The Under Armour Senior Bowl, played this past Saturday, featured three Clemson Tigers who all have hopes of being selected in the 2009 NFL Draft: S Michael Hamlin, RB James Davis and QB Cullen Harper. All three players were on the South roster, who won the game by a score of 35-18 over the North and each of the three made contributions in the win. Below is a look at their individual performances:
MICHAEL HAMLIN
Hamlin received a very substantial amount of playing time, participating on special teams as well as playing safety for the defensive team. Hamlin accounted for five total tackles, two on special teams and three from his safety position. He was consistently one of the first players down the field to cover the return man on every kickoff and he provided good downfield pass coverage. His special teams play was very impressive and I'm betting that NFL scouts were impressed as well and take this into strong consideration come draft day. His game highlights:
* On the kickoff following the South's first scoring drive, Hamlin made a great solo tackle on special teams. The hit on the return man, Oregon DB Patrick Chung, garnered "ooooh's" from the crowd.
* Hamlin evidently liked hitting Oregon players in this game. His second tackle was made on the Ducks' RB Jeremiah Johnson on the North's fourth offensive series.
* The South team kicked off to open the second half and Hamlin, for the second time on a kickoff, made the special teams tackle on Penn State WR Derrick Williams.
* On a 1st down play, Hamlin makes the tackle on a rushing play by Oregon RB Jeremiah Johnson, his third tackle of an Oregon player out of four total tackles thus far in the game.
* On the very next play, Hamlin again makes the tackle on OSU's Brian Robiskie after a 2nd down pass completion from Texas Tech's Graham Harrell.
JAMES DAVIS
James had 9 carries in the game for a total of 32 yards and an average gain of 3.55 yards per rush. His longest gain was 11 yards. While these are not stellar numbers at first glance, it must be noted that the South's leading rusher (Liberty's Rashad Jennings) also had nine carries for 41 yards and the RB who received the most "hype" during the week was NCSU's Andre' Brown, who had 10 carries for 31 yards.
Davis was not thrown to and therefore had no receptions. Earlier in the week during practice, Davis dropped a couple of balls thrown his way. I wonder if QB's were reluctant to throw to Davis for this reason even when WR's and TE's were covered on passing plays and they had to check down. I do believe Davis will need to work on catching the ball out of the backfield in order to improve his draft status. He only caught 14 passes in seven of thirteen games for Clemson in 2008-09 and NFL teams are going to want more production. His game highlights:
* Davis entered the game on the South's second offensive series and received two straight handoffs from Bama QB John Parker Wilson, taking each carry for a 2 yard gain. (2-4)
* In the same series, Davis got the carry on 1st and goal and made a 1 yard gain. (3-5)
* On Cullen Harper's first series as the South's QB, he handed off to Davis who ran for an 8 yard gain. (4-13)
* In the same series, on 1st and goal from the 6 yard line, Harper hands off to Davis for a 3 yard gain. (5-16)
* On the very next play (2nd and goal), Harper again hands off to Davis for a 2 yard gain to the 1 yard line. (6-18)
* Davis came in the game in the 4th quarter and had a 2 yard carry on 2nd and 10. (7-20)
* Later in the 4th quarter, Davis takes a handoff from WVU QB Pat White for a gain of 11 yards. (8-31)
* On the very next play, Davis carries for a gain of 1 yard. (9-32)
CULLEN HARPER
Harper officially played in four offensive series in the game. He entered the game late in the 1st half and played the entire offensive series, which resulted in an 8 play, 59 yard scoring drive that put the South up 21-3. Cullen was 2-3 for 44 yards on this drive. He came in again on the South's next offensive series with only 0:49 left in the 1st half and went 0-2. On the South's 2nd offensive series of the 2nd half, Harper played the first three downs of the series, going 0-1. His fourth series was inconsequential because he came in the game with 0:44 remaining and took a knee. His final numbers were 2-6 for 44 yards, 0 TD's and 0 INT's. His game highlights:
* On his first play of the game, Harper threw about 5 yards behind the receiver on a deep route. (0-1)
* On 3rd and 9, Harper threw what the announcers said was one of the best throws of the night to Arizona WR Mike Thomas, which went for 32 yards. (1-2)
* On 2nd and 2, Harper completes a slant pass to Southern Cal WR Patrick Turner that hits him right between the numbers and goes for 10 yards and a 1st down. The announcers again said Cullen threw the ball right where it needed to be. (2-3)
* On Harper's 2nd offensive series of the game, he threw incomplete on 1st down. Although the ball was caught by OSU's Briscoe, the ref. called him out of bounds. One of the NFL Network's announcers, Mike Mayock, is ultra-critical but said after the throw that Harper was getting the ball out of his hands efficiently. (2-4)
* On the very next play, Harper threw a screen pass incompete over FSU's Antone Smith's head due to having it to loft it high over the outstretched arms of a North DL that got pressure. After this play announcer Maylock and fellow announcer Charles Davis went on to talk at length about Harper's season being affected by a sprained a/c joint in the 1st game against 'Bama and then having to get his non-throwing shoulder cleaned out after the GT game but leading the team to a 4-1 mark down the stretch in the reg. season afterwards. (2-5)
* On his last throw of the game, Harper though the receiver was going to break outside and the receiver turned inside on the route, so the ball fell incomplete. (2-6)
Overall, I thought Harper played well in the game. He led the team on a scoring drive, made some nice throws and did not turn the ball over or take a sack. He did throw the ball way behind the receiver on the first play of the game and perhaps could have delivered the ball just a split second sooner on the catch that was ruled out but I don't think he did anything to hurt his chances in the draft. His play was solid enough all week that I think if anything it helped him.
