Senior Bowl Practice Report Day 2: How Did Potential Jaguars Draft Targets Perform on Wednesday?
MOBILE, Ala. — Day two of Reese's Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, Alabama are in the books, and JaguarReport tracked the North squad, coached by the Detroit Lions, all afternoon to gauge the performances on the field.
Throughout this week, we are going to keep tabs on a number of players on both teams who could be potential draft targets for the Jacksonville Jaguars come April. This, of course, means there are some positions we will gloss over, such as quarterback, and we will pay closer to other positions such as defensive line, tight end, cornerback, wide receiver, and offensive line.
So after the second day of North squad practices, how did potential targets for the Jaguars look on the practice field? We took extensive notes to give you an idea.
Kansas OL Hakeem Adeniji
Playing a lot of guard on Wednesday, Adeniji had an impressive day. He was physical and often looked for contact instead of letting defenders attack him first. His punch in pass-protection was devastating and his natural anchor flashed during pass-rush drills as defenders tried to bullrush him. He has a big frame and moves well for his size, two things he used to his advantage throughout the day Wednesday.
Utah LB Francis Bernard
A player the Jaguars have spoken with several times this week, Francis Bernard wasn't hard to find on the field on Wednesday. He routinely set the defense for the North squad during offense vs. defense drills, vocally shifting players around and making sure the defense was in the right pre-snap alignment. When the ball was snapped, he flew to the ball-carrier and fought his way through traffic. He looked rusty in coverage, but the instincts and willingness to mix it up were clear.
Oklahoma DT Neville Gallimore
Neville Gallimore was a nightmare for offensive lineman on Wednesday. He is as fast as lighting off the snap and maintained that quickness throughout his reps. He had active hands and terrific change of direction during pass-rush drills, and also flashed a deadly swim move. He got washed vs. the run a few times and had issues when lined up against Adeniji, but he had a good day.
Washington OL Nick Harris
A burly and physical center, Nick Harris had a lot of issues in one-on-ones on Wednesday. He found himself beat with speed frequently, often bending at the waist and lunging in an attempt to compensate. He displayed a nice anchor but he has to hold up better vs. quicker defensive tackles.
North Carolina OL Charlie Heck
Charlie Heck had a few issues with stunts and in reps vs. Michigan DE Josh Uche. He started reps out strong thanks to his punch and patience, but he eventually gave up ground whether on the edge or by losing a step inside. On the flip side, Heck was maybe the most physical lineman on the field Wednesday and put several defenders in the ground once he got his hands on them.
Purdue TE Brycen Hopkins
Brycen Hopkins was a big winner Wednesday in terms of what he provided as a pass-catcher. He ran great routes, showing good agility in and out of his breaks and the ability to manipulate defenders with leverage and head fakes. He displayed good hands and looked like a dependable threat at each level of the field. On the other hand, he got beat badly a few times as a run blocker. He has the size and physicality to succeed there, he just needs to have better balance and technique.
Nebraska CB Lamar Jackson
No, not that Lamar Jackson. The other one -- the one who looked like one of the faster players on the field Wednesday and frequently found himself around the ball. Jackson was easy to spot throughout the day thanks to his size and speed. The lengthy corner competed hard in each rep and stuck in the hip pocket of wide receivers all practice, whether in man or zone coverage.
Houston OL Josh Jones
Maybe the best player on the field Wednesday. Josh Jones had a few issues with standing straight up off the snap (not surprising considering his 6-foot-7 size and the offensive scheme he played in), but overall he was a stud. As a run-blocker, he moved defenders with ease thanks to his overwhelming strength, and he erased linebackers at the second level, taking good angles to defenders and keeping a good, balanced base. In pass-pro, he had great feet and was maybe the most patient offensive tackle. He didn't let defenders beat him off the ball, instead playing to strengths as a smart and long tackle who will force defenders to run the arc instead of beating him inside.
North Carolina State DT Larrell Murchison
Larrell Murchison looked the part of a disruptive interior force on Wednesday. He showed great burst off of the snap and had a nice spin move he used to beat blockers in one-on-one drills. Against the run, he frequently found himself in the backfield thanks to his explosion and active hands.
