Senior Bowl

[Alexander]

it's weird because on that older tape he doesn't look very quick but he also doesn't look anywhere near 300 pounds much less well over it...

http://draftbreakdown.com/2017/08/02/b-j-hill-vs-louisville-2016/

I dont know if dallas goes NT anywhere early.

If they cannot get Vita Vea, the talent might not justify going nose that early. But I would assume they need to spend a premium pick on the position.

They are not going to win anything going after the Willie Blade types late in the draft.

 

[JeffInDC]

Harrison Phillips Stanford DT 6033 303 Pac-12

Good size for him.

 

[Alexander]

 

[Alexander]

Harrison Phillips Stanford DT 6033 303 Pac-12

Good size for him.

303?

I thought he was 255 per His Royal Hairness.

 

[Risen Star]

Five under-the radar prospects who could rise with a big week
Scouts Inc. NFL draft insider Steve Muench picks out a few prospects who could move up the draft board with solid practices in Mobile:

32. Michael Gallup, WR, Colorado State
Team: North | Uniform number: 84

Gallup set the school's single-season record (100) for receptions and finished sixth in the FBS in average receiving yards per game (108.7) in 2017. He shows deceptive burst after the catch, and it tends to take more than one defender to get him on the ground. A tough open-field runner with enough elusiveness to make a defender miss and the balance to bounce off contact, he also flashes the ability to make highlight-reel catches. -- Muench

33. Andrew Brown, DE, Virginia
Team: South | Uniform number: 99

Brown has the size, strength and length to set the edge against the run. He's an above-average tackler who has excellent instincts for a defensive lineman and chases with good effort. While he's not an explosive edge rusher, he has the hands and quickness to be disruptive when he kicks inside. Consistently playing with better pad level -- especially when he lines up on the inside -- and getting off blocks quicker are two areas with room for improvement. -- Muench

34. Cedrick Wilson, WR, Boise State
Team: North | Uniform number: 11

Wilson averaged 18.2 yards per catch in 2017 and ended the season on a tear, catching 25 passes for 503 yards over his last three games. He doesn't have an elite second gear and isn't an ankle breaker in space, yet he flashes some big-play ability. He's an above-average vertical route runner with a knack for making one-on-one plays downfield, plus he shows good quickness and open-field instincts. Throw in solid ball skills and Wilson has a chance to gain some traction in Mobile. -- Muench

35. Jordan Akins, TE, UCF
Team: South | Uniform number: 88

Akins is a former outfielder who pursued a professional baseball career after high school. He was a receiver who returned kicks his first two seasons at UCF before switching positions in 2016, and the athletic tight end is now listed at 6-4 and 262 pounds. He has the speed and hands to make plays down the seam in addition to the quickness and toughness to produce after the catch. He's still developing as a blocker and projects as more of a slot tight end than an in-line tight end at this point, but he has upside. -- Muench

36. Darrel Williams, RB, LSU
Team: South | Uniform number: 29

It's tough to get touches playing behind uber-talented backs Leonard Fournette and Derrius Guice. Williams started only six games in his four seasons at LSU and finished with 321 career carries. The Senior Bowl gives him the opportunity to step out of their shadows, and there's reason to be optimistic that he can take advantage. He averaged 5.7 yards per carry, rushed for nine touchdowns and flashed on tape in 2017. He doesn't have great explosiveness, but the big back follows his blocks, has good speed for his size and falls forward at the end of runs. -- Muench

 

[Risen Star]

Four small-school prospects to keep an eye on
Muench and Bowen pick out the guys from tiny college programs who will get their shot to compete against the best seniors in the country:

37. Desmond Harrison, OT, West Georgia
Team: South | Uniform number: 78

Note: Harrison dropped out of the Senior Bowl with an injury.

Harrison attended a junior college before transferring to Texas, where he appeared in seven games in 2013 and then withdrew after being suspended for the 2014 season. He didn't play football in 2015 or 2016 and enrolled at West Georgia in 2017. With that in mind, his interviews will play a critical role in teams' evaluations. In terms of the tape and skill set, he has the length, frame and foot speed to potentially develop into a starting left tackle. -- Muench

38. Darius Leonard, LB, South Carolina State
Team: South | Uniform number: 50

Leonard recorded 10 or more tackles in seven games and had eight sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss in 2017. He gets displaced on tape at times and is undersized (6-2, 215) so the weigh-in will be critical, but he has good take-on skills for a lighter linebacker. He does a nice job of shooting his hands inside and using his long arms to keep blockers at bay. Leonard is a sideline-to-sideline player with solid range and the tools to develop above-average cover skills. -- Muench

39. Michael Joseph, CB, Dubuque
Team: North | Uniform number: 22

I've seen some tape on Joseph and it pops against Division III competition. He has sweet ball skills at the cornerback position, and the transition ability is there to plant and drive on the rock. Joseph (6-1, 180 pounds) is going to hit, too. There is some power in his pads when he arrives at the point of attack. But can he replicate those splash plays on his tape versus the jump in talent in Mobile? This is a great opportunity for Joseph. And I'm excited to watch him line up versus Power 5 prospects on the Senior Bowl stage. -- Bowen

40. D'Montre Wade, CB, Murray State
Team: South | Uniform number: 23

A four-year starter, Wade has above-average balance, foot speed and quickness. He picked off nine passes over the past two seasons, including six in 2017, and he has the ball skills to develop into a playmaker in the NFL. He had only 33 tackles last season and is not overly physical defending the run on his 2017 Louisville tape, but any deficiencies in run support are unlikely to be exposed during practices considering the restrictions on contact. -- Muench

 

[CATCH17]

What Todd McShay is looking for from each QB
Expectations are different for every quarterback who accepts an invite to Mobile. With that in mind, ESPN NFL draft expert Todd McShay is keeping an eye on different things depending on the prospect and his opportunity. Here's what he's hoping to see out of every signal-caller this week:

1. Josh Allen, Wyoming
Team: North | Uniform number: 17 | Overall QB ranking: 3

This week is a great opportunity for Allen to showcase his elite skill set on a level playing field. Mayfield faced better competition throughout his career, but Allen never had the clean pockets or the reliable pass-catchers that Mayfield was afforded at Oklahoma -- especially in 2017. With that in mind, Allen needs to show more consistency with his footwork (and subsequently his accuracy). His career 56.1 completion percentage in college will be a frequent discussion topic during the pre-draft process. The tape shows a quarterback who can make the tough throws look ridiculously easy at times; now he needs to show he can make the routine throws consistently. As a side note, I think Allen will do well in the classroom and his experience in a more pro-style system should give him a mental edge over some of the other spread-based QBs. -- McShay

2. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
Team: North | Uniform number: 6 | Overall QB ranking: 4

I'm actually more interested in seeing Mayfield's numbers at the weigh-in than anything he does on the field this week. Is he really 6-foot-1 or is that a stretch? Based on standing eye to eye with him, my guess is he's a little under that number. Is his hand span 9 inches or less? The five-year NFL combine average for QBs is 9.5 inches, and anything under 9 is concerning. It won't define his career, but the list of sub 6-foot QBs who have had sustained success in the NFL is a short one. -- McShay

3. Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State
Overall QB ranking: 5

A foot injury will keep Rudolph from competing in Mobile, but I'm including him here because he's expected there for weigh-ins and interviews. Even if he can't work out, it's important for Rudolph to show he can handle the classroom part of being an NFL quarterback. Coming from that system at Oklahoma State, it will be important to show NFL teams that he can quickly digest and process information at the chalkboard. -- McShay

4. Luke Falk, Washington State
Team: North | Uniform number: 4 | Overall QB ranking: 7

Falk has slipped a bit from where I had him before the season (fourth-ranked QB), so I'll be interested to hear what he tells NFL coaches and scouts about his inconsistent senior season. Coming from that Mike Leach system, I'm interested to study Falk's consistent timing and ball placement on intermediate and vertical throws (with receivers running an NFL route tree). He flashes the ability to drive the ball down the field accurately, but that system features an unusually high percentage of throws that travel less than 5 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. -- McShay

unusually high percentage of throws that travel less than 5 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. -- McShay


5. Kyle Lauletta, Richmond
Team: South | Uniform number: 5 | Overall QB ranking: 8

Jimmy Garoppolo is an example of a small-school quarterback who impressed at the Senior Bowl and eased scouts' concerns over the jump in talent level from Eastern Illinois. Lauletta faces the same issue coming from Richmond. It was sometimes difficult to gauge the velocity of Lauletta's drive throws on tape, so I'm also interested to see his arm strength in person. -- McShay

6. Kurt Benkert, Virginia
Team: South | Uniform number: 6 | Overall QB ranking: 9

Another guy with a low career completion rate (57.7 percent), I want to see Benkert consistently win with throws from inside the pocket. He has a good combination of size (6-2, 218), athleticism and arm strength, and he throws accurately on the move. -- McShay

7. Mike White, Western Kentucky
Team: South | Uniform number: 14 | Overall QB ranking: 10

He comes from a system with a lot of quick throws, so I'm looking to see how White handles the timing of five- and seven-step drops with wide receivers consistently running deeper routes. I also want to see him stand tall in the pocket when it collapses. That's a weakness that has shown up on tape. -- McShay

8. Brandon Silvers, Troy
Team: South | Uniform number: 12 | Overall QB ranking: 11

Silvers, who started 48 games for the Trojans, has a quick trigger and adequate arm strength. But I think he has the most to prove of the QBs in Mobile. Specifically, I'm interested in seeing how he adjusts to working under center (footwork, reading coverages while dropping back and more) after playing almost exclusively in a shotgun offense. I also want to see better touch and trajectory on downfield throws. -- McShay

9. Tanner Lee, Nebraska
Team: North | Uniform number: 13 | Overall QB ranking: 13

Lee, a transfer from Tulane who is replacing Rudolph at the Senior Bowl, put up decent numbers for the Cornhuskers in 2017, with 23 touchdown passes, 16 interceptions and more than 3,100 yards. At 6-4, 220, he has a good frame and some tools but needs refinement. I'll be most interested to see how he progresses over the course of the week and how he responds to NFL coaching. -- McShay

I would draft Josh Allen.

