Inside the Senior Bowl Week 3 scouting notebook: Eight 2024 NFL draft prospects generating buzz
Each week during the season, On3 catches up with Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy to identify 2024 NFL draft prospects whose draft stock is on the rise.
Here are eight players generating buzz among Nagy and the Senior Bowl staff coming out of Week 3 (listed alphabetically):
Yale OL Kiran Amegadjie
Amegadjie has been Yale’s starting left tackle the last two years after starting at guard in 2021. Although the Bulldogs lost to Holy Cross in Week 3, the 6-foot-5, 321-pound Amegadjie helped Yale rush for 226 yards and score 17 first-half points.
“Got our first live look at Amegadjie and he certainly looks the part,” Nagy said. “Overall athleticism was obvious just going through pre-game drills. Worked with friend of the Senior Bowl, Mobile native and former Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro Willie Anderson, over the summer and his improved technique stood out in his first game of season versus Holy Cross. Intense demeanor and clearly the alpha of their o-line group during pre-game. Thicker and more developed lower body than Chicago Bears starting left tackle Braxton Jones, who our scout went and saw two years ago when he coming out of Southern Utah. Possesses feet and length to play left tackle at the next level. Still needs to work on playing with better pad level in run game. He’s the Senior Bowl’s highest graded sub-FBS player based off junior tape and has a chance to join small-school guys like Tennessee-Chattanooga’s Cole Strange, Northern Iowa’s Trevor Penning and North Dakota State’s Cody Mauch, who became Top-50 picks after strong weeks in Mobile.”
Auburn LB Eugene Asante
Asante, who joined Auburn last year as a transfer from North Carolina, has emerged as a real factor for the Tigers this season after playing in just four games and posting only one tackle under the previous Auburn staff last year. Asante, whom Auburn lists at 6-foot-1, 222 pounds, posted a combined 18 tackles and two sacks in the Tigers’ first two games against UMass and Cal. That includes 12 tackles, a sack, two additional quarterback hurries and a pass break-up in the win over Cal. Nagy was listening to that game on the radio as he was driving home from the Alabama-Texas game and kept hearing Asante’s name because of all of the plays he was making versus the Golden Bears.
“Wasn’t on the 2024 Senior Bowl watch list but has gotten our attention early this season,” Nagy said. “Played primarily on the scout team last year for former Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin. Popped off tape in the Cal game with violent take-on ability and disruptive closing speed. Rocked-up specimen that looks the part and loved his energy during pre-game exposure on Saturday versus Samford. Naturally aggressive downhill off-ball linebacker who trusts what he sees and pulls the trigger. Shows playmaking knack as blitzer. NFL special teams coaches will love his innate physicality and speed. Similar sideline-to-sideline speed as the guy he replaced in the starting lineup, Arizona Cardinals fifth-round pick Owen Pappoe, but Asante is more of a natural football player and makes more plays. It’s worth noting that Pappoe was the fastest linebacker at 2023 NFL Combine, so the speed comparison was not taken lightly.”
Georgia RB Daijun Edwards
In his first action of this season, Edwards ran for a career-high 118 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries during Georgia’s 24-14 win over South Carolina. Edwards, who has verified measurements of 5-foot-9 4/8, 204 pounds, ranked second on the Bulldogs last year with 769 rushing yards. He missed the first two games of this season due to a knee injury.
“Didn’t show any apparent signs of rust after all the time off,” Nagy said. “Showed good vision and decisiveness. Georgia’s o-line did a nice job on a few well-blocked runs but Edwards was also forced to create some runs on his own with his lateral pick-and-slide ability. Showed good ability to stick his foot in the ground on wide runs to get downhill. Ran with good north/south mentality and grounded out some tough yards on a wet and sloppy field. Wasn’t targeted in the passing game and NFL scouts will want to see him be more involved as receiver as year goes on. He will definitely be in the mix at the running back spot for the Senior Bowl.”
Oregon State OL Joshua Gray
Gray, a four-year starter at Oregon State, helped the Beavers accumulate 475 yards of total offense during a 26-9 Week 3 win over San Diego State. He also had a 3-yard touchdown catch on a trick play. Gray, who has verified measurements of 6-foot-4 3/8, 306 pounds, has been an All-Pac selection two of the last three years.
“Projects as inside player at the next level because of shorter arms but has starter-level athleticism and overall game,” Nagy said. “Has started all 36 career games over the past four seasons and the NFL factors and values durability more than the media. Trim-looking dude with no bad weight on him but looks close to maxed-out physically. Survives on the edge at the college level despite lack of desired length because of good feet and patience in pass protection. Good initial quickness, lateral mobility and angle player who fits best for NFL teams that use zone blocking concepts in run game. Loved how he competed to the whistle the entire game (against San Diego State).
