This was supposed to be a good matchup...a matchup of two of the nation's better QBs. Well, it was sort of that way for the first quarter, but one QB headed in one direction (DOWN: Jordan Palmer) and the other headed up after a so-so regular season (Bruce Gradkowski.) Palmer was Drew Bledsoe-like in the pocket, showing little pocket awareness, 0-escape ability, taking sacks, losing track of time. In short, he LOOKED like a guy who has only played QB for four years of his life tonight, got injured just before half time and was a total non-factor in the second half. Gradkowski, on the other hands, showed seasoned-senior leadship all night, was accurate when he usually is (screens and short passes) and actually threw the mid-range pass decently tonight. UTEP played uninspired football, accept for accept for LB Troy Collavo who was the MVP of the entire game in my mind. The guy was in on at least 15 tackles, with a couple sacks and a couple TFLs--and he did that playing with an injured shoulder. I thought I was looking at Robert Rodriguez re-incarnated out there. Highly-touted UTEP LB Thomas Howard proved my suspicions that he is NOT an aware LB and would be a reach if taken on the first day. He did NOTHING, NOTHING!!! at all while the game was still in the balance in the first half. He did not even sniff a tackle until the 13:00 minute of the SECOND quarter. UTEP's receiving corps had been decimated by injuries coming in, and in partial defense of Jordan Palmer his tool chest was nearly empty to start with. A very promising UTEP season ended in a train wreck as they lost their last three games.
SCOUTING SUMMARY:
College: Texas-El Paso Conference: Conference USA Columnist: Greg Herrington
Name # Ht Wt Speed Pos Class
Jayson Boyd 1 603.5 210 4.45 WR 2006: DNP. Injured.
Chris Francies 80 601.0 200 4.56 WR 2006: DNP
Johnnie Lee Higgins 21 600.0 180 4.45 WR 2007: Showed that amazing speed, caught the Miners only TD pass, but was not able to break free from th double team as much as I thought he might. Did not make a directly-over-the head catch that was right there, but did everything else OK. Did not flash much blocking ability. NEUTRAL
Thomas Howard 40 602.5 240 4.52 LB 2006: This guy is a bust waiting to happen. He makes a tackle only if you put the RB in his lap. Is one of the least instinctive highly-touted LBs I have ever seen. He does hit hard whenever he does arrive though, and played better when the game was out of reach in the second half. Gradkowski ran circles around him on one play in the third quarter.
Can I PLEASE take him out of the top 100??? I don't care if everyone else on the planet is high on him. I've seen him 8 times in the past two years, and I've never seen him play like a first-day guy once. NEGATIVE.
Chris Mineo 70 602.0 285 5.14 DT 2006: Chris really disappointed me tonight. He did not attack with the passion I have seen from him before, and he had to be THE leader of the entire defense for UTEP to have a chance and he was basically a non-factor. It looked to me like he must have been playing hurt. He got no push, took plays off, was content to just slide down the line and hope the play would come to him instead of going to the ball carrier. NEGATIVE
Jordan Palmer 5 605.0 230 5.00 QB 2007: Jordan regressed mightily towards the end of this season, and has taken himself totally out of first-round consideration for the '07 draft--where I had placed him at the beginning of the season, and where he still was at mid-season. He is a statue in the pocket with little escape ability. Does not manage the clock well, or feel the pressure. He is not the accurate thrower that Bledsoe is when given time, but he acts like Bledsoe with regard to pocket presence...i.e. not feeling pressure, taking sacks. His forte was throwing deep, and he didn't do nearly enoguh of it early on in order to set the tone with Higgins, and that is Mike Price's fault, but I wanted to see some fire in this guy on the sidelines and there was none. He has a weaker arm than Carson, and needs a lot more reps before he can be considered ready for the NFL. NEGATIVE
Tyler Ebell 2 508.5 190 4.50 HB 2006: DNP. Injury.
College: Toledo Conference: Mid-American Columnist: Andrew Lalama
Name # Ht Wt Speed Pos Class Game Notes
Bruce Gradkowski 7 602.0 204 4.50 QB 2006: Bruce grabbed a round tonight. He is back in the 4-5th round area after a fine performance against a decent UTEP team on a big stage. He was deadly accurate in the short game as always, and was able to throw the mid-range pass decently tonight. He is almost like a Brady without the arm--and Brady's is nothing all that special. But, he has Brady-like intangibles and field presence. He is polished and shows great leadership, clock management, pocket presence, and is a deadly (again Brady-like) 3rd and 4th down converter. He did not silence questions about his arm strength tonight, because he is not a strong-arm QB, period. But does he have to be?? ...I'm not sure. He is a better scambler, and will be drafted a little higher than Tom was. He has a lot going for him. He had 18 completions on 30 attempts for 298 yards, 5 TDs and 2 ints. POSITIVE
Antonio Malone 30 600.0 184 4.4 CB 2006: Did not show up!! I can't believe this guy is even in the database instead of Trinity Dawson who had another very solid game at RB (24 carries for 124 yards.) He did squat all night. I'd like to think they were avoiding him, but even so he should have done SOMETHING!!! NEGATIVE.
Anthony Jordan 40 602.0 235 N/A LB 2006: This guy is a sleeper. If he were just a bit bigger we'd be talking about a potential 4th rounder here. He is very aware and active, hits hard. Takes good angles, is solid in pass pro. Looks like the complete package accept you wish he were 6'3" 245. POSITIVE
Others: Already mentioned Troy Collavo (6'0", 230) who is a Robert Rodriguez clone in many ways (including Ht and Wt) who played a fantastic game. He may be a good candidate for the UA team next year. The one guy who really stood out in a black uniform tonight. Toledo's LB #8 David Thomas stood out too...great pass defender for an LB too...