If you're a Pro coach surely you can get that guy playing at a high level.

 

[jterrell]

wasn't smaller than what I expected... local kid who was always a speed player.
added some size in college but is very lean still.
camps and such they measure shoes on.

 

[JeffInDC]

303?

I thought he was 255 per His Royal Hairness.

How in the hell did Michigan list McCray in the 6'3"-6'4" area?

 

[jterrell]

I would draft Josh Allen.

If you're a Pro coach surely you can get that guy playing at a high level.

I'm coming around to this type of thinking.
Super high upside.
And if he busts you already have a QB and 9 other picks.

 

[jterrell]

If they cannot get Vita Vea, the talent might not justify going nose that early. But I would assume they need to spend a premium pick on the position.

They are not going to win anything going after the Willie Blade types late in the draft.

I'm not against the idea for sure but I'm doubtful they do it and results have been fine on defense versus the run the past two years with just guys.

Vea imho goes top 15 easy. Maybe top 10.
You can't teach size.

 

[CATCH17]

I'm coming around to this type of thinking.
Super high upside.
And if he busts you already have a QB and 9 other picks.

I need to watch more Rosen but right now I would take Allen over Mayfield and Darnold.

Darnold just left way to early and players that leave that early hardly ever become good pro's.

I guess their success story would be Jameis Winston?

 

[Alexander]

I'm coming around to this type of thinking.
Super high upside.
And if he busts you already have a QB and 9 other picks.

Allen has the things people over-rate constantly.

When a QB struggles to have a decent completion percentage in college, then goes out on the radio and says "stats are for losers" and bemoans the number of players that his offense lost in the previous draft to excuse his lack of production, I have a problem with that. Especially at the top of the draft.

He is a good option for a mid-to-late first, trade up type for a team that can afford to gamble with a first round pick. The Bills would be a perfect candidate with two picks back to back.

I just see him being that kind of QB that gets overdrafted by some needy team at the top based off of athleticism and how he looks on the hoof, forgetting how important intangibles and accuracy are for a QB to be successful in the league.​

 

[CATCH17]

Allen has the things people over-rate constantly.

When a QB struggles to have a decent completion percentage in college, then goes out on the radio and says "stats are for losers" and bemoans the number of players that his offense lost in the previous draft to excuse his lack of production, I have a problem with that. Especially at the top of the draft.

He is a good option for a mid-to-late first, trade up type for a team that can afford to gamble with a first round pick. The Bills would be a perfect candidate with two picks back to back.

I just see him being that kind of QB that gets overdrafted by some needy team at the top based off of athleticism and how he looks on the hoof, forgetting how important intangibles and accuracy are for a QB to be successful in the league.​

I respect this opinion but i'll gamble on these types of players.

Just like someone will gamble on Baker Mayfield I think this guy is a better gamble then Mayfield.

Give me the 6'4 athletic QB that can throw rockets all day. I may get Kyle Boller and I may not.

I wonder what kind of work ethic Allen has?

 

[JeffInDC]

Harrison Phillips DT Stanford 6033 303 33 3/4 10 1/2 81 7/8

Almost 34" arms for the leverage king..............pretty impressive.

 

[JeffInDC]

Greg Gilmore DT L.S.U. 6037 318 33 7/8 9 3/8 79 1/8

Also want to see what Greg Gilmore (NT, LSU) does this week............didn't know he led LSU in sacks (7.5) this year from the NT position. Intriguing.

 

[Risen Star]

Allen didn't have the talent around him that Mayfield had. - True.

Allen also didn't face the kind of talent Mayfield did. - Also true but never mentioned.

 

[TheCoolFan]

Marinelli is going to love Harrison Phillips!

 

[Risen Star]

 

[Sydla]

32. Michael Gallup, WR, Colorado State
Team: North | Uniform number: 84

Gallup set the school's single-season record (100) for receptions and finished sixth in the FBS in average receiving yards per game (108.7) in 2017. He shows deceptive burst after the catch, and it tends to take more than one defender to get him on the ground. A tough open-field runner with enough elusiveness to make a defender miss and the balance to bounce off contact, he also flashes the ability to make highlight-reel catches. -- Muench

There was once a player named Barry Gallup at Notre Dame. He kind of sucked.