“Scouts will have questions about his ability to anchor versus bigger, more powerful defensive tackles if he moves inside as a pro. Showed off his smaller-man athleticism on a 3-yard TD on a cross-field ‘throw back’ tackle-eligible play in the second quarter. The Senior Bowl has a starter-level grade on Gray at this point in the evaluation process but he still has some big matchups in late November (versus Washington and Oregon) against better competition than he’s faced so far.”
Arkansas OL Beaux Limmer
Limmer is now playing center for Arkansas after previously starting at guard. Limmer, who has verified measurements of 6-foot-4 2/8, 303 pounds, is a four-year starter and was a preseason All-SEC selection.
“Taller center with longer torso and shorter legs,” Nagy said. “Sources have said he’s a 700-pound squatter. Has some twitch for a center and you see that in his ability to get his second step into the ground. Natural bender who can drop weight and anchor versus bull rush. Starting experience is obvious in how he sees things and provides help in pass pro. Had a couple of high snaps to QB K.J. Jefferson (against BYU in Week 3) but we don’t have any issues with his snapping. Showed good footwork to recover and re-establish position. This is a deep center class and Limmer will be firmly in play for an invite along with a fellow Arkansas senior, offensive guard Brady Latham. Most NFL teams we spoke with had solid mid-Day 3 grades on Limmer over the summer.”
West Virginia DL Sean Martin
Last year, in his first season as a starter, Martin tallied 34 tackles, eight tackles for loss and four sacks. This year, the 6-foot-5, 291-pound Martin has nine tackles and a tackle for loss through three games. In Week 3, Martin helped West Virginia hold rival Pittsburgh without a touchdown in a 17-6 victory over the Panthers.
“Lines up at defensive end and was game captain (against Pitt),” Nagy said. “Hard-to-find combination of length and get-off quickness. Can run and chase. Showed good big man hustle to run things down from behind. Scheme versatile prospect who could fit as 4i/5-tech for odd-front teams and a 3-tech or ‘big 5’ for even-front clubs. Strong lockout player at point of attack. Long dude who plays long. NFL scouts will get excited about his disruptive upside as a pass rusher. There’s not a lot of buzz on Martin right now in draft media but we see that changing once we get into the pre-draft process. We could see his stock rising after an expected good showing in Senior Bowl one-on-one drills.”
Illinois DL Jer’Zhan Newton
Newton, a 2022 All-American, posted combined totals of 112 tackles in 2021 and ’22 and finished the 2022 season with 14 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and three pass break-ups. Newton, who has verified measurements of 6-foot-1 2/8, 300 pounds, has 15 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, two pass break-ups and a blocked kick through three games this season. He had six tackles, a tackle for loss, two pass break-ups, two quarterback hurries and a blocked kick during Illinois’ loss to Penn State on Saturday.
“This is a player we liked off his junior tape and he didn’t disappoint in the live game exposure versus Penn State on Saturday,” Nagy said. “His twitchiness jumps out when you first see him during pre-game. It’s hard to find 3-techniques with his combination of quickness and power. Difficult one-on-one matchup in pass pro for interior offensive linemen. Knows how to rush the passer and has good overall rush instincts. Understands when he’s not going to get home and does a good job reading the QB so he can get hands up to alter throwing lanes. Excellent get-off also allowed him to block a field goal versus Penn State.
“NFL teams will likely nit-pick his undersized measurables during the pre-draft process but Newton will make an immediate impact for whatever team drafts him based off his tape.Aaron Donald came to the Senior Bowl to prove doubters wrong about his lack of size and length and he made significant money. Newton could do the same.”
Kansas State TE Ben Sinnott
Sinnott has evolved from a walk-on into one of the nation’s top tight ends. After earning first-team All-Big 12 recognition last season, the 6-foot-4, 245-pound Sinnott now has 11 catches for 183 yards and two touchdowns through three games this season. He had five catches for 78 yards and two TDs during Kansas State’s 30-27 loss to Missouri on Saturday.
“Came into this season as one of the Senior Bowl’s top-graded tight ends and confirmed that strong feeling about him in live exposure versus Mizzou on Saturday,” Nagy said. “Enjoyed watching him during pre-game. Has a pro’s approach (dialed-in, out there early, clearly had a preparation plan). Aligned all over (flexed wide, slot, fullback, attached Y), which tells scouts something about his football intelligence since K-State obviously trusts him with so many roles. Very flexible in hips and ankles, which shows up in his route running. Natural ball catcher. Had a costly drop late in the game but made some nice adjustments on other targets and reeled-in a circus catch on a corner route in the third quarter. Runs well enough to threaten safeties. Shows good reactiveness to slip pursuit in the open field. Willing enough blocker and good enough in space for NFL teams to work with in the run game. The Senior Bowl projects him as likely Day 2 pick.”