CPD
1/29
Showing his stuff:
Ohio State linebackers A.J. Hawk and Bobby Carpenter turned down their invites to the Senior Bowl. The one Buckeye who accepted the chance to play, center Nick Mangold, helped himself even before he started for the North in Saturday's game.
Mangold's name was repeatedly mentioned in onsite reports of players who helped themselves during the practices leading up to the game.
SI.com reported that "Mangold was rock solid and stoned all defenders who tried to get by him." And ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. included Mangold among the 11 players who raised their draft stock in practice.
"He showed that he is a stronger anchor than most scouts thought," Kiper wrote on ESPN.com. "Mangold proved to be more than smart and athletic."
Mangold was expected to be the first center taken in April's NFL Draft even before this week. He was previously considered to be a possible second-round pick, and could go even higher now.
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