Five Winners From Senior Bowl Week

Senior Bowl week has come and gone. Here's five winners that have undoubtedly improved their draft stock in Mobile, AL.

Author:
Andrew Harbaugh
Publish date:
Feb 4, 2023 1:28 PM EST

In this story:

The Senior Bowl wraps up a big week of practice with the game between the American and National teams. Players on both teams have interviewed with teams off the field while playing hard on the field, catching the eyes of teams around the league.

You can see the benefits the Senior Bowl brings to teams by who has the best draft classes and who competes at the top of their conference. Great examples of this come in the form of San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Kansas City. Those three teams have tons of Senior Bowl alumni on them - most notably Jalen Hurts who will be starting for the Eagles in the Super Bowl.

While the Cardinals probably won’t be finding their Super Bowl quarterback in this group, plenty of players at various positions can make this team better. Here are five players who had great weeks and could impact this current Cardinals team as things stand today.

Cody Mauch, OL, North Dakota State

If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, you know the rest. In the case of Cody Mauch, he looks the part and acts the part while proving he belongs in the discussion for the top of round two in the draft which makes him a perfect target for the Cardinals. Mauch had some struggles during the week but he had more impressive wins against tougher competition which lands him on the list. Add in he can play tackle or guard and that versatility makes his draft stock rise even further.

Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State

Brents is a big corner coming in at 6’3”, 202 pounds and he plays a physical style to match. In clips of practice, you see him do his best in the one-on-one drills that always prove difficult for defenders, he did get handsy at times which won’t fly in the NFL. However, with his size and style, he would be a great compliment to Byron Murphy and Marco Wilson if they return or he can be a breath of fresh air to the starting rotation.

Will McDonald, Edge, Iowa State

Will McDonald is big, uses his size, but also moves fast for his build which is what the Cardinals need with pending departures. McDonald played so well in one-on-ones and had such favorable measurables he may not be around for the Cardinals in round two but that doesn’t mean you don’t prepare for that. McDonald would be a great addition to an edge group that is looking for a new identity and leader.

Tyjae Spears, RB, Tulane

I spoke on the All Cardinals draft show about getting a compliment to James Conner and this pick would be a great fit for that role. Spears has an explosive running ability, which he showed all week, and he has a lot of tread on his tires left. His style would complement Conner well and he could also be the RB1 in case of injury or if the team decides they don’t like Conner’s contract. Sign me all the way up for Spears in a Cardinals uniform.

Keion White, Edge, Georgia Tech

Keion White had some ups and downs this week but he confirm what the film showed and that is he is going to use his speed and size to win in the NFL. He is still developing as a pass rusher after converting to the position from the tight end just two years ago so he makes for a fun project. White is someone who could be a day-three pick or late day two-and then turn into a cornerstone along the defensive line. That late in the draft you have to bet on tools and White has a whole Home Depot’s worth of them.