Here are the other Post-Senior Bowl positional reports: QB | RB | WR | TE
Every pre-Senior Bowl week, I do a preview scouting on each prospect attending. It’s a 30–60-minute review on each prospect (except OLs) of some of their background, looking over their college career outputs, and watching 15-20+ minutes of game tape and highlight reels, etc. It’s just the early stages of the scouting process. For many of the top names here we’ll preview again ahead of the NFL Combine and then do extensive work on many prospects after the Combine all the way through to August…on top of scouting them at the Senior Bowl week.
So, these positional preview scouting bytes…it’s a first reaction, a first handshake intro/greeting on them for us, so we can better watch/scout them all Senior Bowl week and beyond. After the Senior Bowl week, we’ll re-grade the group/update players who needed it coming out of the Mobile week, heading to the Combine week.
Here’s the post-event week grade reactions on these prospects (and some new ones added if they joined the Senior Bowl late/filled in due to injury, etc.). The next scouting set of clues on these guys is in a few weeks at the NFL Combine.
WR Dontario Drummond, Ole Miss (Post-SB scouting grade: B/B-)
*Pre-Senior Bowl scouting grade: B+
SB Measurements: 6’0.4”/217, 9.5” hands, 31.8” arms
Post-SB Note: A solid week. Was definitely one of the better WRs here. He wasn’t amazing/wow, but he was in the debate for most talented WR in Mobile for the week. He could be an A.J. Brown or Deebo Samuel potential…you can see it, but it’s just not ‘wow’ for me yet. But I see the potential. Brown and Deebo were better pre-Draft prospects, for sure.
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Pre-SB Note: Impressive WR…built like a brick wall and has good speed and solid hands. He’s just a good all-around football player who can beat defenders by being physical, or by running past them. Definitely will impress at the Senior Bowl.
NFL Comp? = I first thought he was like a mini-me version of D.K. Metcalf, which is really saying he’s like A.J. Brown…and that’s the better Ole Miss comp. But in the end, he really plays like Deebo Samuel…good at all aspects. An A.J. Brown/Deebo Samuel type of specimen/WR. More Deebo than A.J., I think.
WR Alec Pierce, Cincinnati (Post-SB scouting grade: B/B-)
*Pre-Senior Bowl scouting grade: B-
SB Measurements: 6’2.6”/208, 9.0” hands, 32.6” arms
Post-SB Note: Was at the first practice and then he was gone. I saw enough to know that his movement skills and size and abilities are real – NFL starter material. Great feet off the snap. Could be the best WR of the group.
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Pre-SB Note: A really talented WR in all phases…great moves/feet off the snap, smart routes, nice size, very good hands. He’s a very solid, all-around good WR prospect. If he adds about 5+ pounds of muscle and keeps his speed/agility, he could be a nice NFL starter.
He’ll be under-scouted, underappreciated all Senior Bowl week and all pre-draft…I can feel it coming. Hopefully, he breaks through.
NFL Comp? = A much more athletic Ben Skowronek. A taller Hunter Renfrow.
WR Christian Watson, No. Dakota State (Post-SB scouting grade: B/B-)
*Pre-Senior Bowl scouting grade: B
SB Measurements: 6’4”/211, 10.0” hands, 32.7” arms
Post-SB Note: Became the go-to WR for his squad all week. He really helped himself here – came in a bit taller, and the FCS label/fears were shed right away…he was not in fear of anything here. His only limitation was that he’s a good downfield receiver, and the QBs were struggling to make downfield throws all week due to the weather and lack of cohesion in an all-star setting. Which is why his standout week is noteworthy…it’s hard for a WR like him to stand out given the circumstances.
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Pre-SB Note: Late addition to the Senior Bowl…and a wise one. A very interesting FCS WR. Nice size. Very good acceleration (running routes, jet sweeps, or as a returner). Was a playmaker in the passing game and as a kick returner and taking occasional running plays Had a few flash/dominant moments on tape, but his output overall wasn’t totally dominant…like you’d like to see for a real star at the FCS level.
