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The stories are in order as they appear in this content area:
Hilliard is Grizzlies' Mr. Versatility (Missoulian).
The path less traveled (Independent Record).
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BSC and the NFL Draft: Thomas' speed, size turning NFL heads (Great Falls Tribune).
Third & Long: I-AA Names among '04 draft possibilities (Tony Moss, TSN).
***
Hilliard is Grizzlies' Mr. Versatility
By JON KASPER of the Missoulian
Montana Grizzly fans liked what they saw from true freshman Lex Hilliard last fall.
The 6-foot, 198-pounder from Kalispell rushed for 590 yards, averaged 4.7 yards per carry and scored five touchdowns.
In Hilliard's eyes, it could have been better.
"I think I proved a little bit that I can play at this level,'' Hilliard said prior to Tuesday's spring practice. "But I haven't fully proven I can play at this level. I have to take it to the next level.''
Just how far he takes it in his sophomore season remains to be seen. He'll back up senior Justin Green, who rushed for a team-high 1,146 yards and 14 touchdowns and was named the Big Sky Conference newcomer of the year.
"It's cool having a guy in front of you that you enjoy playing with,''
Hilliard said. "The competition is there and whatever. He doesn't get mad when I'm in, and I don't get mad when he's in. It's all about improving yourself and making the guy in front of you improve himself and beat you out.''
Late in the season, the Grizzlies experimented with using Green and Hilliard in the backfield at the same time.
Hilliard, who has better speed than Green, is able to line up as a receiver, or motion out of the backfield and run routes. In the Grizzlies' first spring scrimmage, he caught a 35-yard pass from Craig Ochs.
"That's where the speed comes in with Lex,'' said Montana coach Bobby Hauck.
"He's fast and athletic."
Hilliard caught nine passes last season for 107 yards. Green caught six balls for 25 yards.
Hilliard was an all-state standout at Flathead High School, finishing his career with 4,410 all-purpose yards and 46 touchdowns. He also finished second in the state in the 100-meter dash as a junior.
"When we recruited him, we thought he was going to be a good football player, obviously.'' Hauck said. "We had no idea he was going to come as far as he did his freshman year. I thought that was really impressive.''
Some thought Hilliard might end up playing defensive end at Montana. Hauck said that wasn't even considered.
"We didn't look at him as anything other than a tailback,'' Hauck said.
"He's a quality, quality running back."
He's a running back who might force Griz coaches to find more ways to use his versatility and explosiveness in 2004.
"Anytime you've got players who are good with the football, you find a myriad of ways to get him the football,'' Hauck said. "We're always trying to get the football to those guys - Lex in particular - who have a chance to go the distance with it.''
Hilliard said he didn't set any particular goals for spring ball.
"No. 1, just get it done in the classroom,'' he said. "Then come out here and work hard every day.''
Hauck had no new information about the severity of offensive lineman Garth Enger's injury. The senior sustained a left knee injury on the last play of last Saturday's scrimmage.
Cornerback Tuff Harris, who injured a foot last week, and offensive lineman Ryan Gustafson, who tweaked a knee in the scrimmage, are other players who've suffered injuries this spring.
Tickets for Saturday's scrimmage at Nelson Stadium in Helena will be available at the entrance. Cost is $5 for adults and $3 for seniors and students.
The Grizzlies will scrimmage at noon, followed by two-time defending NAIA national champion Carroll College at 1:30 p.m.
***
The path less traveled
By TOM COTTON, Helena Independent Record
Sometimes the path doesn't always run straight and true. For Kendall Selle and Tyler Peterson that is certainly the case, as their respective paths have turned from Missoula to Helena.
The pair transferred from the University of Montana to Carroll College, and while both enjoyed their time with the Griz, each agreed that moving from the shadow of Mt. Sentinel to the Hilltop was the right choice.
"God maybe said that I wasn't going down the right path and led me to Carroll," Peterson said.
The Helena High product said the decision to leave Missoula was one of the most difficult he has ever had to make, but he is comfortable with moving to the NAIA ranks.
"You never want to leave a program," Peterson said. "I felt like the players (at Montana) were as close as brothers. That is the nice thing about Carroll College. I know so many players."
Both Selle and Peterson said the transition has been fairly smooth as they learn a new system, saying their fellow Saints welcomed them with open arms.
