MOBILE, Ala. -- The annual Monday scrum of linemen battling in one-on-one drills at the Reese's Senior Bowl didn't disappoint this year, as some big names from the South squad engaged in some pretty noisy collisions despite the team being in half-pads for the opening practice.
For pure total poundage, the battle between Tennessee NG Daniel McCullers and Mississippi State guard Gabe Jackson represented close to 700 lbs., and it was the slimmed-down McCullers who shed Jackson fairly quickly on this particular rep.
"Probably, McCullers at Tennessee - he's just so big," Jackson said.
McCullers, having reportedly been close to 400 pounds at one point in his high school career, has slowly shed pounds over the years and is, at 348, as light as he's been since he arrived at UT. Jackson, at 339 pounds, is expected to be among the first guards chosen in the 2014 NFL Draft.
A matchup that was more about athleticism than size pitted Vanderbilt left tackle Wesley Johnson with Auburn DE Dee Ford. Both are considered undersized for their respective positions by scouts, but both have quickness and footwork that set them apart. One NFC scout told College Football 24/7 that outside linebacker is likely Ford's only position at the pro level because of his size (240 pounds), but that he has the physical attributes needed to hold a roster spot strictly on his pass rush ability.
A couple other video clips of one-on-one drills among the South squad linemen:
And finally, the South offensive line hurries through agility drills:
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