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• The headliners of the South team are the quarterbacks so why don't we start there. To be honest nobody stood out, although if you put a gun to my head I'd say Hawaii's Colt Brennan looked the best, although just by the narrowest of margins. I actually found a spot on the sideline where the quarterbacks were throwing 20 yard outs right in my direction to try and gauge arm strengths and it was almost too close to call. Kentucky's Andre Woodson and Tennessee's Erik Ainge seemed to float their throws a bit whereas Brennan gets them there on a rope. Brennan also showed the ability to fit balls into a tight spot although he seemed a bit indecisive at times. • I was covering the North practice yesterday but I heard all about how good Tennessee St. cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie looked and he certainly lived up to the hype today. A smooth athlete with quick feet and fluid hips, Rodgers-Cromartie saw action at both safety and corner and made an amazing interception, displaying excellent leaping ability, hands and ball skills. This guy is the real deal! • Houston wide receiver Donnie Avery was awfully impressive today. He really eats up turf quickly and also displayed good hands. I'm still not sure he's an NFL starter though... • Georgia Tech running back Tashard Choice looked good, showing terrific vision and a nice burst to turn the corner. Choice is a natural runner and helped himself today. • Cornerback Leodis McKelvin of Troy has great feet and also worked extensively as a punt returner but didn't flash like I thought he might. Maybe tomorrow. • Alabama wideout D.J. Hall was not running very good routes and he really drew the ire of the San Francisco coaching staff. • Tennessee tight end Brad Cottam is HUGE and really stands out on the field. In fact, he definitely has the frame to bulk up even further and a move to offensive tackle is not out of the question in my mind. • Newberry offensive tackle Heath Benedict looked very good today. Benedict, who is lean and athletic and carries his weight well, was dominant at times in "The Pit" (just ask Wallace Gilberry) and he definitely lived up to his reputation for being physical and aggressive. • Defensive end Kendall Langford displayed the ability to shed blocks and also showcased a strong bull rush. He doesn't have many other moves though. • Vanderbilt offensive tackle Chris Williams had a terrific day and really makes it look easy. • Florida St. defensive tackle Andre Fluellen is real quick and had a great day in "The Pit". • Bowling Green center Kory Lichtensteiger really struggled with Dre Moore early on and it was starting to look like his size would be a major issue but later on he bounced back and held his own against Red Bryant. • Arkansas defensive tackle Marcus Harrison looked impressive in "The Pit", specifically when it came to his bull rush. • U.T.E.P. offensive tackle Oniel Cousins has excellent feet and very good balance. • L.S.U. outside linebacker Ali Highsmith drew positive praise from none other than the Mike Singletary throughout the day. He was explosive off the ball, moved well laterally and did a nice job of dropping into coverage. • Georgia Tech linebacker Philip Wheeler looked smooth and natural when dropping back into coverage. He was also a little feisty and played with a nasty demeanor. • Tulane running back Matt Forte showed good power but didn't have the speed to get to the edge or turn the corner. • Florida wide receiver Andre Caldwell made several nice catches and looked good. • South Florida linebacker Ben Moffitt didn't stand out in positional drills but he looked better once put in football situations. • So far Auburn cornerback Patrick Lee has not been quite as impressive as expected. He hasn't been bad but he hasn't stood out either. • Georgia Tech linebacker Gary Guyton was still getting his feet under him and Mike Singletary seemed to go out of his way to give him a little extra attention. • Despite having all the physical tools you could ask for Clemson offensive tackle Barry Richardson really struggled in both 1-on-1's and 11-on-11's. • L.S.U. fullback Jacob Hester looked thicker than I expected, especially his lower body. • The ball didn't explode off the foot of Georgia Tech punter Durant Brooks like it did some top punters from recent years like Dustin Colquitt, Ryan Plackemeier or Daniel Sepulveda. • In addition to Leodis McKelvin Kentucky's Rafael Little also worked as a punt returner. As always the South features a lot of exciting athletes, which was a nice contrast to the North squad who's top talent is primarily in the trenches. The two standouts for me today were Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Donnie Avery but you know I'll be keeping a close eye on Andre Woodson and Colt Brennan the rest of the way to see how they progress. Now that I have one South practice under my belt I'll be able to zero in and get more specific in the coming days so be sure to check back for all the latest.   |
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