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EL PASO, TEXAS -
2009 Texas vs Nation All Star Classic

Pro Prospects to Watch

Photo - TE Ryan Purvis - Boston College

The Texas vs. the Nation All-Star Challenge completes the postseason football action for pro prospects for the NFL Draft 2009. This All-star contest has invited a good roster of pro prospects from all levels of play. It is the final football action for prospects to impress NFL scouts before the workout stage of the evaluation begins in February thru April. The All-Star Bowl is scheduled for January 31, 2009 at the Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, TX. Kick-off is set for 1pm MST on CBS Sports.

QB Curtis Painter - Purdue - 6'3" 222 lbs .
Experienced three year starter gets a chance to continue the strong finish of his career. After dealing with some injury problems and erratic play earlier in the '08 season, he displayed the accuracy and arm strength to rank as the highest rated passing in this game. A strong performance here and he could be one of the top senior QBs off the board in April.

RB Devin Moore - Wyoming - 5'9" 191 lbs.
Small compact tailback is a very elusive runner who is a threat in the open field. He can put together a number of moves with the burst to create room and make a big play. As a receiver, he shows fine hands and great quickness that makes him difficult in matchups vs linebackers or safeties. He has an interesting skill set to fill a number of roles including the return game.

TE Ryan Purvis - Boston College - 6'4" 255 lbs.
Tough hard noised prospect combines good blocking skills with reliable hands to be a fine addition for a pro offense. He is a blue collar player with well rounded skills, though only adequate speed for the position.

WR Dominique Edison - Stephen F. Austin - 6'2" 199 lbs
Fast small college receiver is one of the interesting prospects in this game. He has sub-4.4 speed, fine size and displays the burst to get deep with excellent hands to make the big play. He heads a strong group of small college prospects including two receivers - Gardner Webb's Dobson Collins and Abilene Christian's Johnny Knox.

Defensive Players

DE Pierre Walters - Eastern Illinois - 6'4" 269 lbs.
Quick small college defender displays flashed good pass rushing skills off the edge displaying good hand useage and strength at the point of attack. He may be only a situational defender early as a pro but a good developmental project as a pass rusher. He displays good speed on the snap with quick footwork to pressure the pass both with inside and outside moves.

DT Nader Abdallah - Ohio St.- 6'3" 295 lbs.
Strong tackle flashed dominant skills over the week's practices. He shows well developed technique with the power and agility to make plays between the tackles. He is a good technician that probably earns him a late selection if he shows production in this game and tests out well in the workouts.

OLB Lee Robinson - Alcorn St. - 6'2" 249 lbs.
Strong small college backer combines the prototypical physical skills to play at the next level. He is strong with the technique to stack on the inside and the mobility to get to the edge and make tackles. He looks to shine in this game and could be the highest drafted prospects with an impressive game performance.

CB Chris Owens - San Jose St. - 5'10" 182 lbs.
Quick smallish corner hopes to elevate his stock with a strong game performance. He played opposite Coye Francois who is one of the fastest rising prospects on most scouts rankings. Owens displays good ball skills some playmaking ability, fluid hips and quick reactions to make a name for himself in this contest.

For a Complete Texas vs the Nation Report - Feb. Newsletter - Order Today

Frank Coyle has been a scouting consultant for the Senior Bowl All-star game for the past 15 years, in addition to other All-Star classics.