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The 2012 Under Armour Senior Bowl takes place on Saturday with a pair of Illiniois Fighting Ilini looking to impress the NFL scouts.
The 2012 Senior Bowl represents the culmination of a strong collegiate career for most players, and is the last chance to impress NFL scouts and talent evaluators in a game scenario. Although there are 65 talented underclassmen in the 2012 NFL Draft class who cannot be a part of the event, plenty of NFL-caliber talent will be on the field. Unlike other all-star games that feature lax play and lack competitiveness, this game is truly intense because each player is desperately fighting for their professional lives on the field.
The North roster is coached by the Minnesota Vikings' staff, and includes smallish quarterback prospects like Wisconsin Badgers QB Russell Wilson, Michigan St. Spartans QB Kirk Cousins, and Boise St. Broncos QB Kellen Moore. All three hope to prove they can overcome their size limitations with good decision-making and excellent movement in the pocket to find throwing lanes or avoid oncoming rushers. Play-makers likeIowa Hawkeyes WR Marvin McNutt, and Boise St. Broncos RB Doug Martin will be looking to make their mark on the game as well. The defensive unit is anchored by a strong secondary, and in a pass-dominated NFL scouts will be closely watching the coverage and tackling skills of Oklahoma Sooners CB Jamell Fleming, Iowa St. Cyclones CB Leonard Johnson, Coastal Carolina CB Josh Norman, Boise St. Broncos S George Iloka andNotre Dame Fighting Irish S Harrison Smith.
The South roster is coached by the Washington Redskins' staff and features top defensive pass rushing prospects like North Carolina Tar Heels DE Quinton Coples andAlabama Crimson Tide DE Courtney Upshaw. On offense, quarterbacks like Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden, Arizona's Nick Foles and San Diego State's Ryan Lindley will all be trying to show that can run a pro-style offense and make NFL throws with accuracy.
Here is some basic information to help you find the game on Saturday afternoon:
Game time/date: 4:00 p.m. CST, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012
Location: Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Ala.
TV: NFL Network
For more on the Senior Bowl and complete draft coverage, check out SB Nation's 2012 NFL Draft page and Mocking the Draft.
The 2012 Under Armour Senior Bowl takes place on Saturday, pitting the NCAA's top collegiate athletes against each other in anticipation of the 2012 NFL Draft. Saturday's contest marks the 63rd year of the Senior Bowl, with the South team leading the North with a record of 29-26-3.
Last year's 2011 Senior Bowl featured a 24-10 South win as Florida St. Seminoles (and now Minnesota Vikings) quarterback Christian Ponder tossed a pair of touchdowns. This year, the Illinois Fighting Illini will send two players to the Senior Bowl -- OL Jeff Allen and WR A.J. Jenkins -- after sending no players to the 2011 game.
The 43rd and 44th Fighting Illini to reach the Senior Bowl, Allen and Jenkins join an illustrious list of Senior Bowl alums, including Jason Taylor, Brett Favre, Hines Ward and Brian Urlacher. WR A.J. Jenkins is expected to be drafted somewhere in the mid-to-late rounds of the 2012 NFL Draft. He finished the 2011 season with 90 receptions, 1276 yards and 8 touchdowns.
Tune in to the Senior Bowl at 3 PM CST PM broadcast in high-def on the NFL Network.
For more on the Senior Bowl and all matters college football, head over to SB Nation College Football. Stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago for coverage of all Fighting Illini breaking news and score updates.
The Senior Bowl is a great opportunity for established collegiate players to show they can perform in a professional setting, stand out against other motivated amateur talent and prepare themselves for the 2012 NFL Draft process. NFL scouts and talent evaluators keep a very close eye on team practices to see which players fit NFL prototypes and which can't match the physical demands of the professional game. Wes Bunting of the National Football Post has watched all of the team practices very closely, and after the full three-day experience he has listed his top 10 prospects for the 2012 Senior Bowl.
The Chicago Bears have been looking for someone to make an impact opposite Julius Peppers in the defensive line, and Bunting has identified DE Quinton Coples of the North Carolina Tar Heels and DE Courtney Upshaw of the Alabama Crimson Tide as potential fits on draft day. Bunting named Coples the No. 1 prospect and called him a standout player and "top-five caliber talent" who can overpower offensive linemen on contact, so perhaps isn't really someone the Bears can get. However, Upshaw is listed at No. 3 and not only has the versatility to play a 4-3 scheme, but also has the power and speed to "overwhelm on contact" off the edge.
Bears fans would do well to keep an eye on both players during the 2012 Senior Bowl, because the next general manager of the team might just make a play for one of them in the 2012 NFL Draft.
For more NFL news and notes, head over to SB Nation Pro Football, and stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago for more Bears updates and analysis. For more in-depth analysis of the Bears, visit Windy City Gridiron.
2012 Senior Bowl: North Beats South 23-13, WR Joe Adams Shines
The South team did not score a touchdown until the fourth quarter, but the kept the game close despite three interceptions and a lost fumble falling 23-13 to the North team.
The game started poorly for the South as WR Joe Adams of the Arkansas Razorbacks dropped a fumble that gave the North possession in South territory. Adams had an otherwise spectacular day, breaking tackles and catching 8 receptions for 133 yards.
No one player on the North roster stole the show on Saturday night, as the three quarterbacks -- Kellen Moore, Kirk Cousins and Russell Wilson -- combined for 210 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. The running game likewise proved sufficient but not dominant, as the group put 98 rushing yards on the board, but only netted 69 yards for a 2.1 yards per carry average -- which includes 6 "rushes" from the quarterbacks.
Illinois Fighting Illini wideout A.J. Jenkins was targeted four times, but had only one reception on the day, a 25-yard catch in the fourth quarter. The Illini receiver finished the 2011 regular season with 1276 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns and is widely expected to be draft in the 2012 NFL Draft. Jenkins joined the Senior Bowl roster late after an injury opened up a spot earlier in the week.
For more on the Senior Bowl and complete draft coverage, check out SB Nation's 2012 NFL Draft page and Mocking the Draft.
Jan 28 10:08p by Bradley Woodrum