Senior Bowl primer: NFL draft prospects you need to know
The next step in the
2019 NFL draft evaluation process has arrived.
NFL teams will descend on Mobile, Alabama, this week for the Senior Bowl, an invite-only showcase event for the best upperclassman prospects in college football. But first, we are treated to three days of practice, including 90-minute sessions for each team on Tuesday, and two-hour sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. Coverage on Wednesday and Thursday begins at 1:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU/ESPN App, and the game is Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET on NFL Network.
Our NFL draft experts -- Todd McShay, Mel Kiper Jr. and Steve Muench -- pick the best and most intriguing prospects who will be in Mobile.
QB reports | Best of the rest | Potential risers [HR][/HR]
McSHAY SCOUTS EVERY QUARTERBACK
Expectations are different for every quarterback who accepts an invite to Mobile. Here's what
ESPN NFL draft expert Todd McShay is hoping to see out of every signal-caller this week, along with their
quarterback ranking from Scouts Inc.:
Drew Lock, Missouri
Team: North |
Uniform number: 3 |
QB ranking: 3
Big (6-3, 228), athletic and equipped with a strong arm, Lock is a poor man's
Patrick Mahomes. It was his first year in a pro-style offense, as well as his first season making pre-snap checks and kills, setting protections and making full-field progression reads, and it took him some time to catch up mentally. Lock still needs to be more consistent with his decision-making under pressure and his accuracy, which stems from inconsistent footwork. But there's no denying his talent. He is the most naturally gifted of the Senior Bowl quarterbacks, and I think he has the most to gain during the week. Drew Lock has a big arm and is very athletic. He could have a big week in Mobile. Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Will Grier, West Virginia
Team: South |
Uniform number: 7 |
QB ranking: 4
Grier is the biggest name in arguably the best top-to-bottom class of pass-throwers that I've scouted at the Senior Bowl. He has just average size (6-foot-2, 221 pounds), but he's a good athlete and can extend a lot of plays with his feet. He has a gunslinger arm and good accuracy on all three levels. However, Grier likes to see his wide receiver open before throwing, so I'll be looking for him to throw with more anticipation this week. He was the first quarterback to
sit out his bowl game and will surely be answering questions about that all week long.
Ryan Finley, NC State
Team: North |
Uniform number: 15 |
QB ranking: 5
Finley has a tall but somewhat linear frame at 6-foot-3 and 208 pounds, and his velocity is average on zip throws. But I think he has adequate-to-good delivery quickness with an over-the-top stroke, and he shows very good touch and anticipatory accuracy. Finley is particularly adept at leading receivers, and he gets the ball out on time, going through his progressions quickly. He is coming off one of his worst career performances in the
Gator Bowl, but he ought to really impress coaches in QB meetings and have a steady week to help his stock in Mobile.
Daniel Jones, Duke
Team: North |
Uniform number: 17 |
QB ranking: 6
2019 NFL DRAFT
Jones is one of the best-coached QBs in the class with three seasons under David Cutcliffe and having spent time with the Manning family. He has adequate-to-good arm strength, but he has a longer, slower delivery. He really needs to speed it up without messing with his natural mechanics too much. I saw a lot of shorter throws to wide-open windows from him at Duke, so I'm looking forward to seeing him make more intermediate and downfield throws this week. I wouldn't call him a twitchy athlete, but he has adequate pocket mobility to extend some plays and rare top-end speed for a 6-foot-5, 220-pound QB -- a real pursuit-angle killer in the open field.
Jarrett Stidham, Auburn
Team: South |
Uniform number: 8 |
QB ranking: 7
A 6-foot-3, 215-pound pure passer with impressive natural arm talent, Stidham was an up-and-down performer as a two-year starter at Auburn. But the system didn't feature many intermediate anticipation throws, which makes it hard to evaluate that aspect of his game -- a very important aspect for the NFL. So the biggest thing this week is seeing him make those throws as he works with Kyle Shanahan's
San Francisco 49ers coaching staff in Mobile.
Gardner Minshew, Washington State
Team: South |
Uniform number: 16 |
QB ranking: 8
Minshew put up huge numbers in a passer-friendly system, completing 71 percent and throwing 38 touchdowns to nine interceptions this season. The
Baker Mayfield-esque energy and confidence stand out. Minshew can make full-field reads, and he displays adequate arm strength and above-average accuracy on tape. But he needs to show he can hit the strike zone when working with smaller windows. Scouts will want to see how the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder does under center with the timing of his drops and anticipating throws this week. Right now, he is a Day 3 prospect. play 1:45
Kiper predicts 3 QBs to go in first round of NFL draft
Mel Kiper Jr. has the Giants, Dolphins and Patriots selecting a quarterback in the first round in his first NFL mock draft for 2019.
