Hot Take Tuesday - Senior Bowl Edition: Is Quinn Meinerz a Top-50 prospect in the NFL Draft?
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Senior Bowl week was a success once again. Director Jim Nagy and his crew did a great job keeping the players safe and allowing them to showcase their talents for scouts and the media. With those three days of practices, weigh-ins and the game itself, there were many players who helped or hurt their stock. So here are ten hot takes from the 2021 Senior Bowl Week.
Quinn Meinerz is a top 50 player in the class
The Senior Bowl needs to change their sponsor from Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups to Quinn Meinerz Pancakes after his performances during practice. It is truly incredible to think about what he did. Meinerz had never played center in his career at Division III Powerhouse Wisconsin Whitewater, yet he looked like a natural there. This is a player who hadn’t played organized football in over a year due to Division III not playing football this fall, yet he was the best offensive lineman on the field.
Buccaneer superstar offensive linemen Ali Marpet, who came out of Division III’s Hobart, drastically helped his stock at the Senior Bowl a few years ago. He ended up going in the second round and is a top-three player at his position right now. Meinerz had a better Senior Bowl week than Marpet, at a new position and having not played in over a year. In addition, Meinerz will test better than Marpet. Meinerz has everything teams want in an offensive lineman and he has a tremendous amount of potential. He is a top 50 talent, with the versatility to play guard and center for a very long time in the NFL.
Bryan Mills is going to have the best career of any Senior CB in the draft
Similar to Meinerz, Mills helped himself a lot this week. He has long arms and came in at over six feet tall. Both were on full display during the one on ones and the game. Mills does a great job of staying attached to the wideout and not giving up space. He made progress every day in practice, which is what teams want to see in a smaller-school player. He completely outshined Robert Rochell, another FCS cornerback.
The talent and natural tools are all there. Once he gets with an NFL coaching staff to hone his technique, the sky's the limit for Mills. In a weaker senior cornerback class, Mills checks a lot of boxes and has more upside than the rest of the group. He also has the mentality necessary to have success at such a difficult position to play. He didn't look frustrated after a bad rep and would make up for it on the next one. That is something that can't be taught. With a good 40 time, he could end up as a top 100 pick, and Mills has the potential to be the best senior cornerback when it is all said and done.
Daelin Hayes is this year’s Terry McLaurin
They may not play the same positions but Daelin Hayes will have a Terry McLaurin style rise. The similarities are there. Both were captains and well respected by coaches and teammates. McLaurin helped Ohio State win at an elite level and did whatever was asked of him. That is the case as well with Hayes. Hayes dropped back in coverage, set the edge and did what was needed to win games. It worked, as Notre Dame was a top four team in the nation.
When McLaurin went to the Senior Bowl, he showed scouts that he not only was a team-first guy but he was also the best player there at his position. Hayes played like that this week. He was incredible from start to finish. He has established himself as a top 100 talent and he is going to make whoever drafts him very happy. The work ethic, leadership and overall skill set make Hayes a guy every team will covet. There is a reason all 31 teams down in Mobile met with him.
Marlon Tuipulotu is DT1...and it isn’t even close
It was easy to see that no one could stop Tuipulotu on the American team’s offensive line from early on. He spent the first day throwing around offensive linemen like ragdolls, including Trey Smith, who many thought was a potential 1st rounder coming into the year. Tuipulotu was just on a different level than his peers.
The best part about his film from the week was that it was just an extension of his film from this past season. Consistency is the first word that comes to mind with Tuipulotu. In a defensive tackle class with a lot of question marks, Tuipulotu has been great all along. Not only is he the best defensive player from the USC Trojans, Tuipulotu is also the best defensive tackle in the class.
Jabril Cox proved he’s a first round talent
Cox came into the season with really high grades from scouts and he looked really good at LSU. He may not have gotten the media attention he deserved with the team's struggles but Cox was their best player. Not only that, he stuck with the team through the entirety of the season and received rave reviews from the coaching staff. Cox then went to Mobile and was one of the best players there. He is phenomenal in coverage and that stands out on his Senior Bowl tape.
Some guys are just naturals for their position and that is the case with Cox. It is a loaded linebacker group but it wouldn't be shocking to see Cox finish as the best player at his position from the 2021 draft when his career is over; he is that good. Once he tests off the charts, he should solidify himself as a top 50 player in the draft. Whoever takes him will get one of the best players in the class and the Senior Bowl just helped prove that he is a first-round talent.
Chris Evans is going to outplay his draft stock and then some
Evans's 2018 tape was great. He looked like a better version at the Senior Bowl. He is such a natural pass catcher and it showed throughout the practices. He progressed as the week went on, displaying great hands to pluck the ball. He is also a big play threat who can take it to the house whenever the ball is in his hands.
With a good performance at his pro day, his stock should continue to rise. That being said, Evans has the natural ability and upside to be a long time contributor in today's pass-happy NFL. Although he may not get drafted high, the talent is there and with the right team, he is going to pay dividends.
Elerson Smith displayed Pro Bowl Upside
Smith comes from Northern Iowa and he looks great coming off the bus. He played at 245 pounds in 2019 but he showed up at 262 for weigh-ins. This shows the dedication Smith has to his craft. Not only that, he is 6-6, has 10 ½ inch hands and an 83-inch wingspan. Those are impressive numbers and Smith still has room to get stronger. Then take into account what he did on the field after not playing this fall.
Smith was winning from the inside and the outside with ease. He had several very impressive reps in practice. Smith moves like a Bandit, yet has the tools to be a Danielle Hunter type. In the game on Saturday, he led the National team in defensive stops and got a few pressures of his own. The ceiling is scary high for Smith and whoever drafts him is getting an edge setter with Pro Bowl upside.
Tre McKitty is a Top 5 TE in the draft
This was a good group of tight ends in Mobile and McKitty was the most impressive of the bunch. He has 11-inch mitts and he put them to good use. He was plucking the ball out of the air, making highlight-reel catches with one hand. He moves really well for a tight end and he has unbelievable hands.
That is a great combo, not to mention McKitty has developed into a great blocker. He does not have the college production as some of these other tight ends but is justified as he was underutilized in college. The draft is all about upside and McKitty has it. He has solidified himself as a potential top 100 pick and a top 5 tight end in the class.
Adrian Ealy is a day one starter at OT
Ealy ended up having one of the best weeks out of the offensive line group in Mobile. He showed off his excellent footwork and overall balance for his size. Ealy also progressed every day, similar to that on his Oklahoma film. By the end of the year, Ealy was putting up near-perfect tape.
He was one of the most underrated offensive tackles during the season and he put on display in Mobile why he is going to be a quality player at the next level. He is consistent and has the tools to take his game to another level. Whoever drafts Ealy will have a starting offensive lineman for years to come.
Big Time Seniors from the summer are overrated
Trey Smith, Alex Leatherwood, Patrick Jones, Sage Surratt, all disappointed in Mobile. These big-time players, who were mocked high coming into the season, were dominated by lesser-known players. Despite being thought of as potential round one guys, they are now fighting to keep themselves in the top 100.
Every year we have a handful of these players. High expectations coming into the season, top National Scouting grades, followed by a less than stellar senior season, which is magnified by poor Senior Bowl performances. Watch the tape and you will know why underrated FCS and Group of Five players continue to move ahead of them.
