Senior Moments: Buzzworthy Edition

In the last two editions I focused on what were unanimously chosen as the two positions the Chargers need to upgrade in the 2010 draft. When I was collecting all the little quotes on those players there were a couple of players that stood out to me. Their names just kept coming up over and over. Since they refuse to be ignore I decided to compile as many notes as I could find and put them all together. I've left out the Scouting Reports so that you can just take in the "wow" factor that these guys are producing.

North

South

Jacoby Ford, Clemson, WR, 3rd-4th round

• "Jacoby Ford was impressive today. He was explosive off the snap, ate up the cushion quickly and consistently separated all afternoon vs. man coverage. On a day in which the North quarterbacks struggled with their accuracy, Ford repeatedly found ways to make the tough catch"
• "The most impressive wideout on the North side was Clemson standout Jacoby Ford, who consistently was able to generate separation all afternoon. Ford is a former track star with elite explosion and vertical speed and does a great job eating up cushion off the snap and driving cornerbacks off his routes. He was the one guy who really seemed to intimidate opposing corners in coverage and consistently was able to find the football quickly and adjust to the throw. Ford looks capable of creating big plays for himself any time he’s on the field and has the makings of a legitimate slot threat."
• "For the second straight day, Clemson wide receiver Jacoby Ford was the most targeted wideout at the North team’s practice. Ford has made a living in the short-passing game, creating separation on short curls and out patterns. All three North quarterbacks (Tony Pike, Sean Canfield, Dan LeFevour) are consistently looking in Ford’s direction."
• "Clemson wide receiver #8 Jacoby Ford had an excellent diving catch and was a popular target."
• "Jacoby Ford (Clemson) was the star of practice today for the North squad.  He made several spectacular plays, and was the most consistent receiver on the field.  Ford can high point passes, go down low for a catch, and is always using his hands and not his body to make a catch.  He is very quick in and out of his breaks, and can gain separation when the coverage seems tight.  He knows how to set up defenders, and is especially good at running comeback routes."
• "Interestingly, Ford’s impressive play in the team drills came after he cramped up just after a quick practice break while returning a kick off. He got cramps in both calves and literally waddled slowly down the field, stretching his calves for five minutes. However, when it was time to get opposite a corner, he looked perfectly fine until the very end of practice when he cramped up again. Nothing major, but telling that his body was acting up and he still looked like the most reliable receiver on the field for the north squad."
• "He does a good job of looking in passes, and is a wide receiver that can become a trusted target because of his solid hands.  He was high pointing passes once again today, and only body caught a couple of Canfield passes."
• "Jacoby Ford did a consistent job getting under punts"
• "I thought Clemson receiver Jacoby Ford had a solid practice. He's been one of the guys I wanted to focus on because he has very good speed and nice vision in the open field. He ran a very nice double move and burned Boise State's Kyle Wilson down the field for a big play."
• "Speed is not the issue for Ford. He is a track star and the fastest wide receiver on either roster. However, he has to gear down so much to get into and out of breaks that he lacks the suddenness to separate from defenders, which is something small speedsters like Ford have to be able to do. Hands were also an issue for him on Day 1. We saw two drops and several bobbles by Ford, and with his speed we want to see him pluck the ball on the run and get up the field. A team will no doubt draft Ford and hope he can make plays from the slot, but there are certainly concerns about his game."
• "Clemson WR Jacoby Ford displayed good ball skills and concentration in addition to blazing speed. So far Ford is having an excellent week in Mobile"

Dexter McCluster, Mississippi, RB/WR/WCQB/KR/PR, 2nd-4th round

• "McCluster is so small that he basically gets lost amid the offensive linemen but he is very tough and feisty. On one play McCluster was popped by Jamar Chaney but he managed to stay upright and continue running."
• "(I)t was Dexter McCluster's day. He's building some serious hype and you can just feel draftniks starting to move him up their boards. He isn't the biggest (5-8, 165), but he is athletic, runs good routes, and is a flat out playmaker. Yes, when I get home the first thing I will do is pop in some Ole Miss tape. He's a legitimate third-round pick with the potential to go in the second."
• "The MVP so far this week is easily Dexter McCluster - a favorite of Mike Mayock's. After practice, I wanted to get a little interview for my blog, but there were 7-8 reporters around him with digital recorders in his face. He deserved the attention because the catches he is making out here are phenomenal and he is showing a lot of speed. I won't be shocked if some team reaches for him in the second round, but he is probably a third-round pick."
• "Dexter McCluster (Mississippi) was one of the stars of the day.  He is extremely explosive, and a player that I’ve frequently referred to as Percy Harvin-Light.  His lack of size is a concern for scouts, but get him in the open field and it’s over.  McCluster is not the most polished receiver, but has been improving in that area.  He was getting coached up on the sidelines, and it seemed like he was soaking it all in.  There are a few players that get you on the edge of your seat when they have the football— and Dexter McCluster is certainly one of them."
• "Dexter McCluster (Ole Miss): He might be the most entertaining player on the field. Linebackers and corners repeatedly bumped him off his release, but he anticipated the contact well enough to get downfield with minimal or no delay. He caught the ball cleanly and I only saw one drop, which occurred two-thirds of the way through practice, and it was simply a ball he didn’t look into his hands before turning up field. He knows how to use his size to his advantage as a runner, getting small (as if he weren’t already) to squeeze through traffic for extra yardage. The South’s highlight play of the day was a diving catch on a deep streak with a full layout to catch the pass with his hands, drawing applause from the herd of Tebow fans even though their QB wasn’t the guy throwing McCluster the football."
• "RB Dexter McCluster (Ole Miss): He showed just enough explosiveness, athleticism as a downfield receiver, and savvy to sustain his reputation as lightning in a bottle."
• "Ole Miss RB #22 Dexter McCluster played like a star today. He exploded through the line and was able to exploit tiny holes for big gains. Easy to imagine him doing the same at the next level."
• "But we were most impressed with Ole Miss running back/wide receiver Dexter McCluster. The speedster was extremely comfortable in the setting and is very grateful for the opportunity to showcase his talents in Mobile this week."
• "Brace yourselves, because you’re going to hear a lot about Ole Miss running back/wide receiver Dexter McCluster over the next few months. During the South team’s practice session Tuesday afternoon, there wasn’t a single defender with the speed to cover McCluster down the field. Although some may question his size (5081, 165 lbs), McCluster is just too explosive and too dynamic to go overlooked on draft day. In addition, you’ve got to like his competitive nature. After dropping a pass in 1-on-1s today, McCluster hit the deck and banged out ten pushups as punishment."
• "When you are 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds, you better be explosive, and McCluster is surely that. He is never going to be a powerful short-yardage back, but he ran downhill and was fearless between the tackles. McCluster is at his best, though, attacking the perimeter and making plays in space. He showed the quickness to separate from anyone underneath and ran by Alabama CB Javier Arenas at one point today. McCluster also caught the ball well and fielded punts cleanly, which is important because he needs to show scouts even more versatility than we've seen already."

