Wednesday’s practice at the StubHub Center, the home of the Los Angeles Chargers, for Jim Zorn’s American team was one filled with spry athletes. As I walked into the practice venue, I looked around and saw that many NFL scouts were in attendance. Teams like the Chargers, Dolphins, Panthers, Patriots, Jets, Giants, Chiefs, Broncos, Raiders, Bears, and Falcons had scouts there as they looked on hoping to find a hidden gem. The reality is that most of these guys are question marks because they came from smaller schools, had little production, or something else. Nevertheless, there were certainly a few guys that stood out.
After finding somewhere to sit with a good vantage point, I started to watch the quarterbacks. Mitch Leidner, Ryan Higgins, and Sean Maguire all looked comfortable in a pro system and they each threw with velocity. There was not much to separate them as the competition for the right to start Saturday wears on. The signal callers looked really comfortable taking snaps under center. Leidner’s arm looked better than the other two because he knew when to put touch on his throws.
The offensive line looked solid as they practiced one on one drills with the defensive linemen. BYU tackle Andrew Eide caught my eye with his size and tenacity in the trenches. He was really aggressive when he shot his arms and when he got his hands on guys it was over. On the flip side, Cornelius Henderson, Jackson State, and DJ Jones, Mississippi, were hard to block. They were violent with their hands and had a low center of gravity when they engaged with the offensive linemen.
Then I moved on to the running backs and this is the group that could help win the game. Anthony Wales and Teriyon Gipson showed me why I thought they could be the cream of the crop in terms tailbacks. They exhibited good speed and ran good routes out of the backfield. I did not see them drop a pass and they have NFL speed. Running backs coach Carnell “Cadillac” Williams really focused on route running and being precise with it. Wales impressed me with his tenacity as a runner. He was like a bowling ball as the defenders were pins. However, the best day came from North Carolina A&T’s Tarik Cohen. He is 5’6 179 pounds and he was extremely productive in college as he rushed for 5,619 yards and 56 touchdowns. Cohen was like Speedy Gonzalez on the field and I liked his explosiveness as a returner.
I highlighted Lance Lenoir and Noel Thomas as some players to watch. Both guys displayed great hands, precise routes, and separation at the top of their routes. They demonstrated fluidity in their ability to contort their body and make tough catches. Zach Pascal stuck out as well as he was consistent throughout the day. He really surprised me with his athleticism, as he was not one of the faster receivers he just simply found ways to make plays.
Finally, the team transitioned into 11-on-11 and the energy started to permeate in the arena. Both sides of the ball showed a great deal of pride as they went back and forth. It was like watching a pendulum swing as momentum switched sides often. Cohen had a long run as he was ushered down the field by Leidner and scored. Pascal had a sensational one-handed grab that got everyone excited. Those two plays caught everyone’s eye as people in the stands started to move closer to the field and look enthusiastically. The defense had the better day though because they forced two turnovers and frustrated the offense. Lorenzo Jerome, St. Francis, and Brian Allen showed great instincts at safety as they stuffed some runs. Pita Taumoepenu impressed me at linebacker with his sideline-to-sideline speed and physicality.
Overall, there was a great deal of talent on the American team. I liked the energy I saw out on the field and the players looked like they were having fun. Guys got their reps and some of them maximized them. The kicker, Rigoberto Sanchez, even showed off his foot and for all we know he could be the MVP as one year a kicker won that honor. After all, these guys are all competing for the opportunity to get drafted or get a call from a franchise after the draft. Most of the aforementioned guys talked to scouts after practice for an extended amount of time. The players that impressed me the most were the guys from smaller schools. Players like Cohen, Wales, Lenoir, Pascal, Jerome, and others played with a chip on their shoulder. They did what was necessary to get exposure and noticed.
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Photos taken by Kevin A. Koski / NFLPA
