There is some Grade-A talent here at the Senior Bowl, and a number of the 104 top-rated senior prospects participating in the event wasted no time grabbing the attention of NFL personnel in their first day of practice Monday, Jan. 19.
Some of our area prospects fared well and were among Monday's top performers while others struggled.
Day 1
Freeman opens some eyes
Former Wayne High School and Ohio State linebacker Marcus Freeman received rave reviews from NFL coaches and scouts for his technique, athletic ability and motor. Freeman is fully recovered from a foot injury that plagued him all season and it showed. He looked totally rejuvenated. He demonstrated great sideline-to-sideline pursuit while running down backs during drills.
He also did a nice job dropping into pass coverage. Freeman fought off his blocks well and was in on just about every play.
He was praised by the Bengals coaching staff on more than one occasion during practice.
It was evident that Freeman caught some evaluators off-guard with his athleticism and versatility. One member of the Buffalo Bills' scouting staff called him a very intriguing prospect. That scout was not alone. Freeman interviewed with a boatload of teams Sunday, Jan. 18, that included Dallas, Miami, Washington, Minnesota and Denver.
Slim Mickens
Cincinnati cornerback Mike Mickens' day got off to a bad start beginning with the morning weigh-in. Mickens is listed in the school's program at 6-0, 190 pounds but measured in at about 5-10 and 176 pounds. That's not going to cut it in the NFL. Mickens will have to start eating his Wheaties and bulk up before the Combines next month.
Mickens also had his share of problems on the field, struggling at times. He was beaten deep one play by Washington State wide receiver Brandon Gibson for a would-be touchdown. Mickens will have to adjust to the NFL rule of not being able to put his hands on the receiver after five yards.
But he also showed flashes of the superior cover skills that got him the invite. Mickens breaks well on the ball and has good recovery speed. He showed no ill effects from the left knee surgery he had in November.
Underestimated
Ohio State wide receiver Brian Robiskie was absolutely impressive. He caught every pass thrown his way no matter where the ball was placed. He ran nice, crisp routes and made every catch look easy.
He didn't get tangled up once in his shoelace-skinny legs. They actually provided him with the balance of a tightrope walker and the graceful speed of a gazelle. I think he surprised defenders when he blew by them. Robiskie is not known for his speed but did show that he can stretch the field.
Several scouts had their eye on him including dad Terry Robiskie, the receivers coach for the Atlanta Falcons. No question his son was one of the top receivers on display.
Carlos "Big C"
Holmes covers the NFL for the Dayton Daily News.
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