Andre Roberts, The Citadel, WR, 3rd-5th round

• "Citadel WR Andre Roberts is very smooth and a polished route runner."
• "Another sleeper who had a good day was Citadel receiver Andre Roberts. Roberts showed ability to adjust to the ball and he ran crisp routes to generate good separation. He doesn't seem to be fazed by the big level of competition."
• "I can't believe I am saying this, but Citadel receiver Andre Roberts has been the best receiver out here - and nobody is coming close to matching his consistency. He comes cleanly out of his breaks and has by far the softest pair of hands in Mobile. He made a beautiful circus catch on a post route. Stock up for Mr. Roberts - he certainly deserves it. The secret is out and he is getting a lot of deserved hype."
• "WR Andre Roberts, The Citadel: In the short and intermediate game, Roberts was one of the more impressive players within a decent, but not special group of Senior Bowl receivers. At least once in the first three days of practice, Roberts left a cornerback on the ground due to his technique and quickness in and out of his breaks. I might have missed it, but I didn’t see any other receiver even do this more than once the entire week. Roberts routinely got at least a solid step on his coverage on slants, digs, and outs and he catches the ball cleanly and away from his body as consistently as any player here."
• "Roberts’ weigh-in result of 190 lbs. was a huge watershed moment for him because at 5-10, he needed to show scouts that he had the size to withstand punishment. Even more good news is that this added weight didn’t change his speed and quickness. Roberts routinely had one or two yards of separation against every cornerback he faced on intermediate and deep routes in one-on-one, five-on-seven, and 11-on-11 drills. Combine this with his soft hands, and Roberts proved that he wasn’t just a big fish in a small pond at The Citadel."
• "Andre Roberts (The Citadel) can flat out ball.  His hands are very strong, and he naturally catches the ball with his arms extended and away from his body.  He will fight for passes in traffic and rarely loses.  On a contested throw, he has the concentration to snag the catch and will first secure the ball before turning upfield for extra yardage."
• "Andre Roberts broke so hard running a double-move, he left behind his defender on the ground."
• "Roberts has reliable hands; Roberts has not dropped a ball all week, and has potential as a slot receiver."
• "Nobody impressed me more today than Citadel WR Andre Roberts. To the best of my knowledge Roberts hasn’t dropped a ball all week and today he made a spectacular one-handed grab on a high throw. Roberts is without question one of the premier small school prospects in this draft and shouldn't come off the board any later than Round 3 or 4 in April."

Kyle Wilson, Boise State, CB, 2nd round

• "My defensive MVP for the day has got to be Boise State's Kyle Wilson. In coverage he showed fluid hips and did a great job of locating the football and making plays. He was very physical with his jam and he certainly made the most plays. I like him as a second-round value as a corner/nickel with added value as a return man on special teams."
• "Yesterday's MVP, Boise State corner Kyle Wilson, has really stepped up to the plate this week. He is turning and running with receivers, and is very physical with his jam at the line of scrimmage. I have a hard time seeing him go in the first round, but he's solidifying a second-round grade this week."
• "Boise State CB Kyle Wilson undercut the WR for the interception."
• "Wilson got in and out of breaks well."
• "If there was one guy who was able to keep pace with Ford down the field it was Boise State cornerback Kyle Wilson. Wilson was brilliant, showcasing impressive fluidity when asked to turn and run, good patience and balance in his drop and was impressive any time he was asked to change directions and close on the ball. He was the one player who stood out at practice in the defensive secondary and has the type of athleticism and footwork needed to grade out as a potential starting-caliber corner early in his career."
• "Boise State cornerback Kyle Wilson continues to shine, showcasing impressive physicality off the line in press while maintaining his balance and quickly closing on the football. Looks like the nation’s top senior corner."
• "Wilson continues to impress, showing the ability to stay in the wideouts hip pocket then break and close quickly."
• "Boise State CB Kyle Wilson continued his battle with Jacoby Ford. On one play in 7-on-7’s he had excellent coverage and broke up a pass."