10 Players Who Impressed at Senior Bowl: Day 2
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MOBILE -- Both the American and National team offenses began to gel on their second day together on the field at the Senior Bowl, and it showed on the turf as the Pittsburgh Steelers looked on. The top performers from day two reside primarily on the offensive side of the ball.
Tyjae Spears, Running Back, Tulane
Spears could not be contained in team drills against the American defense. He broke off long run after long run, including a 40-yard touchdown in 11-on-11 work that included a decisive run through the hole, agility to avoid tacklers and breakaway speed to finish the run. The former Tulane star has been one of the brightest stars of the Senior Bowl so far.
Darnell Wright, Offensive Tackle, Tennessee
Under the watchful eyes of Steelers brass, Wright put on a show in one-on-one pass-rushing drills against the American Defensive Line. His most impressive reps came against former Alabama stud Byron Young. The former SEC foes faced each other twice and Wright stonewalled Young both times.
Oluwatumi Olusegun, Center, Michigan
Watching the battles between Jerrod Clark and Olesegun during National Team practice was one of the highlights of my afternoon. Against the biggest man at the Senior Bowl, Olusegun proved more than capable. In both one-on-one and team drills, providing clean snaps and generating push to give his quarterbacks and running backs breathing room.
Cam Jones, Linebacker, Indiana
Jones is a rising star in the National linebackers room. He didn't make a splash earlier in the week but was one of the best players on the field during his second practice. Jones stood especially tall during his 11-on-11 snaps, when he made two impressive tackles along the sideline. The last one came in a pressure situation, with his coaches deeming it a fourth down. Thomas' stop helped the National defense avoid having to do some pushups and got his sideline fired up.
Kyu Blu Kelly, Cornerback, Stanford
Kelly's steady upward trajectory has him undoubtedly rising up draft boards. One of the top corners in his class already, Kelly put his ball skills on display by picking off a pass (he could have taken it to the house in a live game) and deflecting another attempt during team drills. His impressive physical traits and processing ability are meshing well this week.
Grant DuBose, Wide Receiver, Charlotte
DuBose is far from the most decorated player or most recongizable name on the Senior Bowl roster - particularly at the receiver spot - but he made the biggest impression on day two. He has speed and athleticism which was clear as he beat defenders downfield regualry. The chemistry with his passers is still developing but DuBose is setting himself up for a big gameday later in the week.
Tyson Bagnet, Quarterback, Shepard
Bagnet really struggled to complete passes on the first day of the practice but he improved markedly on the second day. He showed his athleticism moving around the pocket and the big arm that became his calling card in college was apparent when hitting his recievers downfield. On a day when every quarterback improved, Bagnet's strides were most apparent.
Will McDonald, Defensive Lineman, Iowa State
Make it two impressive days in a row for the Cyclones' all-time sack leader. McDonald was one of the few edge rushers who could generate any kind of consistent success against a really good group of American Team tackles. Both Wright and Richard Gourage struggled to contain McDonald, who has the speed and power to counter just about anyone he'll face this week.
Jerrod Clark, Defensive Lineman, Coastal Carolina
Clark continues to demand double teams in the middle of the trenches and not just for his size. He sent running backs off course and collapsed the pocket by combining a strong lower half with long arms and even came up with a pass deflection during 11-on-11 work.
Karl Brooks, Defensive Lineman, Bowling Green
At 6'3 and 303 pounds, Brooks looks like a nose tackle but moves like a defensive end, which makes sense because that's where he played in college. Despite his size, Brooks is explosive and showed that in one-on-one competition against an improving group of National Team offensive tackles.
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