FAIRHOPE, Alabama — Despite rain in the area and mud on the field the Senior Bowl's South team practiced in front of a vibrant local crowd at Fairhope Municipal Stadium on Monday.

The team, comprised of a select group of college football seniors and coached by the staff of the NFL's Washington Redskins, took the field in shorts and shoulder pads for two hours.

Former Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden said he is excited to have the chance to impress NFL scouts. Weeden, 28, had a five-year stint as a professional baseball player before joining the Oklahoma State football team. He thinks his professional baseball experience will help him as a pro football player.

"There are ups and downs in each sport," Weeden said. "Baseball is a game of mistakes, and as a quarterback unfortunately you are going to make mistakes probably more so than some of the other positions. It is huge, I think. I gave up a lot of home runs, and I always say that those and interceptions are the same deal. You have to shrug them off. You just can't get mad because you have to play the next play. I am really good at that, I think that's one of my strongest attributes."

Former Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw, who is projected as a potential first round draft pick, said he wanted to use his time at the Senior Bowl to show scouts that he can play both linebacker and defensive end. 

"It is something I did at Alabama, playing some defensive line," Upshaw said. "I am a linebacker-slash-d-end. I really just want to showcase that I got more pass rush in my arsenal, not just a bullrush."

Former Alabama wide receiver Marquis Maze was unable to participate in most offensive drills on Monday due to a nagging hamstring injury he sustained during the BCS National Championship game earlier in January.

"Right now I'm probably 65%," Maze said. "I thought I was a little better but today I tried to open it up but I couldn't really open up and go full speed like I wanted to. I was doing special teams, catching kicks and trying to burst out and it just didn't feel right."

Head coach Mike Shanahan has coached the Redskins for two seasons after 14 seasons and two Super Bowl wins with the Denver Broncos. The North team is coached by the Minnesota Vikings staff this year.

Even though most players who are likely first round picks don't often play in All-Star games like the Senior Bowl, Upshaw said he looks forward to competing against some of the best players in the country.

"I like to stay humble, just go into it like I have something to prove," Upshaw said. 

The Senior Bowl is Saturday at 3 p.m. (CST) at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile. The game will be televised by the NFL Network.