The Senior Bowl represents the last chance to evaluate key prospects in the upcoming draft who actually play football. It’s all about running in shorts, bench pressing and throwing and catching with no one defending after that. While the Senior Bowl is important, it is only one part of the entire judging process. What a prospect did in his college career should take center stage. The following are the players who stood out and some who revealed cracks in their armor:

Outstanding:

BY Ziggy Ansah, BYU – Which is more important, the practice and drills or the game? Ansah played too high and found himself hit by blockers throughout the week. However, he stood out during the game. Ansah played fast and showed power and speed to make many plays during the game. BYU’s raw product gave up a pass, was strong against the run, had a sack and was relentless in pursuit. The continuous hustle and bustle of Ansah was impressive.

OT Eric Fisher, Central Michigan- Fisher was highly regarded entering Senior Bowl week and it only enhanced his reputation. He can play left tackle in the NFL with his quick feet and solid technique of his. Fisher can slide sideways; He anchors again to stop the bull’s attacks and finishes off his blocks. A team looking for a left tackle should be sure this youngster could be the answer.

OT Lane Johnson, Oklahoma- The former Sooner is very athletic with quick feet and the poise to be a good pass protector at left tackle. Johnson is smooth on his slide kick and bends well. He has to add additional solid weight and more strength to become a better run blocker. This should be on time and Johnson opened some eyes this week.

DE Datane Jones, UCLA- Jones impressed with a quick first step and aggressive use of his hands. He also showed high motor skills and was very active in the exercises from start to finish. Jones did a good job of keeping the offensive lineman’s hands off and keeping some distance. Jones applied pressure during the actual game and showed that he wasn’t just a standout in practice.

QB EJ Manuel, Florida State- The game’s MVP threw a lofty touchdown pass to Michael Williams. Manuel can also time better than any quarterback in the Senior Bowl. Manuel still doesn’t have the accuracy or decision-making skills of a top quarterback. He is a good athlete and a smart young man. Manuel did enough for several teams to see him as someone who could become a solid starter in a couple of years.

CB Leon McFadden, San Diego State- McFadden is a rudimentary cornerback who plays the ball well. He has flowing hips and plays big for his size. McFadden could contribute as the third cornerback in the NFL.

WR Quinton Patton, Louisiana Tech- The biggest stage didn’t turn out too well for the small school receiver. Patton ran crisp routes and caught the ball cleanly for the most part. Patton comes out of his breaks with a good flurry and can also catch the ball in traffic. He also put in a good effort in the blocking department during the game.

CB Jordan Poyer, Oregon State: Some players have a knack for being around football and this describes Poyer. He has excellent instincts and can anticipate routes. Poyer transitions nicely from his backswing to driving to the receiver very well.

DT Kwann Short, Purdue- Short’s natural use of leverage and quickness were evident throughout the week. The former Purdue star could be an excellent three-tech defensive tackle in a 4-3 scheme. Short was consistently in the backfield throughout the game and was very disruptive.

CB Desmond Trufant, Washington-Trufant was probably the most impressive of all the cornerbacks. He has a smooth rear pedal and looks comfortable in press coverage or off shoulder. Trufant found the ball quickly and played with great confidence throughout the week.

OG Larry Warford, Kentucky – A team that wants to get more physical on the offensive line should seriously consider Warford. The big man is lighter on his feet than expected and will open holes as a run blocker. Warford is suitable for a power-based downhill blocking scheme. His surprising quickness from close range will allow him to block passes against faster defensive tackles.

WR Markus Wheaton, Oregon State: Wheaton caught the ball well and showed exceptional quickness coming off his breaks. He lacks size, but he could become a slot receiver that a quarterback looks for on the third down.

Revealed Defects:

OT Oday Aboushi, Virginia- Aboushi’s quick feet to play offensive tackle at the next level is a concern. He had trouble keeping up with fast defensive ends on quick outside passes. Aboushi was also exposed in quality spin moves. His best position is probably inside guard in the NFL.

QB Mike Glennon, North Carolina State- There is an inconsistency in Glennon’s game that should be cause for concern. He has a strong arm, but that sometimes just results in a big takedown of a receiver. Glennon’s footwork seemed average. He calmed down after a difficult first half to make some impressive passes in the second half. Glennon sometimes throws the ball like a first-round pick, but he has a lot of streaks. His ability to handle pass rush and make sound decisions over four quarters is a question mark. He will be a hotly debated prospect and his Senior Bowl week provided enough answers.

NT John Jenkins, Georgia- Jenkins is a huge man and is a good athlete for his size. He didn’t have a bad week, but his conditioning and focus are far from ideal. Jenkins looks like an NFL nose tackle. However, he might be closer to a Terrance Cody than a Casey Hampton. Jenkins may not have the mental toughness to fight in the trenches and become a quality nose tackle. You don’t expect a mountain of a man like Jenkins to be able to go all out most of the time. However, his effort becomes indifferent too often.

DE Margus Hunt, SMU-Hunt struggled to seal the rim during the game and was the victim of more than one outside run. His lack of instinct and his tendency to play too high was evident. The SMU product looked like a track athlete who is still learning the game. Hunt will be 26 years old before the start of next season and is already physically in his prime.

QB Gino Smith, West Virginia – The Kansas City Chiefs have the No. 1 pick in the draft and are in dire need of a quarterback. The quickest way for the Chiefs to get good again is to find a quality, young quarterback. Geno Smith should have played in the Senior Bowl and shown the Chiefs that he is the quarterback they are looking for. The former West Virginia quarterback has questions about his game. He’s not universally viewed as a must-see quarterback prospect.

Jay Cutler, Philip Rivers and Carson Palmer helped themselves to top first-round picks by playing in the Senior Bowl. Palmer cemented his No. 1 overall pick by looking like a man among the kids when he throws the ball compared to the other quarterbacks. Geno Smith missed the opportunity to showcase his competitiveness and skills by playing against the best seniors in college football.