Position re-grades: QB | RB | WR | TE | DT | LB | OLB/DE | CB | SAF
Position previews: QB | RB | WR | TE | DT | LB | OLB/DE | CB | SAF
Leading up to Senior Bowl week, I do 15-30 minutes of scouting preview work on each prospect set to attend -- watching a couple game tapes and looking over some performance data, etc., and then I give each prospect a pre-event scouting grade for the NFL based on that brief look.
After we scout their performance at the Senior Bowl week of practices, drills, etc., we update the grades and comments and re-rank. We continue to go through the same process for the NFL Combine, as we build a study for 2023 draft prospects until we ultimately choose to do an even deeper study of certain prospects and publish a full scouting report and run our computer scouting models for numerical grades on over 600+ prospects for the NFL Draft.
After watching the Senior Bowl practices live and on tape, I've re-graded the group and added new commentary where needed. This is a very brief look for me, as a scout, to start to build my data and scouting notes for the weeks and months ahead, and to be ready to focus in on certain prospects in Mobile that are jumping at me from the early preview.
This is a second look (for me) at these prospects from a Senior Bowl perspective. We'll be looking at them again for the NFL Combine coming up…as we build our scouting profile and metrics on these prospects. My impressions/grading can and will change as we go through the year-long process.
Post-Senior Bowl week, here are my impressions, re-grades, and re-ranking of each position (except O-Line, we'll look at OLs after the Combine).
The Tight Ends…
TE Dalton Kincaid, Utah (Post-SB Grade: B+, Pre-SB Grade: B+)
2022: 70-890-8/12 games
6'4"/245
Projected 40-time: 4.55+
Projected 3-Cone: 7.0 +/-
Consensus mainstream NFL Draft ranking overall: top 50
Post-SB Comments:
Ultimately, did not attend the Senior Bowl…and didn't need to. He's a top TE prospect already.
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Pre-SB Comments:
The best-looking TE prospect headed to Mobile, by far. The fastest/quickest of the Senior Bowl TEs and the best receiver. A solid enough blocker. I liked him in our 2022 summer preview series, and he only got better with another year of work.
Kincaid was the last name on my list, randomly, to preview at TE…and it was pretty depressing watching all the other prospects before him -- so, when I put on the Kincaid tape it was a night-and-day difference on him compared to the rest of the Senior Bowl group. He's legit.
NFL Comp? = Travis Kelce, potentially.
TE Luke Musgrave, Oregon State (Post-SB Grade: C+, Pre-SB Grade: D+)
2021: 22-304-1/10 games (injured knee in 2022, only played 2 games)
6'5"/255
Projected 40-time: 4.6+
Projected 3-Cone: 7.1+
Consensus mainstream NFL Draft ranking overall: top 100
Post-SB Comments:
Everyone's love child among the TEs…but there weren't many options to really fall in love with at TE here as it was. 'They' keep pushing how fast he is, but I don't see it as high-end as 'they' do when he has pads on. I'm open to being wrong. He might run fast in spandex at the Combine. I'm still suspicious of how great an on-field weapon he is. But he did show better than I expected/previewed.
NFL Comp? = Perhaps he's more like a Daniel Bellinger (4.63 at the NFL Combine with a 7.05 three-cone).
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Pre-SB Comments:
Nothing special here. A good worker…special teams and blocking, not a terrible receiver but was never featured as that for Oregon. Analysts really like him…I didn't see 'it' first glance.
NFL Comp? = Tanner Hudson
TE Cameron Latu, Alabama (Post-SB Grade: C-, Pre-SB Grade: C)
2022: 30-377-4 (11g)
6'4"/248
Projected 40-time: 4.65+
Projected 3-Cone: 7.2+
Consensus mainstream NFL Draft ranking overall: top 150
Post-SB Comments:
Latu was fine in Mobile…nothing special, but fine. He's a cookie cutter/generic NFL TE prospect. Good size, decent blocker, OK receiver…competent, not amazing. So many talented, athletic TEs in this 2023 NFL Draft, Latu could get forgotten quickly -- but old school NFL head coaches are suckers for cookie cutter TEs that played at big name colleges.
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Pre-SB Comments:
Latu is a solid enough TE prospect. Moves well enough, is a willing blocker, and has decent hands. Not 'elite' or exciting, just solid/OK. Has NFL TE size and the 'Alabama' pedigree. He will likely be an NFL starter, but more a solid/forgettable one than an exciting one.
NFL Comp? = C.J. Uzomah…maybe some Cole Kmet.
