by Bobby Deren
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The East squad hit the field this morning in full pads and the intensity picked up in a hurry. Here’s a look at who stood out on the East team through the second practice of the week.
Just as he grabbed every pass that came his way, Miami tight end Chase Ford grabbed the headlines on day two. He made catch after catch in traffic and even pulled a couple in with defenders all around him.
The only defensive player to break up one of the intended passes for Ford was UCF linebacker Josh Linam, which came during 11-on-11 live action.
The running backs had a better showing on day two as Tennessee’s Tauren Poole gained yards up the middle and also showed a quick burst to the outside on quite a few occasions. Florida Atlantic’s Alfred Morris also had a solid day and ended on a high note when he broke a long run to the outside, earning some sideline accolades from a few scouts.
The East practiced for the first time in full pads on Tuesday morning
For the second straight day, the Big East ruled the O-line as Rutgers Desmond Wynn and USF’s Jeremiah Warren enjoyed strong performances. Warren was rarely beaten in one-on-ones while Wynn was not bested at all during the individual drills. California (Pa.) guard Rishaw Johnson had his share of standout moments on the O-line as he improved on his second day in the trenches.
Mississippi State’s Quentin Salsberry had another solid day as he was tough to get around during each session of today’s practice.
The wide receiver group featured flashes from a pair of Big Ten players as Michigan State’s B.J. Cunningham and Illinois’ A.J. Jenkins showed flashes and improved on day two with the addition of pads.
The receivers still had a tough time getting around cornerback Josh Norman of Coastal Carolina, who was the arguably the best defensive player on the East squad for the second straight day. Norman picked off a pass during the 7-on-7’s, closed exceptionally well and was never more than a couple steps away from his man.
For the second straight day, Presbyterian’s Justin Bethel had a strong showing as did Kansas State’s Tysyn Hartman, who came up and played the run very well.
ECU cornerback Emanuel Davis seemed to settle in and had a decent day in coverage after a quiet Monday.
Pitt linebacker Brandon Lindsay blew up a couple of tight ends at the line of scrimmage and narrowly missed an interception in live action as he knocked down a pass. Small school linebacker Shawn Loiseau out of Merrimack proved he can play with the big boys, bottling up a couple of runs and showing nice pursuit.
There was no shortage of quickness when West Virginia’s Najee Goode lined up as he frustrated blockers with his burst and routinely found his way in the backfield.
South Carolina defensive tackle Travarian Robertson showed off his power on day two, handling some linemen with sheer strength. He had a few shining moments after a bit of a slow start on Monday.
Virginia’s Matt Conrath had a late sack in live action and Miami’s Micanor Regis displayed a high motor, willing his way into the backfield more as the morning wore on.
