I watched most of the Arkansas/Mississippi St. game, but it was kind of off and on, and I missed a big chunk of the third quarter. I was interested in two players: Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett and Mississippi State OT Derrick Sherrod, considered by some draft sites to be the best offensive-tackle prospect in this draft.
Sherrod was terrific for the entire game--until the very last play! In the second overtime, with his team down by 7 and needing to convert a fourth-down play, Sherrod inexplicably allowed the defensive end to blow by him and nail the quarterback to end the game. It was almost as if he had missed the snap count. Very strange. Up until that play, Sherrod had been dominant on both running and passing downs. He has very quick feet. On running plays, he just destroyed his man. I can't get that last play out of my mind, though.
After watching Mallett last year a couple of times, I was definitely not a fan. He was simply too inconsistent, and good for four or five really odd decisions per game. This was the first time I've seen him this year, and he's improved his game quite a bit. He's still not Einstein out there, but he didn't make as many poor decisions (at least, not while I was watching). He actually looked off his primary receiver a couple of times to find a secondary receiver. Physically, he has all the tools, except the ability to run. He runs like he's wearing combat boots. No, he runs like a dork: flat-footed, all knees and elbows. When it comes to mobility, he makes Peyton Manning look like Michael Vick. But he can make all the throws, including laser shot completions that thread the needle between defenders. I don't think I would want him on my team, but he has a chance to become pretty good.
When the Arkansas/Mississippi State game was over, I switched over to the last ten minutes of the Oregon State/USC game. I don't know how he played during the first three quarters, but OSU DT Stephen Paea single-handedly destroyed the Trojan offense while I was watching. He was unblockable, even when he was double-teamed. He pounded the quarterback on one play, got held on another, and sacked the quarterback and forced a fumble on his final play of the game. They say he's 6'1 311, but I doubt that he's six feet tall. Still, he has something like superhuman strength, and he might be the quickest DT in the nation. Once they get a load of him at the Combine, he might be a top-five pick. If he drops lower than that, he'll be a steal.
