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I noticed something this week that I don't think I've ever seen before at a college all-star game. Almost every position in which the North squad excelled, was a weak spot for the South team, and vice versa. For example, the North had a huge advantage with John David Booty, Joe Flacco, and Chad Henne at quarterback versus the South's Eric Ainge, Colt Brennan, and Andre Woodson. This was true at every position in varying degrees. Of course, it made this week just that much more difficult to evaluate the participants.                                                                                                                                          You will see that I'm going to do things differently this year. In addition to providing the players that stood out to me, whether good or bad, I'm going to name an "all-star" team of the guys I thought really put themselves in prime positions to be the first ones off the board on April 26th.

Five Most Impressive Players in Mobile:                                                                                                                                    1. Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC, 6'1", 307 lbs.: simply put, he was the best player at the game. Not only was he absolutely un-blockable, but he beat his opposition in every possible way. Whether using his outstanding quickness or powerful base, the only way they stopped him was through the double- and triple-team. He actually increased his value in proving that he could play in either a 3-4 (at the nosetackle) or 4-3 defense.                                                                                                               2. Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy, 5'11", 190 lbs.: he's a naturally gifted athlete who is very refined, technically. He showed great body control and explosion after a change in direction, and he wasn't afraid to come up and challenge in run defense. I only saw two possible issues. First, once he gets to the ball, he doesn't know what to do with it. Through film and practice, he dropped several easy opportunities for interceptions. Second, he sometimes allows his athletic ability to get him into trouble. In the NFL, wide receivers make a living off of guys who try to do that.                                                                                       3. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee St., 6'2", 181 lbs.: there was a significant amount of buzz about this guy before the week got underway, and for good reason. In addition to the prototypical size and speed for his position, he's a great tackler and proved to be very instinctive. For example, he didn't bite on pump-fakes and seemed to know where the receiver was going. The only problems are that he will need to gain weight, which won't be hard with his height, and work on his technique, something that's to be expected coming from a smaller school.                                                                            4. Andre Caldwell, WR, Florida, 6'0", 207 lbs.: he was by far the best receiver this week. He displayed incredible speed with excellent concentration, route running, and hands. I just wonder why we didn't see more of him at Florida. Is he a good "practice guy", which doesn't translate into the game?                                                                                                                5. Chad Henne, QB, Michigan, 6'3", 228 lbs.: in the bowl game against Florida and again this week, Henne proved what he could do when healthy (and don't think that NFL coaches and general managers aren't already impressed with this toughness). He's able to make all of the throws whether they require velocity or touch. He makes great decisions, knows how to hide the ball well in the play-action game, and led the North to their only two touchdowns in the game.

Five Players Who Should Have Just Stayed Home:                                                                                                                   1. DeJuan Tribble, CB, Boston College, 5'9", 190 lbs.: he was exposed both athletically (couldn't keep up with any of the receivers) and technically (displayed poor positioning and was too stiff). If the draft were to be held a month ago, he might have been a first-rounder. Now, he'll be lucky to go in the late-second to a team running the cover-2 scheme, which allows for lesser cornerbacks.                                                                                                                                                                       2. Colt Brennan, QB, Hawaii, 6'2", 185 lbs.: the first day was a sign of things to come when he weighed in at only 185 pounds. He would have to gain twenty pounds to be even considered as a project. Arm strength is another hindrance as onlookers saw him bounce several passes five yards short of  intended targets. On top of all of that, he didn't do a good job trying to adapt to playing under center and constantly was accused of staring down receivers.                                                 3. Adarius Bowman, WR, Oklahoma St., 6'3", 225 lbs.: conversely, the best day for Bowman was the weigh-in. His ball skills simply didn't match his impressive stature. He dropped several easy passes, which points to a lack of concentration. He tried to lighten the mood by doing pushups after each miss, but it wasn't enough to overshadow a disappointing performance.      4. Chauncey Washington, RB, USC, 6'0", 220 lbs.: I know some people didn't have him rated this low, and maybe I'm being too hard on him, but he really looked heavy and slow. It was so bad, some teams asked that the coaching staff try him at fullback. He didn't do a particularly good job there, either.                                                                                                           5. Andre Woodson, QB, Kentucky, 6'4", 234 lbs.: I can't help but be sad when I think about this young man. Halfway through his senior season, he was being touted as a Heisman candidate and was the master of a great pro-style offense. Since then, he's had several difficulties. For some reason, he lost a lot of his confidence, which has led to poor decision-making, sacks, and inaccuracy. There's a concern about the long wind-up in his throwing motion as well.

