AstroTurf NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Updates?
 

Has there been any news or notes from this game from ANYONE????? It is this week right? Does anyone have any weigh in notes or anything?

Interested to see the first underclassman to play in a post season bowl game.

I've got good news for you. The Jaguars blog, Big Cat Country has a writer there and he's been doing a good job. He's there with a handful of CFL and UFL scouts at most. Maybe 10 of them.

American Practice Day 1
National Practice Day 1
American Practice Day 2
National Practice Day 2

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/s...t-physical-day

Funny thing about Szczerba. He was terribly inconsistent (and often downright putrid) this past season for Penn State.

There was an underclassman invited, so it's pretty much dead as far as scouts/media goes. NFL scouts are barred from attending, but there are some CFL/AFL guys there.

Has there been any reports of the weigh ins? I'm interested to see what happened with a few guys.

If an all-star game happens and nobody is there, does anyone care? :o)

In all honestly, their decision to allow a couple of underclassmen to participate has really hurt this game. There are zero scouts or NFL personnel out there, although they will review the practice tapes. Also, when you think about it the top four hundred prospects are basically at the Senior Bowl and East / West Shrine, which means that almost everyone at the NFLPA game is a late rounder or undrafted free agent. Now there will be exceptions, but by and large the talent pool at this event doesn't warrant a ton of coverage.

I don't understand why there aren't more Brandon Washington types there. As in, underclassmen that could stand to help their stock.

Because the underclassmen that people want to see are too highly regarded to take the chance of getting hurt. Also, why go when there isn't any NFL personnel there? Sure they'll review the tapes, but there is already plenty of tape out there from their college careers.

But why wouldn't a guy like Whitney Mercilus use a game like this to try to put his name in the top 10 conversation? How is that any different than a senior like Quinton Coples in the Senior Bowl?

I get that this isn't popular with NFL personnel; but I think if this game were full of the Whitney Merciluses and Fletcher Coxes of the draft, it would be.

Because scouts aren't even allowed at the practices like they would be at the Sr. Bowl, and thats the most important part of the whole thing. The actual game doesn't mean all that much.

Another thing to keep in mind is that most underclassmen, and prospects in general, have an inflated opinion of where there draft stock is. In the case of a guy like Mercilus, I would bet you almost anything he feels as though he is already a sure-fire first rounder.

Game is be televised by NBC.

WOW Chris Galippo is on the roster. Man he has fallen. UDFA anyone?

He is terrible. Sad to say, but multiple back surgeries have derailed his career.

Word is that he's really unimpressive in the practices, too. Not surprising, he's been terrible for a solid two years now.

I guess my actual question is why doesn't a game exist that can act as a Senior Bowl for underclassmen. Obviously this game has ****** it up for a few reasons, but I think an underclassmen Senior Bowl would work if they filled out the roster with late round seniors.

Why can't scouts attend?

*** NFL rule in place so as not to offend their free collegiate farm system powers that be.

Perhaps this will force the NFL to readdress their antiquated policy on player/scout interaction. Like many things in life, this situation makes no sense. These players have voluntarilly forfeited their own amateurism and will be speaking with hundreds of scouts over the next three months, but they can't talk to them for one more week?

This issue should be addressed, and I'm glad the NFLPA Bowl is here to challenge the status quo. The game doesn't have to be a success to make an impact.

Also, the level of competition they would be competing against this week would certainly be called into question. What good would it do Whitney Mercilus to dominate against a group of future practice squad heroes?

If you are interested the game was televised on NBC Sports 12AM EST