I scout college football prospects and manage a very talented team at TDN but also enjoy a neat pour of bourbon. I have an inexplicable, irrational love for 2-gap nose tackles and gadget offensive weapons. Ask me anything!
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Since I invested so much time into my Super Bowl preview and a video on the ten biggest questions heading into the big game, I only got around to re-watching all the practice footage from Senior Bowl this week and with this being the only really meaningful event in this year’s pre-draft process – since the combine has already been canceled and pro days will be pretty limited as well – I think it was certainly worth studying in more detail and point out the college prospects, that impressed me the most.
This has nothing to do with any ranking or who the best players were overall, but rather who helped themselves the most with their week of practice and the actual game down in Mobile. I’m going to work through this position-by-position and explain what these young men did to make the scouts go back and watch what they might have missed originally on tape, showed in terms of something they weren’t really asked at their respective schools or in the case of smaller school prospects – how they proved that they can perform against more talented competition.
Here’s the guys that really stood out to me:
Offense:
QB Mac Jones, Alabama
This year wasn’t the most impressive crop of quarterbacks, because the big names were all underclassmen, but Jones’ abilities to quickly process information, re-sett his feet and deliver accurately was apparent right off the bat in Mobile. And when you paid attention to the interactions with the coaching staff, you realized the grasp and understanding he has for the game. He just seemed to be in such great command. In these all-star games, quarterbacks usually err on the side of conservativeness, in terms of taking a lot of safe throws and check-downs to the backs, but Jones didn’t shy away from getting the ball out right as he made that hitch on curl routes or attempting touch passes against tight coverage. And the first of those two is kind of surprising, considering that the Bama offense didn’t even include those stop-type routes as primaries these last couple of years, when you listen to now-former OC Steve Sarkisian’s philosophy of wanting to hit receivers on the move. There was one throw in particular to Georgia’s Tre McKitty in team drills, who had probably the best coverage-linebacker down in Mobile tight on him running a crossing route, where Jones feathered i
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Surely this is incredibly neglectful giving up a free opportunity to look at these players
Mods can take down if they want.
The NFL draft is officially underway! Events in Mobile, Alabama have officially concluded, capped by another exciting Senior Bowl game on Saturday. Without the combine and limited attendance at pro days, all eyes were truly on the Senior Bowl.
One of my favorite things about this whole week is the opportunity to see players outside of their usual system. From Mac Jones to Nico Collins, there were several players who got a chance to step outside their college roles and showcase their ability to learn and adapt.
If all of that wasn't enough, we had some great moments of coaching captured by ESPN during their broadcast of the practices during the week. Both the Panthers' and the Dolphins' coaching staffs were mic'd up to provide some excellent sound bites. The best by far came from Matt Rhule explaining what it meant to be coachable to all of the prospects.
I did my best to take notes throughout the week watching practice and the game from home. Some of the following is just a running stream of consciousness. To make it a little easier to follow though, I am going position by position. Consider this my notebook recapping the week of action down in Mobile.
Lackluster quarterback group
While the quarterback position was not loaded with talent as it has been in recent years. That should not diminish the display Mac Jones put on throughout the week. He was head and shoulders above the rest of the quarterbacks in attendance. Jones looked sharp, accurate and poised. His accuracy continues to wow scouts and he easily had the best touch on deep passes of any of the six quarterbacks in attendance. Jones has locked himself in as a top-five quarterback. There is a chance he comes off the board before Trey Lance.
Nowhere near the level that Jones played at, Ian Book still had a solid week. He was the second-best quarterback in Mobile, showing his mobility and an increased willingness to hit receivers in tight windows. He is probably nothing more than a mid-round project at this point, but I think he has pushed himself above the likes of Jamie Newman, who had an uneven week, and Sam Ehlinger, who struggled with consistency and ball placement.
Kellen Mond
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Location: Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)
TV: NFL Network
Preview
Brian Flores and the rest of the Miami Dolphins' staff will coach the National team. Matt Rhule and the Panthers' staff is coaching the American team. The Dolphins, whose 10-6 record last season was almost good enough to make the playoffs, hold the No. 3 overall pick in the draft. The Panthers, who may be in the market for a quarterback, have the No. 8 overall pick.
Flores' roster includes several top prospects such as Alabama running back Najee Harris, Alabama receiver (and Heisman Trophy winner) DeVonta Smith, Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book, Oklahoma running back Rhamondre Stevenson, Oklahoma State receiver Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma lineman Creed Humphrey, and Pittsburgh pass rusher Patrick Jones II. The Dolphins are likely taking a close look at Smith, who played some of his college career with current Miami quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa. Smith, whose injury will likely keep him from playing, recently acknowledged that he and Tagovailoa have discussed the prospect of playing with one another at the next level.
The American team will field some of the top offensive line prospects in this year's draft. Teams looking to draft a lineman will surely be keeping an eye on Alabama offensive guard Deonte Brown, Kentucky center Drake Jackson, Tennessee guard Trey Smith, and Alabama tackle Alex Leatherwood. This group will look to protect Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, who raised eyebrows with his initial practices during the week.
"The thing you see about Mac right off the bat, he's a gamer," Rhule said of Jones, via Alabama.com. "He's got a great presence about him. He loves the moment, loves the competition. So there's not much doubt that he has that quarterback swagger that you can feel when you're on
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