MOBILE, Ala. -- The fourth day of the 2010 Under Armour Senior Bowl (on NFL Network, 4 p.m. ET on Saturday) marks the last day of competitive work for both squads, and is the last time that a host of NFL hopefuls will have a chance to influence evaluators in person.
Although a large number of scouts and coaches have already departed Mobile in preparation for the pre-combine meetings that typically start next week, a few executives remain on hand to watch the final day of full-speed preparations for both squads.
With the pressure seemingly lifted on the players due to the drastic decline in attendance of these workouts, some of the prospects experience their best days of practice away from the watchful eyes of evaluators.
Unfortunately, most of the scouts have already developed strong opinions on which players helped themselves through their play during Senior Bowl week.
Let's take a look at some notable players who have landed squarely on scouts' radars with their performances throughout the week:
Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers
The rangy cover man from Rutgers has quietly generated a buzz in scouting circles with his impressive showing during the week. McCourty's size and athleticism have piqued the interest of teams looking to add "big" corners to their lineups, and his ability to stay with savvy route runners leads some to think that he has the moxie to be a potential starting corner early in his career. Although he must complement his strong Senior Bowl work week with a solid performance at next month's combine, McCourty is rapidly rising up the draft board and may be one of the biggest surprises to emerge from the Senior Bowl.
Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee
Williams started the season as a lightly regarded prospect, but his stellar senior season has enhanced his value in the mind of many evaluators. Williams continued to build on that momentum with his solid showing at the Senior Bowl. His combination of size, strength and athleticism makes him an interior defender in 4-3 schemes, and his ability to flash disruptive ability has catapulted him to the top of many draft boards.
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Jimmy Graham, TE, Miami
The former hoopster turned pass-catcher is attempting to follow the footsteps of Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez into NFL stardom. Though Graham remains a work in progress with only one year of college football experience, his exceptional athleticism and movement skills has scouts salivating over his potential. Graham's ability to get down the seam and make acrobatic catches in a crowd makes him an instant weapon over the middle of the field and in the red zone. Given the importance of having a difference-maker in those areas, it is not surprising that Graham is creating a strong buzz in front offices throughout the league.
Selvish Capers, OT, West Virginia
Capers has long teased scouts with his enticing combination of size and athleticism. Although he has failed to put it together for most of his collegiate career, Capers' ability to handle some of the country's top pass rushers has encouraged scouts to view the former Mountaineer as a legitimate franchise-caliber tackle. Capers successfully handled playing on both sides of the line during Senior Bowl week, and that versatility could make him a valued commodity as the draft nears.
Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State
Odrick didn't get off to a great start, but his steady improvement throughout the week earned the respect of many evaluators. Regarded as a high-motor interior player, Odrick wears out blockers with his relentless effort and energy. Though he doesn't always look fluid or pretty while winning his share of battles, his ability to consistently create penetration is noteworthy and is one of the reasons evaluators are starting to push Oddrick into the elite class of defensive tackles available in the draft.
