Get Wired with the Stock Watch

The buzz surrounding the Senior Bowl may seem minuscule to most people but little do they know that this where players make or break their draft status. Last year was a strong reminder of this with Derek Hagan. As a wide receiver, he was highly touted and some early projections had him as a late first round-second round selection. He entered the Senior Bowl practices with rocks for hands. He couldn't catch a ball and his draft stock slid to the second day but the Miami Dolphins saw his upside in a weak wide receiver class and he was eventually drafted in just the third round.

With almost three months until draft day, let's take a look at some of the players that are improving their draft stock or devaluing their draft stock.

Rising

QB Troy Smith, Ohio State (6-0, 222) Troy Smith is proving to be the best quarterback in the Senior Bowl. For four days now, he has looked like the best quarterback. He has a nice spiral with tight passes and is reluctant to scramble when things break down. Instead, he is known to check down his targets and dump the ball, but still isn't afraid to get some extra yardage with his legs. The common fan thinks Smith isn't worthy of spit after his BCS National Championship performance but you can't write him off just yet. He is playing with a chip on his shoulder and won't fall out of the 2nd round as of now. People have a knack to knock him for his height, but Drew Brees is only 6 feet tall. Smith's mechanices aren't as bad as previously though and by all accounts, he is drawing Drew Brees comparisons.

QB Drew Stanton, Michigan State (6-2, 226) With a lack of pure talent at the quarterback position this year, Stanton is pushing to be the fourth quarterback off of the board. Right now, he is projected to be a mid round selection but with his performance at the Senior Bowl practices this week, he is inching towards an early third round projection. He is showing good arm strength, tremendous accuracy with a tight spiral, and is placing a nice touch on the ball. He has also shown to be a nice leader in the two minute drill. Scouts have compared Drew Stanton to Chris Simms but with better upside. In my analysis, the better upside aspect of that comparison comes from Simms recent bouts with injuries and mediocre play on Sunday's when healthy. Of course, we have no NFL-play from Stanton to compare to Simms yet, but this will be a nice comparison to look at in 2 or 3 years from a hindsight perspective.

RB Thomas Clayton, Kansas State (5-10, 219) Thomas Clayton joined the Senior Bowl due to injuries but he was still projected to be a 6th or 7th round selection. Since coming to Mobile, he has stolen the show among running backs. He is showing to be a great change of direction back with a nice burst. He is very solid and hard to bring down. After one cut, he seems to be gone. This shifty running back, who replaced Northern Illinois speedster Garrett Wolfe, is proving that he should not have been overlooked in the first place. As I type this, Clayton is looking at a fourth round projection and could leap into the third round if he keeps impressing scouts. He is fast for his size and the combine in Indianapolis could force him to leap-frog Auburn's Kenny Irons. A current comparison from my perspective is Joseph Addai.

WR Brandon Myles, West Virginia (6-0, 183) Despite being on the slender side, Myles is looking like the best wide-out in this game. He has had some great catches, showed precision when running his routes, and looks like the ultimate hard-working athlete coaches look for. He quickly learned the spread offense's playbook in Morgantown and shouldn't have a problem picking up an NFL playbook and learning it within a week. He was a projected 6th round selection but is now working his way into the third or fourth rounds. Amongst this deep group of receivers, Myles may be a diamond in the rough and a nice "Anquan Boldin-type" selection for a franchise.

DE Adam Carriker, Nebraska (6-5, 292) Carriker is not known to be a pass rusher but is showing some strength in that department this week. He has been quick off the snap and uses his feet well. Carriker keeps his arms up when battling on the edge and should be effective on the next level in batting passes down. Carriker is quickly rising into a first round prospect, although some reports have him there already. This defensive end group is deep this year and Carriker is arguably the third best end behind Jamaal Anderson and Gaines Adams.

