Senior Bowl: Jaxson Dart, Riley Leonard, Jalen Milroe making impressions, not all good

Thursday was not the final day of follow for the Senior Bowl, simply the final day of any sort of contact. Fridays are busy with walk-thru’s after which completely different fan-based actions. It’s imagined to rain so more than likely the shorts/helmets will probably be carried out indoors on the College of South Alabama’s domed follow facility. Nearly each coach and scouts go away Cell, Alabama and can watch the sport on a recorded system. So far as the media, it‘s about 50/50 who leaves whereas the rest hangs round for the precise recreation.

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The sport will probably be broadcast this Saturday on NFL Community and NFL+ with a kickoff at 2:30 (EST). Your complete teaching employees of each rosters are present NFL coaches collected from varied golf equipment. The American workforce’s head coach is Cleveland Browns particular groups coordinator Bubba Ventrone whereas the Nationwide squad’s head coach is New York Giants Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka.

Picture by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Photographs

That is attention-grabbing as a result of the Browns have the second total decide, and the Giants personal the third choice within the 2025 NFL draft.

Up to now, a whole teaching employees from an NFL workforce would comprise the coaches for every roster. However teaching employees can have a emptiness or two after the season which grew to become problematic. The Senior Bowl modified its teaching employees format and now calls it a “Coach Up” format the place coordinators and assistant coaches are positioned into elevated or completely different roles from those they at the moment maintain with their respective golf equipment. In whole, at the very least one coach from 13 completely different groups that submitted nominations was chosen for this 12 months’s recreation.

Along with Ventrone, Browns DL coach Jacques Cesaire is the Nationwide squad’s DC.

A variety of of us don’t notice what number of gamers are drafted from this recreation. Final 12 months, 10 first-round draft picks and 45 of the High-100 picks participated within the 2024 contest. The Reese’s Senior Bowl is coming off 4 consecutive drafts with at the very least 100 gamers chosen, which has represented over 40 p.c of your entire previous 4 draft lessons

The beginning lineup is normally determined by Friday’s helmet and shorts day, however all gamers play within the recreation. The beginning quarterback normally performs into the second quarter, however there have been occasions when this finally ends up being your entire first half whereas the opposite two are available in and play 1 / 4 every. Often, this school All-Star recreation has six quarterbacks, however this 12 months there are seven.

Dawgs By Nature employees author Barry Shuck is on the Senior Bowl once more this 12 months. Here’s what regarded interesting to him within the Thursday practices.

Texas A&M DL Shemar Stewart —6’5”, 281lbs— got here to the senior bowl, dominated it for two days of practices, and has determined to go away early.

Punched his ticket for the first spherical of the 2025 NFL Draft ️pic.twitter.com/0fllI7No3t

— Hogg (@HoggNFL) January 30, 2025

DE Shemar Stewart and EDGE Mike Inexperienced made statements for 2 days and have left Cell. I suppose they confirmed the whole lot that they had and impressed sufficient. Stewart got here in ranked #22 and now appears to be like like he’ll go within the center teenagers.

I discussed yesterday about a couple of tight ends that impressed me. Bowling Inexperienced’s Harold Fannin is a superb prospect with regular arms. He runs like a receiver however is outstanding in blocking drills. Nice dimension and has a vast motor.

Arian Smith has reportedly been “blowing some scouts away” along with his skills on the Senior Bowl.

Smith has reportedly been a “matchup nightmare” for DB’s and his pace has induced many issues.

One of many issues surrounding Smith pre-draft was his potential to catch, however he’s… pic.twitter.com/XDLlhD7z0u

— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) January 30, 2025

WR Arian Smith of Georgia had follow and confirmed his skills. His strikes are misleading and he can catch along with his arms or his physique. Crisp route runner. Performed 5 seasons in faculty however wants to enhance his route tree and be extra constant at catching the ball. WR Tez Johnson is on show this week as the perfect receiver right here. Has nice route operating and is ready to separate from nearly each defensive again within the 1-on-1 drills. Ranked #87. The Browns personal the #94 decide late in Spherical 3.

TCU broad receiver Jack Bech placed on some highlights at the moment. Haven’t observed a lot from him this week however he confirmed out at the moment. Nice physique management and was in a position to get good separation from his defenders in drills.

So far as the quarterback group, Jaxson Dart of Ole Miss had a second good day in a row. The knock on him on Day 1 was he didn’t have the arm power however put that to mattress with a number of deep balls that have been laid in properly. He regarded very sharp on Day 3 with being aggressive and is a really correct thrower. Dart has spectacular velocity and zip on the intermediate throws and confirmed he was succesful with short-out patterns and seam throws. Efficient distribution expertise. Got here into this recreation with a fifth-round grade and can go away being a third-round prospect.

Alabama’s Jalen Milroe struggled for this second day though he started to hit some deep balls later within the 7-on-7 drills with accuracy. To date he seems to be a mission QB and can want a while to develop right into a full-blown next-level NFL quarterback. Every day he has overthrown receivers and had unhealthy interceptions in drills. His work below heart will not be serving to his recreation since he’s used to the shotgun to start every play. It might be a mistake for the Browns to draft him. Simply watch this previous season and notice he’s a runner first and his passing course of is weak with many fallacious selections. Got here in with a second-round grade however might now drop a spherical and sit for a 12 months.

