Wednesday’s practice was cut short by the weather, as the rain and wind were whipping around the field in El Paso.  The players did not scrimmage as they usually do on Wednesday, so let’s review the week of practice from the Texas vs the Nation game.

Risers
These are players who helped their draft stock in El Paso.

Ryan Perrilloux(QB - Jacksonville State, LSU transfer) is very athletic, but scouts loved the way he threw the football in practice.  Perrilloux proved that he could scan the field while dropping back, and was very coachable during the week.  He’s arguably the best Wildcat QB in this draft.

Jason Harmon(TE - Florida Atlantic) wowed scouts with his great hands.  Harmon has the body control to turn and catch most any pass thrown his way.  He’ll likely be an H-back at the next level.

George Johnson(DL - Rutgers) had a great week of practice and showed a tireless motor (and mouth) when working in the pit.  He has an array of pass rushing moves, and gets off the line of scrimmage in a hurry with a quick initial burst.

Clay Harbor(TE - Missouri State) is a natural hands catcher.  He gets his head around quickly when turning back for the football, and is capable of picking up yards after the catch. 

Fallers
These are players who hurt their draft stock in El Paso.

Tim Hiller(QB - Western Michigan) had a poor week of practice.  He looked good when he was unrushed, but once the rush was on his game fell apart.  His passes were off the mark when he had to scramble, and he’s not much of a threat to run. 

Levi Brown(QB - Troy) opened up the week of practice with a decent showing.  During the next two days he failed to impress.  Brown was reluctant to throw when the heat was on, and would pull the ball down to scramble far too often.

J’Marcus Webb(OL - West Texas A&M) could be much better if his effort wasn’t inconsistent.  It looked like he was “line counting” on Wednesday, taking himself out of the rotation in order to get a better matchup.  Webb can turn the light on for about 10 seconds and look dominant at times.  However, most of the time his body language shows a player that won’t have the work ethic to make it at the next level.

Confirmations
These are players that confirmed in practice what we’ve seen on film.

Trindon Holliday(RB - LSU) did several of the same things he did on film for the Bayou Bengals.  He’s dangerous in the open field, and can be used effectively as a runner on draw plays.

David Gettis(WR - Baylor) body catches a lot of passes, but he rarely drops a pass. 

Surprises
These are players that surprised us in practice, and showcased ability that we didn’t see on film.

Jason Harmon(TE - Florida Atlantic) proved that he could work as a tight end or H-back in practice.  He’s more athletic than you would think, and he performed well against stronger competition. 

Tyler Eastman(OL - Maine) did a good job against stronger competition.  He showed good functional strength and footwork to take on different pass rushing styles.

3 Stars
These are players that stood out all three days of practice.

Jonathan Crompton(QB - Tennessee) looked good running the offense in El Paso.  He had good command of the huddle, and went through his progressions quickly and precisely.  His throwing motion looked natural, and he threw with plenty of velocity on his passes. 

Curtis Steele(RB - Memphis) is an instinctive runner with good burst and field vision.  Steele had good quickness and can break off a few moves in the open field.  Steele could be used effectively as a receiver out of the backfield as well.

Jared Veldheer(OL - Hillsdale) is likely the top prospect in this game.  He handled all sorts of pass rushers with ease, and showed a strong base when protecting the quarterback. 

Jason Harmon(TE - Florida Atlantic) is extremely athletic, and made all kinds of difficult catches during the week of practice.  He has good body control, sideline awareness, and concentration.

Clay Harbor(TE - Missouri State) moves well with the ball in his hands, and showed consistent hands.  He’s not quite the big play threat that Jason Harmon is, but he is ultra-reliable. 

2 Stars
These are players that stood out on two days of practice.

Alfonso Smith(RB - Kentucky) looked good when running between the tackles, and had several moves in the open field. 

Scott Long(WR - Louisville) was consistent throughout the week of practice.  He’s not going to “wow” anyone with overwhelming athleticism, but he could make a reliable possession receiver at the next level.

Kyle Williams(WR - Arizona State) really stood out in practice because of his speed, quickness, and route running ability.

E.J. Wilson(DL - North Carolina) played with a decent motor and good strength at the point of attack.  He can bull rush a lineman and push him back into the quarterback consistently. 

1 Star
These are players that stood out on one day of practice.

Marcus Easley(WR - Connecticut) has a ton of potential, but he’ll still need to develop as a receiver.  He’s got the size, and knows how to use his frame to shield defenders away from the ball.  However, Easley needs to become a more polished route runner and learn how to get low to turn for a pass quicker.

Junior Galette(DL - Stillman) is a good pass rusher with speed to the edge.  It’s his only move, as he can be easily neutralized by bigger linemen because of his lack of size.