Doctor Football's All Senior Bowl Team                                                                                                                                    OFFENSE                                                                                                                                                                                     QB - Henne                                                                                                                                                                                   RB - Matt Forte, Tulane, 6'1", 221 lbs.: unlike Washington, he showed very good quickness and power for his size. He made one cut and hit the hole hard - perfect for a zone-blocking team.                                                                                                FB - Jacob Hester, LSU, 5'11", 229 lbs.: this guy is what we call a "football player." He simply does what needs to be done and doesn't ask questions. He played well as a lead blocker and, as he has his whole career, his second effort was unquestionable.                                                                                                                                                                          WR - Caldwell                                                                                                                                                                              WR - Lavelle Hawkins, Cal, 5'11", 186 lbs.: he had the best hands the entire week. He caught anything within a five yard radius of him. He displayed good body positioning and speed.                                                                                                    TE - Fred Davis, USC, 6'3", 247 lbs.: I don't think he's as good as some of the tight ends we've seen in the draft recently, but he's the best overall prospect this year. He's a "jack of all trades, master of none" kind of guy.                                         OT - Chris Williams, Vanderbilt, 6'6", 320 lbs.: he showed great feet with a strong base. He had some trouble with quicker ends, but once he got his hands on a player, it was over.                                                                                                          OT - Gosder Cherilus, Boston College, 6'7", 315 lbs.: he could play on either side, but is probably more suited for the right side. He had good footwork and leverage, with a bit of a mean streak.                                                                                     OG - Roy Schuening, Oregon St., 6'4", 308 lbs.: held up very well against defensive tackles trying to overpower him (great leverage). He'd fit in perfectly for a grind it out running team.                                                                                                    OG - Drew Radovich, USC, 6'5", 300 lbs.: another road-grader. He struggled against quicker defensive tackles, but did a good job getting to the second level on running plays.                                                                                                                 C - John Sullivan, Notre Dame, 6'3", 305 lbs.: he was one of the only lineman to have moderate success against Sedrick Ellis the entire week. He showed great explosion and drive on running plays and excellent recovery and leverage in pass blocking.

DEFENSE                                                                                                                                                                                     DE - Chris Ellis, Virginia Tech, 6'4", 257 lbs.: will have to gain weight, but he showed great speed coming off the corner. More impressively, however, was his discipline. He didn't simply pin his ears back and go after the quarterback on every play. Instead, he actually watched how the play developed and disrupted some rollouts and reverses.                                            DT - Ellis                                                                                                                                                                                       DT - Trevor Laws, Notre Dame, 6'1", 301 lbs.: this guy easily had the best motor of any player the whole week. He was always around the ball and was very quick in doing so. He hits me as a "Warren Sapp-like" tackle.                                          DE - Kendall Langford, Hampton, 6'6", 275 lbs.: this one may come as a shock to many, but I liked everything he did. He was constantly disrupting plays, displayed great speed for his size, and Chris Williams had a hard time locking him down.    OLB - Ali Highsmith, 6'0", 229 lbs.: he did a better job than anyone this week at picking up direction (he was definitely one of Mike Singletary's favorites). He also exhibited great speed and strength. He easily shed blockers that were much nigger than him.                                                                                                                                                                                    MLB - Xavier Adibi, Virginia Tech, 6'2", 226 lbs.: even though he'll have to add about 10 to 15 pounds to man this position in the NFL, I think the world of this guy. He attacked every drill this week, did a good job sifting through trash, and was constantly shooting the gaps.                                                                                                                                                   OLB - Keith Rivers, USC, 6'3", 237 lbs.: he's definitely the best athlete at the linebacker position. He was able to shed blockers at the point of attack and get to his man quickly.                                                                                                          CB - McKelvin                                                                                                                                                                                CB - Rodgers-Cromartie                                                                                                                                                                 S - Marcus Griffin, Texas, 5'11", 203 lbs.: much like his brother, Michael (drafted in the first round by Tennessee last year), he can play safety or corner. His coverage skills and agility will make him an excellent free safety if that's what he's used for in the NFL.                                                                                                                                                                                          S - Thomas DeCoud, Cal, 6'1", 196 lbs.: I could almost give the same commentary for DeCoud, but I believe he plays the run with more force and nastiness than Griffin.