Senior Bowl Standouts: Which Players Caught Washington's Eye?

Coaching in the Senior Bowl means your team finished with one of the worst records in the 2021 NFL season.

For the Detroit Lions staff, it's not the February football they wanted to coach but it's an advantage the team could use to get a jump start on NFL Draft preparation.

From a player perspective, the plan when you arrive to Mobile, Alabama is as simple in explanation as it is complicated in execution. Learn and perform. As much as possible, and consistently throughout the week.

Achieve those two things, and you may just find yourself on - or climbing - the draft boards for teams like the Washington Commanders.

Here are 10 of the standout players on this year's National Team roster from the 2022 Reese's Senior Bowl.

10. OFFENSIVE LINEMAN, TREVOR PENNING (NORTHERN IOWA)

The 18th-ranked player on the Sports Illustrated NFL Draft Big Board, Penning came in with plenty of attention and shined under under the spotlight. Coming from Northern Iowa, the rise in competition level was a big part of the evaluation this week for scouts and coaches.

Any doubt he could hold up to elevated competition dissipated quickly, in Mobile.

9. DEFENSIVE LINEMAN, TYREKE SMITH (OHIO STATE)

Smith arrived at the Senior Bowl lighter than the weight he played at with the Buckeyes and looked faster and more athletic without sacrificing his ability to penetrate the offensive line.

Smith is a solid Day 2 projection at the NFL Draft this year, and after this performance, he'll climb into second-round range on a lot of boards, with the opportunity to climb even more, as the evaluation process moves forward.

8. WIDE RECEIVER, ROMEO DOUBS (NEVADA)

Entering the week, Doubs was No. 136 overall on the SI Big Board. As the list gets reviewed, we have a feeling he'll move up.

Doubs' ability downfield was already known, but his ability to work underneath and in the intermediate part of the field was made evident in Mobile.

Coaching staffs looking for a diamond at wide receiver in the middle of the NFL Draft will have plenty to love if they land this Nevada playmaker.

7. OFFENSIVE LINEMAN, ZION JOHNSON (BOSTON COLLEGE)

It didn't take long for Johnson to stand out on the practice field, and he'll leave Mobile as one of the interior linemen in attendance feeling good about his performance.

The difficulty level in taking five offensive linemen who've never played together before and putting them in a game three days later is really difficult, so when certain players shine in that environment, we notice.

6. TIGHT END, TREY MCBRIDE (COLORADO STATE)

McBride is already Top 50 on multiple media boards, and he did nothing to damage that standing this past week.

He demonstrated his abilities in every spot NFL teams will ask a tight end to line up in, and was a capable blocker, route runner, and receiver in each.

There may not be a first-round tight end in the 2022 NFL Draft, but there are plenty of mid-round prospects who are going to contribute to their teams.

5. DEFENSIVE LINEMAN, PERRION WINFREY (OKLAHOMA)

Another Top-100 prospect coming into Mobile, Winfrey will challenge to be considered for Top-50 lists moving forward.

The Oklahoma lineman had multiple sacks and pressures in the game, but more importantly, he was a constant nuisance against his National Team offensive line teammates.

Opposing linemen should appreciate getting good reps against Winfrey, and he'll be appreciative of how much good he did for his own stock as well.

4. RUNNING BACK, RACHAAD WHITE (ARIZONA STATE)

White wasn't a Top-100 player coming to the Senior Bowl, but he didn't let that fact stop him from showing out.

From Day 1 on, the Sun Devils running back showed explosiveness, balance, and the ability to produce behind a patchwork offensive line in an event not truly catered to showcasing talent from the position.

He may not quite crack the Top-100 in a very deep class, but there are teams who now know who White is, and he'll be getting a closer look from those who may have underestimated his potential at the next level.

3. DEFENSIVE LINEMAN, TRAVIS JONES (UCONN)

Another player who was outside of pretty much every Top-100 you can find published, Jones will make his way onto plenty of them now.

Big, powerful, and literally moving large men from one spot to another, against their will.

Jones got to the quarterback in the game as well, which helps, but it's his motor and ability he put on the practice film that's going to get him drafted in this year's selection meeting.

2. QUARTERBACK, DESMOND RIDDER (CINCINNATI)

Playing on the same squad as top quarterback Kenny Pickett, Ridder made up ground overall and may have leap-frogged his teammate for teams looking at upside over immediate impact.

For us, Pickett still stands as the most NFL-ready quarterback in this class, but he did nothing to jump off the field any more than he already has.

Ridder, on the other hand, looked like he grew from one day to the next. And while he still has developmental needs, a team who can afford to give him a year or two to grow will potentially have the better quarterback when it's all said and done.

1. WIDE RECEIVER, CHRISTIAN WATSON (NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY)

Hands down our favorite player from the National Team roster this week, and the kid would look really good in that black Washington Commanders uniform.

He's another guy you won't find on a lot of pre-Senior Bowl big boards, but he should be there now.

Going back and looking at the film is what all good scouts do when unexpected guys jump off the field at events like these. So you can bet plenty of Bison football is about to be watched in the coming days.

For all the love evaluators gave quarterback Trey Lance, this is his No. 1 receiver and would be a grand addition to Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, and Logan Thomas.

And ensure whomever the quarterback is leading the Commanders has a stocked shelf of weapons to help him get acclimated to NFC East football in 2022.

A great week for the Senior Bowl and for many prospects, but especially these 10. If you didn't catch our notes from the week, check you can check them out here:

National Team Offensive Preview

National Team Defensive Preview

Day 1 Practice Preview

Day 1 Practice Review

Day 2 Practice Preview

Day 2 Practice Review

*Due to weather, we were not present on Day 3 of practice but did get a chance to talk with Washington Commanders defensive end, Chase Young.

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