Senior Bowl Recap: Former Notre Dame Stars Show Big Improvement On Day Two

There were some mixed reviews from the first day of on-field action for former Notre Dame defensive end Isaiah Foskey and offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson. It was a pretty strong first day for Foskey, who ended his Notre Dame as the all time leader in sacks with the program.

The 6-5, 262-pound pass rusher had a strong weight in, showing how physically impressive he is on the hoof. He was also selected as one of the main two players available for the media to open the festivities.

Foskey also proceeded to have a strong first practice. There were a few reps he would like to have back but for the most part, he showed all the talent of a player that could hear his name called in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft when April rolls around.

It wasn’t as strong a day for Patterson, who really struggled to make a smooth transition to the environment. He played mostly at offensive guard for the day, struggling mightily in run blocking portions of practices and during the team.

Patterson did show some promise in pass protection but even that was inconsistent. The four-year starter needed to have a big bounce back on Day Two.

BOUNCE BACK DAY FOR PATTERSON

Patterson did just that. After spending a lot of time at guard on Day One, he saw a heavy dose of reps at center during the second practice. That was a big opportunity for Patterson, who looked much more comfortable at his natural position, while also showing serious growth at guard.

The one-on-one pass rush portion of practice was much more consistent for Patterson. He had a bad habit of stopping his feet on contact and losing his base in the first practice. It was much better on Wednesday.

His best rep of the day may have come at center, where he was able to establish leverage quickly against Coastal Carolina nose tackle Jerrod Clark. He quickly gained control of the rep and washed Clark out.

Notre Dame OL Jarrett Patterson spent a lot more time at center on Day Two. He looked worlds better at his natural position. Pretty nice bounce back after a rough day one. pic.twitter.com/u3xZjmnsHy
— Ryan Roberts (@RiseNDraft) February 2, 2023

Patterson maintained body positioning throughout the play. He stayed attached and didn’t allow Clark to counter of get back into the play.

In one of the toughest matchups of the day, Patterson also faced off against Wisconsin defensive tackle Keeanu Benton, who is arguably the top defensive lineman in attendance this week. Patterson was up for the challenge, again gaining early leverage in the battle.

Rock solid rep from Notre Dame OL Jarrett Patterson. Shows patience, good initial punch and enough ability to redirect to counteract the inside move. Wisconsin DT Keeanu Benton has been dominant this week but this rep was about as good as anyone has had. pic.twitter.com/GDFT2qaXwW
— Ryan Roberts (@RiseNDraft) February 2, 2023

With a quick punch and nice foot quickness, he got Benton working up the field. When he attempted to counter back inside, Patterson had enough foot quickness to redirect. It wasn’t a perfect rep but it was one of the better reps against Benton all week:

When he got to the team portion of practice, Patterson was clearly more confident. He had a tremendous segment working in 11-on-11 action, showing patience and athleticism to work up to the second level.

Nice climb up to the second level by Notre Dame OL Jarrett Patterson (LG #75). Easy mover… able to take Washington State linebacker Daiyan Henley out of the play, who has been all over the field this week. pic.twitter.com/adOXMC4WND
— Ryan Roberts (@RiseNDraft) February 2, 2023

Patterson routinely got his body in much better positioning during this practice. He was concise, confident and was trusting what was happening around him. It was night and day from Tuesday.

SOLID DAY TWO FOR FOSKEY

It was a good but unspectacular day for Foskey on Wednesday. He still flashed his tremendous ability but didn’t make as many highlight plays as he did in the first practice.

There was an emphasis for Foskey to pull a couple new moves out of his bag to add to his pass rush arsenal. You really only saw speed to power during Day One but the second practice showed a lot more variety.

Foskey’s best win of the day was working against Chattanooga offensive lineman McClendon Curtis, who is a massive human being. He pulled out a two hand swipe to win around the corner.

Double swipe from Notre Dame DE Isaiah Foskey here. Able to win outside track and show a little flexibility in his lower half. Good win. pic.twitter.com/AThQhycGBG
— Ryan Roberts (@RiseNDraft) February 2, 2023

Foskey also showed some flexibility and bend to turn the corner while maintaining balance. It was an easy win and a good start to the day for the Notre Dame star.

During a pass rush rep against BYU offensive tackle Blake Freeland, Foskey also tried to pull out the spin move. This was not nearly as successful for him.

Poorly timed spin by Notre Dame DE Isaiah Foskey. Really nice patient set by BYU OT Blake Freeling. He had another up and down day but tools are still really intriguing for Freeling. pic.twitter.com/jsG1229mRL
— Ryan Roberts (@RiseNDraft) February 2, 2023

There was just bad timing on the move and he got stuck against an extremely long and gifted offensive tackle. It was a forgettable play from that portion of practice.

During team drills, Foskey was much better. He made his impact known as a pass rusher, having several quarterback hurries during that segment of practice. They employed him as a wide rusher a ton and you really saw the explosiveness he has to close ground quickly.

MUST SEE ON DAY THREE

Both Patterson and Foskey have had really nice moments during the first two days. There have been some inconsistencies but you have gotten a glimpse into the potential for each prospect.

For Patterson, keep trending in the right direction. He looked like a completely different football player on Wednesday. With Thursday being the last competitive day of practice, he has a chance to show the growth that NFL evaluators love to see during these weeks.

For Foskey, it is about putting together your best day. There has been spurts of dominance but now it is time to leave no doubt. If the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft is legitimate, you have to see the talent on full display to end the week.

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