Senior Bowl Prospects to Watch at Every Position for Giants

The 2022 Reese's Senior Bowl starts this week in Mobile, Alabama. The Senior Bowl is an event that features the top seniors in college football, all competing in a week-long extravaganza that culminates in a game on Saturday.

The Lions and Jets are the two coaching staffs guiding the event, as the entire NFL world watches the potential future stars of the league blossom just off the Gulf of Mexico. There are many names to note in the game, but the quarterback position may be the most interesting.

Quarterbacks

The 2022 NFL Draft doesn't have anything near a consensus top quarterback, and all the significant signal-callers will participate in the event, other than Ole Miss' Matt Carrol.

On the National Team (Jets), Pitt's Kenny Pickett, Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder, and Nevada's Carson Strong will all attempt to learn under Jets' offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.

Pickett's name is mocked in the first round consistently but is by no means a lock to be great at the next level. His hand size will be the topic of debate for the coming weeks. Ridder and Strong are also attractive quarterbacking prospects; Ridder didn't play too well against the imposing Alabama defense during the College Football Playoff, but he has a lot of good tape on his resume.

Strong's medicals will be critical in his evaluation, but his arm strength and size will pique the interest of several NFL franchises.

On the American Team (Lions), Dan Campbell will coach quarterback from Liberty Malik Willis, North Carolina signal-caller Sam Howell, and Western Kentucky's Baily Zappe. Willis has size, great athletic traits, a cannon for an arm, and may have the most upside of the group; he is the one of the bunch to pay close attention to for the American team.

The interest goes far beyond just these possible franchise quarterbacks. The Giants are in a position where they need to lay the bedrock foundation for a new regime. Quotes and signs indicate that the Giants will allow Daniel Jones to start this season if healthy.

There's still a lot of time from now till week one of the NFL season, but the Giants have a lot of draft capital and two picks in the top seven. Here are other names of note for the 2022 Reese's Senior Bowl.

Running Backs

Rachaad White, Arizona State (National)

White's not the most noteworthy player at the event, but I believe there's upside here. I love White's vision, patience, size/athletic traits, and he seems to be a perfect fit into the zone-blocking system, albeit he thrived in power/gap as well. White has the upside to be a three-down running back in the NFL.

White started at a Division II school, Nebraska-Kearney. He then transferred to Mt. San Antonio Junior College (JUCO). He finally ended up at Arizona State for two seasons, where he averaged 6.3-yards per carry. White's second gear and overall burst, combined with his vision/patience, are excellent.

During 2021, he had 182-carries for 1,000-yards and 15 touchdowns in a full-time role. He also added 43 catches for 456-yards after rarely being used in that role during his junior year. He may ultimately go on day three, but he could be an excellent steal, in the right environment, like a Kahlil Herbert or Rhamondre Stevenson - both attended the Senior Bowl last year.

Hassan Haskins, Michgian (National)

Haskins packs a good punch, has impressive contact balance and is very smart in blitz pickup situations. Haskins put the team on his back in high leverage situations throughout 2021. He was the star of Jim Harbaugh's first victory over Ohio State, and NFL teams will be interested. The combination of Haskins and White should be fun to watch on game day.

Haskins may not be drafted as a starting running back, but he can assume a two-down role if the opportunity arises. His ability in pass protection will earn the early trust of the coaching staff that drafts him, but he doesn't do much as a receiving back. He will more than likely be selected early on day three, with the potential of sliding into the late third round.

James Cook, Georgia (American)

Cook good be an option for the Giants on day two. The younger brother of Dalvin has big-play ability, which was on full display during the College Football Playoff. He's a good receiver out of the backfield, and he averaged 6.4-yards per carry in a timeshare that eventually won the College Football Championship.

Cook had 728-yards and seven touchdowns on the ground while catching 27 of 30 passes for 274-yards and four touchdowns. Cook's a good player worth watching throughout the week.

Dameon Pierce, Florida (American)

Pierce was very underutilized at Florida, but his tape is interesting. He played with good vision and footwork, solid overall decisiveness, and good burst into space ability. He only had 100 carries but averaged 5.7-yards per carry. He had 574-yards on the ground and 13 touchdowns.

He has a good compact 5'10, 215-pond frame and took several short passes to the house. He caught all 19 of his targets and scampered for 216-yards, scoring three touchdowns. His touchdowns went for 61, 55, and 48-yards. He is thick and powerful enough to work inside the tackles, and he possesses enough juice to gain an edge.

Wide Receivers

Jahan Dotson, Penn State (National)

Dotson is a fun player to watch. He is a quick excellent route runner with dynamic ball skills and YAC ability. He has excellent separation skills and a ton of nuance while running routes.

He did a great job releasing against press, which will be on full display this week, and he is solid in contested catch situations (despite not being too imposing at 5'11, 185lbs), and he has big-play ability.

He saw 138 targets and caught 91 balls for 1,182-yards and 12 touchdowns in 2021. The receiver class is stacked this season, but Dotson could still find himself a the backend of the first round.

