![]() ![]() ![]() The week of practice pits the prospects against each other in one-on-one drills and specific game situations to further evaluate players’ skills and intelligence against a heightened level of talent and pressure. Which brings us back to Johnson.The Senior Bowl will kick off today February 4 at 1:30 PM on NFL Network, but the week of practice leading up to the game is often considered more important as NFL scouts and coaches get a first up close and personal look at the skills of these top prospects. His week was highlighted by this one rep. He had a solid senior campaign for Mississippi State in '18, registered 12 sacks, came to the Senior Bowl and did his thing. It feels similar to what we saw from Montez Sweat back in 2019. The Georgia transfer landed in Tallahassee and racked up 11.5 sacks, locked himself into a Day 2 draft grade in the process, and then came to Mobile and went off. Like Austin, we've also spoken frequently about Johnson's week. Honorable mention part II: Jermaine Johnson, EDGE, Florida State This had to have been a prank for Calvin Austin (5-7, 173) to hold backside on Jermaine Johnson (nearly 6-5, 260) /zbP7XBsO6f- Cory February 2, 2022Īustin won't be a Day 1 pick but we are curious to see how high he goes because of just how dangerous he can be. ![]() The teams we spoke to this week don't seem overly concerned, in part because he's such a dangerous player. and then have some head-scratching drops. He can run by defenders all day long, he's a yards-after-catch machine with tackler-breaking ability, he'll make incredible one-handed catches. The issues - and it's the same one that plagued Fuller at times: Tolbert can have some focus drops. He looks the part, and his game reminds us of Will Fuller. First things first, Tolbert passes the eye test and it's not even close. The local product had some eye-opening moments this week. This week, Willis did his job, and in the process, improved his draft stock - to the point that it wouldn't surprise us if he ends up as the first quarterback selected when the actual draft rolls around in late April. Of those teams, the Panthers feel like the worst fit and for one reason only: their offensive line is in shambles and it would be a disservice to Willis, who will need time on the bench to grow into his role, to throw him out there with little in the way of protection. We count nine teams that could be in the market for a quarterback in the coming weeks and months - Detroit, Carolina, Atlanta, Denver, Washington, Minnesota, New Orleans, Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay (and we can make it an even 10 if you want to include the Texans, who will likely roll with Davis Mills for at least another season). Mac Jones was one of our favorite players in last year's class, yes, but put him on the Jets and we're looking at a completely different player. One of the quickest ways to assure Willis' success? Fit matters. Check back in 2-3 years and he could be a completely different player, perhaps similar to the way we talked about Josh Allen, Wyoming QB back in 2018 and Josh Allen, freakish NFL QB right now. Realistically, Willis is a second-round pick, and he would've been the sixth quarterback drafted a year ago, but that's based on where his game is right now. ![]() Save the height, these are all qualities NFL teams are now looking for in the franchise quarterbacks and the Russell Wilsons and Kyler Murrays of the league have proven that you don't have to be 6-foot-5 to have success under center. There's so much to like in his game yes, he's only 6-feet even but he's a solid 220 pounds, can outrun linebackers and safeties, and can throw the ball a mile. 1, and b) Willis has been up to the challenge here in Mobile, showing improvements each day. We've talked about Willis each day on CBS Sports HQ and written about him here, and that's because a) This quarterback class is desperately looking for someone to emerge as the No. Here are nine players (in no particular order) who had good weeks, and in the process, undoubtedly improved their draft stock. There were no such concerns on Day 3 and there was a lot to like from both the American and National sides. Not surprisingly, the skill position players were affected, whether it was the quarterbacks' ability to grip and throw the ball, or the receivers, tight ends and running backs' trying to catch said ball. Twenty-four hours prior, conditions were decidedly different the constant downpour was the story of the afternoon, followed closely by the wind. The rain never materialized on Thursday, the final day of Senior Bowl practices, and both teams looked sharper on the turf at Jaguar Training facility on the campus of South Alabama. ![]()
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