Senior Bowl Prospect Review - Top Five

The following represents a ranking of which players impressed me the most regardless of prospective draft position.  Today I'll go through my top five.  Later in the week, I'll round out the top ten, and later I'll touch on guys the Eagles should target in the scouting process.  

1.  Corey Irvin - Georgia - DT - 4th Round Grade

I guarantee you Irvin's 4th round grade is already obsolete.  What might hurt Irvin is his tweener size - 6'3" 289lbs.  The guy is extremely quick for his size and shows strength on the inside.  Can he be a 4-3 DT, or can he drop some weight and move outside to the end spot?  Irvin was a one-year starter at Georgia after a transfer from JUCO - he registered 3 sacks and 8.5 tackles for losses as a Senior.  Irvin repeatedly beat his man on one-on-one drills, team drills, and on Saturday during the game.  Irvin tallied a tackle for a loss, a sack, and a forced fumble during the contest.  In my opinion, Irvin was consistently the most impressive player throughout the week. 

2.  B.J. Raji - Boston College - DT - 1st Round Grade

Raji is the number one ranked DT prospect heading into the draft and he did nothing to knock himself off the pedestal.  Raji is a prototypical 3-4 nose tackle at 6'1", 325lbs.  Tallied 16 tackles for loss, and 8 sacks in Senior campaign.  Just crushed anyone who lined up against him all week in practice.  His low center of gravity causes trouble for interior linemen.  Kind of disappeared during the game, but his practice performance was so dominant it shouldn't really matter.  Destroyed centers Max Unger (1st/2nd round grade) and Alex Mack (2nd/3rd round grade) during one-on-one drills.  

3.  Alphonso Smith - Wake Forest - DB - 1st/2nd Round Grade

Smith has better ball skills than Jenna Jamison.  An absolute blazer, with speed to burn - allowing him to gamble, lose his man, and makeup the difference.  Had three interceptions in three practices, including a pick-six of Pat White during Monday full team drills.  Registered a pass breakup during the game.  Twenty-one (21) career interceptions.  Smith main problem is his physical attributes - 5'9" 190.  Struggled a little in press coverage.  Reminds me a little of Lito Sheppard.  

4.  Peria Jerry - Mississippi - DT - 1st Round Grade

It's really too bad the Birds don't need a DT, since there seems to be a plethora of talent at the position in this year's draft.  I wrote in my notebook that Jerry reminded me of Trevor Laws of yesteryear.  They possess the similar body type (6'3" 295lbs) albeit Laws is a little more squat at 6'1".  Jerry had a sack, TFL, fumble recovery, and a pass knockdown during the game.  Recorded 18 TFL and 7 sacks during his Senior season against SEC competition.  One of those guys who seems to be a good "football player," a characteristic that you can't necessarily teach.  Has had major injury concerns in the past.

5.  Coye Francies - San Jose State - DB - 3rd Round Grade

A player who jumped out at me as someone who would fit in nicely with the Eagles scheme.  Francies doesn't have great size (skinny) at 6'0" 185 but showed that he can fill in the running game, and most importantly showed impressive physicality in press coverage.  That 3rd round grade is likely deceiving as Francies was regarded as a player who really helped himself during the week in Mobile.  His physical nature appeared during the game as he registered 5 tackles and 1 pass breakup.  Basically a one-year wonder at San Jose State (69 tackles, 3 INTs) due to his dismissal from Oregon State for a violation of team rules.  Charged with illegal possession of a firearm in 2007 (later dismissed).  His body type and physical press coverage remind me a little of Al Harris.  If the Birds can't retain Joselio Hanson, I'd love to see them nab this guy in the late 2nd or 3rd round.  

More to come.......