Worth the Watch? Potential Patriots Prospects at the 2022 Senior Bowl

Let the 2022 NFL Draft Season begin.

In what has been dubbed the inaugural event of the league’s draft-cycle, the Reese's Senior Bowl took place Saturday, in Mobile, Alabama. Talent scouts and personnel executives from all 32 NFL teams have been present all week to meet with the players, note their ability to interact with their teammates, and (most importantly) evaluate their on-field performance. Although much of the evaluations are conducted during the week of practice leaving up to the game, a strong performance in the game itself may help to enhance a player’s draft stock.

Though quarterbacks Malik Willis (Liberty), Sam Howell (UNC) and Desmond Ridder (Cincinnati) showed tremendous potential, several players put forth impressive performances on Saturday afternoon in Mobile. Oklahoma defensive lineman Perrin Winfrey collected five total tackles (including three for-loss) and two sacks, helping the National Team to a 20-10 victory over the American Team. For his efforts, Winfrey was awarded the game’s MVP.

Prior to the start of Senior Bowl week, Patriot Maven highlighted three players on offense and three players on defense on which the fan base might have wanted to keep watch.

Let’s examine whether this six-pack of pro-hopefuls was ‘worth the watch’ on Saturday night:

Calvin Austin, III

Austin proved his worth as one of the weekend’s more highly-touted receiver prospects by being among the standouts at the receiver position for much of the week, He continued to demonstrate his versatility, both in his route running and his ability to get open for quick passes. The Memphis product earned 45 yards receiving on two catches, the longest of which going for 39 yards. Austin’s ability to make plays in all areas of the field should make him a sought-after target in the early rounds.

Bernhard Raimann

Raimann greatly improved his Draft stock this week by demonstrating an impressive blend of athleticism and size. The Central Michigan product had a ‘win-some, lose-some’ performance during the week’s one-on-one pass protection drills. However, he showed improvement each day and performed well on Saturday, primarily in run protection. His strength, combined with his ability to quickly get out of his stance could make him a early first-round choice on Draft day.

Rachaad White

White had an impressive week of practice, capped off with a stellar outing on Saturday, demonstrating his ability to make plays as a runner, as well as a pass-catcher. In the first half, he gained 29 yards on seven carries. White also caught one pass for seven yards in the first frame. While his playing time dipped a bit in the second half (as both teams in the Senior Bowl frequently rotated players), he logged his longest carry (18 yards) of the afternoon in the second half. The Arizona State product finished the game with 52 yards, which led all players.

Roger McCreary

McCreary arrived in Mobile with first-round draft hype surrounding him. The Auburn Tiger lived up to expectation. McCreary plays the position fluidly, allowing him to seemingly attach himself to his target receiver in man coverage through the entire duration of the route. As a result, he will continue to project as a starting-level corner, who can also slide into the slot, if required. This week, he was named top cornerback on the American team in a vote from the wide receiver group at practice player-of-the-week awards ceremony today at 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl.

Chad Muma

Muma entered the week as one of the more intriguing prospects in the upcoming draft class, and he did not disappoint during his time in Mobile. The Wyoming product showcased his lateral velocity and stout tackling skills, finishing the day with nine total tackles (five, of the solo variety) and one pass break up. Save for a two-sack performance from Winfrey, Muma may have had enough of an impact to earn MVP consideration on Saturday. His tenacity was on full display when he chased down quarterback Malik Willis, ending an impressive run for the Liberty quarterback. Muma’s athleticism makes him a threat all over the field, and should make an NFL team very happy in the upcoming season and beyond.

MALIK WILLIS WHAT?!@LibertyFootball @malikwillis

📺: @seniorbowl on NFL Network pic.twitter.com/w3cRCSyjuE
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) February 5, 2022

Darrian Beavers

Beavers remains the ideal ‘Patriot-type’ linebacker, both in size and style. He possesses the length and range to win his battles one-on-one. Beavers did that consistently during the week of practice during coverage drills. As advertised, Beavers showed great field awareness, while demonstrating an understanding of his assignments. He used his leverage and his ability to quickly change direction to stay within the reach of opposing tight ends. He also had a stellar week in the rush game as a standup rusher. Beavers performed well both in coverage and on protection duties, logging three totals tackles.