Drew Lock – Noteworthy
The NFL audition continues this week for Drew Lock and a handful of his former Missouri teammates at the NFL Scouting Combine, but the quarterback already passed a crucial test at last month’s Senior Bowl. Coached by Jon Gruden and the rest of the Oakland Raiders’ staff, Lock got an up-close and personal experience playing for a coach known for being notoriously hard on quarterbacks – and left a strong impression. Jim Nagy, the Senior Bowl’s executive director, heard nothing but positive feedback from the NFL coaches and front office personnel who met with Lock and observed his week in Mobile, Ala., where Lock started for Gruden’s North team Jan. 27 in the Senior Bowl, the most prestigious of all-star games for NFL prospects.
“The value for the quarterbacks being connected with that staff is getting under center for the first time, huddling and letting them hear you spit out the verbiage and have presence and command in the huddle,” Nagy said by phone. “For those guys to see him in those moments is so big. Most of these guys in college football are reading plays off cue cards with Daffy Duck and Fred Flintstone on them. But Drew did a really nice job with that West Coast offense. He really made a positive impact.” “You get him on the field and any football person will fall in love with this arm,” Nagy added. “You always look for things you can’t coach, and you can’t coach Drew’s arm talent. It’s hard to find.” – STLtoday
Kelly Bryant – Noteworthy
After the NCAA handed a Missouri a bowl ban for the upcoming season because of academic fraud violations, the Tigers’ seniors have been contacted by teams hoping to land a transfer who won’t have to sit out a year. Despite a meeting with the Southeastern Conference’s coaches, Mizzou’s Barry Odom told reporters on Tuesday that the situation remains unchanged. “Every day (schools) are contacting us about somebody,” Odom said. “I’m taking a lot of notes.” Odom was critical of some of his fellow SEC colleagues, mainly Tennessee, for attempting to poach his players but the meeting hasn’t stopped that.
He joked that the NCAA’s ruling has gotten even Kansas and Missouri to agree on something, which is rare. Programs can continue to recruit MU’s players until the first day of fall classes, but Odom doesn’t expect any departures. No player’s phone is ringing more than Kelly Bryant’s. The former Clemson quarterback plans to stay at MU, according to his longtime personal coach Rich Rodriguez. Odom announced Bryant as Missouri’s starting quarterback on Tuesday. “It’s hasn’t stopped with him,” Odom said. “I have not relaxed one bit with Kelly Bryant going or staying. He says he’s in, and he’s in, but you also better protect your roster.” – The Kansas City Star