Just looking over the roster, you can easily tell that the North team is going to have a pretty easy go of it in terms of their defensive line being so completely dominant. You look at the two edge players in Cameron Jordan and Ryan Kerrigan, who are both potentially top ten selections, and pair them with the interior presence of Christian Ballard, Sione Fua, Ian Williams, and others in there as well.
For the North practice, the day was dominated by the defensive front four, but not to be overshadowed was the strong play of the linebackers and two Wisconsin offensive linemen.
North Review
Cameron Jordan was being considered a fringe top ten choice before the Senior Bowl process after a monster senior year at Cal, and after the first day of full pads, he appears to be back on the rise. No matter if he was coming at Steve Schilling (Michigan), James Brewer (Indiana), Anthony Castonzo (Boston College), or anybody else, Jordan was simply too quick.
His hand placement was excellent, and he was so quick off the line that no tackle or guard dare stand in his way. Now, this is only one practice, so let's not get carried away here, but if the end from Cal can keep it up throughout the week, he will likely cement himself in the top ten of the draft.
Jordan is known as a guy who has a fiery personality and he plays with a relentless motor. He definitely showed that and more at Tuesday's practice, and I personally came away very impressed.
Another couple of linemen who impressed me were Purdue defensive end Ryan Kerrigan and Iowa defensive tackle Christian Ballard. Kerrigan, another potential top ten pick, has shed about 15-20 pounds from his playing weight at Purdue in order to be more scheme versatile. At 255 pounds, he can be effective as a pass rushing RDE in a 4-3 or an outside linebacker in a 3-4. That kind of ability will most certainly make Kerrigan a first round pick.
He's showing exceptional speed and motor over the first two days, and got to QB Colin Kaepernick on the final play of the day for a sack.
Ballard was looking tired on day one, but on day two, he looked like a man on a mission. He was playing ticked off, and as a result, he looked great. He checked into the Senior Bowl at about 6'4" 290 pounds, and he has the look to me of a defensive tackle or end in a 3-4 scheme. He showed great hands and finished plays well.
On the offensive side of the ball, San Diego State wide receiver Vincent Brown continues to impress. Despite his smallish frame at 5'11" 185, he has huge hands and plucks the ball away from his body better than any young receiver I have seen. He should be a third or fourth round pick, and might even go higher.
Nebraska running back Roy Helu Jr. showed great awareness in the passing game, and I've always liked him as a runner. I think he is extremely underrated as a bigger speed back, and reminds me a lot of a more durable version of former Husker and current Bronco Correll Buckhalter.
The man who is all the talk right now has got to be Oklahoma State running back Kendall Hunter, who is only 5'8" 200, but has exceptional skills. The first team All-American has a nice combination of speed and vision, and has surprising power for his size. His frame makes him a lot like a bowling ball style player, not unlike Maurice Jones-Drew and Ray Rice. Hunter could be a second round pick if he measures out well.
South Practice
Von Miller has been the talk of the week. He checked in at under 240 pounds, but has displayed unparalleled speed and quickness off the edge. Miller, a senior out of Texas A&M, has been considered one of the nation's top pass rushers for a couple of years now, and he is considered a sure-fire first round selection.
On the other side of the ball, former Baylor guard and former teammate of Broncos center J.D. Walton Danny Watkins has had two very good days for the South team. Scout's Inc. calls him a "technician" on the inside, and has shown great abilities. If the Broncos lose Ryan Harris, they could put Zane Beadles at right tackle and team up the old Bears teammates on the interior.
Staying on the offensive side of the ball, I keep hearing great things about Tennessee tight end Luke Stocker, who certainly looks the part at 6'5" 250. Stocker is making plays in the passing game, and has a ton of upside in terms of his size and already solid blocking ability. The Broncos have some of the worst tight ends in the NFL, and they should be looking to upgrade that area sooner rather than later.
Yesterday, the Broncos talked to TCU quarterback Andy Dalton, and I had my first chance to watch him today. Obviously, his resume' speaks for itself. All he does is wins games. He doesn't have great arm strength, but he's smart, and he has that "it" factor.
As far as guys the Broncos have looked at today, I have not heard anything. I will be sure and update all of you if I do.