MOBILE, Ala. – With the parade of NFL draft prospects in shorts and nothing else across the stage at the Mobile Convention Center, Senior Bowl week has officially begun. Monday morning brought the annual weigh-in and will make way to separate practices for the North and South squads this afternoon. All-Access will have you covered with a full practice report from both practices later this evening, but for now, here are some tidbits from the measurements and some storylines to watch as the week progresses.
North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples is likely to be the first player participating this week to be selected come April's draft. Coples had a disappointing senior season, but he is said to have all the physical tools and they were obvious to see on Monday. Coples was measured to be just under 6-6 and he weighed in at 281 pounds. Because the South team doesn't have any standout tackle prospects, Coples will be expected to dominate in practice. Anything less will be an extreme disappointment for a potential top-10 pick.
Linebacker is always a position of interest for Eagles fans and another North Carolina prospect heads the list of linebacker prospects. Zach Brown weighed in at 6-1, 236, and looked the part of the athletic linebacker he's purported to be. The question on Brown, supposedly, is his tackling ability, and he'll be tested in practice. Another linebacker who impressed before practice began was Sean Spence of Miami (FL.).Spence, 5-11, 228, was overheard to be described as "rock hard" and is a stout tackler. He likely projects as a WILL linebacker.
The quarterback picture will be very intriguing this week. Nick Foles of Arizona is one of three quarterbacks in the mix to be the third quarterback selected come April behind Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III. Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill pulled out of the Senior Bowl with an injury and Arizona State's Brock Orsweiler is a early entrant as a junior with a big arm, but the focus will be on Foles this week. Foles measured in at exactly 6-5, 244, and also had the biggest hands of the six quarterbacks in Mobile (10 3/4 "). Foles played behind a suspect offensive line in college so he'll have an opportunity to showcase his arm strength and accuracy in practice this week.
Brandon Weeden of Oklahoma State was a solid collegiate quarterback and some analysts are high on him, but he's also 28 years old. Weeden weighed in at 6-3, 219, and he'll need to be very impressive this week to work himself into the second day of the draft. Weeden, Foles and Ryan Lindley (6-4, 229) of San Diego State will quarterback the South team. On the North, there are a couple undersized quarterbacks with pedigree in Kellen Moore of Boise State and Russell Wilson of North Carolina State. Wilson disappointingly came in under 5-11 and weighed 203 pounds. Moore, meanwhile, weighed 191 pounds and measured just under 6 feet. Kirk Cousins of Michigan State, 6-2, 229, is considered the best quarterback prospect of the North side.
Protecting those North quarterbacks during Saturday's game will be Mike Adams of Ohio State, the tallest player here in Mobile. Adams weighed in at 6-7, 323, and is likely to be picked in the first two rounds. He'll compete with fellow North squader Kelechi Osemele (6-5, 333) of Iowa State for the top tackle of Senior Bowl week.
To see the full list of measurements from the morning weigh-in, check out the results on DraftInsider.net.
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