Not many people would have predicted that the Huskies of N.I.U. would be doing what they are doing this season. They are a no-name team, led by a mostly (except for DE Larry English) no-name defense, and they have now beaten Toledo and Bowling Green in back-to-back hard fought games to move into serious contention in the MAC. This game was played very close to the vest. Neither coach is a big risk taker. There was little down field passing, and what passing there was was of the dink & dunk variety. In the end, the right side of the N.I.U. line led by PPs ROT Jon Brost, and ROG Dan Keller deserves a lot of credit for the win, including pounding out the final few yards for the game-winning FG with :11 left on the clock.

SCOUTING SUMMARY:

College: Northern Illinois Conference: Mid-American Columnist: Sam Maxwell

Larry English 51 6' 2.7" 255 4.75 DE 2009: Top PP for N.I.U. Very quick off the snap. Looks faster than our est. 4.75. Good closing speed. Didn't get any sacks, but had several hurries. In our position rankings as an OLB already. BGSU schemed away from his side. Very quick spin move. Nice swim move also. Must transition to OLB at the next level, and he looks to have the open-field moves, flexibility and lateral agility to do so. Gets sealed inside occasionally. Not yet full developed in the upper body. Nice upside. GRADE: Slightly positive

Tim McCarthy 53 6' 1.0" 230 4.80 LB 2009: Decent lateral agility. A leading tackler for this team. Lunch pail variety LB without anything flashy to hang your hat on. Just goes out and plays the game at a fairly high level. Fills nicely and chooses the right gap. Undersized. GRADE: neutral

Dan Keller 78 6' 5.0" 295 5.25 OG 2009: Gets the game ball if I'm handing them out. Started slowly and I wasn't that impressed at first. Pulled and missed early, slides off blocks without sustaining occasionally. But, he really got better as the game went along, and blew the holes needed to take control late. Wide base, and keeps that wide base. Slides well. Strong and drive blocks well. Seals pretty well to the outside. They ran behind him a lot. GRADE: Positive

Jon Brost 60 6' 5.4" 300 5.35 OT 2009: Brost didn't impress me quite as much as Keller, but he can play too. Good enough pass pro technique for a ROT. Really locks on to his man well and drives. Better run blocker than pass blocker. Size potential is there. Oddly, used a PP hand punch a couple times in the running game though, rather than locking and driving. Did he forget it was a running play? Bring him to camp to, especially if the bonus is small. GRADE: Slightly positive

College: Bowling Green Conference: Mid-American Columnist: Sam Maxwell

Antonio Smith 2 5' 10.0" 180 0.00 CB 2009: Fluid. Really looks like a CB. Classic CB build. Doubt he's 5'10" though, but maybe... Breaks quickly on the ball. Has no fear in run support, but doesn't really do that much there. He's a cover guy with strong coverage skills who will give you what he has in the running game too. GRADE: Positive

Diyrall Briggs 99 6' 4.0" 230 0.00 DE 2009: DNS, not sure why, and didn't notice him in there until like the 4th series. Did nothing to impress today, though he has looked decent in the past. Must be under discipline or fighting a nagging injury? Sam, can you find out? GRADE: Incomplete

Tyler Sheehan 13 6' 3.0" 224 0.00 QB 2010: Not a WOW guy, but he is an efficient WCO passer, who has really learned how to manage a game and how to give his team a chance to win. Nice poise. Nice ball, but he throws from the ear and short arms it sometimes. Really goes nice and smoothly though his progressions. Evades the rush and buys time. Lots of short WCO stuff, but hit most of it. Need to see the long ball. I suspect his arm is below average, but everything else is above average. He won't declare. GRADE: Neutral

Freddie Barnes 7 6' 2.0" 212 0.00 WR 2010: DNP. Injured?

P.J. Mahone 5 5' 11.0" 201 0.00 CB 2010: Pronounced "mahoney." Game ball for BGSU in my book. Was all over the place. Had a pick, a TFL, a PD and I had him in on 13 tackles. Looks equally adept at run support and coverage for a FS (which is where he is playing now, though he could project back out to CB and has NFL CB size.) One of those guys for whom the post-season 40s will be everything. Shows me enough to draft him now, and worry about where to put him later. GRADE: Very positive

John Haneline 44 6' 2.0" 231 0.00 LB 2009: Tough, workman-like MAC linebacker with just enough size and production to warrant a camp look. Playing OLB, but I like him projected inside. Quietly effective and productive. You look up and somehow he has 9 tackles. GRADE: Neutral

Enrique Dozier 30 6' 0.0" 221 4.70 LB 2009: True WILL with pretty good wheels, toughness and productivity. Solid pass-coverage guy. Plays bigger than 221. More of a sure thing if you're low on ST guys, than Haneline. GRADE: Positive

OTHER NOTES:

#33 Patrick North caught my eye for NIU.