Selle has the added challenge of learning a new position, but that is something that is old hat for the Billings West graduate.
Selle was a standout quarterback for the Bears in is high school days and was recruited by Montana, where he learned the nuances of the position from another Billings native, John Edwards.
However, quarterback wasn't the position that he was destined to play.
The Griz coaching staff believed Selle, who had played safety for three years in high school, could be better used on the defensive side of the ball.
Former UM coach Joe Glenn moved him to outside linebacker. Last season, current UM coach Bobby Hauck moved him to safety before a pinched nerve in his back sidelined him all of last season.
Selle knew that a change needed to be made if he wanted to play college football, and he quickly was snapped up by Carroll College coach Mike Van Diest, who had recruited Selle.
This spring, Selle moved back to offense and is currently the No. 2 tight end on the Saints' depth chart.
"He is very coachable," Van Diest said of Selle. "Every day he comes to practice or to film and he wants to learn."
Selle said that playing quarterback in the past has given him the knowledge of the game which has been helpful in playing several positions.
"You just try to pick up concepts and be a student of the game," Selle said.
Selle, who has three years of eligibility remaining, saw action in three plays his entire Grizzly career, but Peterson stepped right in as a freshman.
He caught five passes his first year and 15 his second year. He totaled 220 yards and one touchdown during his Grizzly career. Peterson also saw extensive time on special teams.
Now Peterson, who has a year of eligibility remaining, will play both slot and outside receiver for Carroll. He has speed to burn and he will also go over the middle to nab a pass.
"He is one of the toughest kids out there," Van Diest said.
Peterson also has experience at playing at the Division I-AA level for more than two seasons, and he said he will pass along his expertise to the younger Saints.
Both Selle and Peterson will polish their skills this weekend in the final spring scrimmage for the Saints. Their former Griz teammates also will be at Nelson Stadium as UM will begin the "Day of Champions" at noon with a scrimmage of its own.
"The No. 1 thing is that I am happy to be playing college football,"
Peterson said. "I am happy where I am at.
***
Big Sky Conference and the NFL Draft
Thomas' speed, size turning NFL heads
Former Cat cornerback projected to go no lower than draft's second round
By Scott Mansch, Great Falls Tribune
Apparently the National Football League has no doubts about this Thomas.
Which is why Montana State star Joey Thomas spent Tuesday in Pittsburgh and Wednesday in Green Bay, at the behest and on the dime of the Steelers and Packers, respectively.
And it's why the flamboyant cornerback is in Dallas today to talk with officials of the Cowboys.
"I think a lot of teams like him," said Pete Dougherty, who covers the Packers for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. "I've talked to scouts for a bunch of different teams and they like him, because he's big, which is a commodity at corner, and he's fast and talented. ... It sounds to me like he won't be picked later than the second round."
For Thomas, the two-time All-Big Sky Bobcat who was a four-year starter after transferring to MSU from Washington, this is a special time.
"I'm just trying to soak it all up and take it all in," he said. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I'm just trying to make the most of it."
Thomas was known for his physical man-to-man defense and confident swagger at MSU. The 6-foot-2, 188-pounder has endeared himself to pro scouts because of his size, coupled with 4.4-second speed in the 40-yard dash. At recent workouts for pro scouts in Indianapolis, Thomas tested well for intelligence. He also raised some eyebrows by bench-pressing 225 pounds 17 times.
The Packers have some problems in their secondary, for starting safety Antuan Edwards signed as a free agent with the Dolphins and disgruntled cornerback Mike McKenzie has asked for a trade.
"I think the Packers would have been a real good candidate to pick a defensive back early, anyway," said Dougherty. "Now I wouldn't be surprised if they pick one in the first round (at No. 25 overall). I'm sure Thomas is one of the guys they're taking a good, hard look at."
The NFL Draft is April 24-25. The first two rounds of the seven-round event is on Saturday.
"I hope to be a first-day guy," Thomas said. "Wherever I go I'll make the best of the situation."
Defensive end John Taylor, selected by the Detroit Lions in the fourth round in 2002, is the only Bobcat who has been drafted since 1995. It's been a bit of a drought lately for the entire Big Sky Conference, in fact, as only two players were selected last year and just three the year before. In 2000, no Big Sky players were picked by NFL teams.
But that trend might change this year.