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Riley Leonard of Notre Dame is the perfect quarterback right here. He has proven to be very correct and might actually launch the ball deep. He has stable footwork with good pocket presence. We already know he is an effective runner so that’s big plus. He grew up simply down the street so he has had his hometown supporters each day. Has the peak (6’-4”) you need in a quarterback with misleading pace. Leonard is ceaselessly discovering cleaner passing lanes and increasing performs when preliminary designs fail. Completely shined within the 11-on-11 drills.

Louisville’s Tyler Shough (6’-5”, 225 kilos) has a cannon for an arm. He will probably be 26 years previous in September and is ranked #186 so a fifth-round mission. Not a quick man when flushed however has good zip and ball placement on the fast slant. Bodily imposing and solidly constructed all through his body with good physique power.

One other quarterback who has had week is Dillon Gabriel of Oregon. I’ve talked about him earlier than. He can transfer within the pocket and has nice accuracy. Regarded good in each the 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills. His passes actually transfer as soon as it leaves his hand with good velocity and spin. Has an distinctive deep go and might throw it a mile. He related effectively along with his Oregon teammate Tez Johnson on a number of performs. Bodily, he’s a complete package deal. A reminder that he’s additionally 6’0” tall. Not that others that dimension haven’t made it huge reminiscent of Drew Brees, Russell Wilson, Joe Montana, and Fran Tarkenton, to call a couple of. He is an effective chief however is a sluggish runner as soon as flushed. He appears to be like good in all facets of the sport and for those who can settle for his lack of top he’ll turn out to be an NFL starter.

A number of operating backs look superb.

Georgia’s Trevor Etienne had his greatest follow day. He confirmed good arms catching the ball out of the backfield. When unfold broad, his route operating was misleading and clear. R.J. Harvey of UCF has regarded good all three days. He’s completely a bull and his total purpose is to not contact the bottom. A fighter and imply. 4.41 pace. Distinctive contact stability mixed with low pad stage.

RB Jacquez Hunter of Auburn can be an excellent pickup in Spherical 4. He’s one other who will get numerous receptions in video games and might make the troublesome catch on poorly thrown balls. A very good day of follow was seen from RB Bhayshul Tuten of Virginia Tech.

Tons to see on the opposite aspect of the ball.

DT Joshua Farmer (6’-3”, 318 kilos) of Florida State has gotten consideration all week. He’s a strong man with good lateral motion. He carried out effectively in opposition to top-notch offensive linemen within the 1-on-1s in addition to 7-on-7 drills. Has the flexibility to play inside or on the sting.

So far as the defensive position, Central Arkansas’ DE David Walker simply retains getting talked about amongst scouts. He had 12 sacks this 12 months and 21 tackles for loss. He practices exhausting and has distinctive pace. His greatest recreation is in opposition to the run. When speeding, he undoubtedly relies upon of the bull rush. Has been put inside in the course of the week as effectively so add versatility to his resume. Ole Miss EDGE rusher Princely Umanmielen is simply 264 kilos however has nice pace and his go off the snap is unnatural. With an excellent bend and displaying quite a lot of strikes and counters. Impressed along with his hand utilization and is a refined go rusher. Ranked early second-round.

DT Walter Nolen of Ole Miss is in a category of his personal. Tumultuous and only a beast. Always received within the 1-on-1s. He’s displaying spectacular lateral quickness that makes him a nightmare on stunts. Explosive first step. Ranked #36 so the Browns might assist their inside defensive position within the second spherical. Different defensive linemen who had day are DE Landon Jackson of Arkansas, Toledo’s DT Darius Alexander, and Minnesota EDGE Danny Striggow.

Let’s simply get to the linebackers. One identify that has stood out is Shemar James (6’-1”, 230 kilos) of Florida. Certainly, he has the perfect pace of any linebacker right here this week. He has fairly good protection skills however will not be the quickest to the ball as evidenced by his 4.49 time within the 40. James is a easy pure mover. His arms are being talked about as a problem as they measured 8 3/4”, however to date has not stopped him from pulling down passes – even these supposed for speedier RB’s. Spherical 4 sounds about proper for him.

Very impressed with Demetrius Knight (6’-2”, 245 kilos) from South Carolina. Massive child who’s a hitter. A-plus on aggression. Has been particular in protection drills in opposition to the operating backs. Flashes spectacular zone protection consciousness, notably in beneath drops. To date in opposition to offensive linemen he has taken on blockers with good leverage and will not shed each block, however is ready to get round them in some unspecified time in the future. A pure chief and can merely get after it. Has a #30 rating. I’d holler if the Browns took him with the primary decide within the second spherical. Jordan Hick, JOK, and Knight with Winston Reid and Mohamoud Diabate as backups? Offered!

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Do the Browns must draft a security? They’re right here in Cell, Alabama. Love Sebastian Castro of Iowa. He has proven good protection expertise within the 1-on-1’s with the tight finish group. Aggressive and doesn’t draw back from contact. What I’ve seen is short-area quickness. Needs to be obtainable in Spherical 3.