2021 Reese's Senior Bowl Recap: Stock Up and Stock Down
The Senior Bowl is a week-long event that seems to go by in a day. However, the game capped off an excellent week of football that marks the commencement of the draft season.
Let’s see who some of the winners were from the week of practices and some players that didn’t exactly seize the opportunity.
Stock Up
Mac Jones, QB, Alabama
Jones did not play in the game due to an injury sustained on Thursday’s practice; however, he impressed teams with his processing, touch, accuracy, and ability to absorb immense amounts of information.
Jones doesn’t have the biggest arm, and he’s not exactly fleet of foot, but the Panthers’ coaching staff did a good job putting him in moving the pocket situations. He didn’t look bad maneuvering the pocket, squaring up, and firing on-target passes.
The fact that fellow quarterbacks Zach Wilson (BYU) and Trey Lance (NDST) aren’t eligible to attend the event is good for Jones--he seized the opportunity. Also, Florida quarterback Kyle Trask was injured and didn’t attend as well, so Jones could have realistically jumped some of these players on some teams' boards.
Michael Carter, RB, North Carolina
I was hesitant to include Carter because the perception of him before this game was undoubtedly high, but he did too much through the week to ignore. Carter was decisive with his choices to hit the hole, and he flashed his impressive burst all week.
He was involved early in the game and busted off a 27-yard run. He then had an impressive touchdown run at the end of the third quarter. He may not be the biggest back, and he needs to get better in pass protection, but he is a quality receiving threat that will be in the league for a while. He receives comparisons to Colts’ running back Nyheim Hines.
Demetric Felton, WR/RB, UCLA
Felton was UCLA’s running back after the Rams drafted Joshua Kelly in 2020. He was a nice weapon for the Bruins’ offense, but he was used as a receiver in Mobile, and the transition was impressive.
He had three touchdowns on 22 catches for 159 yards in 2020; he displayed separation quickness, quick feet, and subtleties on how to run routes. Felton was very impressive and could be an interesting “Antonio Gibson” type of player at the next level.
Amari Rodgers, WR, Clemson
Rodgers had 77 catches for 1020 yards and seven touchdowns in 2020, and he continued that hot season right into Mobile. Rodgers showed why he’s generating early round two buzz by consistently separating in practice, securing tough catches with excellent hands, and by capping the week off with an impressive touchdown reception in double coverage on a pass from Kellen Mond in the game.
Then he caught an impressive two-point conversion on the next touchdown drive from Mond; Rodgers jumped to high point the ball and secured it through contact. Rodgers outshined Clemson teammate Cornell Powell in practice and was one of the more impressive players all week.
In terms of overall skill-set, he’s only behind Florida’s Kadarius Toney for WR at the game; Rodgers should be the second wide receiver of the group drafted behind Toney.
D’Wayne Eskridge, WR, Western Michigan
Several receivers did very well for themselves in Mobile, but arguably none more than Eskridge. Eskridge was open on horizontal routes and vertical routes and was exceptionally quick in one-on-one and team periods.
He didn’t practice on Thursday, nor did he play in the game, but he certainly made an impression on the evaluators in Mobile. I’m only going to put three receivers on the list, but several performed well.
Honorable mentions: Louisville’s Dez Fitzpatrick, South Carolina’s Shi Smith, Tennessee’s Josh Palmer, South Dakota State’s Cade Johnson, UAB’s Austin Watkins, and Michigan’s Nico Collins
Tre McKitty, TE, Georgia
The tight end group in Mobile doesn’t jump off the page at anyone, but McKitty showed a lot of receiving chops through drills - he only had six catches in 2020 for Georgia. The Florida State transfer was a bit misused in college but showed his downfield receiving ability and contested-catch skills in practice.
Kenny Yeboah, TE, Ole Miss
Ole Miss’ Kenny Yeboah also had a solid week and made an impressive high pointing touchdown catch from Franks in the game. Bowling Green’s Quinn Morris had an athletic huddle that has to be acknowledged as well.
Quinn Meinerz, IOL, Wisconsin-Whitewater
Unfortunately, and unwillingly for Meinerz, the Division III product couldn’t suit up for the game due to a broken hand. Head coach Brian Flores wouldn’t allow the small school stud to risk further injury.
Meinerz was dominant against some of the best college football players. He was balanced, incredibly strong at the point of attack, used his hands well, and had several pancake blocks in team periods.
Meinerz jumped from a sixth or seventh-round prospect to a possible day two pick. He’s one of the biggest winners in Mobile.
Cameron Sample, DL, Tulane
Sample consistently won his one on one battles and got after the quarterback in team periods throughout the practice. Sample is a bit of a “tweener,” but he showed the ability to generate interior pressure into the pocket while also having pass rush moves and violent hands.
Sample didn’t generate a lot of media buzz, but the film checks out at the Senior Bowl, and he should be a quality early day three selection. He did a great job in the second half chasing Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book out of bounds to force a punt, and he then helped force another punt by assisting in sacking Book on the next drive.
Osa Odighizuwa, DL, UCLA
The former Giants’ younger brother plays with very good leverage and has a lot of versatility. He establishes the half-man well and wins with active hands that are combined with lateral quickness.
