2018 NFL Draft: Official Senior Bowl Thread

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Mobile, Ala. -- One of the most unique storylines in Reese's Senior Bowl history will play out this week as UCF LB Shaquem Griffin looks to prove to dozens of NFL scouts that he can play in the NFL with only one hand. The former American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year received a late invitation to the annual all-star game, and is determined to make the very most of it.

"As long as I'm going fast and making plays, they're going to forget how many hands I have," he said.

Griffin, the twin brother of Seattle Seahawks CB Shaquill Griffin, lost his left hand to an amputation at age 4, necessitated by a pre-natal condition known as Amniotic Band Syndrome. His journey from the youth leagues to college star, and the role his twin brother played in it, made him one of college football's most inspiring stories the last two years.

"The only thing I can do is play hard and see if I can change some guys minds," he added.

Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage said he believes Griffin's floor as a draft prospect -- a worst-case, baseline pro expectation -- is as an outstanding special teams player. He said Monday night that he intends to show NFL teams the versatility to play almost anywhere in Senior Bowl practices this week, as a pass rusher, off-the-ball linebacker, or defensive back. He was a pass-rushing linebacker at UCF, but is undersized for that role in the NFL.

Shaquill Griffin, who played with his brother at UCF, was a third-round pick of the Seahawks last year and became a starter.

"If I get drafted higher than him, he's going to hear about it for the rest of his life," Shaquem joked.

SENIOR BOWL NOTES

Wyoming QB Josh Allen is one of the top attractions at the Senior Bowl this week, but as a small-school prospect whose production fell off in his final college season, he believes he's got much to prove in Mobile.

"I'm going to prove I belong. There's a lot of skepticism about the type of the player I am and where I come from at Wyoming, obviously," Allen said. "I'm getting out here with the best of the best to show I can make all the throws, and understand offenses in the NFL."

Allen is considered a potential first-round pick, although he struggled for much of the 2017 season. ...

Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield won't arrive for the Senior Bowl until Tuesday, as reported by NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport. Mayfield will miss the annual weigh-in Tuesday morning but is expected to be ready for the North squad practice. ... Maine OL Jamil Demby has been added to the North roster to replace Western Michigan's Chukwuma Okorafor. ... Senior Bowl players will wear GPS-tracking chips beginning this year, a technology which will provide coaches with additional information about their practice performances. ... Oklahoma State QB Mason Rudolph, who will miss practices due to an injury, will nevertheless stay in Mobile for a couple days to go through the weigh-in and conduct interviews.

Live Twitter Feed of Senior Bowl

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[h=3]Introducing Marcus Davenport[/h] If you don’t know much about Texas-San Antonio pass rusher Marcus Davenport, you will after this week. If you were building a pass rusher, it would look like the 6’7, 255-pound Davenport. The Roadrunners’ edge-rusher is landing high in the first round of mock drafts after registering a season of 55 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks.

Pass rushers with the length and speed of Davenport don’t last long on draft night. In Mobile, teams will be closely watching his footwork and quickness off the snap. If he proves to be good in those areas, the mock drafts could become reality.

 

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[h=3]Power on the interior[/h] This should be a good week for guards. There aren’t many people clamoring to watch UTEP football, but the Miners have a potential top 100 pick in guard Will Hernandez. He started 49 games at left guard at UTEP and excels as both a run and pass blocker. The two-time All-American is the type of player who will get drafted on the second or third day in April and start straight away.

Georgia’s Isaiah Wynn was a starter for three years with the Bulldogs. The first two were at left guard before he moved out to left tackle last season. He’s listed as a guard by the Senior Bowl, and it’s his more natural position. Wynn is a powerful blocker who was the key to Georgia’s excellent run game. Then there’s Taylor Hearn of Clemson. He’s one of six graduated juniors who is participating. Hearn is a mammoth blocker at 330 pounds, but he can get out on the move and pick off defenders in space.

 

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[h=3]Small school players to the forefront[/h] More so than any other type of player, the all-star game circuit helps players from smaller schools. The two most interesting at this year’s Senior Bowl is South Dakota State tight end Dallas Goedert and Dubuque cornerback Michael Joseph.

Goedert has emerged as a potential first-round pick because of his athleticism and skill as a pass catcher. Goedert’s playing style leads to comparisons to Travis Kelce. The only Division III player at this year’s Senior Bowl is Joseph. The Small College Defensive Player of the Year, Joseph didn’t even play football his first year at Dubuque while he worked to add weight to his frame. Joseph has never faced players of this level, but if he can hang he can land a draft spot.

