Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 18, 1992 TAG: 9201180031
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: MOBILE, ALA. LENGTH: Medium
NFL SCOUTS SCRUTINIZE TALENT AT SENIOR BOWL
The Senior Bowl may not set a ratings record for live television audience, but the videotape version will have a host of devotees."The game will be watched over and over by [NFL] scouts up until draft time," said Los Angeles Raiders head coach Art Shell, who's directing the "AFC" team in today's college all-star game in Ladd Stadium. "We'll watch it over and over and over again just to make sure we didn't miss anything."
The players, including four from Virginia Tech and one from Virginia, didn't miss much this week. They were tutored by NFL coaches, personality-tested by NFL team officials, wooed by agents, cornered by reporters, received sales pitches from trading-card companies and faced gauntlets of autograph-seekers.
They'll even be spied on, so to speak. One NFL executive said he'll stake out the Senior Bowl's post-game party to see which players get wild and crazy and which don't.
Shell's AFC team includes Hokies Eugene Chung, Will Furrer, Damien Russell and John Granby, and Cavalier Ray Roberts.
Furrer will back up Houston quarterback David Klingler, and Russell and Granby are second-string defensive backs. Chung and Roberts are expected to start at right and left tackle, respectively.
Chung's playing time, however, may be limited because of hip flexor injury he suffered in practice Thursday. For Russell, it's been an idle week: A strained hamstring muscle suffered in last week's Hula Bowl has kept him out of practice, but he said he may play in nickel-coverage defenses today.
Russell, as many of these players, is looking ahead to the NFL's scouting combine in early February in Indianapolis.
"I'm disappointed, really disappointed because I want to go out there and show scouts what I can do," said the Tech safety, who had three tackles as a cornerback in the Hula Bowl. "But they say 50 percent of the draft is the combine. If I have to wait to show my stuff, that's fine."
Shell has seen plenty of the other Tech and UVa representatives this week, and according to NFL evaluators, practice is as important as the game. In practice, the scouts see athletes in one-on-one drills and other isolated work. Senior Bowl officials said 17 of 28 NFL head coaches spent part or all the week in Mobile.
On Friday, Shell was asked to evaluate the state players with whom he has worked.
On Chung: "Excellent feet, outstanding balance. He doesn't look as big as they say he is; he carries [weight] well. You can see . . . he's an outstanding pass protector. He just has to get a little bit more into the running game. The No. 1 priority in the NFL is you've got to be able to pass protect. He'll get there."
On Roberts: "He's a quality offensive lineman, has outstanding ability as a pass protector and does a pretty decent job run-blocking. He has long arms and a big body and has ability to play left or right tackle."
On Furrer: "He's a better quarterback than we were led to believe. He has some touch, and good intelligence. We like the kid."
On Granby: "Granby has been exciting for us. He's worked some at corner an safety. For us, he might be a safety. He's a good kid, has good coverage ability, a smooth backpedal and he breaks on the ball well."
Shell didn't evaluate Russell because he hadn't seen him practice. Shell said he planned to have Klingler, considered the top quarterback in the upcoming draft, and Furrer split time running the AFC's offense.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL