Despite a perceived talent disadvantage, the North team outlasted the South team 23-13 in the Senior Bowl Saturday afternoon in Mobile, Alabama. Cincinnati running back Isaiah Pead was named the game's Most Valuable Player after rushing for 31 yards on eight carries and exploding for two big punt returns, including one 60-yarder. Pead wasn't the only standout of course, as several players concluded their week in front of NFL scouts and coaches in a big way. Here's a rundown of who impressed come game time.
Arkansas wide receiverJoe Adams, a standout all week long, was the game's leading receiver with eight catches for 133 yards and was named the Outstanding Player for the South Squad. Adams fumbled in the first quarter on his second reception, but bounced back throughout the game, breaking several tackles and showcasing his top-level speed. Adams was one of the week's big winners.
Arizona wide receiver Juron Criner did well for himself with six catches for 77 yards and touchdown, with a lot of that coming thanks to his strong connection with collegiate teammate, quarterback Nick Foles. Criner capped a good week for himself by making some tough catches.
At running back, Mississippi State's Vick Ballard and Boise State'sDoug Martin did well for themselves, especially Martin, breaking several tackles and showing a willingness to fight for extra yardage. Martin also made a nice cut-block at one point, an encouraging sign since blocking is often the most difficult aspect of the game for rookie running backs to pick up.
Along the offensive line, the best performances were probably put in by Ohio State'sMike Adams, a likely first-round pick who did well to handle the South's onslaught of pass rushers, and California's Mitchell Schwartz, who capped a strong week as well.
But the defense provided the Senior Bowl with the more memorable performances, beginning with North Carolina's Quinton Coples, widely considered the best prospect in Mobile. Coples is a likely first-round pick and he looked every bit the part of that talent Saturday, spending the entire afternoon abusing offensive linemen and creating pressure on the quarterback. Coples was handled a few times against the run, but didn't run out of steam as the game went on and made a few strong plays against the run in the fourth quarter.
The most pleasant surprise may have come from Washington defensive tackle Alameda Ta'amu, who blew up several plays in the first half. Ta'amu is a load at 6-2, 341, and looked every bit the part of a potential force in the middle at the next level. After Saturday's game, Georgia offensive lineman Ben Jones will probably have nightmares about Ta'amu and pray that they don't wind up in the same division in the NFL.
Elsewhere on the defensive line, Connecticut defensive tackle Kendall Reyes, Marshall defensive end Vinny Curry, Alabama defensive end Courtney Upshaw and Clemson defensive tackle Brandon Thompson all finished strong after a good week of performance.
At linebacker, Utah State's Bobby Wagner stood out in several facets of the game and was rewarded with the Outstanding Player North Squad designation. He recorded an early interception of Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden and made several second-half plays against the run and pressuring the quarterback. Tellingly, Wagner also made around four tackles on special teams, which will no doubt impress NFL teams two-fold: first, because he'll be asked to play special teams as a rookie and second, because it shows that he's willing to give the extra effort.
Florida State linebacker Nigel Bradham also made several athletic plays, including one impressive red-zone sack of a rolling-out Russell Wilson.
LSU safety Brandon Taylor made a nice early read on a poor Wilson throw to haul in an interception, one of five in the game.
On the disappointing side, North Carolina linebackerZach Brown showed his immense athleticism but missed several tackles. Weeden started strong but didn't look as poised as he did during the week of practice and threw two interceptions. Janoris Jenkins was burned a few times on double moves and DeVier Posey had a costly drop on a would-be touchdown. Finally, Florida running back/wide receiver Chris Rainey looked surprisingly tentative with the ball in his hand on offense and especially as a returner.