The Senior Bowl could have been the coming out party for West Georgia offensive tackle Desmond Harrison. The former Texas recruit stands out in games with an impressive combination of athleticism and aggression. Unfortunately he’s sitting out practices due to injury. [h=3][/h]

 

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[h=3]A loaded group of wide receivers[/h] Wide receiver is almost always one of the stacked positions at the Senior Bowl, and this year is no different. Michael Gallup of Colorado State, Allen Lazard of Iowa State, DaeSean Hamilton of Penn State and Cedrick Wilson of Boise State highlight the North team’s receivers.

Lazard is an imposing player at 6’5 and 222 pounds. He doesn’t have a lot of speed, but he’s physical and should do well in one-on-one settings during practice. Wilson is a speed player who will fit a specific role on a team as a receiver who creates separation and also plays on special teams. Gallup is a dependable pass catcher who fights for yards after the catch.

The South wide receivers are headlined by Marcell Ateman and James Washington of Oklahoma State. Washington is built like a running back at 6’0 and 205 pounds, and he runs like one after the catch. Ateman excels at working on the outside and routinely beats defensive backs at the catch point. D.J. Chark of LSU is the sneaky one to watch on the South team. He’s not particularly physical at 6’4 and 108 pounds, but he gets up field in a hurry and is a good big-play threat. [h=3][/h]

 

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[h=3]Players who need good weeks[/h]
Alabama and Ohio State have the most players at the Senior Bowl with four each. Several of the players from those need to stand out. That starts with Alabama defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand. He was about as blue-chip of a blue-chip as there could’ve been coming out of high school in 2014. But on Alabama, Hand worked in a rotation on the line and was often overshadowed by players like Da’Ron Payne and Jonathan Allen. Hand often lined up at end, but at the Senior Bowl he could get some looks on the inside.

Ohio State ends Jalyn Holmes and Tyquan Lewis were also used in a rotation and need good weeks. Both are big ends who at times had middling production in Columbus. Holmes in particular got caught behind players like Sam Hubbard and Nick Bosa and had only four sacks in his career.

 

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MOBILE, Ala. -- Former Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen knows that Senior Bowl week is a big one for his NFL draft stock, and he didn't shy away from any topics in a wide-ranging media session Monday night.

Unlike UCLA QB Josh Rosen, who has previously stated that he would like to avoid being drafted by the Cleveland Browns, Allen made no such claims about his draft position.

"It's not about going as high as possible," he said. "It's about the right fit."

Allen made it clear that he wants to prove he belongs and put to rest any concerns about his 56.1 career completion percentage at Wyoming, noting that he has been working this offseason on his footwork and "I'm way more accurate than that [number] shows."

Admitting that he wasn't playing "the greatest competition week in and week out" at Wyoming, Allen recognizes that this week is important to show he belongs. As to what NFL teams should know about him: "I want them to understand I have a high football IQ and that I love the game."

 

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[h=2]Senior Bowl Top 20: South squad[/h] The Senior Bowl starts in earnest on Tuesday morning when 110 best of the college seniors in the nation stride across the stage for weigh-ins at the Mobile Convention Center. The Texans will be there, as always, but this year, head coach Bill O’Brien and the Texans coaching staff will lead the South squad against the Denver Broncos staff and the North squad.

Seeing as how the Texans are leading the South squad, here are 20 players to watch this week down in Mobile on that side of the ledger.

1. San Diego State running back Rashaad Penny (5-11, 220) is the most dynamic ball carrier of the group of running backs on either squad. He has a different gear than anyone else that’ll carry the mail in Mobile.

2. Virginia safety Quin Blanding (6-2, 210) finished his four year career as one of the most decorated safeties in UVa history. At 6-2, 210 lb., he’s prototype size for that position at the next level.

3. Alabama defensive end Da’Shawn Hand (6-4, 288) was the nation’s top recruit out of high school four years ago. The Texans may not have a significant need on the defensive line, but he’s one of the freakiest athletes at his position on either team.

4. Oklahoma State wide receiver James Washington (6-0, 205), in my estimation, is one of the top four receivers in the entire draft. He latches on to anything and everything thrown his way.