S/CB Brandon Meriweather, Miami (Fl) (5-10, 192) Meriweather is the defensive standout on the South squad this week. Entering the college football season, he was a sure-fire top 15 selection but a bad year for the Hurricanes mixed in with the on-the-field brawl in which Meriweather participated, he has slipped to the second round. Well, he may be pushing his stock back into the first round as the best safety behind LaRon Landry. The only thing is that he may not get drafted to play safety. He has seen action as a cornerback this week and has dominated, grabbing at least one interception so far. His timed speed will be enough to consider him as a multi-faceted threat worthy of a first round selection. His character issues will need resolved but a winning team in the first round may not pass on him due to his pure talent.

Free-Falling

RB Kenny Irons, Auburn (5-10, 198) Irons needs to show something good this week to improve his stock. Right now he is projected to go in either the 2nd or 3rd round but could slip into the second day. He is stronger than he looks though but his blocking techniques need fine-tuned and he has dropped almost every single pass thrown his way this week. It seems to me that Irons has good change of direction skills. I was high on him entering the season but have fallen back on his prospects. He reminds me of Jerome Harrison. If Irons can land on the right team, and get coached up, he could be a formidable running back on the next level in a 2-back system. I am not sold on him though. He isn't helping his stock either. My sources say he is nothing more than a 3rd round selection right now.

RB Garrett Wolfe, Northern Illinois (5-7, 183) Wolfe was hit with the injury bug this week and will not play in the Senior Bowl. Prior to his injury, he was struggling with his carries and looked really weak. Most see Wolfe as a return man on the next level but all I see is an afterthought. When I see Wolfe run, I think of Quentin Griffin without the drive and the opportunity. Wolfe is a projected late round selection that may go undrafted in April.

TE Clark Harris, Rutgers (6-5, 257) Clark Harris arrived in Mobile and was looked upon as a top-heavy player that looked slower than expected. Clark Harris ended up getting injured and was replaced by Ben Patrick from Delaware. Scott Wright said that he would be surprised if Clark Harris could run better than a 4.8 forty in Indianapolis. Harris' blocking was always questioned at Rutgers. Harris has built a name for himself through the Scarlet Knights' strong showing in 2006 and will get drafted in rounds 6 or 7. He just doesn't bring enough to the table from an NFL perspective.

DE Quentin Moses, Georgia (6-4, 249) Moses came to Alabama looking fit to be an end in a 3-4 defense. His value was already taking a hit before the Senior Bowl but the best I can say about Moses this week is that he has been unimpressive. He does have long arms and is pretty fluid with his feet but his push off of the edge isn't wowing anybody right now. Moses' stock is falling and it is making way for Adam Carriker's push into the first round. Right now Moses looks like a second round selection, unless he turns things around in a hurry.

CB Leon Hall, Michigan (5-11, 193) Leon Hall is projected to be a top 10 selection by most people, but they must not be paying attention. Hall has been burnt by Anthony Gonzalez from Ohio State and was wiped off the map by Dwayne Jarrett in the Rose Bowl. Leon Hall is also struggling dearly in Mobile. A Cleveland Browns' scout called Hall "just another guy" and average wide-out Paul Williams "juked Hall out of his jock strap." Leon Hall is now a late first round projection in my book, and if he gets embarrassed on game day in Mobile, he may slide into the second round.

CB Aaron Ross, Texas (6-0, 192) Ross keeps getting beaten by Dwayne Bowe in Mobile. If Ross can't hold his ground with Bowe, how can he be expected to hold his weight against Steve Smith, Reggie Wayne, or Chad Johnson? He is strong in zone coverage but looks like a nickelback on the next level. Ross is currently projected to be a late first round-early second round selection. With the emergence of Brandon Meriweather at corner, plus Daymeion Hughes, Josh Wilson, and the declaration from underclassman Chris Houston, Ross could fall into the late second round. Now that is a free fall, especially when you consider that Ross won the 2006 Jim Thorpe Award.

Conclusion

Stay tuned to ffLiveWire.com as I will update this list after the Senior Bowl game.