With the week of practice in the books, all eyes will be on the South and North squads at Ladd Peebles Stadium on Saturday afternoon for the culmination of everything we've witnessed over the past several days: the game. Throughout the week, we've seen what most of these prospects can do on both sides of the ball, and many are anxious to see how they will perform on the field against their geographic counterparts. What will be the key matchups to watch, however? Let's take a closer look to see what could be the most influential one-on-one battles in Mobile on Saturday afternoon (4 PM EST, NFL Network).
South DE Quinton Coples (North Carolina) vs. North OT Mike Adams (Ohio State):
Entering this week, many would point to these two players as the best prospects on each of their respective teams, so anointing this as the top match-up is seemingly a no-brainer. Coples was a man among boys all week (as has been the case for much of his past two seasons at UNC), and was easily the most impressive physical specimen on the South squad. The former Tarheel routinely used his superior strength to overpower offensive linemen, and was as close to unblockable as you could get on the last two days of practice. Adams was the star of the show on Monday, including the weigh-in where he topped out at 6-7, 323. One shouldn't merely marvel at Adams' size, however, as he also displayed good quickness and balance for such a big man. He got looks at both left tackle and right tackle through the week, but will surely line up on the left side on Saturday. Watching these two behemoths exchange blows will certainly be something scouts will be looking forward to in this contest, and will go a long way towards their reputation leading up to the Combine. Will Coples step his game up another notch against his biggest test yet in Adams? Or will Adams look to cement himself as a safe Top-10 selection with a dominant performance against Coples?
South CB Brandon Boykin (Georgia) vs. North WR Marvin Jones (California):
Jones was a late addition to the North squad and jumped out to an early start on Monday, as he got off the bus and proved he belonged from the get-go with a surprisingly good day. Jones looked like the most polished route runner of any wide receiver in Mobile, and repeatedly made defenders look silly in one-on-one drills. Jones displayed quality ball skills, and the ability to get to top speed before he reaches the top of his route, with the ability to stop on a dime. Who better to test his mettle against than Boykin, who was far and away the most fluid cornerback on the field this week in practice? The former Georgia Bulldog flipped his hips effortlessly, displaying the quickness and agility to flourish in the slot at the next level. If anyone can compete with the stop-and-go game of Jones, it's Boykin. Both players are tenacious in the run game as well, as they displayed some physicality and toughness in blocking drills on Tuesday. When it's all said and done, this battle in the secondary will be one of the more fun ones to watch Saturday afternoon.
South LB Zach Brown (North Carolina) vs. North RB Doug Martin (Boise State):
Everyone knows how great of an athlete Brown is. He showed it this season on film and reiterated that athleticism this week during practice. He is a sideline-to-sideline player who gets great depth in his drops and can run with backs, tight ends and even receivers step for step down the field. The question with Brown is whether he can be a force inside the tackle box. In his team's bowl game against Missouri, Brown was a no-show on run plays, and has yet to display the toughness to be an intimidating presence at the position. Martin will be a great test for Brown because, despite his not-so-imposing physical stature (5-9, 219), he is a physical runner who can run through you before he runs away from you. Martin, built in the mold of Baltimore Ravens' rusher Ray Rice, was the most impressive running back on the North squad this week. He displayed good balance, vision, and change of direction ability in the team periods, and his versatility as a receiver will do him well at the next level. If Brown can show that he's willing to stick his nose into the action against Martin, he can set himself apart from Sean Spence (Miami) and Lavonte David (Nebraska), two other 'backers who can run but are willing and able tacklers as well.
South OL Cordy Glenn (Georgia) vs. North DE Cam Johnson (Virginia):
Glenn entered the week as one of the more intriguing offensive line prospects in this draft class, as he has the ability to play all three positions along the offensive line. He started the week solely at the left tackle position, but split time between tackle and the left guard spot on both Tuesday and Wednesday. He was particularly impressive on the move where, in Jason Peters-fashion, Glenn pulled from the tackle spot to lead the way downfield for his running back. I believe it's safe to say that the former Georgia Bulldog will get at least a few snaps on the blindside Saturday, and when he does he likely will end up matched against Johnson. At 6-3, 267, Johnson was the most consistent speed rusher on the North squad all week long. The fleet-of-foot former Cavalier impressed not only with his outside speed rush, but with his wide variety of counter moves as well. He will be a good test for Glenn who, while he has displayed decent feet the past few days, is thought to be a more natural fit at guard in the NFL. If Glenn can have some success against Johnson, it could go a long way towards people having more confidence in him on the outside. Johnson, however, is looking to solidify himself as one of the top pass rushers in a draft full of them in the first two or three rounds.
South TE Ladarius Green (Louisiana-Lafayette) vs. North S George Iloka (Boise State):
Green proved this week that he was the most dynamic receiving threat of the senior class at the tight end position, showing good athleticism and natural ball skills day in and day out. While he isn't known for his run blocking, he gave great effort in that area all week, and more than once he knocked his man to the ground on a crack block. Green also displayed the ability to be a savvy route runner, and repeatedly used his length to box out defenders. Of all the defenders on the North squad, Iloka provides the most intriguing matchup for Green. Iloka was one of the highlights from weigh-ins on Monday, measuring in at a chiseled 6-3 ½, 222. He plays fast, showed playmaking ability (he had a diving interception on Tuesday morning), as well as the tenacity and know-how to fit the run in team drills. Where Iloka struggles is in space and in man coverage, where he at times looks a bit stiff and uncoordinated. Green should be a great test for him, as both prospects attempt to prove that they are worthy of being a second day selection in April.