5. Auburn safety Tray Matthews (6-1, 209) is a linebacker in a safety’s body. He started his career at Georgia, but transferred to Auburn for his final three years. He’s a fearless hitter but his coverage skills will be under the magnifying glass throughout the week.

6. I love San Diego State fullback/H-back Nick Bawden (6-3, 245). Why were Donnel Humphrey and Penny record setting running backs at San Diego State? Well, they were very good, but Bawden was instrumental in opening lanes for those two backs the past four years.

7. Southern cornerback Danny Johnson (5-11, 194) is one tough cover man. He’ll challenge for every ball thrown in his vicinity and has great ball skills. He picked off seven passes as a senior, while racking up nearly every honor an FCS player could earn.

8. Jacksonville State defensive back Siran Neal (6-1, 205) can play nearly every single position in the secondary. He’ll probably best fit at an inside nickel position at the next level, but he’s an intriguing secondary player, no doubt.

9. UCF outside linebacker Shaquem Griffin (6-1, 223) is a blur. If he were 250 pounds, he’d be a day two pick for certain. He has a motor that never stops and he relentlessly runs down quarterbacks and ball carriers with a desire unmatched on the field. In 2017, the Texans faced his brother Shaquille, who was a rookie starting cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks.

10. Ole Miss linebacker Marquis Haynes (6-3, 230) may not seemingly have a true position on the field, but one thing he absolutely can do is rush the quarterback. Tirelessly. That dude will find the quarterback, no question about it, and will challenge the South offensive linemen all week long.

11. Clemson linebacker Dorian O’Daniel (6-1, 220) played his football at, well, Clemson, so you know we’ll all have our eyes on his him, right? Not to mention, he’s an intriguing off-the-ball linebacker prospect with a myriad of skills.

12. UTSA defensive end/outside linebacker Marcus Davenport (6-7, 255) might be the highest ranked player at the Senior Bowl. Yes, I said UTSA. Just take one look at this guy and you’ll see why. He has arms for days and can play effectively as a 4-3 end or a 3-4 outside linebacker. He’s ferocious with his long arm/stab move off the edge and he has elite traits. Consequently, this is his opportunity to unleash those arms/skills on the South offensive linemen all week.

13. Georgia’s Isaiah Wynn (6-2, 302) played tackle throughout his career, but he projects to guard at the next level. Tough, sturdy and competitive, Wynn could/should get snaps at both positions this week.

14. Two years ago, I was watching South Dakota State against TCU, and SDSU kept throwing the ball to its tight end. Dallas Goedert (6-5, 255) was just a sophomore at the time. Two years later, he’s one of the best tight ends in the draft. Stud. Complete and total stud. He has glue sticks for hands and should really grab everyone’s attention this week.

15. Quick, you know where Humboldt State is? Even I had to look it up so I could find Alex Cappa (6-7, 305). The Division II star will be tested this week facing guys like Davenport and Haynes in pass rush one-on-ones but his strength should give him an opportunity to succeed.

16. LSU wide receiver D.J. Chark (6-4, 198) can flat out fly. We saw that a couple of seasons ago in the Academy Sports Outdoors Texas Bowl so he’ll put defensive backs on notice right away in one-on-ones.

17. North Carolina A&T offensive tackle Brandon Parker (6-7, 309) has a nearly similar wingspan to UTSA defensive end Davenport. If those two stand next to one another they could stretch from hash mark to hash mark on the field. Parker is physical at the point of attack and moves well for a man his size.

18. UMass tight end Adam Breneman (6-5, 255) was once recruited and coached by Bill O’Brien. After leaving Penn State, he transferred to UMass and became one of the best tight ends in the nation.

19. West Georgia offensive tackle Desmond Harrison (6-6, 313) is definitely a WOW guy. As in, when I watched tape on him, I said “WOW” a number of times. Consistency and quality of competition are significant question marks, but he can alleviate some of those concerns with a strong week.

Okay, you know that I don’t care too much about punters and/or kickers, but JK Scott (Alabama punter) and Daniel Carlson (Auburn placekicker) are outstanding. That’ll give you a head start, so to speak. I’ll have observations throughout the week from both the North and South practices.

See ya then.

 

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Senior Bowl Top 20: North squad

On Monday, the eve of the actual start of the Senior Bowl, I gave you the 20 Players to Watch on the South squad, the one led by Bill O’Brien and the Houston Texans coaching staff. Although the Texans won’t spend as much time with the North squad, it still bears watching given the prospects at key positions for the Texans in the future.

