How Each Quarterback Participating in the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl Performed This Week

Looking into what each quarterback showed in the 2022 Reese's Senior Bowl.

Throughout this week, the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl has given college football players from across the country the chance to perform in front of NFL Scouts.

Athletes from the National Team and the American Team have each worked hard in practices held throughout the week. Everybody— from wide receivers to defensive lineman— has been given opportunities to improve their draft stocks and learn alongside some of the nation’s top players. One of the biggest storylines coming out of Mobile has been quarterback play. This year’s group of participating seniors features six members of an extremely talented quarterback class— arguably the best in years. These quarterbacks will be competing against each other to impress scouts and hear their names called out in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

The Senior Bowl practices have officially come to a close, and each quarterback has had some success. Here is a brief report of how these six players performed over three days of practice.

National Team

Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh: Pickett proved himself as a one-of-a-kind performer throughout the week, and he was even named the National Team quarterback of the week by the team’s defensive players. He remained consistent every day despite facing various challenges and rarely had bad plays. Most of his mistakes came on deep passes or during difficult weather conditions. Hopefully, Pickett can continue to be consistent during Saturday’s game.

Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati: Sometimes, athletes perform their best in difficult circumstances. That was certainly the case for Ridder, as he was the least impressive quarterback after the first practice but outdid just about every athlete in the wind and rain on Day 2. He was most accurate with shorter throws and struggled to connect on deep balls. Ridder might need a bit more development over the coming years, but he has proven that he can perform well in no matter the conditions.

Carson Strong, Nevada: Strong rarely missed during his practices in Mobile. When he did, the ball flew either above or below his intended target and was largely due to weather. His ability to throw a deep pass with incredible accuracy was his best quality, but he passed well in just about every circumstance outside of some follies on gameday. One area of concern for him was his knee— he had some issues with it late in the season— but it did not affect him one bit this week.

American Team

Sam Howell, North Carolina: Howell has arguably been one of the most overlooked quarterbacks practicing this week. He struggled in certain areas— especially involving footwork— but had some great moments. Howell passed with confidence, was able to drive the ball well and demonstrated great arm strength. Overall, he performed at the expected level and can boost his draft stock by having an impressive showing on Saturday.

Malik Willis, Liberty: Willis struggled some during the regular season, so he came into Mobile with plenty to prove. Although he did not play well on the first day of practice, Willis impressed scouts with his second and third-day performances. Everything that had seemed to fade during the regular season— including his accuracy, arm strength and footwork— gradually came back. By the end of the week, Willis had redeemed himself in the eyes of many.

Bailey Zappe, Western Kentucky: As the name suggests, Zappe has put a lot of “zap” on the ball. He led the entire FBS with 5,967 passing yards and 62 touchdowns this season, so big expectations were placed upon him heading into the Senior Bowl. Taking the ball under center was not easy for Zappe at first, but he quickly lived up to his expectations. Now, scouts and fans have seen he's able to hang against higher-level competition.