TE Payne Durham, Purdue (Post-SB Grade: D+, Pre-SB Grade: F)
2022: 56-560-8/13 games
6'5"/258
Projected 40-time: 4.8+
Projected 3-Cone: 7.4+
Consensus mainstream NFL Draft ranking overall: top 300
Post-SB Comments:
The TE prospect who helped himself the most this week. It seemed like every time a TE was scoring a TD in 11-on-11 drills…it was Durham, not Musgrave, etc. (because it was). Durham had a nice TD catch in the game itself but was an inch short/out of bounds just shy. I apologize for my initial 'F' grade. He's still slow, but faster than I first thought…and makes plays.
NFL Comp? = John Bates…who I also thought was way too slow for the NFL in my preview, then he went out at the Senior Bowl week and just kept showing up and is now a decent working NFL'er TE.
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Pre-SB Comments:
A very, VERY heavy-footed, slow TE prospect. Has some size. Ok hands. But is so slow, his reactions and ability to chase players to block is so stunted that he just doesn't look like he's made for the NFL.
NFL Comp? = Sean McKeon
TE Davis Allen, Clemson (Post-SB Grade: D+, Pre-SB Grade: C-/D+)
2022: 39-443-5 (14g)
6'5"/246
Projected 40-time: 4.7+
Projected 3-Cone: 7.15+
Consensus mainstream NFL Draft ranking overall: top 225
Post-SB Comments:
Was OK/solid all Senior Bowl week. Was more on the forgettable side than captured attention…but people in Mobile see him as a generically sound TE prospect anyway.
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Pre-SB Comments:
Impressed with this preview. Allen is a subtle good receiver…good routes and a sneaky good leaping/high-point ability/catch radius. Moves well enough and has good hands. A so-so blocker who can get better at that. I didn't see a star here but did see a TE that I'd like to see more activity on at the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine.
NFL Comp? = Dalton Schultz
TE Josh Whyle, Cincinnati (Post-SB Grade: D+, Pre-SB Grade: C-/D+)
2022: 32-326-3 (12g)
6'6"/260
Projected 40-time: 4.75+
Projected 3-Cone: 7.2+
Consensus mainstream NFL Draft ranking overall: top 175
Post-SB Comments:
I thought he had a chance to stand out in Mobile with his size, etc., but he really just blended into the background and was generally 'fine'. His lack of energy/spark always captures my attention watching him…it maybe he's just a smooth operator, but scouts like 'dog mentality' on display (whether a ridiculous concept or not) -- and Whyle is not a 'dog'.
Added 20+ pounds off of his prior list, and it seemed to slow him down quite a bit.
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Pre-SB Comments:
Has some skills/tools to work with -- tall/good reach, decent hands, a very good blocker but Whyle plays with a lack of urgency (on the tape I watched) that's a little off-putting to a scout. I want to say he looks unaggressive/passive on the field, when running routes…but he does really go after it in the blocking game…which NFL head coaches will drool over. Whyle may just be very efficient in movement, and it comes off as not-giving-full-effort.
NFL Comp? = Tyler Kroft
TE Will Mallory, Miami (Post-SB Grade: D+, Pre-SB Grade: D+)
2022: 42-538-3 (12g)
6'4"/239
Projected 40-time: 4.75+
Projected 3-Cone: 7.2+
Consensus mainstream NFL Draft ranking overall: top 300
Post-SB Comments:
Played a lot/was targeted a decent amount in the 11-on-11s. He was just 'there'/'available' in the offense…not a forced weapon QBs wanted to make use of…they more checked down to Mallory. He's going to make it to the NFL, but as a forgettable backup/rotational TE.
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Pre-SB Comments:
Possible NFL TE…just not an exciting one. Doesn't have a great NFL body/build…has the size and is 'big' but looks very much like not-a-workout-warrior, at a glance…but he can build on his frame pre-Draft. More interested in blocking engagement than he is 'comfortable looking' as a receiver. My preview didn't really get me excited on him.
NFL Comp? = Teagan Quitoriano
TE Brayden Willis, Oklahoma (Post-SB Grade: D-, Pre-SB Grade: D-)
2022: 39-514-7 (13g)
6'4"/239
Projected 40-time: 4.7+
Projected 3-Cone: 7.1+
Consensus mainstream NFL Draft ranking overall: top 400
Post-SB Comments:
Honestly, I don't even remember him being there…or doing anything of note. I think he was at all the practices…? Doesn't matter.
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Pre-SB Comments:
Just looks like a sloppy, miscast as a TE prospect. Worked as a FB and H-back some then back to TE. He holds a ton when he blocks. He doesn't run sharp routes like a real receiving weapon/threat…he's more a gimmick receiver (left alone, miss direction, scramble drill dump off). It just did not look like Willis had a great feel for the game from my preview.
NFL Comp? = Quintin Morris, but not as good.
