Senior Bowl Showcases Less-Heralded Prospects Along With Big Names

January 27 2011 Last updated at 11:50 AM ET

Saturday's Under Armour Senior Bowl will feature many of the nation's top senior college football players in a North-against-South format.

Fans will certainly recognize established talents and their schools, such as quarterbacks Jake Locker of Washington and Greg McElroy of Alabama; offensive lineman Gabe Carimi of Wisconsin and defensive end Ryan Kerrigan of Purdue.

Quick, have you ever heard of Brandon Fusco? Or Slippery Rock University?

"I never really pictured myself being here, but I worked hard through my senior season to be here, so I am very excited about the opportunity and very blessed by the opportunity," Fusco told the media earlier this week.

Fusco was one of three small-school players from Division II teams invited to play in the 62nd annual Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

The other two players are Southern Arkansas defensive lineman Cedric Thornton and receiver Edmund Gates from Abilene Christian. Gates was injured in practice and won't play.

Fusco and Thornton are the first two players from their respective schools to play in a Senior Bowl game.

"The Senior Bowl has a long history of affording the opportunity to guys from smaller schools to showcase their talents in front of the top decision-makers in the National Football League," Senior Bowl president and CEO Steve Hale said.

Fusco, at 6-foot-5 and 305 pounds, certainly has an impressive resume.

He won the Gene Upshaw Award as the top lineman in Division II, an award he will be presented with at halftime of Saturday's game. Fusco is also the Division II winner of the Rimington Award, presented to the top center in the country, and a first-team All-American.

Yet, awards don't mean much at the Senior Bowl. Fusco is tagged as the only Division II player considered a top-5 prospect at his position, and some view him as a fifth- or sixth-round selection in the NFL Draft.

"I know my game," said Fusco, who was raised near Slippery Rock, Penn., about a hour's drive north of Pittsburgh. "I'm confident I can hold my own."

Thornton also believes in his talents, even though he has not played since sustaining a high ankle sprain on Oct. 29.

Thornton, a first-team All-Gulf South Conference selection, recorded 52 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He ranked 16th in Division II and first in the GSC in tackles for loss (1.63 per game) and was 15th in the conference in total tackles (6.5 per game).

"There's no doubt, I have to stand out. I've got to dominate," Thornton told the Pensacola (Fla.) News-Journal.

"They are not looking for me to come in here and get pancaked (flattened by a blocker). They are looking for me to succeed. That's why I am here."

Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2011/01/27/senior-bowl-showcases-less-heralded-prospects-along-with-big-nam/

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