MICHAEL HAMLIN
Hamlin received a very substantial amount of playing time, participating on special teams as well as playing safety for the defensive team. Hamlin accounted for five total tackles, two on special teams and three from his safety position. He was consistently one of the first players down the field to cover the return man on every kickoff and he provided good downfield pass coverage. His special teams play was very impressive and I'm betting that NFL scouts were impressed as well and take this into strong consideration come draft day. His game highlights:
* On the kickoff following the South's first scoring drive, Hamlin made a great solo tackle on special teams. The hit on the return man, Oregon DB Patrick Chung, garnered "ooooh's" from the crowd.
* Hamlin evidently liked hitting Oregon players in this game. His second tackle was made on the Ducks' RB Jeremiah Johnson on the North's fourth offensive series.
* The South team kicked off to open the second half and Hamlin, for the second time on a kickoff, made the special teams tackle on Penn State WR Derrick Williams.
* On a 1st down play, Hamlin makes the tackle on a rushing play by Oregon RB Jeremiah Johnson, his third tackle of an Oregon player out of four total tackles thus far in the game.
* On the very next play, Hamlin again makes the tackle on OSU's Brian Robiskie after a 2nd down pass completion from Texas Tech's Graham Harrell.
JAMES DAVIS
James had 9 carries in the game for a total of 32 yards and an average gain of 3.55 yards per rush. His longest gain was 11 yards. While these are not stellar numbers at first glance, it must be noted that the South's leading rusher (Liberty's Rashad Jennings) also had nine carries for 41 yards and the RB who received the most "hype" during the week was NCSU's Andre' Brown, who had 10 carries for 31 yards.
Davis was not thrown to and therefore had no receptions. Earlier in the week during practice, Davis dropped a couple of balls thrown his way. I wonder if QB's were reluctant to throw to Davis for this reason even when WR's and TE's were covered on passing plays and they had to check down. I do believe Davis will need to work on catching the ball out of the backfield in order to improve his draft status. He only caught 14 passes in seven of thirteen games for Clemson in 2008-09 and NFL teams are going to want more production. His game highlights:
* Davis entered the game on the South's second offensive series and received two straight handoffs from Bama QB John Parker Wilson, taking each carry for a 2 yard gain. (2-4)
* In the same series, Davis got the carry on 1st and goal and made a 1 yard gain. (3-5)
* On Cullen Harper's first series as the South's QB, he handed off to Davis who ran for an 8 yard gain. (4-13)
* In the same series, on 1st and goal from the 6 yard line, Harper hands off to Davis for a 3 yard gain. (5-16)
* On the very next play (2nd and goal), Harper again hands off to Davis for a 2 yard gain to the 1 yard line. (6-18)
* Davis came in the game in the 4th quarter and had a 2 yard carry on 2nd and 10. (7-20)
* Later in the 4th quarter, Davis takes a handoff from WVU QB Pat White for a gain of 11 yards. (8-31)
* On the very next play, Davis carries for a gain of 1 yard. (9-32)
CULLEN HARPER
Harper officially played in four offensive series in the game. He entered the game late in the 1st half and played the entire offensive series, which resulted in an 8 play, 59 yard scoring drive that put the South up 21-3. Cullen was 2-3 for 44 yards on this drive. He came in again on the South's next offensive series with only 0:49 left in the 1st half and went 0-2. On the South's 2nd offensive series of the 2nd half, Harper played the first three downs of the series, going 0-1. His fourth series was inconsequential because he came in the game with 0:44 remaining and took a knee. His final numbers were 2-6 for 44 yards, 0 TD's and 0 INT's. His game highlights:
* On his first play of the game, Harper threw about 5 yards behind the receiver on a deep route. (0-1)
* On 3rd and 9, Harper threw what the announcers said was one of the best throws of the night to Arizona WR Mike Thomas, which went for 32 yards. (1-2)
* On 2nd and 2, Harper completes a slant pass to Southern Cal WR Patrick Turner that hits him right between the numbers and goes for 10 yards and a 1st down. The announcers again said Cullen threw the ball right where it needed to be. (2-3)
* On Harper's 2nd offensive series of the game, he threw incomplete on 1st down. Although the ball was caught by OSU's Briscoe, the ref. called him out of bounds. One of the NFL Network's announcers, Mike Mayock, is ultra-critical but said after the throw that Harper was getting the ball out of his hands efficiently. (2-4)
* On the very next play, Harper threw a screen pass incompete over FSU's Antone Smith's head due to having it to loft it high over the outstretched arms of a North DL that got pressure. After this play announcer Maylock and fellow announcer Charles Davis went on to talk at length about Harper's season being affected by a sprained a/c joint in the 1st game against 'Bama and then having to get his non-throwing shoulder cleaned out after the GT game but leading the team to a 4-1 mark down the stretch in the reg. season afterwards. (2-5)
* On his last throw of the game, Harper though the receiver was going to break outside and the receiver turned inside on the route, so the ball fell incomplete. (2-6)
Overall, I thought Harper played well in the game. He led the team on a scoring drive, made some nice throws and did not turn the ball over or take a sack. He did throw the ball way behind the receiver on the first play of the game and perhaps could have delivered the ball just a split second sooner on the catch that was ruled out but I don't think he did anything to hurt his chances in the draft. His play was solid enough all week that I think if anything it helped him.
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