Milians

Here:
MOBILE, Ala. -- Alabama QB Brodie Croyle had a terrific showing at the South squad's Senior Bowl practice on Wednesday. He rolled left and made accurate throws across his body, connected on throws while rolling to the right, and was accurate from the pocket.



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Brodie Croyle had all the right moves during Wednesday's practice.Croyle was precise on short, intermediate and deep throws. He had only one bad throw all day. Croyle showed velocity and a smooth motion. He threw the ball like a first-rounder and really helped himself.

Croyle had a nice connection with WR Sinorice Moss, who also brought his A-game on Wednesday. Croyle hit Moss in stride on a beautiful throw and catch.

Moss is a good football player. Some of Darrell Hackney and D.J. Shockley's throws weren't the most accurate, but Moss always found a way to make the catch. He showed a different gear on a reverse, turning the corner with ease. He also returned kicks. Moss is just an explosive player.

Hackney was all over the place. The UAB product was very inaccurate, missing many targets with high throws. Shockley also misfired on some throws that should have been completed.

The other South receivers did not fare as well as Moss. Auburn's Anthony Mix had a drop. New Mexico's Hank Baskett caught the ball OK, but did not have enough separation from the corners. That limits the window for the quarterback to hit him. Speed is still a concern for Baskett.

Tulsa fullback Garrett Mills made a big impression in practice. He showed the potential to be a good lead blocker, which is important because he played tight end in college. Mills displayed good hands and showed he can make things happen after the catch. He's the kind of player who could be used in a variety of ways in the NFL. Mills could line up at fullback, tight end or H-back.

LSU RB Joseph Addai had a good practice. He proved he could grab the swing pass or catch the football on deeper routes. RB Andre Hall also showed some versatility.

OL Max Jean-Gilles neutralized LSU DL Kyle Williams in one-on-one situations with his long arms. Jean-Gilles did a nice job using his strong base and 358-pound frame. He tweaked his knee during practice, but returned to the field. Jean-Gilles showed that he wants to perform.

DL Jesse Mahelona showed some skills. He used his low center of gravity to get leverage on the offensive linemen.

Miami CB Kelly Jennings showed good coverage skills. He was beaten on a fade route late in the session, but other than that, Jennings showed good coverage skills and recognition.

DE Manny Lawson from NC State displayed some outside pass rush ability.

Mississippi State RB Jerious Norwood showed a burst and some explosion to daylight. On one play, Norwood was running into the second line of defense, expecting to just keep moving through. But Alabama LB DeMeco Ryans stepped up and floored Norwood with a good shot. Ryans is battling Chad Greenway for the second linebacker spot off the board.

Memphis RB DeAngelo Williams continues to do a good job. He is one of the best players here. Williams did nothing to disappoint during Wednesday's practice.

Miami-Fla. OL Eric Winston had some good moments, but he also had some issues. FSU DE Kamerion Wimbley got the best of him on a couple of occasions, but Wimbley does that to a lot of linemen.

NC State TE T.J. Williams had a drop.


North practice notes
Virginia OL D'Brickashaw Ferguson got the best of Boston College DE Mathias Kiwanuka again in Wednesday's practice. Ferguson has won what seems like 97 percent of his one-on-one battles with Kiwanuka. Scouts are raving about Ferguson's long arms and great feet. He has solidified his status as a top-five pick.
Ohio State center Nick Mangold continued his strong play in practice. USC OL Deuce Lutui performed well again, too. He is huge, but has great athletic ability. Look for Lutui to be drafted in the second round.

Pittsburgh OL Charles Spencer is an interesting prospect. After having success at guard early in his college career, he worked at tackle in 2005 for Pitt and struggled some. He is a guard and has more than held his own at that position at the Senior Bowl. He is big and has shown good balance and power. Spencer could be a nice second-round pick.

Arizona State WR Derek Hagan rebounded nicely. He dropped one early, but didn't drop a thing the rest of the day.



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Oklahoma DL Dusty Dvoracek played better on Wednesday.Oklahoma DL Dusty Dvoracek also showed some improvement. He split the double team well and beat Mangold on a stunt. He had solid penetration most of the day.

Vanderbilt QB Jay Cutler has been receiving rave reviews and has a live arm, but he is not as precise or as accurate as USC's Matt Leinart. He has not allowed his receivers to maximize their receptions. When separating the top QBs in the 2006 draft, I'd still rank Leinart and Vince Young above Cutler. However, Cutler will still be in the top 10 draft picks, probably at No. 10 to Arizona or No. 9 to Detroit.

Penn State QB Michael Robinson worked some at WR today. I don't think the quarterback position is in the cards for him. Whether it is at WR or safety, Robinson will have to find a position other than quarterback. Robinson is a developmental prospect. Don't look for him to be drafted until Day 2 of the draft.

Ball skills remain an issue for Boston College CB Will Blackmon. He had Miami (Ohio) WR Martin Nance covered well on one route, but Nance still made the catch. He needs to work on his ability to make a play on the ball. Blackmon has improved during the week, but he still lacks some of the instinctive coverage skills needed.

Clemson's CB Tye Hill impressed again. He showed great recovery skills and a natural feel for the corner position. Hill is in the mix as a first-round pick.