He’s also stout, plays with good leverage, and won many reps in one on one and team periods. He also flashed during the game when he bent around Alabama guard Deonte Brown to crash into the pocket, showing good athletic traits.
Quincy Roche, EDGE, Miami
Three Miami EDGE prospects will be drafted in the first two rounds: Jaelin Phillips, Gregory Rousseau, and Quincy Roche. I love Roche’s ability to explode up the pass-rushing arc, bend through contact, and use his hands to win one on one battles.
He had excellent bouts against Alabama’s Alex Leatherwood all week, and he continued to win around the edge in the game. If you like speed, burst, active hands, and quickness, then you’re going to love Roche.
Adetokunbo Ogundeji, EDGE, Notre Dame
Showed several different pass-rushing moves to win on the one on ones on Tuesday’s practice. Showed swim moves, combos converted speed to power, and used his feet in conjunction with his hands very well.
He then had a sack in the game where he won around the edge and took down quarterback Jamie Newman. Ogundeji showed up at Mobile and did not disappoint.
Baron Browning, LB, Ohio State
Browning was awesome throughout the event. He weighed in at an impressive 6’3, 241 pounds, with 33” inch arms. He was consistently winning within the box, in coverage, and even has some pass-rushing upside.
Despite being 240+ pounds, he can still run and cover and shows good fluidity in space. Browning, along with Purdue’s Derrick Barnes and Auburn’s K.J. Britt, made money this week as linebackers.
Keith Taylor Jr, CB, Washington
Players who are almost 6’3 shouldn’t move as well as Taylor did all week. He was on top of routes all game, and the telecast couldn’t stop raving about Taylor - rightfully so. He’s long, stays in phase, has the hips to flip, and is physical at the catch point.
He forced an interception by popping the ball into the air to fellow teammate Damar Hamlin. Taylor did give up a quick slant touchdown, along with a questionable touchdown to Florida’s Trevon Grimes, but those were the only lowlights. He was solid all week but capped it off with an excellent game.
Ambry Thomas, CB, Michigan
Thomas opted out of the 2020 season and hasn’t played football since that decision. He didn’t seem to miss a beat as he came out in Tuesday’s practice showing the same patience at the line of scrimmage and ability to play man coverage.
Thomas, and college teammate Nico Collins, had great weeks in Mobile, and both opted out of 2020. Stepping up at this event was important for both Wolverines, and they both could do exactly that.
Richie Grant, SAF, UCF
Grant made his presence felt the entire week of practice. He came away with multiple interceptions of Jamie Newman in team drills and showed impressive man coverage ability in one on one drills.
Before the Senior Bowl, Grant was talked about as a day two pick; he did nothing but reinforce that fact and perhaps slide up to the top of day two.
RELATED:
- Find all of Nick Falato's draft profiles in this handy spot; new profiles are being added daily.
Jan 30, 2021; Mobile, AL, USA; National defensive lineman Shaka Toney of Penn State (18), wide receiver Frank Darby of Arizona State (84) and other players greet fans after the 2021 Senior Bowl at Hancock Whitney Stadium.
Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports
Stock Down
Jamie Newman, QB, Wake Forest
The former Bulldog opted out of the 2020 season and put a lot of stock into the Senior Bowl - he was a bit rusty. Newman flashed quality traits; he puts a lot of zip on the ball, can throw with touch, and has good arm strength. I love the fact that he is willing to take risks, but his decision making was questionable all week and into the game.
His awareness in the pocket was questionable all week. If Newman recaptured his 2019 form, he could have made himself a lot of money in Mobile, but that didn’t exactly happen. He’s still an interesting prospect with physical tools that will intrigue professional NFL teams.
Carson Green, OT, Texas A&M
He seemed out of position a lot, and he struggled athletically and with counter moves throughout the one on one periods. Green, and Cal offensive lineman Jake Curhan, seemed to struggle more often than not in one-on-ones. Not the best week for Green, and he seemed to be outshined by fellow A&M tackle Dan Moore.
Tuf Borland, LB, Ohio State
He has the desired processing that any team would want in a linebacker, but Borland didn’t positively answer his athletic ability questions at the event. He still struggles to cover and didn’t do too well in the RB/LB drills.
His athletic limitations were known but somewhat confirmed, and only being 6’0, 229 pounds doesn’t help. I like Borland as a special teamer, and he had a great play in the box during the game, but he lacks the range that many NFL teams need in today’s linebackers.
Robert Rochell, CB, Central Arkansas
The long corner was not 6’2" like many imagined, but only 5’11". He didn’t practice all week, but he struggled on day one with speed, acceleration, and the route runners on the American Team.
He received day two buzz, but I don’t see it. Nevertheless, he does have athletic traits and long arms.
Thomas Graham, CB, Oregon
Graham had a very solid Tuesday practice but failed to carry that momentum into the next two days of practice. Didn’t have a desirable game either. He surrendered a touchdown up the seam where, to his credit, he did leverage the route to the rat in the hole, but the safety couldn’t make the play.
Then he was burnt horizontally by Amari Rodgers for a two-point conversion. Graham isn’t a bad player but had poor mistakes throughout the week in coverage.
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