He may leave Mobile the WR everyone is talking about…or gets lost at the higher level of play. We’ll see.
NFL Comp? = Kinda gave me young Tyrell Williams vibes, back in Tyrell’s dominant Western Oregon days.
WR Danny Gray, SMU (Post-SB scouting grade: B-/C+)
*Pre-Senior Bowl scouting grade: B/B+
SB Measurements: 5’11.5”/182, 9.5” hands, 32.0” arms
Post-SB Note: Came in a bit shorter than advertised. Had an OK week, but not a super-standout week. He’s another one of the capable WRs in Mobile in 2022…and it’s going to take the Combine to better sort them out.
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Pre-SB Note: Has the swagger of a legit NFL WR. Sometimes he plays as a downfield catch & go speedster, while other times he will play sideline sprinter you can just throw prayers to in 1-on-1 overage and he’s likely going to come down with the ball. I’ve seen eight Senior Bowl receiver prospects so far (as of this writing)…and Gray is the first that really stood out.
NFL Comp? = A combination of OBJ (when he was good) and Joshua Palmer comes to mind…the movements skills and swagger of OBJ, the catch & go skills too. Some Josh Palmer in that he’s not a special route runner or future slot guy he plays on the outside and can body up and out fight defenders for passes on ‘up for grabs’ throws.
WR Khalil Shakir, Boise State (Post-SB scouting grade: C+/C)
*Pre-Senior Bowl scouting grade: B-/C+
SB Measurements: 6’0.0”/193, 9.3” hands, 29.0” arms
Post-SB Note: The Senior Bowl drills are not designed to let a WR like Shakir shine. He’s not going to be a 1-on-1 drill star. His gift is being a professional WR…he was much better in the 11-on-11s when the real play got more serious as the week went on. He’s going to be a day three guy who will be underappreciated for the NFL Draft but will probably have a longer career than some drafted ahead of him…Shakir just isn’t going to be a ‘star’, but he will be a solid contributor.
His short arm length measurements won’t help his draft stock.
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Pre-SB Note: A solid WR, but it’s hard to truly tell how solid he is. He’s like a really good slot WR, or solid possession WR with solid skills downfield as well – but his game is short catch and go after the catch. He’s not blazing fast, but he’s quick/fearless and catches the ball well…but all I’ve seen is work against MWC opponents. He may be a very solid B prospect when we see him against Senior Bowl coverage. He could be a ‘professional WR’ type.
NFL Comp? = A little quicker, less physical Amon-Ra St. Brown?
WR Calvin Austin III, Memphis (Post-SB scouting grade: C+/C)
*Pre-Senior Bowl scouting grade: B-/C+
SB Measurements: 5’7.3”/173, 9.2” hands, 35.1” arms
Post-SB Note: Austin was one of the better, more dangerous WRs in Mobile this week…not a full-on ‘wow’ WR, but a pretty good/dangerous one. Measure smaller than expected.
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Pre-SB Note: He’s a smaller, track star type speedy WR, but he has really good hands. Moves well, probably a high 4.4s runner with decent agility/cut ability. Promising WR talent but in a small size package (5’8” or shorter and possibly under 160 pounds), and that will hurt his rise in the NFL scouting ranks.
Demetric Felton was a small WR prospect at the Senior Bowl and he tore it up…the Senior Bowl favors the speedy. Austin could make a name for himself here.
NFL Comp? = Less quick Deonte Harris.
WR Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama (Post-SB scouting grade: C+)
*Pre-Senior Bowl scouting grade: C+
SB Measurements: 6’1.0”/195, 9.6” hands, 32.3” arms
Post-SB Note: He had a few moments during the practices. He showed he’s NFL-worthy. There might be an upside. But we’ll stick with the C+ grade and see what happens at the Combine.