Trace McSorley, Penn State
Team: North |
Uniform number: 9 |
QB ranking: 10
Yes, he's undersized (6-foot, 198 pounds), but he can hold up physically -- I love his toughness -- and he's an elite competitor. McSorley completed a high percentage of throws but had a lot of short passes and 50-50 balls. I really want to see him fit the ball into tight windows down the field this week. McSorley is a Day 3 prospect who could wind up sticking around as a backup in a West Coast system -- which we will get a peek at this week with Jon Gruden's
Oakland Raiders coaching staff leading the North team.
Tyree Jackson, Buffalo
Team: South |
Uniform number: 3 |
QB ranking: 16
Jackson is massive (6-foot-7, 245 pounds) with a huge arm and good mobility, but he's inconsistent with his lower-body mechanics and ball placement. He lacks touch on some short throws and needs to keep his eyes up while moving in the pocket. The biggest thing he needs to show in Mobile is the ability to process quicker. He gets stuck on his primary target too long. Even so, Jackson has a lot of developmental upside as a Day 3 project pick.
Note: Wondering about Clayton Thorson? The Northwestern quarterback pulled out of the Senior Bowl. [HR][/HR]
KIPER PICKS BEST OF THE REST
McShay just went through the quarterbacks at the Senior Bowl, so we asked
ESPN NFL draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. to break down the other top prospects in Mobile:
Oshane Ximines, OLB, Old Dominion
Team: South |
Uniform number: 7
There are several potential first-round edge rushers in Mobile, and the list starts with Ximines, whom I had in the first round of my Mock Draft 1.0. At 6-foot-3, 253 pounds, he has a similar frame to DeMarcus Ware, who went in Round 1 in 2005 at 6-foot-4, 251 pounds. And Ximines' explosion at the point of attack reminds me of Ware. He's going to win some one-on-one battles this week.
Montez Sweat, DE, Mississippi State
Team: South |
Uniform number: 9
Sweat is another pass-rusher I put in my Mock Draft 1.0, but he has a different frame -- and game -- than Ximines. At 6-foot-6, 241 pounds, Sweat has room to grow into his body, but he's a superb athlete. He has an outstanding takeoff at the snap and has already developed good pass-rushing moves. Sweat is a true 4-3 defensive end at the next level.
Anthony Johnson, WR, Buffalo
Team: South |
Uniform number: 83
The receiver-cornerback one-on-ones are some of the most-watched portions of practice in Mobile. Johnson, the best wideout there, should give the corners fits. When he's healthy, he's a touchdown machine (25 in two seasons). And at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, he has great size. I want to see his true speed, however. Johnson is likely a Day 2 pick right now. Scouts will be watching Anthony Johnson go one-on-one with corners this week, and potentially catch some passes
Zach Allen, DE/DT, Boston College
Team: North |
Uniform number: 44
I have Allen ranked as my No. 4 defensive end right now, but at 6-foot-5, 285 pounds, he has the size to play defensive tackle. The best spot for him might be as an end in a 3-4 defense, where he could hold up against the run and also get after quarterbacks. He was extremely consistent for the Eagles the past two seasons, and he can beat offensive linemen with skill moves and a straight-arm push. Allen is a handful.
Elgton Jenkins, C, Mississippi State
Team: South |
Uniform number: 74
Jenkins is the top-ranked center on my board. He played guard and tackle for the Bulldogs, too, and he could get some reps at guard in Mobile. I wouldn't be surprised if he went in Round 1 to a team trying to shore up its interior line.
Jaylon Ferguson, DE, Louisiana Tech
Team: South |
Uniform number: 45
Ferguson had 45 sacks in his four-year career -- 17.5 this season -- and set the record for most sacks in FBS history. He pushed around offensive tackles in Conference USA. Can Ferguson (6-5, 260) do the same at the Senior Bowl? I want to see him and Ximines against some experienced tackles this week.
Amani Oruwariye, CB, Penn State
Team: North |
Uniform number: 21
EDITOR'S PICKS
Oruwariye is the top corner in Mobile, and he's another prospect who could rise up my board with a strong showing. He had seven interceptions and 20 more pass breakups over the past two seasons. And at 6-foot-1, 203 pounds, he has the size that NFL teams look for in young, developmental corners. Does he have elite speed? I'm not sure, and that's what's holding him back from being a Day 2 lock.
Johnathan Abram, S, Mississippi State
Team: South |
Uniform number: 38
Abram is extremely physical. He'll set the tone in the middle of a defense. This isn't a great place to showcase those skills -- there's not much full-speed tackling -- so he needs to show that he can cover and run with receivers and tight ends. Abram (6-0, 215) is the No. 3 safety on my board and could jump into the first-round discussion with a good week.