Here are the North’s 20 Players to Watch.

1. Pitt offensive tackle Brian O’Neill (6-6, 305) is perhaps better known for his touchdown exploits in 2016, but that’s only part of the story. The three year graduate will play in the Senior Bowl and is one of the most mobile and agile linemen in this year’s draft class.

2. Colorado State wide receiver Michael Gallup (6-1, 200) doesn’t seem to have a distinct elite trait (speed, size), but, man, he has all the attributes of a pass catcher at the next level. He has great body control and excellent hands, so he catches nearly everything thrown his way.

3. Unfortunately, UCLA center Scott Quessenberry (6-3, 310) will line up on the North squad this week. His brother David is someone we all know well from his time with the Texans. Little Q will get tested against a stout North defensive line this week, but if he’s anything like his brother, he’s a tough, competitive leader that won’t back down from anyone.

4. Iowa’s Sean Welsh (6-3, 295) played guard throughout his career at Iowa, but he may be an offensive tackle candidate for the Texans and other teams in the league. He’s a skilled technician with versatility but his smaller stature might concern some NFL squads.

5. UTEP guard Will Hernandez (6-3, 330) is a prototype guard. When the football gods created offensive guards, they had Hernandez in mind. This dude is built like a guard, knocks people off the ball like an NFL guard and dominates like a future Pro Bowl guard.

6. Oregon offensive tackle Tyrell Crosby (6-5, 320) cuts an impressive figure at his size and could play either right or left tackle. I’d rather see Crosby on the South squad so he could get time with the Texans coaching staff, but it’ll be worth it to see him work this week.

7. Penn State tight end Mike Gesecki (6-6, 252) is a small forward playing tight end. He’s more pass catcher (U-TE or F-TE) than he is a road grading run blocking Y-TE but he certainly won’t back down in the run game.

8. Another Penn State player to watch is safety Marcus Allen (6-2, 202). The former Nittany Lion star seems to play much bigger than his listed 202 lb. He’s a fearless, physical safety who tackles well and is known for making big plays on defense and special teams (his field goal block against Ohio State in 2016 was instrumental in that season’s turnaround).

9. No two quarterbacks, well, actually, no two players will garner more attention, and scrutiny, than Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield (6-1, 220) and

10. Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen (6-5, 233). There will be plenty of eyes on the North practices to see these two perform in this setting. Year after year, Mayfield ruined narratives about walk-ons, short-er statured quarterbacks and gunslingers on a weekly basis throughout his career. Allen might be the most impressively gifted quarterback in this, or any other, Senior Bowl.

11. I’ve seen nearly every snap of Texas A&M safety Armani Watts’ (5-11, 205) career. I’ve seen him make a ton of huge plays against the pass and the run. I’ve seen him make series-changing tackles. I’ve also seen him miss more than his fair share of tackles and make some mental errors along the way. That said, he’s an intriguing safety prospect because he’s equal parts ballhawk and linebacker at the safety position.

12. I would love to see Florida defensive back Duke Dawson (5-10, 208) in the Texans secondary. Now, what position fits best for Dawson is the question. My guess is that he’ll get a ton of work at perimeter cornerback this week, but he’s the consummate inside/nickel candidate. He’s got a safety’s mindset and can cover in the slot, but he can move outside in a pinch too.

13. There’s very little Arizona State running back Kalen Ballage (6-3, 230) cannot do. He’s a hammer with the ball in his hands, even more impressive, though, he can catch the ball very well out of the backfield. As long as he stays healthy, he’ll have plenty of teams highly intrigued at the end of the week.

14. Western Michigan cornerback Darius Phillips (5-10, 190) is a “breaking on the ball” fiend and a heck of a return man. I can’t wait to see him battle the receivers this week in one-on-ones, a staple at the Senior Bowl.

15. West Virginia safety Kyzir White (6-2, 218) played a hybrid safety/linebacker position for the Mountaineers, but he’s a full-time safety at the next level. In two years at West Virginia, he racked up 152 tackles, 14.5 TFL, four forced fumbles and multiple monster hits.

16. Oklahoma fullback/H-back Dimitri Flowers (6-2, 247) can do a little bit of everything and he’s one heck of a receiving option in the passing game. He may not interest teams that don’t use 21 or 22 personnel or even 11 or 12 personnel with a F-TE type, but this is a football playing dude.