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Pre-SB Note: Has some brilliant tape and then some bad hand botch moments. He’s acts and moves like a potential NFL #1 WR. Like a discount Michael Pittman, but he’s not near as good. There’s some potential here.
He might have a nice Senior Bowl week at his size, but there are holes in his game – he’s not a high-end athlete/speed that I see, and his hands are sometimes a letdown (but I think it’s concentration/trying to make his next move before the ball arrives).
NFL Comp? = A weak Michael Pittman or a better after the catch version of Allen Lazard, and a little thinner/smaller than him but maybe room to grow.
WR Romeo Doubs, Nevada (Post-SB scouting grade: C+)
*Pre-Senior Bowl scouting grade: C+
SB Measurements: 6’1.7”/204, 10.2” hands, 32.2” arms
Post-SB Note: Had a very solid week. Not a super-standout, but not a ghost either. He has NFL potential and some upside, but only be a contributor, never a real impact player.
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Pre-SB Note: It’s hard to describe what I saw here. Doubs has talent…he moves well, cuts into a route well, shows good sometimes great hands on his targets. He’s got NFL skills. But he plays really low key. You don’t get a vibe that he’s that into what’s going on. He’s not an ‘alpha’, as they say. He has legit abilities, and he may just break out in the Senior Bowl showcase, but what I saw on tape…I liked it, but I wonder if he has ‘the dog’ mentality needed to stand out among the best in the country. Really interested to see how it goes in Mobile.
NFL Comp? = Kinda Zay Jones-ish…and Zay was great in college and then up-and-down in the pros.
WR Jequez Ezzard, Sam Houston (Post-SB scouting grade: C)
*Pre-Senior Bowl grade: Late add
SB Measurements: 5’9.4”/191, 10” hands, 30” arms
Pre-SB Note: Late add to the roster during the week. Darnell Mooney-like ability as a receiver – great hands and adjusts to all kinds of passes, whether leaping or diving. He has good speed. He’s a legit NFL prospect, who will likely get overlooked/be a day three pick. He may be better than I’m giving credit for in my first preview…I look forward to seeing more, and seeing his NFL Combine.
NFL Comp? = Smaller Darnell Mooney, less quick Jaelon Darden.
WR Braylon Sanders, Ole Miss (Post-SB scouting grade: C/C-)
*Pre-Senior Bowl scouting grade: C/C-
SB Measurements: 5’11.5”/188, 10.0” hands, 31.5” arms
Post-SB Note: Same guy in Mobile as I saw on his 2021 tape – some terrific deep ball catches, but then doesn’t do much else to get noticed and then disappears due to injury. He kinda just disappeared on day three and I don’t recall seeing him in this game. He’s got NFL talent, but there’s no consistency.
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Pre-SB Note: You can watch some game tape of Sanders and swear you see a star in the making – excellent hands, highlight reel catches. He started to breakout in 2020 season, after starting the season ‘out’/injured he hit a hot streak of 4 TDs in four games later in the campaign and looked like a star was being born but he didn’t carry that into 2021 season – and up and down, lower output 2021 with flashes/sparks of that star receiver but no consistency.
Sanders’ career has been marred by injury shortened seasons and ‘flashes’ with little consistency. There’s talent here but also a lack of consistency and reliability. He could look like the star of Senior Bowl week…or get hurt and miss a bunch of drills/practice. I’m not sure who will get with him this week.
NFL Comp? = You can’t help but see visions of OBJ in his play, as Sanders wears #13 and has some highlight reel catches…but looks a bit slower than OBJ.
WR Jahan Dotson, Penn State (Post-SB scouting grade: C-/D+)
*Pre-Senior Bowl scouting grade: C-/D+
Estimate = 5’10”/180
Post-SB Note: *Ultimately did not attend the Senior Bowl. He thinks he’s too good for it – but I think he’s just ‘hiding’ because he’s not that good…just an early gut reaction.
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Pre-SB Note: Good hands, mediocre athlete, little-to-nothing after the catch. His hands may get him to the league, but I don’t see a lot of anything else to keep him there or make him stand out.
