I just wanted to start up a thread to talk about it. I will be attending practices again this year, as I did last year.

Alen, are you planning on going to the game or any practices? Anyone else?

I'm looking at the rosters now, and while they are of course subject to last minute changes, I'm VERY impressed.

The talent looks way better than a year ago.

East Roster
85 Kyle Adams TE Purdue
95 Pierre Allen DE Nebraska
77 David Arkin OG Missouri State
99 Marvin Austin DT North Carolina
6 Perry Baker WR Fairmont State
72 Ryan Bartholomew C Syracuse
70 JC Brignone C Mississippi State
71 Bryant Browning OG Ohio State
14 Mario Butler CB Georgia Tech
12 Delone Carter RB Syracuse
28 Graig Cooper RB Miami
51 Akem Dent ILB Georgia
17 Patrick Devlin QB Delaware
4 Ricky Dobbs QB Navy
19 Ryan Donahue P Iowa
82 Charles Gantt TE Michigan State
43 Eric Gordon SS Michigan State
61 Christian Hairston OT Clemson
7 Jermale Hines SS Ohio State
32 Douglas Hogue OLB Syracuse
66 Randall Hunt OG Illinois
78 Zachary Hurd OG Connecticut
81 Lestar Jean WR Florida Atlantic
31 Brian Lainhart FS Kent State
33 Scott Lutrus ILB Connecticut
94 Gregory Lyoyd II ILB Connecticut
83 Cliff Matthews DE South Carolina
97 Terrell McClain DT USF
44 Josh McNary OLB Army
49 Bruce Miller DE UCF
8 Jonas Mouton OLB Michigan
3 Jonathan Nelson SS Oklahoma
9 Martin Parker DT Richmond
76 Jah Reid OT UCF
16 Justin Rogers CB Richmond
22 Evan Royster RB Penn State
10 Cecil Shorts WR Mt. Union
2 David Sims SS Iowa State
13 Greg Smith TE Texas
65 Mike Smith OT Nebraska
5 Tyrod Taylor QB Virginia Tech
15 Josh Thomas CB Buffalo
80 Terrence Toliver WR LSU
1 Terrence Turner WR Indiana
21 Demarcus Van Dyke CB Miami
6 Lawrence Wilson ILB Connecticut

West Roster
14 Cortez Allen CB Citadel
88 Brandon Bair DT Oregon
77 Joseph Barksdale OT LSU
80 Armon Binns WR Cincinnati
84 Jordan Cameron TE USC
85 David Carter DT UCLA
43 Chris Carter OLB Fresno State
17 Chris Conte FS California
44 Ricky Elmore DE Arizona
10 Nathan Enderle QB Idaho
78 Adam Grant OT Arizona
25 Alex Green RB Hawaii
86 Virgil Green II TE Nevada
38 Trevor Hankins P Arizona State
69 Andrew Jackson OG Fresno State
54 Ben Jacobs ILB Fresno State
22 Jeron Johnson SS Boise State
1 Jerrod Johnson QB Texas A&M
13 Shiloh Keo SS Idaho
36 Karl Klug DE Iowa
41 Orie Lemon ILB Oklahoma State
50 Laupepa Letuli OT Hawaii
21 Korey Lindsey CB Southern Illinois
60 Alex Linnenkohl C Oregon State
23 Jeffrey Maehl WR Oregon
55 Dontay Moch OLB Nevada
18 Michael Mohamed ILB California
83 OJ Murdock WR Ft. Hayes State
66 Matthew O'Donnell OT Queens, Ontario
3 Anthony Parker WR Calgary
74 William Rackley C Lehigh
72 Caleb Schlauderaff OG Utah
31 Da'rel Scott RB Maryland
33 Justin Taplin-Ross SS Utah
35 Vai Taua RB Nevada
81 Julius Thomas TE Portland State
7 Brandyn Thompson CB Boise State
16 Scott Tolzien QB Wisconsin
19 Winston Venable OLB Boise State
2 Darrin Walls CB Notre Dame
8 Ryan Whalen WR Stanford
96 Ian Williams DT Notre Dame
9 Nate Williams SS Washington
51 Zachary Williams OG Washington State
98 Ryan Winterswke DE Boise State

I highlighted some of the guys I'll really be looking forward to watching, one way or another.

A year ago, Rodger Saffold was the biggest standout during practices. He ended up starting all year at Left Tackle for the Rams and performing extremely well. Guys that also stood out included DE Greg Hardy, QB Mike Kafka, WR Blair White, TE Dennis Pitta and FS Kam Chancellor.

