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College area scout Todd Brunner is back after the 49ers bye weekend to share his latest blog from the road! Check out where his travels took him last week and some of the possible prospects for the 2007 NFL Draft.**
I went to Virginia Tech last Tuesday because they are only open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so I watched tape and hit their afternoon practice. They are one of the top teams in the country year in and year out so they have a numerous amount of players for scouts to look at on both sides of the football, as well as special teams. They've got a long snapper, punter and kicker. They've got a stable of thoroughbred wide receivers from their underclassmen up to their seniors. It's the best group of wide receivers I've ever seen from a physical standpoint. They are all big and tall. David Clowney is a senior I was taking a look at and given the talent they have at his position, you would think it would be tough for him to get that many catches but he's a productive kid and he's got all of the intangibles. He's definitely somebody we have to keep an eye on. He'll be producing somewhere in the league next year.
I drove to Charlottesville, Virginia from there and made camp there for the next three nights. Tuesday morning I started off at James Madison University and took a look at a few of their seniors. They are one of the national powers in IAA, and they had just beaten the number one IAA team in the country in New Hampshire, so they definitely have players you need to take a look at and who should have an opportunity to be in a camp next season.
They also probably have if not the best, one of the top three best IAA facilities in the country. It's brand new and it can rival a lot of major college football facilities.
On Thursday I went into the University of Virginia and watched tape on their seniors in preparation for their game that evening. They played North Carolina that night and they won 23-0 which was a big win for them. They had lost a tough one the week before and they were going into the game 2-5 so it helped them get closer to the .500 mark. Every time I go into Virginia, they ask about Patrick Estes who used to play tight end for them and who we've converted into a tackle. They've got two defensive backs who have the measurables and who have a chance to be drafted.
I then drove down to Liberty University and looked at a big offensive lineman who was a transfer from South Carolina. He's a very big kid who has potential and if he can maximize that potential he's got a chance to be in someone's camp next year.
I made the trek home and went to see undefeated Princeton take on the undefeated Harvard Crimson. Princeton won the game. It was a very good game and it gave me another chance to take a look at the running back, Clifton Dawson, from Harvard. In the game, he surpassed Ed Marinara's (actor from Hill Street Blues) career touchdown record, as he also inched closer to Marinera's all-purpose yardage record.
Since we had a bye, I just watched the Eagles/Buccaneers game and when the kid hit the 62-yard field goal, I was in shock. My son had to cover his ears because I got so excited about it. He even got mad at me because he said I hurt his ears with how loud I was.
Today I headed out to Buffalo which was about a seven hour drive and actually there's no snow so the drive was okay, but it's very cold. I listened to a lot of sports radio, music and now and then I listen to this comedy station. It helps change it up a little bit.
The big thing on talk radio for the last week was the Florida International/Miami brawl. Florida International really started the fight and their players were disciplined appropriately. Miami really went easy on their players. I think only from the public backlash for kid swinging helmet got the indefinite suspension, but for the kid stomping on people, he just got one game like the other guys and I thought that should have been harsher. These kind of brawls – it's not the first time they've happened but I think usually some harsher action has been taken. I can remember Florida State/Notre Dame had a fight in the tunnel a few years ago. I'm not sure what they did, but two years ago South Carolina/Clemson got in a brawl at the end of the game and the schools came down and banned each team from going to a bowl game and both were eligible. So, that was tough.
At any rate, that's about it for this week. I'll check in again next week.
