15 Players Lions Should Be Impressed with at Senior Bowl
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The Senior Bowl practices have come and gone, leaving only the game as the prospects' final chances to make an impression. The Senior Bowl itself is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
Annually, the week leading up to the game is more analyzed than the game itself, as players compete head-to-head to showcase their skill sets. The practices are often broken down heavily, with top performers flying up draft boards.
Here are the 15 top performers who the Detroit Lions should be impressed with.
DT Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin
Benton entered the week projected as a later-round selection, but helped his case tremendously. Playing on the defensive interior, he dominated opponents during practices, using a combination of skill, size and speed.
OG O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida
Considered among the top prospects at the Senior Bowl, Torrence lived up to his billing. He showed off his skills as both a run and pass blocker, and handled rushers seemingly with ease. At right guard, he’s at a position of need for the Lions.
DE Karl Brooks, Bowling Green
One of two players from the Mid-American Conference at the event, Brooks worked his way into national conversations with a very productive week. He dominated 1-on-1’s, and held his own in team portions. He could rocket up draft boards as a result.
TE Payne Durham, Purdue
Durham had a productive week of practices, showing his mettle as both a pass catcher and run blocker. He also had one of the week’s best catches, hauling in a pass from Jake Haener against double coverage. At 6-foot-5, he profiles as a superb red-zone target.
CB Riley Moss, Iowa
Moss was viewed by many as a player who would transition to safety, but he held his own at corner throughout the week. He was the fastest defensive back at the event on Wednesday, and showed good discipline in coverage. Moss is an intriguing prospect to follow through the remainder of the pre-draft process.
OT Dawand Jones, Ohio State
Jones dominated in the trenches through the first day of practice, before a medical issue sidelined him for the remainder. The consensus on his performance is that it was among the best at the event, making him a potential first-round pick as a result.
DT Adetomiwa Adebaware, Northwestern
Adebaware is another Big Ten-based defensive tackle who had a solid week. Though he was competitive on Day 1, it was the second day in which he really took off. His performance was on par with Benton, as the two were both successful against offensive opponents.
LB Daiyan Henley, Washington State
Henley made a statement in Mobile, predominantly in his ability to cover against the pass. He performed well in pass coverage 1-on-1’s against faster running backs. The Lions are in the market for a linebacker, and adding one who can handle pass coverage in this fashion is a bonus.
WR Jayden Reed, Michigan State
Reed was among one of the better receivers during the week of practices. He’d shown off some of his catch radius and separation ability in college, but helped himself with a solid week against top cornerbacks in 1-on-1’s.
CB Kyu Blu Kelly, Stanford
Kelly is among the better cornerback prospects in the 2023 draft class. Though he isn’t on the level of consensus top picks such as Joey Porter Jr. and Christian Gonzalez, he helped his stock with a good week.
QB Jake Haener, Fresno State
The crop of quarterbacks at this year’s Senior Bowl was rather unspectacular, with many of the top prospects at the position either being ineligible due to class standing or electing not to participate.
Haener took advantage of his opportunity, showing off his ability to make tight window throws while airing it out, as well. He may have been the best performer at his position, which could make him the perfect Day 3 signal-caller for a team like the Lions looking for a backup.
S Sydney Brown, Illinois
An Illinois safety with a knack for creating turnovers? Sounds familiar. A former teammate of current Lions defensive back Kerby Joseph, Brown had himself a good week. He flashed his natural instincts that help to create turnovers, and was solid in coverage.
S Daniel Scott, California
Projected as a late-round pick, Scott showed off his abilities in coverage. Though he needs some polish when it comes to tackling, as evidenced by his 59.2 Pro Football Focus tackling grade, his speed and length make him an intriguing prospect in the later rounds.
LB Ivan Pace Jr., Cincinnati
Though Pace was, by most opinions, up and down during the week, he’s an interesting prospect worth monitoring. He had difficulties in pass coverage against running backs, but dominated them when rushing the passer. He’s worth a look on the draft’s second day.
RB Evan Hull, Northwestern
Hull was among the best at his position throughout the week. He showed off his speed, consistently flashing his ability to make plays in the open field. Hull caught 55 passes in 2022 at Northwestern, evidence of his dynamic potential.
Jamaal Williams is a free agent this year, with D’Andre Swift set to be one next season. Because of this, expect Detroit to at least consider adding a player like Hull to the running backs room.
