zone coverage. Harris showed me that he can be used in so many different ways this week and to me, that puts him as the best safety of the week. Big fan of his game.Second Best Performer: Nasir Adderley, DelawareUnderrated Performer: Marquise Blair, Utah Which corners in the 2019 draft fit Ballard’s preferred mold?"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Colts StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Colts NewsYahoo Colts Team PageYahoo Colts ReportYahoo Colts Depth ChartYahoo Colts TransactionsYahoo Colts PhotosShop About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub ✕NFL GeneralColts AnalysisNFL DraftBuild-A-Ballard: Who the Colts may target at cornerback in the 2019 NFL DraftNew,9commentsWhich corners in the 2019 draft fit Ballard’s preferred mold? ESTShareTweetShareShareBuild-A-Ballard: Who the Colts may target at cornerback in the 2019 NFL DraftJason Getz-USA TODAY SportsAt Stampede Blue, we will do our best investigative work to determine how Chris Ballard might approach free agency and the draft. In this series, we will look back at Ballard’s past drafts with the Colts and with the Chiefs — where he was the Director of Player Personnel or Director of Football Operations from 2013 to 2016 — and try to find common themes or traits that he may look for.We already know Ballard covets athleticism and leadership on and off the field but this series hopes to shed more light on traits he is looking for and help to uncover some of the players he may target in the draft.The focus today will be on one of the weaker positions on the roster in terms of depth — cornerback. What types of corners will Ballard look for in the 2019 draft?Past Drafted PlayersDuring Ballard’s tenure in Indianapolis and Kansas City, his organizations have drafted nine cornerbacks in six drafts. Ballard seems to throw a ton of draft capital at this position, as 2018 was the only year that he didn’t use a draft pick on the position. Five of the nine draft picks used on corner were with draft picks in the first two days of the draft.We will examine five of the nine prospects to find common traits. The players that we will be excluding from this piece are Sanders Commings (5th Round, 2013), Eric Murray (4th Round, 2016), D.J White (6th Round, 2016) and Nate Hairston (5th Round, 2017) as they were all day three selections. If there is enough interest, we may come back to these four players and see what trends Ballard seems to like in his day three cornerbacks. For now though, we will just focus on the higher round picks.Phillip Gaines, CB, Rice (2014)— 3rd Round PickSize:6’0” 193 pounds with 31 7/8 inch armsMeasureables:40 Time: 4.38 seconds / Bench Press: 11 reps / Vertical Jump: 36.5 inches / Broad Jump: 122 inches / 3-Cone: 6.62 secondsCareer Stats:175 total tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, 38 pass deflections Youth Adam Vinatieri Jersey , 4 interceptions, and 1 forced fumbleOverview of Pick:Gaines was a hardworking, productive corner out of Rice. Nolan Nawrocki mentioned how he “can be deployed in zone coverage”, had “good production on the ball”, and is “tough and competitive.” His major concerns coming out of Rice were his durability concerns and his struggles in man coverage. He also had concerns with his underdeveloped technique and play. Gaines has been an average corner in the NFL as he is now on his third team in five seasons and is about to become an unrestricted free agent.Marcus Peters, CB, Washington (2015)— 1st RoundSize:6’0” 197 pounds with 31 1/2 inch armsMeasureables:40 Time: 4.53 seconds / Bench Press: 17 reps / Vertical Jump: 37.5 inches / Broad Jump: 121 inches / 3-Cone: 7.08 secondsCareer Stats:129 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss, 16 pass deflections, 11 interceptions, and 1 forced fumbleOverview of Pick:Peters was a talented, yet troubled, prospect out of Washington. Lance Zielein noted that he excelled at “contesting catches and often comes away the winner on 50/50 throws” and how he “competes hard out of press-man coverage and tries to intimidate receivers with his physicality.” He also was noted as being “confident and tough” on the football field. His weaknesses were his raw technique and his suspensions leading to his dismissal from Washington. Peters has had an odd NFL career as he was dominant early for the Chiefs. He was then traded to the Rams this past season due to locker room problems and his play took a big step back from his days with the Chiefs.Steven Nelson, CB, Oregon State (2015)— 3rd RoundSize:5’10” 197 pounds with 30 5/8 inch armsMeasureables:40 Time: 4.49 seconds / Bench Press: 19 reps / Vertical Jump: 34.5 inches / Broad Jump: 115 inches / 3-Cone: 6.88 secondsCareer Stats:122 total tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 16 pass deflections, and 8 interceptionsOverview of Pick:Nelson was a tough corner who played his way into the Senior Bowl out of Oregon State. Lance Zielein had his strengths “very physical and aggressive for the position” and how he “displays closing burst and ball skills to consistently contest passes.” His biggest weaknesses were his struggles in man coverage and his overall limited athleticism. Nelson was a bit of a disappointment for the Chiefs before turning in a career year in 2018 where he tallied 4 interceptions for the team.KeiVarae Russell, CB, Notre Dame (2016)— 3rd RoundSize:5’11” 192 pounds with 31 5/8 inch armsMeasureables (Pro Day):40 Time: 4.49 seconds / Bench Press: 17 reps / Vertical Jump: 38.5 inches / Broad Jump: 134 inches / 3-Cone: 6.84 secondsCareer Stats:169 total tackles, 7 tackles for a loss, 12 pass deflections, 5 interceptions, and 2 forced fumblesOverview of Pick:Russell was a very talented yet oft injured corner out of Notre Dame in 2016. Lance Zierlein noted his strengths as “observant from zone and off coverage” and “looks to do it the right way as tackler.” Zierlein also mentioned how Russell had “smooth hips and light feet opening from press.” His biggest weaknesses coming out were his medical concerns and his poor overall ball skills.Russell was ultimately a disappointment for the Chiefs as they waived him before he ever played a game for the team. He has barely made an impact with the Bengals in three seasons with the team.Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida (2017)— 2nd RoundSize:6’1” 211 pounds with 32 1/4 inch armsMeasureables:40 Time: 4.54 seconds / Bench Press: 14 reps / Vertical Jump: 32 inches / Broad Jump: 118 inches / 3-Cone: 6.86 secondsCareer Stats:81 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, 14 pass deflections, 6 interceptions, and 1 forced fumbleOverview of Pick:Wilson was a talented corner who fell to the Colts in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Lance Zierlein mentioned how he “can maul receivers off line of scrimmage and eliminate them from a route if they don’t get clean release against his press” and how he was “willing to stick his nose in as a tackler.” Zielein also mentioned how Wilson was “very competitive” and “willing to accept challenge of taking on a team’s top wideout.” His biggest weaknesses were his raw technique and below average athleticism.After a disappointing rookie season, Wilson turned it around in 2018 and was able to fight his way into being a top three corner on the team. He looks to be a good piece going forward.Common TraitsHere are the common traits that can help us build a rough mold of what Ballard might look for in rookie corners:At least 31 inch arms (Nelson the only outlier)3-Cone Drill under 7 seconds (Peters the only outlier)Strengths: Tackling, strong in press, good in zone, competitive/ toughWeaknesses: Raw technique, on-field athletic concerns Indianapolis Colts Denzelle Good Jersey , injury concernsBallard Trademark: Team Captain/ Senior Bowl selection2019 Draft Players Who Fit1.) Deandre Baker, CB, GeorgiaSize:5’11” 185 poundsCareer Stats:116 total tackles, 4 tackles for a loss, 23 pass deflections, 7 interceptions, and 2 forced fumblesWhy He Fits:Baker is exactly the corner that Ballard could look at adding at the end of the first round/ beginning of the second round. Although he is a tad on the smaller side, he has very good length for the position which should measure above 31 inches at the combine. He is very quick and agile which should lead to a 3-cone under 7 seconds. His strengths are his zone and press ability along with being very competitive and tough. His biggest weaknesses are his athletic limitations. He is a super talented player overall though who fits Ballard’s mold along with fitting the style of defense that Matt Eberflus likes to run.2.) Joejuan Williams, CB, Vanderbilt Size:6’3” 205 poundsCareer Stats:115 total tackles, 6 tackles for a loss, 25 pass deflections, 4 interceptions, and 1 forced fumbleWhy He Fits:Williams is a very big, talented corner who is a tad underrated in this class. His quickness may not be great and he could measure above a 7 second 3-cone at the combine. However, his length is outstanding and should have no problem hitting the 31 inch arm threshold. His biggest strengths are his press ability, tackling, and competitiveness on the field (which was evident against the Ole Miss receivers in 2018). His weaknesses are his raw technique and below average athleticism. Williams could be a perfect late day two pick to develop behind Quincy Wilson and Pierre Desir next season. 3.) Michael Jackson, CB, MiamiSize:6’1” 200 poundsCareer Stats:97 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss, 11 pass deflections, and 4 interceptionsWhy He Fits:Jackson is flying under the radar in this draft class. He is a good enough athlete who should measure under 7 seconds in the 3-cone and should have the length to hit the 31 inch arm threshold. His biggest strengths are how physical and competitive he is along with being above average in zone and press coverage. His biggest weaknesses are his footwork and raw technique in man. With Jackson’s experience in multiple defenses and as a special teamer, I see him as a player who Ballard could really like in this upcoming draft. Honorable Mentions:Rock Ya-Sin (Temple), Lonnie Johnson Jr. (Kentucky), Isaiah Johnson (Houston), Jordan Brown (South Dakota State), Hamp Cheevers (Boston College), Kyron Brown (Akron)ConclusionWith GM Chris Ballard’s track record for drafting corners, these prospects stand out as possible targets in the draft. He likes athletically quick players who are good in both press and zone but struggle with long speed and overall athleticism. He places a heavy emphasis on tackling and competitiveness while not worrying as much about technique.It is important to note that this analysis could be entirely wrong as it relies heavily on his time in Kansas City. It is entirely possible that Ballard disagreed with much of the decisions made during his time with the Chiefs’ organization. Ballard could take a small, man corner in round one. Who knows? However, this series should give some kind of insight into who Chris Ballard may want to target based on his past.
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