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2012 Senior Bowl: RB Doug Martin, S George Iloka, DL Shea McClellin Practice Reports

There are other Boise St. Broncos participating in the 2012 Senior Bowl, and frankly some are getting better reviews than Moore. The others are running back Doug Martin, safety George Iloka, defensive lineman Shea McClellin and defensive tackle Billy Winn. Wes Bunting of the National Football Post is praising Iloka and McClellin (via SB Nation Denver):

On safety George Iloka:

...a tall, long athlete with an athletic build and certainly looks the part in the deep half. He did a nice job Monday anticipating routes in cover one, showcasing a slight burst and covering some ground in the deep half. He still gets a bit leggy at times in his drop and when trying to re-direct. But, possesses some natural athleticism and was consistently putting himself in position to make plays.

On defensive end Shea McClellin

...had some inconsistencies during 1on1 drills today. As was evidence on tape, he's much more natural getting after the QB with his hand on the ground than standing up. He showcased the ability to turn the corner from a three-point stance on one occasion. But, on his next opportunity he got upright and lacked much suddenness on his counter when trying to create pressure as a stand up guy. He's a talented kid with a "plus" motor, but it will be interesting to see how he develops rushing the passer from a two point stance as the week goes on.

Iloka had a solid day two of practices as he picked off Michigan State's Kirk Cousins, and was considered the play of the day, by the Idaho Statesman's Chad Crippe:

He followed up a strong first day with the best play of the second day — a diving interception in front of Massachusetts tight end Emil Igwenagu. The pass was thrown by Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins. Iloka played free safety and strong safety, at times lining up over the slot receiver. He looks very comfortable and confident on the field. On the interception, Iloka tracked the play across the field. "I caught up to him and undercut the ball like (former Boise State defensive backs coach Marcel) Yates taught me and I just caught it," he said.

Here is also what Crippe said about Martin on day two:

He didn’t get much of a chance to carry the ball, but he was the only running back who was able to hold up in the blitz pickup drill. While others were getting whipped, Martin put one defender on the ground and drew cheers of, "Nice job Bronco!" from the Vikings coaches on another block. Martin also looks like the primary kickoff returner and, despite playing personal protector on the punt team, still was one of the first players in the returner’s face in punt coverage.


Read more here: http://voices.idahostatesman.com/2012/01/24/ccripe/senior_bowl_big_interception_george_iloka_kellen_moore_gets_hot_#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://voices.idahostatesman.com/2012/01/24/ccripe/senior_bowl_big_interception_george_iloka_kellen_moore_gets_hot_#storylink=cpy

Bunting also commented on Martin's day two practice performance:

"... showcased a good first step; natural forward lean and can quickly decipher information at the line of scrimmage and change directions. He’s a fluid kid with a thick build and his initial quickness really stood out for a back his size. Looks like a future starting caliber running back at the next level. "

Outside of the lack of information on Billy Winn these other Boise State players are performing well at the Senior Bowl.

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2012 Senior Bowl: Kellen Moore Bounces Back From A Poor Start

File this under not shocked: Boise St. Broncos quarterback Kellen Moore improved from a poor first day at the Senior Bowl:

On the offensive side of the football, Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore rebounded a bit from a really rough outing the day before. Moore still struggled to put some velocity on the football, but this was a known issue. Moore seemed to get the football out early on Tuesday morning, unlike the day before.

This could have been just nerves that caused the bad day, or maybe it was the off the wall question by a NFL scout that improved his play.

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2012 Senior Bowl: Kellen Moore Asked To Pick Between Columbus Or Shakespeare By A NFL Scout

Yes, that is a real question that Boise St. Broncos quarterback Kellen Moore was asked during Senior Bowl practices by an NFL scout. Moore was asked who he would rather meet betwen Christopher Columbus or William Shakespeare, well Moore went with Shakespeare.

These are the type of dumb, meaningless and stupid questions that NFL scouts are asking to players. I get that some are to just get a reaction or in this case to see if Moore even knew who the two historical figures were.

Too bad the name of the scout is not mentioned in the tweet, but come on how is this question remotely related in the evaluation of Moore or any other player in the Senior Bowl. I guess it looks good that Moore knew who the two were and did not have to ask for some assistance.

Get ready for a lot of these questions leading up to the NFL Draft.

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2012 Senior Bowl Practices: Kellen Moore Struggled

Even though Boise State's Kellen Moore is the all-time winningest quarterback in college football history, at the Senior Bowl he is just a player who will be poked and prodded all week. The first negative that came against Moore was in the official weigh-in at the Senior Bowl where Moore was listed at 191 pounds and came in at 5-feet-11-and-3/4-inches tall.

The 6-foot mark is supposedly to be the lowest height for a quarterback to succeed, however just look at Doug Flute and Drew Brees. So there is a precedent in shorter quarterbacks succeeding, but in the draft it is likely that Moore's height will limit where he will be taken in the draft. The latter comment I know is funny, because it is not like Moore's height was a mystery before the Senior Bowl.

