Daniel Freer worked the entire periphery of the 2009 Under Armour Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL last weekend, including these discussions with two prospects who nailed down NFL free agent tryouts despite not being invited to the event.

Only the most hardened of college football fans will have heard of the colleges at which they played, but their stories are nonetheless compelling as Daniel gets them to talk about the journey of living one’s dream.

Brandon Culpepper -

Kolby Simmons -

courtesy of Sportsbook.com, The Top 21 for the College Football 2009 Odds for BCS Championship (entertainment and market sentiment purposes only).

1. Oklahoma +350
2. USC +400
3. Florida +400
4. Ohio St +700
5. Texas +1000
6. Oregon +2000
7. Alabama +2000
8. LSU +2000
9. Virginia Tech +2500
10. Penn St +3000
11. Notre Dame +4000
12. Florida St +5000
13. Georgia +5000
14. Miami FL +5000
15. North Carolina +5000
16. Oklahoma St +5000
17. Georgia Tech +5000
18. California +5000
19. Texas Tech +6000
20. Pittsburgh +6000
21. Mississippi +6000

To say that I came away from last Saturday’s Under Armour Senior Bowl game slightly disappointed  is hardly an understatement.

TE Shawn Nelson of Southern Mississippi

First, not only did the South, with the scrambling of its beloved quarterback from the University of Alabama, the uncharacteristic strong throwing of its hometown passer from the nearby town of Daphne, and game-changing reception by a University of Mississippi wide receiver, carry the day over the Pac-10-ladened North, but so too did a handful of the nation’s best graduating tight ends remain nearly non-existent for both squads for the duration of the contest.

In fact, perusing the box score from Saturday evening’s Civil War-esque melee in Mobile, one discovers the disturbing fact that not once was a catch hauled in by a tight end on either squad during the entire length of the game. Read the rest of this entry →

As part of our 2009 NFL Draft coverage, John Huss interviews RB Rashad Jennings, RB Kory Sheets and QB Nathan Brown on the field after the 2009 Senior Bowl.

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Ah, the end of another Senior Bowl week.  For good reasons, it wasn’t actually a full week for me.  The rest of the FCB crew headed up to Mobile, Alabama on Wednesday as I wrapped up a few things back home. Being gone for a 10 day honeymoon with no phone, no Internet and no cares can do that.

Although I didn’t get to see the prospects work during the practice sessions, I did get to set up in the press box to watch them during the actual game.  Although the list of WRs was originally pretty deep, injuries before the week and during practices whittled the participant list down.  Luckily for those that got to play, it meant more reps and therefore more opportunity to shine.

North WRs

Derrick Williams, PSU (left, courtesy of Jason Roberts) – He got the nod to start the game.  This was an important week for him to show his skills since PSU didn’t exactly air out the ball like other offenses.  His stat line for the year: 44 receptions, 485 yards and 4 TDs + 243 rushing yards with 3 more TDs.  His first action in the game was a reverse for 5 yards, showcasing his speed.  His first reception netted 8 yards and a 1st down as he showed the ability to adjust on a pass thrown behind him.  In the second half, his second reception required him to come back to make up for yet another short throw by Graham Harrell for a 11 yard gain.  Williams was also able to show his versatility when he took a kick back to the 49, giving the North team great field position.  They eventually scored a TD on the drive.  On the year, Williams had 684 returns yards and 3 TDs by either punt or kick return.  This mixture of speed, hands and the ability to work special teams will get him drafted but he’ll need to show more at the Combine or private sessions to be a 1st day selection.

Read the rest of this entry →