 

Parking was free when I went last year. Whole thing was pretty informal actually. Have you tried to get media credentials yet?

 

I think you're supposed to have them to attend the practices, although they seemed pretty loose about the whole thing last year. If you get media credentials I think you're supposed to get in to the game for free. I know that I got free parking at the game itself last year because of it.

Just look on the website, there's an online form to fill out. Say you're with an organization. Can't hurt.

 

I don't even know what I put. Just BS it.

 

I'll tell you when I finish my homework in prep for the Shrine practices.

 

Alrighty. I'm not doing a full workup on Bruce Miller or Jah Reid so I just took a look at their first halves against the Bulldogs. Here are my thoughts.

Bruce Miller is a linebacker at the next level. He moves like a linebacker. He needs to be off track, because he can't win in a straight line or in tight spaces. He can be trusted in space to break down and either attack the ball carrier, or chase the player and get him down. His movements aren't clean yet, but he's physical, and has a strong will. He's very aware for a player on the defensive line, can sniff out running back and flanker screens, and has the mobility to get to them. He seems to be given a lot of read responsibility compared with other ends. As I said, he can't win on the straight ahead track, and so I don't view him as a good natural pass rusher. He doesn't have a good first step, or the frame to do damage that way. He's more of a blitzer, can pick his lanes and find the best way through, being physical. He's got good, quick hands and the potential to shed blocks as a linebacker and as a blitzer. He's a frenzied player, the kind of player that plays well on special teams and would embrace whatever role a coach gave him. Probably very coachable. Very enthusiastic. I see a solid draft prospect, I would say a late round draft pick, possibly an undrafted free agent, that could make the team on special teams and be a backup linebacker, then one day he could get his chance due to injury and who knows?

Jah Reid is the more interesting prospect to me. His combination of frame and lower body strength and explosiveness are very intriguing. He's no stiff, he can explode and has good mobility for a guy that is supposedly 6'7" and 325 lbs (I doubt the listing is accurate). His lower body is extremely thick compared with his upper body, which is a little narrow. For being a tall guy, he plays with great pad level, but part of that is because he's prone to waist bending. This isn't due to inadequacy or lack of mobility, this is just him being a raw player. He's comfortable firing out low and makes solid contact, and when he plays behind his pads and gets those huge tree trunk legs churning, he's very difficult to defend. He doesn't have a strong upper body yet, and needs some development that way. He doesn't play with level shoulders or head, and doesn't have good eyes to anticipate and stay a step ahead of his assignment. This could come with time and more confidence in his upper body strength as it develops. I see a guy that, with a little development, could start in this league. It would have been interesting if he'd been groomed to play left tackle. I think he has the feet for it. As things stand I might prefer to keep him at right tackle.

 

To me, Jah Reid could get a lot better, he has a lot of potential, and that's not a word I like to bandy about.

 

Good to know. Has he had much time at left?

 

Ryan Sims is another guy that I like. Good, solid, physical safety that is very smart and knows where to be, can find the ball and make plays, force fumbles, etc. He's like a shorter, more physical version of Kurt Coleman, but without quite the same resume as far as snagging interceptions (had 5 a year ago but only 1 this year I think).

And Ricky Elmore of Arizona has some potential. He's a lengthy, good straight line pass rusher that has a pretty darn good first step. Doesn't get small at the bottom of his rush, he's stiff around the middle, and doesn't have a feel for being a two-way player playing the run and pass, but when you've got length and a first couple of steps like he has...you'd be surprised how many chances you get to get the rest of that stuff right and be more fluid. I know this sounds crazy but the difference between a Ricky Elmore and a Ryan Kerrigan is actually not huge, it's stuff that could get coached into him over time. I only looked at about one half or maybe three quarters of his game against Oklahoma State and I could tell that he's a double-digit sacker...didn't even have to look up his stats. His stats confirmed it though, btw.

 

Alen, if you're thinking of showing up today, I wouldn't bother. Practice is moved to the hotel ballroom for a walk thru.

It's at 1:30pm, but since it's in the hotel the access might be more restricted.

Generally speaking, practices are held in the fields in the shadow of the Citrus Bowl. Last year, access was not very limited. Warm ups are at 9:45am and 2:15pm every day.

I'd try and get to a few. I plan on being back here Wednesday and Thursday.