2020 Senior Bowl Risers

By: Ed Hunt and Alex Khvatov

            It was a great week in Mobile and now that the week of practice is over, it is time to reflect on who helped himself this week in Mobile. Of course, there is also a Senior Bowl game on Saturday, but you can make your own judgements about the game on TV. We tried to pick guys that didn’t hear a lot of hype about before the Senior Bowl.

WR Austin Mack (Ohio State) impressed me in Mobile. I know I already suggested this, but maybe he is this year’s Terry McLaurin. They are both wide receivers from Ohio State that were low profile until the Senior Bowl. What I like about him are his hands and his route running. I also think he did well in the red zone drills on Thursday as well.

CB Dane Jackson (Pitt) is a player I like. I liked his tape at Pitt and I think he built on some things here in Mobile. He has good coverage skills and showed physicality. I also liked watching him warm up. He did it with a lot of enthusiasm. If there is one thing I worry about in his game, it is that he is a little stiff hipped. But I think he is in play for a day two pick if he interviews well and does well at the Combine.

WR Collin Johnson (Texas) made himself some money in Mobile. He had always been a tall receiver who can go up and make the catch. Now he is a receiver who is much improved in the route running department. I am interested to see how he runs at the combine because that could make for a dangerous combination with size, speed and route running ability.

TE Harrison Bryant (FAU) had a great week. He especially shined on day two. He was finishing his blocks and looked good in the passing game as well. He was running his routes well and catching the ball away from his body. I overheard scouts talking about him and the tone sounded positive. Harrison Bryant will be targeted by many teams.

WR Van Jefferson (Florida) shined in Mobile. Alex Khvatov talked about him before the Senior Bowl, but I wasn’t on board. He seemed to be always making plays and catching the ball away from his body. He did great in the one on one’s and showed great short-area quickness to get separation. He is a smooth route runner.  Now I see him as a mid-round prospect in the draft.

WR Denzel Mims (Baylor) was arguably the best WR during the week of practice.  He has good size and a nice catching radius. He displayed physicality, great leaping ability and good body control. He ran better routes this week than what I saw on film.  He was able to defeat press coverage by using his hands and quickness to get off the line. He demonstrated the ability to track the ball over his shoulder and finished well at the catch point. 

RB Joshua Kelley (UCLA) impressed with his soft hands and his route running ability. He also displayed a great burst through the hole, ran with good pad level and showed good vision.   

WR Antonio Gandy-Golden (Liberty) had a lot of success in the one on one’s in the red zone drill.  He has a great frame, showed his physicality and fought through contact to defeat press coverage.  He showed good hands and displayed terrific body control.   

DL Jason Strowbridge (UNC) has great versatility.  He can play three-technique, five-technique or even drop back into coverage. He displayed a variety of pass rush moves including a speed rush, a bull rush and a nice spin move.  He showed heavy hands and a lethal initial hand punch.  He is quick off the ball and has a nonstop motor.  When he wasn’t getting to the QB, he was getting his hands up and batting passes down at the line of scrimmage. 

This was a good week in Mobile, and the weather was better than last year. Remember that this is a piece of the puzzle and not the whole draft process. After the game, we will have the combine and the Pro Days. There are still a lot more interviews to go as well.