1) Better Tempo and Competition in Day Two - Both the North and South teams practiced with more urgency and execution when the pads went on in Wednesday's workout. Big plays were made on both sides of the ball and surprisingly there weren't as many drops or fumbled snaps as day one.
2) North Squad Standouts -On day two, here are some of the players that shined for the North. Up front on the interior line, Pitt offensive tackle Brian O'Neil had a better day, showing off his quick feet and ability to move along the line of scrimmage. Defensive tackle B.J. Hill dominated the one on ones showing good strength verses multiple offensive lineman. For the second day in a row, wide out DaeSean Hamilton looked polished and used different techniques to avoid press coverage and find room in the secondary. Also, Michael Gallup ran crisp routes and caught the ball clean from start to finish. Some other players that flashed were offensive guard Will Hernandez from UTEP, OT Brett Toth from Army and NDSU linebacker Nick DeLuca.* *
3) South Squad Standouts -One of the players that improved dramatically from day one is Alabama DT DaShawn Hand. Better use of his sudden strength and leverage enabled the talented defender to win more one on one battles during the workout. Also, outside linebackers Uchenna Nwosu from USC and Marquis Haynes from Ole Miss both flashed as pass rushers and showed the ability to run and cover in pass coverage. Lastly on defense, DE Marcus Davenport moved back outside and showed his speed coming off of the edge when rushing the quarterback. He could be a top 15 draft choice this April. On offense, two UCF players caught my attention, TE Jordan Akins and WR Tre'Quan Smith. Both caught the football cleanly in day two and Akins showed surprising athleticism in the red zone, creating space while catching a touchdown pass.* *
