Ainge and Calwell Win the Senior Bowl for the South

The 2008 Senior Bowl was one of the most exciting we’ve had in a while, a true testament to the talent out there this year. It came down to a final play by the South, at the end of a 86-year-drive.

Final Score: South 17, North 16

Andre Caldwell (Florida) ran the ball into the endzone after a great handoff by Tennessee’s  Erik Ainge, a quarterback who is rarely mentioned, but who has more than proven himself worthy of the draft. Georgia’s kicker, Brandon Coutu made the extra point for the win.

A number of other players also stood out, possibly boosting their worth in the draft. Chad Henne (QB from Michigan) was the North’s offensive MVP and for the first time, really showed up on the draft radar. One of the biggest winners here, however, was Sedrick Ellis, defensive tackle from USC. After his week in Alabama, experts are ranking him neck and neck with Glen Dorsey, and some suspect that he may even go in the top three.

Not-so-spectacular performances were seen as well. Colt Brennan (Hawaii) was 2-of-6 and Joe Flacco (Delaware) was 2-of-7. Both threw an interception. Andre Woodson (Kentucky) also had trouble, fumbling the ball after being sacked by Ellis.

Remember, though, that the practices leading up to this game were just as, if not more, important than the game itself. NFL teams have lots of information to consider for the draft…nothing is set in stone until they make their picks that day.