By Nolan Nawrocki
Oct. 4, 2007

This is the fifth in a series of college notes that will be posted each Thursday throughout the college football season. You can also find a different set of college notes every week in the print edition of Pro Football Weekly, alongside "Key college game," which features a scout's evaluation of that game's top pro prospects and matchups. During the season, ProFootballWeekly.com will supplement the notes found in the print edition on this site, including updates on injuries, depth-chart changes, suspensions, arrests and what NFL scouts are seeing on the road.

 In a weak cornerback class, two seniors — Tennessee State’s Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Troy’s Leodis McKelvin — are gaining a lot of steam on the scouting trails. Rodgers is not physical and is very thinly built, but he has length, good ball skills and natural athleticism that cannot be taught. McKelvin, likewise, is very athletic and shows a knack for making plays. What will add to the value of both is their return ability. Don’t be surprised if both wind up fitting as high as the second round — especially if they shine in postseason all-star action vs. better competition.

 Georgia Tech senior LB Philip Wheeler notched a career-high 2.5 sacks last week vs. Clemson and consistently disrupted the backfield. He’s instinctive, plays fast and should be able to make an immediate contribution in the pros. His stock is on the rise.

 Stanford senior QB T.C. Ostrander will not play vs. USC this week after suffering a seizure at a restaurant Sunday while watching former mentor Trent Edwards start for the Buffalo Bills. He has undergone a series of tests that have come back OK but is being held out as a precaution. Through four games, Ostrander had shown some improvement from a year ago, when he was forced to take over for an injured Edwards, but he still sprays the ball too much, does not see the field well and has a long way to go. The latest setback could create a serious red flag with NFL medical personnel.

 Auburn senior DE Quentin Groves could miss this week’s game vs. Vanderbilt after dislocating three of his toes in the third quarter vs. Florida last week when they were stepped on. With one more sack, Groves will tie Gerald Robinson’s school record of 26 career sacks. Groves can bring a lot of heat off the edge, but his inconsistent effort and average anchor vs. the run remain concerns to scouts. 

 Tennessee S Jonathan Hefney likes to think of himself as Bob Sanders, but he does not play nearly as big, fast or physical as the dominating NFL defender and needs to become a more secure tackler. His ability to return punts may help his draft value, but he has struggled in this area and overall has been disappointing to scouts.

 Tennessee senior QB Erik Ainge may be having his best season statistically, connecting on 66.3 percent of his passes with a 10-2 TD-interception ratio, but he does not set his feet to throw, does not have an arm to power the ball and is not a commanding, respected leader. At best, he is a second-day pick.

 Alabama senior WLB Darren Mustin is a first-year starter who has caught the attention of scouts. At 6-1 5/8 and 235 pounds, he is not very fast, clocking at 4.84 in the 40, but he has shown the ability to take on blocks, plays physical and is becoming versed in Nick Saban’s 3-4 defense that could ease his transition to the pros. He likely will appeal the most to a team that runs an odd front.

 Michigan senior RB Mike Hart is closing in on Anthony Thomas’ UM career rushing record of 4,472 yards and should easily pass it vs. Eastern Michigan this week with only 33 yards needed to surpass it. However, he needs to do more than produce to endear him to NFL scouts, and not all are sold that he is a frontline NFL runner who can carry an offense.

 Wisconsin senior WR Paul Hubbard, who has been out the past three weeks since injuring his knee vs. UNLV in the second week of the season, could recover more quickly than the two months he was initially projected to possibly miss. Junior CB Jack Ikegwuonu missed most of the Michigan State last game with the flu but is expected to be ready this week vs. the Illini.

We are taking orders for the 2007-08 Pro Prospects Preview book. The 144-page book features nearly 700 in-depth scouting reports detailing the top college players who will likely be available for the 2007 NFL draft, ranking and grading them all by NFL standards. The reports feature exact heights, weights and 40-times for every senior whom the scouts are monitoring, as well as top juniors who could turn pro early. If you want this book that NFL scouts carry with them all fall, call 1-800-FOOTBALL (1-800-366-8225 or visit PFWstore.com.