Alec Pierce, Cincinnati (National)

The 6'3, 213-pound wide receiver was a great weapon for Ridder all year. He saw 82 targets and caught 52 passes for 873-yards and eight touchdowns. He figures to be an "X" receiver in the NFL due to his physical nature and strong hands. He's also not stiff, which will help him separate and release off the line of scrimmage at the next level.

Tight Ends

Jeremy Ruckert, Ohio State (National)

Ruckert is an excellent target for the Giants at tight end somewhere late on day two. He combines quality blocking with soft hands. He was underused at Ohio State, which is understandable when they have five-star WRs everywhere, and players like Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson running routes.

I love Ruckert's incredible ability to annihilate defenders at the point of attack, especially while pulling. Ruckert's presence would be an upgrade in the Giants' depleted TE room, and it would allow New York to run more concepts taking advantage of a moving blocker (split-zone, Y-insert, etc.).

In his career, he caught 54 balls for 615-yards and 12 touchdowns. There's nuanced route running, soft hands, and an ability to uncover versus zone. I think Ruckert will garner solid interest come draft day, somewhere on day two.

TE Charlie Kolar, Iowa State (National)

Kolar has excellent size at 6'6, 260-pound tight end who was productive in the Big-12. Kolar had 764-yards receiving on 63 catches to go along with six touchdowns in 2021. Kolar ended his college career with 23 touchdowns, 2,189 receiving yards, and 169 receptions.

I wish Kolar was a bit more physical as a blocker. He isn't quite the blocker Ruckert was at Ohio State, but he was much more productive. On day three, Kolar is an option for the Giants if they fail to select any other talented tight ends.

Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina (American)

He's a small-school player who can execute many roles at the next level. Likely's 6'4, 240-pounds, and he had 59 catches for 912-yards (15.5 yards per catch) to go along with 12 touchdowns.

Likely aligned in the slot 40% of the time and was a real deep threat for the Chanticleers. With the NFL looking for advantages in 12 personnel, Likely is the type of mismatch teams may look to employ.

Offensive Lineman

Zion Johnson, Boston College (National)

The Giants need a lot of help on the offensive line, and Zion Johnson can provide that help. He played the majority of his snaps at left guard but also was forced to play left tackle; he did well in that role but is more than likely a guard at the next level.

Johnson only allowed six pressures and one sack in 777 pass-blocking reps during the 2021 season. He played left tackle when he had to, but most of his snaps were at left guard. He could be a target for the Giants in the second round.

Daniel Faalele, Minnesota (National)

This offensive tackle is 6'8, 380-pounds and will look to follow the footsteps of players like Trent Brown. His movement skills, at this size, are really impressive to see. He can sit and anchor, has plenty of power, and his grip strength is halting. I am very excited to watch Faalele in the one-on-ones in Mobile.

Darian Kinnard, Kentucky (American)

Kinnard is a massive body with solid movement skills, similar to Faalele but not as large. Kinnard is 6'5, 345 pounds, and he played right tackle for the Wildcats on a talented offensive line that included center Luke Fortner (who will also be at the Senior Bowl). Kinnard can be an exciting guard at the next level. Fortner isn’t being discussed much as a quality NFL prospect, but I liked his film after watching Kinndard; just a note!

Cade Mays, Tennessee (American)

Mays was a five-star recruit who has a mean streak about him. He didn't play up to his potential in college. Although, he only allowed five pressures and one sack this season. If Mays has a solid off-season at the Senior Bowl and the combine, a team will fall in love with him due to his pedigree, strength, and ability to kick into space.

Defensive Line

Perrion Winfrey, Oklahoma (National)

Winfrey is a JUCO transfer who had immediate success at Oklahoma as a gap penetrator, in an excellent mold for a four-down 3-Technique. He's a 6'4, 292-pounds who had 56 pressures over the last two seasons and six sacks this year. He should have a lot of success in one-one-ones, but he can't allow lineman to get their hands on him; he has to use those quick hands to not allow the linemen to use their power.

Devonte Wyatt, Georgia (American)

Wyatt was one of the many talented players on the Georgia front. He's a 6'3, 315-pound linemen with 26 pressures this year and four sacks. Wyatt has the speed to penetrate and the strength to hold the point of attack. He's versatile, long, and has disruptive ability inside as a pass rusher.

Phidarian Mathis, Alabama (American)

He will be one of the more popular players in Mobile - like every member of the Crimson Tide. Mathis is a heavy-handed, fundamentally sound defensive lineman who had seven sacks and 25 pressures in 2021. He is a good run defender who has some burst and ability as a pass rusher. The American team’s offensive line will have their hands full during practice dealing with Wyatt and Mathis;

Edge

Logan Hall, Houston (National)

A breakout senior year for the 6'6, 275-pound defensive lineman sprung Hall onto everyone's radar. He had 30 pressures and seven sacks while aligning as a 5-technique, 2i-shade, 3-technique, and occasionally outside the tackle.

Hall is going to be fun to watch during 1v1 drills in Mobile. He would be a quick DE in a 3-4 system who has the strength to hold the point of attack. He's long, heavy-handed, and quick off the snap.

