Finding Broncos: Senior Bowl Week Takeaways

The Senior Bowl week is over, and it was the final chance for NFL draft prospects to show their stuff for all 32 teams in a game-like setting. So from here on, it's the shorts and shirts.

Over the years, the Denver Broncos have found multiple players from the Senior Bowl. Some have worked out, and some haven't, but Senior Bowl week is a good opportunity to get to know the prospects beyond the football field.

There was a slight difference as the Broncos' coaching staff was up in the air during Senior Bowl week, so there will be a heavy reliance on their scouts that were in town. Here's a recap of the events, including the game, as it relates to the defensive prospects that could pique Denver's interest.

Interior Defensive Line

There were some big winners on the defensive line during the week. First, Northwestern's Tomi Adebawore was dang near impossible to block. He is a mismatch on the defensive line that can attack from multiple spots.

Alabama had a pair of strong prospects in Byron Young and D.J. Dale, and they had plenty of strength to hold their own in the run game. However, what stood out was they had decent pass-rush moves and did well to get push up the middle.

Bowling Green's Karl Brooks had a good week showing his pass-rush ability from multiple spots on the defensive line. Georgia Tech's Keion White had a good opportunity, and while he didn't struggle during the week, he didn't stand out as many hoped he would.

Coastal Carolina's Jarrod Clark was a surprise. He weighs nearly 340 pounds but showed surprising quickness to generate push, and his power was among the top.

Wisconsin's Keeanu Benton had a huge week. He was being pigeonholed as a run-defending nose tackle only, but he had a massive week as a pass rusher.

Oklahoma's Jalen Redmond and South Carolina's Zacch Pickens also had good weeks showing some versatility for interior defensive linemen.

Edge Rushers

Both Auburn edge rushers Derrick Hall and Eku Leota both had a good week. Hall is a long and powerful pass rusher, but he made it clear he isn't the athletic pass rusher teams look for. As for Leota, he made multiple plays in team drills and is one of the few defenders who straight-up tossed Darnell Wright.

Clemson's K.J. Henry had to take advantage of the opportunity in Mobile, and he did. He was one of the more impressive edge rushers during the week. Army's Andre Carter was another, and while he showed his raw athleticism and length, it's clear he isn't a football player and will need a lot of time to develop.

Kansas' Lonnie Phelps had a good week, and it carried over to the game, where he made multiple huge plays. Louisville's Yaya Diaby also had a good week but wasn't a standout.

LSU's Ali Gaye of LSU and Notre Dame's Isaiah Foskey had a rough week, and that was the worst-case scenario for Foskey. He had a chance to cement himself as a first-round prospect but, instead, hurt his stock. Gaye turned a rough week into a strong game.

Iowa State's Will McDonald will draw many comparisons to the Broncos' own Randy Gregory. McDonald is long, smooth, and athletic with a good bend. He had a great week showing off what he had and showed soli power to his game.

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Linebackers

Florida A&M's Isaiah Land and Jackson State's Aubrey Miller Jr had a great week and game. Land was an edge rusher that moved inside and was a seamless transition. Miller was smooth in coverage, and his attack against the run or in pass protection drills showed his versatility.

Sacramento State's Marte Mapu, who some may see as a safety, flies on the field. His trigger fires off quickly, and his instincts always seem to pan out during his limited practice time.

The final linebacker that stood out was Washington State's Daiyan Henley. He was so quick in coverage and always in the correct position. It was hard for the offense to make a pass when he was in coverage.

Cornerbacks

Iowa's Riley Moss made it clear he should get a shot at cornerback before possibly moving to safety. His speed is top-notch, and it carries over to his recovery athleticism. Moss was tough and physical in coverage.

Kansas State's Julius Brents had a huge week showing his length and physical nature, but he also answered questions about his ability to play in multiple coverage schemes. What stood out with Brents is how he would push the line of holding/defensive pass interference.

Miami's Tyrique Stevenson and South Carolina's Darius Rush probably had the biggest weeks of all the corners in Mobile. Both were quick and physical while making multiple plays on the ball. In addition, there were multiple moments where they ran the route better than the receivers they were matched up against.

Stanford's Kyu Blu Kelly had a rough first day of practice, but he quickly turned it around. After the first practice, he was nearly lockdown allowing few plays to happen in one-on-one drills and team periods.

South Alabama's Darrell Luter Jr also had a good week that didn't start the best. However, he showed his ability to stop and change direction quickly and smoothly. He measured in at 5-foot-11 and could find himself as a nickel at the next level.

Virginia's Anthony Johnson had a pick-six in the game wearing the jersey number of a lost teammate. His week had a rough start, and he drew a few flags for being too grabby. However, he managed to bounce back on the next rep pretty consistently.

Maryland's Jakorian Bennett will be a nickel at the next level, and he showed the quickness and change of direction to handle it. However, he will need to be a little less grabby, which created issues during the week.

Safeties

Overall, the safety group was underwhelming. They, expectedly, struggled in one-on-one drills against wide receivers but also in reps against the tight ends. Ronnie Hickman (Ohio State), Kaevon Merriweather (Iowa), and Chamarri Corner (Virginia Tech) all had down weeks.

Their issues went being at a disadvantage in one-on-one drills. In team periods, their rotations and triggers downhill were late or slow. The way the NFL is going, they didn't show the traits needed for the safety position.

California's Daniel Scott and Illinois' Sydney Brown were the only two safeties who had a consistent week with a high level of performance. Scott was quick with his rotations and trigger. He made some big plays on the ball, even in one-on-one drills against receivers. As for Brown, he is extremely quick with good speed. He showed great range on the backend and could drop into the slot and hold his own.

Boise State's J.L. Skinner was at a disadvantage at the Senior Bowl, being a big and physical defensive back. Due to restrictions on physicality, to make sure no one gets hurt, Skinner couldn't show off the best trait he brings.

The final safety to mention is Florida State's Jammie Robinson. He is a smaller safety and can drop into the slot. He had solid rotations, but at times he lost awareness of the ball.

Specialists

As for the specialists, the only ones who stood out were the punters. Rutger's Adam Korsak and Michigan State's Bryce Baringer. Baringer was the best punter of the week and showed off a huge leg, booming a punt over 78 yards. However, Korsak was more consistent with his punts averaging almost three yards more than Baringer.

Baringer had a punt hangtime of nearly six seconds, with Korsak being 5.3 seconds, but their average hangtime was 3.9 seconds each. One key for the NFL is to not out-punt your coverage, which happened a few times during the week.

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