2009 College All-Star Game Recaps

January 26, 2009 at 7:18 am | Article by Paul Hickey |

2009 College All-Star Game Recaps 6′6″, 227 lb. Cal-Poly WR Ramses Barden was someone that many pro scouts had their eye on during this weekend’s Senior Bowl. He has the size and athletic ability to be the next dominant pro wide receiver than nobody has heard of. Barden wasn’t the only player we had our eye on in Mobile, Alabama however.

Barden was tiny coming out of high school and had a late growth spurt, causing him to not be recruited by major schools, but given the recent success of guys like Marques Colston, Brandon Marshall and Jacoby Jones, he could absolutely slip into the late second or early third round of this year’s draft. During Senior Bowl week, Barden displayed great hands, willingness to go over the middle and catch tough passes, and the potential to be a guy who demands double teams at the pro level. Barden is a guy who dynasty owners could snag in the late second or early third round of rookie drafts. While Barden didn’t do much in the game, his week of practice in front of nearly 300 NFL personnel people probably solidified plenty of interest in the man many top programs didn’t even know about four years ago.

Saturday’s game yielded some surprises, as West Virginia QB Pat White, who many scouts believe should officially convert to a WR, actually dominated as a signal caller. It’s likely that White will make a case to play QB at the pro level, but his amazing rushing ability, quickness and speed will always make him a threat to become an Antwaan Randle-El type player. White won the game’s MVP award, but wasn’t the only impressive QB, as Alabama’s John Parker-Wilson completed seven of 13 passes for 56 yards and a four yard TD run in the first quarter. Much should unfold at next month’s NFL scouting combine regarding what positions White is willing to play.

The game’s leading rusher was Liberty’s Rashad Jennings, whom many of our readers have inquired about on our forums. The 6′1″, 230 lb. bruiser also has solid speed, as he garnered 41 yards on only nine carries and is definitely a potential second or third round pick for dynasty owners to keep an eye on.

Oklahoma WR Juaquin Iglesias (6′0″, 204 lbs.) led the game in receiving with six catches for 90 yards - a performance which should improve his overall stock heading into the combine.

Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell - who posted HUGE stats in the spread offense during the regular season - struggled lining up under center in more traditional pro-style offenses. However, he still has pro day workouts and the combine to prove to scouts that he can operate well out of his comfort zone.

Northern Illinois DE Larry English was extremely impressive as a pass rusher in the Senior Bowl, however, he also played outside linebacker in the game. This means that his draft stock will increase, but his IDP outlook could plummet if he plays LB at the pro level. We’ll keep a close eye on him.

The Senior Bowl wasn’t the only College Football All-Star Game that took place recently. “The other” game, the East-West Shrine game - a.k.a. - the best of the rest - was in Houston. Missouri’s Chase Daniel struggled, and his replacement, MSU’s Brian Hoyer actually played very well. Daniel is now a long shot to even be drafted. Oklahoma WR Manuel Johnson didn’t fare well either, dropping plenty of passes in practice. Guys that may have benefited from a solid week of practice and a great performance in the game include Colorado State RB Gartrell Johnson, and TCU RB Aaron Brown.

Discuss the upcoming NFL Draft on our forums.

Want free rankings? We can give you some of the best free 2009 rankings you’ll find available. If you’re looking for a little more, however, we offer customized player rankings to your league format and scoring system, as part of our Ultimate Strategist Package!

Tags: 2009 NFL Draft