Beau Benzschawel, G, Wisconsin
Team: North |
Uniform number: 66
Benzschawel (6-6, 315) is a powerful road grader who is going to win some reps in Mobile with his brute strength. He's my No. 3-ranked guard. Also keep an eye on my No. 4-ranked guard
Dalton Risner, who played mostly tackle at Kansas State but has the size (6-5, 300) to play in the interior at the next level.
Te'von Coney, ILB, Notre Dame
Team: North |
Uniform number: 9
With 100-plus tackles in each of the past two seasons, Coney is great against the run. Where I'd like to see improvement is in the passing game, as he can be stiff when trying to cover tight ends. Coney (6-1, 240) is the fifth-ranked inside linebacker on my board. He could play in a 3-4 or 4-3 defense. [HR][/HR]
UNDER-THE-RADAR PROSPECTS WHO COULD RISE
Looking for some draft sleepers?
Scouts Inc. NFL draft insider Steve Muench picks out a few prospects who might move up the draft board with solid practices in Mobile:
Nasir Adderley, S, Delaware
Team: North |
Uniform number: 23
Adderley is a versatile defensive back who lined up at corner his first two seasons at Delaware, and his above-average cover skills should stand out among the safeties. He's built like a corner and he doesn't project as a box safety in the NFL, but he's an aggressive run defender who plays with a chip on his shoulder and doesn't shy away from contact.
Khalen Saunders, DT, Western Illinois
Team: North |
Uniform number: 99
Listed at 6-foot-2 and 310 pounds, Saunders is built like a fire hydrant, and he's tough to neutralize with one blocker when teams run inside. He flashes as a pass-rusher, and Western Illinois' willingness to line him up at defensive end on downs with pass-heavy tendencies is a testament to his athletic ability. A strong week could put him in the Day 2 conversation.
Tytus Howard, OT, Alabama State
Team: South |
Uniform number: 58
Howard is an outstanding pass-blocker with an above-average blend of quickness, length and balance. He held his own going up against Auburn's talented defensive line early in the 2018 season. Howard is a functional positional blocker in the run game, and he has experience playing on the left and right side, making him an excellent No. 3 swing tackle candidate early in his career.
Renell Wren, DT, Arizona State
Team: North |
Uniform number: 95
Wren is a versatile defensive lineman with the length, frame and athletic ability to play on the inside in a base four-man front or the outside in a base three-man front in the NFL. His statistical production is underwhelming -- he finished his career with just three sacks -- but his tape is better than the numbers suggest and he has the natural ability to greatly improve his stock this week.
Donald Parham, TE, Stetson
Team: North |
Uniform number: 49
Listed at 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, Parham is a big target with a rare catching radius and good hands. He's smooth transitioning upfield after the catch and is a long strider with good top-end speed. He's at his best working out of the slot. His lean frame raises some concern about his ability to develop into an effective in-line blocker in the NFL, but he gets into position and fights to sustain. Tight ends aren't asked to do as much in terms of blocking as they once were.
Charles Omenihu, DE, Texas
Team: North |
Uniform number: 90
Omenihu is an improving hand fighter with excellent length, and he's versatile enough to kick inside to rush the passer in the NFL. He flashes the ability to stack blockers, track the ball and shed in time to make plays as a run defender. His pad level is worth monitoring, though, as he plays high and gives ground at times. Charles Omenihu's work on the defensive line will be on full display this week, and he could rise up draft boards by the end of the week.
Terrill Hanks, OLB, New Mexico State
Team: South |
Uniform number: 2
Hanks is a rangy run defender with good instincts and the length to keep blockers off his frame. His tightness in space is a concern when it comes to matching up in man and making plays in the open field. However, he's an above-average pass-rusher, and he flashes the ability to make plays in coverage as he finished his career with eight interceptions.
John Cominsky, DE, Charleston
Team: North |
Uniform number: 5
Cominsky is a dominant FCS player who is a disruptive edge run defender with the frame and versatility to develop into an effective interior pass-rusher. While he has the height-weight-speed combination to make the jump from Division II Charleston to the NFL, his technique will need to get better. Two areas to watch this week are his pad level and his ability to win with his hands in one-on-ones.
Tony Pollard, RB/WR, Memphis
Team: North |
Uniform number: 1
Pollard averaged 121.5 all-purpose yards per game at Memphis and tied the NCAA record with seven career kickoff returns for touchdown. His frame, big-play ability and background make him an intriguing prospect considering the ways NFL teams are using their backs in the passing game.
Trevon Wesco, TE, West Virginia
Team: South |
Uniform number: 88
Wesco is a junior college transfer who didn't put up big numbers at West Virginia, and he's not much of a deep threat, but he has the potential to develop into a reliable possession receiver who is deceptively shifty after the catch. He's got the toughness, frame and strength to develop into an effective in-line blocker at the NFL level.