It was a beautiful day at Fairhope Stadium. The South team was greeted by screaming throngs of autograph seeking kids who have grown up on SEC football. The players shook off the rust very quickly and the practice intensity was equal to the Wednesday practice at the Shrine Game, if not greater.

Special Teams

South punt returners were Quintin Demps (S-UTEP), Leodis McKelvin (CB-Troy), Early Doucet (WR-LSU). Demps was especially good at fielding punts with his arms extended and generating forward momentum going into the catch like a centerfielder.

QB

Colt Brennan (Hawaii) was slinging the ball almost sidearm but made some nice completions and fit in with the other South QBs.

Andre Woodson (Kentucky) showed his nice over the top delivery and his ball was the most catchable of the three QBs. I also got to talk to him after practice and he gave a great answer when I asked him why he came to the game when Matt Ryan and Brian Brohm did not – saying you always want to get better and he’s already learning and doing things he hasn’t done before this week.

Erik Ainge (Tennessee) probably looks the most like an NFL with his long limbed big frame. Like the other QBs, he was clearly on a different level than all the Shrine Game QBs we watched last week except for Josh Johnson.

RB

Matt Forte (Tulane) definitely fits in, in fact he stood out among the South RBs. He got to the outside and also made a nice over the shoulder catch on a deep pass.

Rafael Little (Kentucky) did not have any outstanding plays and got strung out on a stretch play when Ali Highsmith (LB-LSU) stood his ground.

Peyton Hillis (Arkansas) was very impressive, getting outside on one run that would have been a big play and again showing his great hands.

Tashard Choice (Georgia Tech) had one outstanding cutback run and seemed have good spring in his legs.

WR

Harry Douglas (Louisville) showed great hands and quickness all day, overshadowing the disappointment of his weighing only 170 at the weigh-in this morning.

Early Doucet (LSU) was showing some sick stop-start moves in his routes and generally confusing the DB covering him. He easily got separation from Patrick Lee (CB-Auburn) .

Limas Sweed (Texas) showed good hands and certainly looked the part of an NFL WR, but he was still rounding off his routes and did not look nearly as crisp in his routes as Douglas or Doucet.

Andre Caldwell (Florida) had some great moves after the catch and looked like the fastest WR on the South squad at times.

Donnie Avery (Houston) showed great hands throughout practice and seemed like the best natural hands catcher of the South WRs.

TE

Brad Cottam (Tennessee) looked massive and can add more weight to his frame. Matt Bitonti of Draft Daddy and I both agreed that he might end up at OT. He looked a bit stiff out in patterns, but still very athletic for someone who is 6’7” 270.

Jacob Tamme (Kentucky) did a great job using his frame to block out the defender when the ball was thrown to him.

OL

Heath Benedict (OT-Newberry) had an outstanding day and is definitely fitting in with the big school OL.

Chris Williams (OT-Vanderbilt) also took care of business more often than not and looked like a natural LT.

Robert Felton (OG-Arkansas) looked tough to move and did a great job finding and blotting out a secondary target on a running play.

Defense

Wesley Woodyard (LB-Kentucky) had trouble keeping up with Tamme, a TE, and may be an LB/S tweener at the next level, a player without a home.

Quentin Demps (S-UTEP) showed great determination, not giving up when he was beat and making a sprawling breakup of the pass.

Simeon Castille (DB-Alabama) had a near interception when he jumped a route and looked very comfortable at CB.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (CB-Tennessee State) looked like the best DB on the South squad. His transition out of his back pedal was effortless and silky smooth, and he got great burst when he stuck his foot in the ground while diagnosing the route. With a good combine (and a high jump, long jump and 60 yard dash champ should), DRC could put himself in the mix to be the #1 CB off the board.