Norwood making impression
MOBILE | For the first time in years Kevin Norwood caught meaningful passes from a quarterback not named AJ McCarron.
The pair will always be linked together, but with McCarron choosing not to participate in the Senior Bowl in order to recoup from the regular season, it leaves Norwood catching passes from other quarterbacks this week. Norwood and McCarron will workout together at D1 Sports Training facility in Jackson, Miss to help prepare for the NFL Draft, but this week he's working with Fresno State's Derek Carr, Eastern Illinois' Jimmy Garoppalo and San Jose State's David Fales under the direction of the Jacksonville Jaguars coaching staff at this week's Senior Bowl.
"It's not really that different," Norwood said. "Everything's pretty much the same just different terminology."
His size, he measured in at 6-foot-2, 197 pounds Monday morning, is a major asset and scouts praised his hands through the first two practices.
"He's got a chance to be a nice move-the-chains receiver," one NFC scout said. "He runs good routes and he catches what's thrown at him. He's fundamentally solid."
His knack for making the big catch followed him to Mobile. He showed that skill set in a one-on-one drill against Auburn cornerback Chris Davis, going up and pinpointing the ball at its highest point over the shorter Davis to haul in a reception. Later while running combination routes in 7-on-7 drills, he beat LSU linebacker Lamin Barrow on a post corner route before beating Davis deep on a go route.
"The best thing I've got are these hands. I'm going to use them to the best of my ability," Norwood said. "To be honest, I think I left everything at 'Bama. Maybe there's a little something I need to work on like getting off press (coverage) and footwork. That's pretty much my main goal is to get my footwork right. But besides that, I think I found my niche. That's getting first downs on third downs. That's getting touchdowns in the red area. Making big plays when we need them most. That's pretty much me.
"I'm just basically trying to get comfortable. I'm thinking too much out there. Different terminology and route running and stuff like that. Everything's the same as far as route running, it's just different terminology."
One knock he's fighting is the perception that he's slow.
"They think I run a 4.6. I've never run that in my life," Norwood said. "It was an agent. He had told me a scout told him I ran a 4.6. Do I look that slow on TV? I'm asking, I can't see it."
He's signed with agent Deryk Gilmore of Priority Sports & Entertainment.
Reach Aaron Suttles at aaron@tidesports.com or at 205-722-0229.
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Reach Aaron Suttles at aaron.suttles@tuscaloosanews.com or
205.722.0229.