"This could be a record year for the Big Sky from the standpoint of draft choices," said Ken Staninger, longtime Missoula sports agent. "There could be between five and eight kids drafted."
The Big Sky actually had nine players drafted in 1982 and 1989, but that was before the draft was cut to seven rounds about 10 years ago. Staninger's new clients include the Montana offensive linemen Dylan McFarland and Jon Skinner, and record-setting kicker Chris Snyder.
"I think Dylan definitely has a chance to be drafted," Staninger said.
"That's definitely what we're being told. Now exactly where he might be drafted, I don't know. But there's an awful lot of interest in him. We've also heard a lot of good things about Chris Snyder, but very few kickers are ever drafted. Jon, I think, is a free agent-type guy who we hope to have some options with."
Staninger said he thinks Northern Arizona receiver Clarence Moore, Eastern Washington offensive tackle Kurt Sigler, Idaho State defensive end Jared Allen, and Sacramento State offensive tackle Marco Kavka will all be selected. The veteran agent believes there will be another handful of ex-Big Sky stars who receive free-agent contracts, including receiver Clarence Moore and punter Mark Gould, and Montana State defensive end Adam Cordeiro, offensive tackle Brent Swaggert and return specialist Corey Smith.
Thomas, who played in the Senior Bowl last December, agrees with Staninger about the top-notch talent level in the Big Sky these days.
"They're not superior athletes because they're from the big schools," Thomas said. "Bigger doesn't mean better. The receivers I was against at the Senior Bowl, they're no better than Clarence Moore. ... We definitely don't get the credit in the Big Sky for the athletes that we do have."
***
Third & Long: I-AA Names among '04 draft possibilities
By Tony Moss, The Sports Network
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - As you prepare to break down this year’s potential NFL Draft class, take note of one thing: most NFL "draftniks" are morons. Not all, but many, simply regurgitate what they read elsewhere, and most of that info comes from the highly specious world of self-made internet draft "experts."
There are exceptions, of course. Mel Kiper, Jr. not only has great hair and hails from the world’s greatest city (Baltimore), but can be trusted for one very important reason - people talk to him. Kiper’s chops in the evaluation of NFL prospects are bona fide, and thus he can glean firsthand information from general managers and pro scouting directors as well as the scouts themselves. There are a couple of others that have a credible level of access to those whose opinions really count on draft day, but most are simply taking data from these primary sources and tweaking a few details with some of their own baseless inferences. Many will assume that because they’ve never seen John Q. Safety from McNeese State run across their TV on a Saturday afternoon, that Tom H. Linebacker from Michigan must be the prospect more valuable to pro franchises.
Note that draft bios on just about every player beneath the I-A level will say something like "level of competition faced is a concern." Guess what?
The level of competition faced is a concern for every single player that will have their name called on April 24th and 25th, whether they played their college ball in the Big Ten or Big South. All have one important thing in common, as far as NFL front-office types are concerned: not one has played a down of pro football. Every player picked, however, will have had his physical and mental attributes hyper-analyzed to a degree that resembles a science fiction nightmare. All will have competed in a "pro day" workout before scouts, and most will have participated in at least one postseason
all- star game, events where your college program’s Nielsen rating means little in the shadow of actual performance and ability.
A terrific instance of the slapdash research methods of some draftniks can be found when searching for data on 2003 Buck Buchanan Award winner Jared Allen of Idaho State. After going into great detail about his own past media appearances on his website, one self-ordained scribe implausibly told the world that Allen (17.5 sacks, 102 tackles, six forced fumbles in 2003) "was never really dominant even at his lower level of competition."
Courtney Van Buren is another great example of the draft hype machine’s inherently faulty wiring. The offensive lineman from Arkansas-Pine Bluff, who barely made a splash on a middling SWAC team during his collegiate career, was nowhere to be found in 90 percent of the so- called experts’
mock drafts in 2003. Imagine the armchair analysts’ consternation when Van Buren’s name not only was called, but was called on the first day when the San Diego Chargers made him their third round-pick. Rest assured that the selection set off a rash of panicked Google searches, querying whether "Pine Bluff" was one word or two.
With the caveat that you can’t always believe what you read, below is The Sports Network’s Top 10 list of I-AA players with serious draft potential.
The list is in no way an airtight indication of draft position or ability, but represents the best information available at present.
