Senior Bowl: Jan. 22 Practice Report

The St. Louis Rams have been proactively getting to know players. They spoke to receivers Devin Smith (Ohio State) and Justin Hardy (East Carolina), along with Clemson inside linebacker Stephone Anthony, on Thursday. The Rams also spoke to three linebackers (Harvard's Zack Hodges, Oklahoma' Geneo Grissom, and Texas' Jordan Hicks) and one offensive lineman –Alabama OL Austin Shepherd– on Wednesday.

Of the two receivers players the Rams talked to, Justin Hardy had the best practice. He showed of his soft hands on one-on-one drills. Hardy also gained praise for his blocking skills, which should be of interest to the Rams since their receivers are asked to do plenty of blocking.

Here are some other highlights of Thursday's Senior Bowl Practice:

• Utah's defensive end Nate Orchard continues to impress. He's a Ted Hendricks Award-winner, given to the nation's top defensive en. What makes Orchard interesting is he is undersized as a traditional 4-3 end. He is 6'3, 251 lbs, but utilizes a combination of pass rushing moves to create pressure. Orchard also uses his refined technique and skills over pure explosiveness and power.
• USC LB Hayes Pullard has proven himself as a stout run defender and an "explosive downhill hitter." Pullard consistently shed fullback and guard blocks – something Rams' linebackers struggle with.
  
• Iowa DT Carl Davis was "nearly unblockable," with opposing linemen having to resort to double teaming him.
• Michigan St. WR Tony Lippett showed off his ability to go up for air balls. Lippet is an intriguing two-position player, having started two games at cornerback for the Spartans.

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