NFL Comp? = Smaller Tajae Sharpe
WR Velus Jones Jr., Tennessee (Post-SB scouting grade: D+)
*Pre-Senior Bowl scouting grade: D)
SB Measurements: 5’11.4”/203, 9.7” hands, 31” arms
Post-SB Note: A lot of hype for Jones all week, on how he is Kadarius Toney-like (from the media/analysts). I did not see that in him at any time all week. He’s a solid enough player but I saw nothing special. I keep looking because they keep saying, but I haven’t got ‘it’ yet.
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Pre-SB Note: Good straight-line speed, strong frame, weak WR skills. He’s an OK athlete trying to play WR…or like a running back thrown into playing WR. If I were him, I’d switch to running back…but I don’t think it will work. He’s got decent college speed, below average NFL speed…and runs very stiff. Very tight hips. I don’t see any NFL ‘it’ here. He might be a kick returner for a bit in the NFL.
NFL Comp? = A bad version of K.J. Osborn, not as athletic as KJO.
WR Bo Melton, Rutgers (Post-SB scouting grade: D+)
*Pre-Senior Bowl scouting grade: D
SB Measurements: 5’10.7”/191, 8.7” hands, 32.3” arms
Post-SB Note: Showed a better speed than I expected. Ran by some people with an NFL-ability…like a good NFL kick returned type option. I wasn’t overwhelmed with his WR work, but I did notice his speed.
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Pre-SB Note: After watching some of Melton’s tape, I’m left thinking…surely there had to be some small-school WR that deserved a spot over Melton. I saw nothing of real note with Melton, but he did play on a garbage offense. Still, as their WR leader Melton didn’t grab my attention. He’s OK/good for college but I did not see any flashes of NFL in his play. I’m willing to be proven wrong with his Senior Bowl opportunity, but man this does not seem like an exciting invitee at all…this whole WR group is DULL.
NFL Comp? = Isaiah Ford…or whatever other boring NFL-ish WR?
WR Reggie Roberson Jr., SMU (Post-SB scouting grade: D+)
*Pre-Senior Bowl scouting grade: C-/D+
Estimate = 5’11”/195
Post-SB Note: *Ultimately did not attend the Senior Bowl.
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Pre-SB Note: I’ve watched (randomly) half of the WRs on the Senior Bowl list before getting to Roberson, and it just hit me…how many of these guys are the same WRs. All fairly athletic, good catchers of the ball…they can play, but they don’t stand out in any way. They are all generically good, really separated by ‘what offense they played with’.
Roberson was having a big 2020 COVID season when he got hurt/injured his knee. His 2019 (foot) and 2020 (knee) seasons ended with injury. He returned for his 2021 senior year and was less impressive than his 2019 and 2020 seasons flashed.
Roberson looks very good/capable, but I’m not blown away. He may be better than I’m grading, but he has a history of injury.
NFL Comp? = Ray-Ray McCloud
WR Tre Turner, Virginia Tech (Post-SB scouting grade: D)
*Pre-Senior Bowl scouting grade: C-
SB Measurements: 6’1.2”/179, 8.6” hands, 30.7” arms
Post-SB Note: Terrible measurements. If he participated in any practice, I didn’t see it/don’t remember it.
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Pre-SB Note: I was not impressed at first watching this tape…he seemed like another version of all the other 6’0” +/- solid WRs that college football is spitting out to the NFL now. But the more I watched of him, the more I started to gain interest/respect…he’s a good catcher/attacker of the football, he's an OK athlete, he plays with energy. He’s not bad. His college numbers are weak, but he also played on a weak passing game at VT. I don’t see obvious star potential or anything but he’s good/decent, I’ll see how he does at the Senior Bowl week.
NFL Comp? = A lesser version of Darnell Mooney. Not as fast, not as dynamic…but is a good attacker of passes and makes circus catches on poorly thrown balls regularly.