1. Keith Smith, CB, McNeese State (5-11, 200). I-AA Quarterbacks were often wise enough to steer clear of Smith, but the corner was still credited with four interceptions, 18 pass breakups, and 51 tackles during his senior season. The 2004 cornerback crop is seen as thin, which improves Smith’s chances of being an early pick on the first day.
2. Joey Thomas, CB, Montana State (6-1, 195). Like Smith, Thomas will benefit from the high premium placed on corners in this year’s draft. As a lockdown corner at MSU, Thomas tallied four picks and 11 pass deflections during his senior season. Most QBs stayed away from the gifted Thomas during his days as a Bobcat, a trend that will change as he pays his dues as a rookie in the NFL.
3. Isaac Hilton, DE, Hampton (6-3, 265). Some I-AA observers are shocked that Hilton’s stock is so high, as the end rarely dominated against competition that was often sketchy even by I-AA standards. Hilton had just five sacks during his senior season, and was invisible against some of Hampton’s top opponents, such as Villanova. Apparently, NFL teams are looking at Hilton’s size and athleticism and counting on turning him into another Michael Strahan. Hilton currently projects as a first-day pick.
4. Clarence Moore, WR, Northern Arizona (6-5, 210). Moore had a terrific senior year (1184 receiving yards, 12 TD), performed well at the NFL combine, and has the size that makes him a real sleeper pick in this year’s draft. Moore has a ton of potential, though he was never viewed as the world’s toughest receiver as a collegian. If his future team can get him to ratchet up his tenacity, Moore could be a terrific find.
5. Shawn Johnson, DE, Delaware (6-4, 270). Johnson’s size and speed haven’t blown away the NFL scouts, but his productivity both for the national champion Blue Hens and at his previous stop, Duke, make him a likely second-day selection at the very least. Johnson fought constant double-teams to come up with 74 tackles and 13.5 sacks in 2003, and has the ability to be a contributor at the next level.
6. Marko Cavka, T, Sacramento State (6-7, 295). Cavka was an anonymous member of a sometimes horrendous Sac State team, but fared well in a pair of postseason all-star games as well as the NFL combine. He’ll need to put on some pounds to be an NFL regular, but is seen as a player with a good upside.
7. Brad Lekkerkerker, T, UC Davis (6-7, 315). Scouts like Lekkerkerker’s potential nearly as much as his size, as the tackle didn’t even begin playing football until college. Lekkerkerker held his own at the NFL combine, and is rated just below Cavka on the tackle board. He should be a second day pick.
8. Kurt Sigler, G/T, Eastern Washington (6-4, 295). Sigler was a tackle in college, but his size dictates a possible move to guard at the next level.
Sigler was an effective college lineman who missed the better part of two seasons with injuries. After performing well at the NFL combine as well as two postseason all-star games, the Big Sky all-conference pick should hear his name called on Sunday.
9. Jonathan Harrell, LB, Northern Iowa (6-2, 228). Harrell was not among I- AA’s most heralded linebackers, and failed to make the Gateway All- Conference first-team in either of his two seasons after transferring from Ellsworth Community College in Kansas. But scouts see Harrell as possessing the physical makeup and athleticism to make it at the next level, meaning UNI’s leading tackler in 2003 has a better- than-average chance of being drafted.
10. Jared Allen, DE, Idaho State (6-6, 265). The 2003 Buck Buchanan Award winner was extremely productive (17.5 sacks, 102 tackles) during his senior season, and also possesses size and bloodlines (his father, Ron, was an NFL
player) that should be attractive to NFL teams. He’ll need to bulk up and become more consistent, but teams with late-round defensive end needs would be foolish not to take a flier on Allen.
10 More (listed alphabetically): Eugene Amano, C, Southeast Missouri (6-2, 315), Steve Baggs, OLB, Bethune-Cookman (6-1, 245), Casey Cramer, FB/TE, Dartmouth (6-2, 240), Mark Gould, P, Northern Arizona (6-2, 206), Robert Kent, QB, Jackson State (6-4, 220), Luke Lawton, FB, McNeese State (6-0, 240), Dylan McFarland, T, Montana (6-6, 305), Roderick Royal, LB, McNeese State (6-0, 245), Chris Thompson, CB, Nicholls State (6-0, 190), Tony Tiller, CB, East Tennessee State (6-0, 180).
Source: Tom Griz Fan
April 15, 2004
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