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2012 Senior Bowl: Boise State RB Doug Martin Is A Player To Watch

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The 2012 Senior Bowl takes place on Jan. 28 and there are five Mountain West players who were invited to the game. Four of those players are Boise St. Broncos: running back Doug Martin, quarterback Kellen Moore, defensive back George Iloka and defensive lineman Billy Winn. The non-Boise State player is San Diego State quarterback Ryan Lindley.

Of those players it is Martin who is getting the most publicity and according to Wes Bunting of the National Football Post he believes that Martin is the fifth best player in this game:

Martin isn't a dynamic size/speed back, but there aren't many negatives to his game as a back. He plays fast, runs low, is natural through the line of scrimmage and has a skill set somewhat similar to former Alabama RB Mark Ingram last year. He might fall a bit because he doesn't run overly well, but he has the skill set to start in the league.

Being projected as one of the better players is great, but the practices in these post season bowl games are more important than the game itself. That is when we will see if Martin is one of the best players at the Senior Bowl.

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2012 East-West Shrine Game: TCU Linebacker Tank Carder Getting Mixed Reviews

TCU Horned Frogs linebacker Tank Carder has had mixed reviews in the 2012 East-West Shrine game practices. These practices are much more important than the actual game and was impressive early in the week. Here is what ESPN said about Carder:

Tank Carder showed some good awareness and instinct dropping into coverage. That showed up during the two-minute drill when Carder did a nice job getting to his drop, reading a crossing route and stepping in front of a pass from Northern Illinois QB Chandler Harnish. We are still concerned about his point-of-attack skills and overall range, though, so he remains in the late rounds.

Here is what Walter Football is saying about Carder:

A defensive prospect who stood out was TCU linebacker Tank Carder. In the nine-on-nine scrimmage, he started strong by popping the back for a good tackle near the line of scrimmage. A play later, Carder fired through the line to bust a run at the line for a slight tackle for a loss. He did a quality job of taking on blocks and shedding offensive linemen. Carder came close to an interception on the team scrimmage, but the ball flew just past his hands. A tough linebacker, the 6-foot- 2, 236-pounder plays bigger than his listed measurements. Carder could surprise some observers on Draft Day and in the NFL.

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2012 East-West Shrine Game: Boise State DE Tyrone Crawford Is Impressing Scouts

The Boise St. Broncos have two players in the 2012 East-West Shrine Game in defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford and wide receiver Tyler Shoemaker. Shoemaker has not made much noise this week, but Crawford has been quite impressive during the all important practices:

Scouts have been waiting for Crawford to break out all season, and it looks like he picked the Shrine Game to impress them. He's an athletic player who flashes a lot of explosion and strength. Crawford impressed with his inside moves today and ability to rush the passer.

Crawford has done so well that he is ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the Shrine Game:

At 285-pounds Crawford showcased natural power all week at the point of attack in the run game while exhibiting the ability to be sudden with his hands and slip blocks. He's also a physical pass rusher who turns speed into power off the edge, understands angles and knows how to rush with leverage. I could see him fighting for a starting job as a 43 base end potentially early on.

This past season Crawford picked up 6.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for a loss in 2011. The East-West Shrine Game is this Saturday with a 4 p.m. ET kickoff and will be on the NFL Network.

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Wyoming's Alvester Alexander Opens Up About His Decision To Go Pro

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This past Friday was when Wyoming Cowboys running back Alvester Alexander announced he was going pro and he gave a vague response about making the move for his family. Now Alexander has opened up with specifics about his decision with Optimum Scouting (via Cowboy Altitude):

" I have a talent. I think I can make some team someplace, and hopefully can lead to a better situation for my family. There's just a lot of stuff going on with my family."

Alvester's father is regularly in the hospital, needing treatment for a variety of medical illnesses. While not currently in the hospital, he still needs care at home, a task his mother adds to her plate. She also works full-time to support his medical costs as well as others to support the family.

"It's just a lot going on right now. I think I have the talent to make it to the pros. I know I'm not a hot commodity right now, but I need to, and think I can, make the most of my talents."

Alexander is probably a late-round draft pick at best, but Cowboy Altitude points out that had he stayed his stock could decrease:

Even if Alexander had come back for his senior year it may have been hard to increase his draft stock much higher. With the Cowboys running a spread offense that heavily rotates running backs it would have been very tough for him to increase his touches. His carries dropped from 189 in 2010 to 152 in 2011. The backfield for the Cowboys was just going to be even more crowded in 2012. If Alexander had gotten the same amount of carries this year as he did in 2010 he would have finished with a career high 863 yards. He averaged four less carries per game this year.

One thing that Alexander has going for him is his speed where he was clocked at a 4.39 and he is a versatile back who can catch the ball. To make a team Alexander will likely have to play special teams to make a NFL roster. For all the struggles he has with his father hopefully Alexander can get drafted to be able to help out his family.

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