17. Penn State cornerback Christian Campbell (6-1, 194) is the prototype NFL cornerback from a size and height perspective. With long arms and his size, he’s going to have plenty of attention from teams looking for cornerbacks this draft season.

18. The Washington State offensive line was as experienced as any in college football in 2017 and one of the stalwarts was guard Cole Madison (6-5, 314). He’s an impressive looking guard with plenty of nasty and he’s done more than his fair share of pass protecting in his career.

19. Michigan offensive lineman Mason Cole (6-5, 305) has played every single position up and down the offensive line. He’s probably more of a center/guard interior lineman prospect, but he could play right tackle in the future as well.

20. And, this last note pleases me to no end. Brown University will be represented on both sides this week. Texans head coach Bill O’Brien will coach the South and Brown outside linebacker Dewey Jarvis (6-2, 230) will play for the North squad. Of course, I’ll be there too (class of 1994!!), but these two are the ones that matter. Jarvis was an Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year finalist and I’m thrilled to see him play live for the first time.

 

[ReallyBigfan]

Dimitri Flowers is a beast, he's a guy I've been hoping the Jets will draft.

 

[gmf1369]

These ten are player(s) with good upside that I am watching out for and hopefully see them as possible Jets come draft day:

1. Marquis Haynes (6-3, 230) LB Ole Miss
2. Shaquem Griffin (6-1, 223) LB UCF
3. Brandon Parker (6-7, 309) LT NC A&T
4. Adam Breneman (6-5, 255) TE UMass (recruited by Bill O'Brien PSU)
5. Brian O’Neill (6-6, 305) OT Pitt
6. Darius Phillips (5-10, 190) CB W. Mich.
7. Christian Campbell (6-1, 194) CB PSU
8. Dimitri Flowers (6-2, 247) H-Back OU
9. Cole Madison (6-5, 314) OG Wash. St.
10. Mason Cole (6-5, 305) OC/OG Michigan

Both Haynes and Griffin could be options to replace Demario Davis at MLB, both have the speed and pass rush technique to be effective from the inside out linebacker roles...

Brandon Parker have been saying he is a sleeper late day two left tackle that can start day one...

Brian O'Neil should kick inside to guard at the next level, along with Cole Madison would be options for the interior of our offensive line depending on if they truly want to improve the quality of our offensive line play...

The other interior lineman to watch out for is the fourth best center in this draft and should be on our big board as a fourth round option in Mason Cole from Michigan...

We need a real fullback option and like ReallyBigfan stated above Dimitri Flowers would be a good pickup not only as fullback, but an H-Back tight end option creating matchups for us for a change...

If we aren't looking early in the first two days for corners, then two solid options early day three would/could/should be Darius Phillips from Western Michigan and Christian Campbell from Penn State are decent developmental options...

Mark Andrews is arguably the best tight end in this draft but Adam Breneman would of been up there with Andrews as the best in this draft if he didn't undeclare from Penn State and go to UMass, this kid can ball and has the athleticism to stretch the field...

 

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Baker Mayfield - official measurements from Reese's Senior Bowl:
Height: 6003 (6'0 3/8)
Weight: 216
Hand: 9 1/2
Arm: 30 1/2
Wingspan 30 3/8

 

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[Old#15]

Great stuff gmfl, thanks for the info!

 

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Best of Media Day: Junior Reporter

Our Junior Reporter, Jake, grills a number of Reese's Senior Bowl standouts on Media Day. Here's the best of those hard-hitting interviews.

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Presser: Josh Allen QB Wyoming

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Presser: Shaquem Griffin LB Central Florida

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Presser: Marcus Davenport DE UT San Antonio

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[Gramoah]

You've put a lot of work into this positional report gmf1369. I appreciate your effort. You've listed some of the players that I saw as having potential as well but I have it in my mind not to create a want list until I've watched the Senior Bowl Saturday. Positions that I'm looking for us to fill, aside from QB which is a must do for us, is left tackle, center, running back, fullback, a real one, and another field stretching wide receiver, to replace you know who in the event that he gets cut or alternate with him if he don't get cut. I think we might want to pick up another tight end as well if possible, on defense we clearly need corners and a superman edge rusher. With good corners the safeties we have will excel even more than they have.

 

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