Myjai Sanders, Cincinnati (National)

Sanders combines an explosive first step with good pass-rushing moves up the arc. He had 62 pressures in 2021 and five sacks. He's a bit wild in terms of tackling, but he plays with his hair on fire and is disruptive off the edge. He has a chance to be a first-round pick, and a great week in Mobile will help his case.

Arnold Ebiketie, Penn State (National)

The Giants focused on the EDGE position last off-season. They drafted Azeez Ojulari and Elerson Smith, with the latter player making a strong impression during the Senior Bowl (and the combine).

Ebiketie transferred to Penn State after 2020 from Temple, where his career never quite took off. In just one season playing in the Big Ten, Ebiketie earned All-Big Ten honors and finished the season with 52 pressures, ranking 16th in the FBS.

He had 62 total tackles, 9.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. Ebiketie should be on the Giants' radar due to his length, quickness, ability to separate in 1v1 situations, and his pass-rushing moves. A good week in Mobile would do wonders for Ebiketie's already solid stock.

Jermaine Johnson II, Florida State (American)

Johnson II was a JUCO transfer to Georgia before transferring to Florida State for the 2021 season. He's explosive off the snap, with an excellent first three steps. He had 46 pressures and 14 sacks in 2021.

He's a smart player with great length, and he has the necessary athletic traits to win the edge at the NFL level. If the Giants forgo selecting an EDGE in round one, Johnson II is an excellent option early in round two.

Kingsley Enagbare, South Carolina (American Team)

If Patrick Graham is retained as defensive coordinator, Enagbare is an excellent choice as an EDGE who can align all over the front. He's 6'4, 265-pounds, and he had 45 pressures and four sacks in 2021.

He has speed and power and can convert speed to power with good length. I like how he employs his hands and the pop he possesses. He's still kind of raw, but his athletic ability is a great baseline for success.

Linebacker

Devin Lloyd, Utah

Lloyd is considered a top linebacker prospect, right next to Georgia's Nakobe Dean. I prefer Dean to Lloyd, but the ladder has exceptional movement skills and plenty of splash plays on tape. Lloyd's Pac-12 Championship interception for a touchdown against Oregon caught a lot of eyes, as did the interceptions at the line of scrimmage against Washington State and Stanford.

He's a versatile linebacker who does have upside, and he fits modern NFL play. He can be a three-down linebacker, although he does need a bit more help with his tackling efficiency and his ability to stack & shed. Overall, the Giants should be looking at linebackers, and Lloyd will be one of the ones to consider high in the draft.

Channing Tindall & Quay Walker, Georgia (American)

Dean won't be in attendance at the Senior Bowl, but his talented teammates, Tindall and Walker, will represent the Bulldogs. Both were critical to the Georgia defense.

Walker had 25 pressures, 52 solo tackles, and 32 STOPS, and Tindall had 26 pressures, nine sacks, 31 STOPS, and 41 tackles.

The Bearcats and Bulldogs are represented well in the game; both bring a lot of talent to Mobile.

Cornerback

Coby Bryant, Cincinnati (National)

Bryant is a sticky cornerback who can play man or zone. He allowed only a 44% catch rate in 2021, with 11 passes defended and three interceptions. He also improved his tackling efficiency in his senior season.

One concern with Bryant is his deep speed; it's not abysmal or anything, but it's not an elite trait he possesses. However, his willingness to defend the run, his length, coverage ability, and ball skills are all great. He's also exceptionally aware of his surroundings. Bryant should hear his name early on day two.

Roger McCreary, Auburn (American)

McCreary may realistically be the most talented player in Mobile. He has all the coverage skills needed to have success in the NFL. He's a disruptive corner with excellent coverage skills and is aggressive against the run. One of his issues is arm length; we'll find that out on Tuesday morning.

Cam Taylor-Britt, Nebraska (American)

His size, length, and coverage skills will be valued at the next level. He is incredibly physical and delivers big hits on the football. He is disruptive at the catch point and has good overall ball skills.

While he's not afraid to hit, he isn't overly polished as a tackler. His overall athletic ability may not assist him in the NFL. He has to prove his deep speed, which is possible and will be tested in one-on-ones down in Mobile.

Jaquan Brisker, Penn State

Brisker carries first-round buzz as a safety and is one of the more talented players in Mobile this week. He has solid size, brings physicality in run support, and has the range to handle single-high responsibilities.

According to Pro Football Focus, Brisker was the sixth-highest ranked safety in terms of coverage this season. He played in 13 games with 32 tackles, two interceptions, and three passes defended in his first season with the Nittany Lions. He finished his collegiate career with 11 passes defended and five interceptions, with only one touchdown surrendered. He also had 115 tackles and 49 STOPS through three seasons.

Brisker is attempting to separate himself from Georgia's Lewis Cine and Michigan's Daxton Hill - both won't be in attendance (they're underclassmen). Notre Dame's Kyle Hamilton will be the first safety off the board, but Brisker has a shot at securing himself as the second with a good week in Mobile.

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