North Roster Preview – Denard Robinson and Mike Glennon Lead North

On my way to Mobile, Alabama, I wanted to preview the two Senior Bowl rosters and which players to keep an eye on in practice this week. Here are the North roster players to watch Senior Bowl week (or South Roster is here):

QB Mike Glennon, NC State:

Glennon is a big, strong-armed quarterback who has been rising up draft boards this season. While there is still some projections, Glennon is one of the most NFL ready quarterbacks in this class. He has good footwork and delivers a crisp ball on target. But questions still remain about his overall upside.

QB Ryan Nassib, Syracuse:

Nassib doesn’t have the measurables as some of the other quarterbacks in this class, but he has some of the highest upside. He’s a balanced quarterback who has both a good arm and solid mobility. Nassib didn’t have a lot to work with at Syracuse but still kept the Orangemen in a lot of games. He also has more experience in a pro-style offense. Look for Nassib to be a popular 2nd-3rd round quarterback with a chance to start in a year or two.

RB Kenjon Barner, Oregon:

Barner might lack feature back size, but teams won’t push him too far down their draft board given his elite speed and explosiveness. Barner fits best in a team that runs more to the outside or a zone team that would utilize his quick cut capability. He also should be a valuable weapon in the passing game, given his ability to make people miss in the open field. He should get a lot of attention in the 3rd or 4th round.

WR Denard Robinson, Michigan:

Robinson was an option quarterback at Michigan, but will transition to a slot receiver/situational player/return man at the next level. Robinson has explosive speed and has shown himself to be incredibly quick but is very raw at the receiver and return man role. This will be a big week for him to show that he can run routes and catch the ball with some consistency. The track record of conversion quarterbacks is not great, but Robinson has the tools to defy the odds. Look for him to go off the board in the 3rd-4th round range.

OL Kyle Long, Oregon:

Kyle is the son of Howie Long and brother of DE Chris Long (Rams). He started his collegiate athletic career in baseball at Florida State, but quickly decided to follow his father’s footsteps on the gridiron. Long transferred to a community college and eventually ended up at Oregon this past season where he became a starter along the offensive line. He has experience at both guard and tackle and he profiles best at a tackle at the next level. He’s still a little raw and needs to add a little more strength. But he’s got a good frame, and plays with good leverage.

DE Marcus Hunt, SMU:

Hunt is a track & field star from Estonia, who came to SMU to run track & field. After their program closed, he made his way to the football team. He’s considered a “freak” athlete who has exceptional size 6’8″ and 280 lbs., but still has good speed and excellent quickness. Hunt has become has become a premier defender on the line. While he still has some inconsistencies due to how raw he is, he still comes up with big play after big play. He has elite potential and profiles best as a 5 technique in a 3-4. He should go off the board in the 2nd round.

DE Alex Okafor, Texas:

Okafor is one of the better defensive ends in this draft and has shown a potential to become a premiere pass rusher. Okafor is a balanced defensive end, who excels at defending both the run and the pass. Prior to this season, there were some questions about his pass rushing ability, but after registering double digit sacks, those questions are no longer valid. This week Okafor will need to show his explosion and if he can get to the edge consistently  Right now he profiles best in a 4-3 but should get some looks as an outside linebacker in a 3-4. He’ll likely go off the board in the 2nd round, but could sneak into the end of the 1st round.

LB Arthur Brown, Kansas State:

Brown led the Wildcats defense this past year, and is one of the best run defending linebackers in the country. There remains some questions about how he defends the pass, but its not necessarily a negative for him. He’s got good range and really solid instincts and shows an ability to shed blockers. He profiles as either an inside linebacker or strong side linebacker in a 4-3. He should get 2nd – 3rd round attention in the draft.

LB John Simon, Ohio State:

Simon is making a transition to linebacker, after playing much of his college career with his hand on the ground. He profiles best as 3-4 outside linebacker, given his ability to rush the passer. Questions will remain with how he plays in space and if he can remain in coverage as an outside linebacker. While a good pass rusher, isn’t considered elite, and will probably fall to the late 2nd – early 3rd round.

S TJ McDonald, USC:

MCDonald is the son of pro bowler Tim McDonald. TJ has the potential and athletic ability to match his father’s talent level, but it hasn’t fully come together for him yet. Reaction time and tackling ability are the two biggest question marks surrounding him. This will be a huge week for him as he hopes to show scouts that he can fix those issues that what plagued him in college. If McDonald has a good Senior Bowl week/Combine, then he could work his way into the 2nd round. If he struggles, he could fall to the 4th or later.

Fanspeak’s NFL Draft Coverage:

Shrine Game Coverage, Senior Bowl Coverage, NFL Mock Draft Headquarters, NFL Draft Headquarters