The Senior Bowl practice week culminated on Saturday with the annual clash between the two teams in Mobile, Alabama. Several players made money for their strong weeks of training, trying to close the week with a good final impression.
Most of the assessments made on these players come from their performance in training, with the game serving as the icing on the cake. However, there were players who provided lasting impressions or created important questions based on how they played in the game.
Winners
- Osa Odighizuwa (IDL, UCLA) – Odighizuwa was the defensive equipment most detrimental to the race in this game. In several plays, he easily detached himself from the line players to stop the ball at or near the scrimmage line. At times, Odighizuwa seemed impossible to be blocked by the opposing offensive line. Its initial impact came in an almost empty bag that was considered an incomplete pass.
- Michael Carter (RB, North Carolina) – Carter was impossible to face during this game. His best move came from several forced lost tackles as he slipped easily to the second level with a big win. In several races, great efforts were required to involve him. Carter also showed his running route and impact off the field.
- Elerson Smith (DE, Northern Iowa) – Smith has a fantastic build to become a good pass rusher in the NFL, and we were reminded from the start why you shouldn’t ignore him, despite being an FCS player. Smith was signaled by a very smooth rough pass to the passer, but before that call, he read a game action pass perfectly to the point of planting Kellen Mond. Smith was also very fluid as a striker and was not easily blocked by opponent tackles.
- Benjamin St-Juste (CB, Minnesota) – As one of the few corners near the block on the day, St-Juste made several big pass breaks. St-Juste was a threat the entire time he was on the field to opposing recipients, with a very tight one-on-one coverage. The tall, long corner showed what he can do on the roof.
- Baron Browning (LB, Ohio State) – On two occasions, Browning made two strong tackles for the game run defeat. One that came early in the game was an effective job, filling in quickly and attacking downhill. The second came in a third and short play in the second quarter, where he interrupted Larry Roundtree enough to slow down, allowing his teammates to recover.
- KJ Britt (LB, Auburn) – Britt was all over the field during this game, with a plethora of really good plays. He was a strong defender in quick plays and deflected a pass in the red zone that was almost intercepted.
- Amari Rodgers (WR, Clemson) – Rodgers didn’t do much in the first half, but he shone a lot in the third quarter. Twice Rodgers picked up touchdown passes in the red zone, showing his ability to create separation outside the slot.
- Demetric Felton (WR, UCLA) – Felton had an early touchdown reception that took advantage of a large cushion on the cover off. Felton also had other great receptions during the game, showing his speed and running route. While Felton played running back at UCLA, he will likely be used as a mobile offensive weapon in the NFL.
Losers
- Bryan Mills (CB, NC Central) – Mills was one of the darlings of the week, but had a day of ups and downs on Saturday. The little schoolboy gave good coverage in some plays, but there were many mistakes that overshadowed his entire game. In the first quarter he was scored for DPI, and then easily defeated on a slope for a 15-yard pickup on the next play. Later, he was easily defeated on a 50/50 ball which he covered very well.
- Drake Jackson (C, Kentucky) – A bad snap that spoiled a fourth down play was the most noticeable mistake Jackson had in this game. Considering that there are players who are not naturally focused on this game, Jackson cannot be the guy who messes up the shots. He also had a hard time blocking multiple moves.
- James Hudson (OT, Cincinnati) – Hudson had a series of clumsy pass blocking moves with very bad technique. On several occasions, Hudson was easily defeated, which led to pressure on the defenders he was supposed to protect.
- Jamie Newman (QB, Wake Forest/ Georgia) – Newman didn’t do much to help his inventory after being out for the entire fall. His critical mistake was forcing a pass to a covered receiver who was eventually warned and caught. Newman was also prone to errors when pressed.