NFL Draft: Favorite Prospects In The NFLPA Bowl

The 10th anniversary NFLPA Bowl is being played this weekend and the amount of talent is staggering. This is the beginning of the evaluation process and prospects are yearning to make a name for themselves.

Author:
Bobby Greco
Publish date:
Jan 26, 2022 9:37 AM EST

PASADENA - The 10th anniversary NFLPA Bowl is being played this weekend and the amount of talent is staggering. This is the beginning of the evaluation process and prospects are yearning to make a name for themselves. It’s also great to see players from all over the country and from schools big and small come together for one purpose: to compete. Each year we are surprised by a small-school player that comes out and dominates against top-tier talent. That is the beautiful thing about this part of the draft process. With all the players from so many different schools, it can be difficult to keep up. With that being said, here are some of my favorite prospects participating in this year’s NFLPA Bowl.

RB Shermari Jones, Coastal Carolina

This is one of the most exciting prospects in the bowl game. Jones played only two seasons and shared the carries in 2020, but he took full advantage in 2021 proving he can be a workhorse for his team. Rushing for over 1,000 yards and scoring 13 touchdowns, Jones was a major piece in Coastal Carolina’s continued rise. Building on a historic 2020 season, Coastal Carolina asked a lot out of Jones this year and he definitely answered the call. It will be very interesting this week to see how Jones fares against other top talent, but as long as he plays like he did all season he should be just fine.

WR Kalil Pimpleton, Central Michigan

If you’re looking for a versatile and fast wide receiver with a lot of college production, Pimpleton is definitely the guy. He ended the season with just under 1,000 yards and four touchdowns. He also had 84 rushing yards with two scores and 290 return yards with two more touchdowns. Though his numbers dipped in 2020, they were equally as impressive in 2019, and honestly, 2020 doesn’t even count. Pimpleton has proven he is a terrific athlete and is dangerous anytime he has the ball, so he should be very fun to watch this week.

OL Josh Sills, Oklahoma State

This might be one of the most underrated prospects in the entire draft. Sills began his career at West Virginia starting at multiple positions over a two and a half year span, then as a grad transfer went to Oklahoma State and started every game. He was a first-team all-conference selection in 2020 and 2021. What makes him so intriguing is his versatility across the line and the fact that he played at such a high level no matter the position he was playing. He is a hulking player, but has exceptional agility and can be a plug-and-play prospect right away.

DL Curtis Brooks, Cincinnati

This is one of Cincinnati’s top defensive players and that says a lot, seeing that the Bearcats had one of the country's most daunting defenses. Leading the team with 7.5 sacks, Brooks was a problem for every offensive line he went against. Cincinnati was a well-coached team and had the most physical defense on every level. Brooks is a great example of this, as he is a relentless worker and never gives up on a play. Though Cincinnati’s offense couldn’t get started, the defense held Alabama down for the majority of the game and showed they can hang with elite teams. The mentality of the Cincinnati program should help their players translate to the NFL.

LB Ferrod Gardner, Louisiana

The Cajuns were definitely ragin’ the past couple of seasons at the University of Louisiana because they were one of the most physical teams in all three phases and possibly the hardest-hitting defense in recent memory. In today’s game, hard hitting isn’t something that is always important, but this team did it right. Clearly, they are a very well-coached team, because this was an extremely technical team and showed big hits can be delivered while doing it cleanly. Gardner was second on the team in total tackles and added an interception and three pass deflections. Gardner’s improvement in pass defense let us know he isn’t a finished product and should encourage NFL teams that if they draft him, he will continue to improve his game and not take it easy because he thinks he made it.

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