Seahawks Senior Bowl: 5 Offensive Standouts Who Bolstered Stock in Mobile
As the saying goes, draft season officially begins every year when over 100 top college football prospects report to compete against one another in the annual Senior Bowl.
With nearly three months until the 2023 NFL Draft, player weigh-ins and a trio of practices took place from Tuesday through Thursday, allowing scouts, coaches, and media alike the opportunity to evaluate the best of the best duking it out in one-on-one drills. On Saturday, the stakes were raised higher with all of the pads coming out as players participated in the Senior Bowl showcase at Hancock Whitney Stadium, providing another chance to impress in a full-contact game setting.
Reflecting on Saturday's game, which ended with the National squad beating the American squad 27-10, which offensive players stood out as potential future targets for the Seahawks come April? Here are five players who enjoyed strong weeks in Mobile and should be on general manager John Schneider's radar early in the pre-draft process.
Evan Hull, RB, Northwestern
Capping off an excellent week in Mobile, Hull took the handoff on the opening play from scrimmage on Saturday and showed off overlooked wheels getting to the second level for a 24-yard gain, setting up a field goal for the National squad. Rushing 10 times, the 212-pound bruiser consistently fell forward at the point of contact, driving his powerful pistons to push the pile on his way to a game-high 74 rushing yards. In addition, he caught a pair of passes for 11 yards and bulldozed his way for a first down in the fourth quarter, exhibiting the versatility that made him one of only three backs in the nation this season with over 500 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards.
Michael Wilson, WR, Stanford
Injuries were problematic for Wilson in his final two seasons with the Cardinal, but as he showed all week in Mobile, he can be a dangerous weapon on the outside when healthy. Running sharp routes and creating consistent separation against opposing cornerbacks on Saturday, the 6-foot-2 wideout reeled in four passes for a game-best 76 yards, including working back to an underthrown deep ball from quarterback Jake Haener in the fourth quarter to snag the pass out of the air and score a 44-yard touchdown. More impressively, after battling drop issues at times in his college career, he plucked an inaccurate pass thrown behind him on a hitch route at full extension for a first down, proving he can make difficult contested catches.
Payne Durham, TE, Purdue
Statistically, Durham didn't have an incredible day in Mobile, finishing with two receptions for 24 yards. However, the 6-foot-5, 255-pound tight end flashed his receiving chops on both of his catches. Most notably, with solid coverage on him, he crisply high-pointed a back shoulder throw from Louisville quarterback Malik Cunningham inside two minutes to play in the second quarter, managing to get both feet down inbounds before stepping out inches before the ball crossed the pylon. Along with making a couple of solid blocks in the run game, coming off an eight touchdown season for the Boilermakers, Durham is rising in a deep tight end group.
Cody Mauch, OL, North Dakota State
Already a surging prospect before arriving in Mobile after earning All-American FCS honors in 2022, Mauch held his own throughout the week against the nation's best defensive linemen and pass rushers. On Saturday, he continued to show off his ridiculous versatility seeing snaps at left guard, center, and right tackle and playing effectively at each position, climbing to the second level to make a couple key blocks to spring Hull and other running backs while also allowing only a single pressure in pass protection. While it remains to be seen where he best fits in the league after excelling at tackle in college, he should be high on draft boards among interior offensive linemen.
McClendon Curtis, OL, Chattanooga
While Mauch was a hot name to watch rolling into the week, Curtis arrived in Mobile with far less fanfare after an outstanding career of his own at the FCS level for the Mocs. Right out of the gate, playing alongside Mauch at right guard, the pair teamed up to create push off the snap on a physical double team to help create a big crease for Hull to rocket through for a big gain. Two plays later, playing with great leverage at 6-foot-6, he fired his hands into Alabama's Byron Young and drove him several yards off the ball before moving off the block to chip a linebacker, allowing Hull to pick up 14 yards and another first down. While his feet betray him at times in pass pro, he may have moved up a couple rounds with his run blocking on Saturday.
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