2024 Senior Bowl: NFL.com names Top 5 standouts from Day 1
Scouting for the NFL Draft officially kicked off this week as coaches gather in Alabama for the Senior Bowl. Every practice for the all-star game is akin to a mini combine session.
After Tuesday, an order is starting to develop at some of the positions. Houston-based scout Lance Zierlein, a draft analyst for NFL.com, named the five players who stood out the most. Remember, there are 100 players competing in Mobile, Ala, for a higher draft grade.
Receivers, a couple of edge rushers and an offensive tackle made the biggest Senior Bowl impressions on Zeirlien.
Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan
Keep in mind that wide receiver might be the deepest position in the draft. Daniel Jeremiah, who analyzes the draft for NFL.com, listed three receivers and a tight end amongst his early top 10 prospects. And a receiver caught Zeirlien’s eye, too, during Tuesday’s Senior Bowl sessions.
Wilson, Zeirlien said, “showed off his ability to run away from coverage and make contested catches with strong hands throughout practice. … Wilson’s talent for creating mismatches and opening throwing windows for his quarterback reminds me of what I saw from Tank Dell at the Senior Bowl last year, and we know Dell thrived once he was paired with C.J. Stroud in Houston.”
Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia
McConkey missed several games this past fall because of injuries. But he’s shining at the Senior Bowl. Zierlein said of McConkey:
“The Bulldogs star is a thoughtful route-runner who attacks defenses with a well-defined route plan. On Tuesday, he was able to create separation left and right. His ability to uncover and make the tough catch should continue into Day 2, because he’s proven he can do it on a consistent basis.”
Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
Receiver is crowded. So is the offensive line. OU’s Guyton is vying to be the first o-lineman off the board when the draft starts in late April. Zeirlien certainly noticed him at the Senior Bowl.
Zeirlien wrote: “Guyton was one of the tackles who had a performance that matched his potential on Tuesday. He has great size (6-foot-7, 328 pounds) and length, and he used both traits to his advantage in shutting down spin moves and bull rushes in one-on-one drills. Guyton is a little light on experience (one season as a full-time starter) but heavy on talent, so Tuesday could mark the beginning of a jump up draft boards.”
Chris Braswell, Edge, Alabama
Finally, it’s a defensive player. Edge rusher also is a coveted position in the NFL Draft. So there likely is a gaggle of scouts watching this position group practice at the Senior Bowl. Zeirlien honed in on Bama’s Braswell. In fact, the draft scout said he may up his grade on the former Crimson Tide star.
“While he still has some things to prove as a run defender,” Zeirlien wrote, “he was extremely physical at the point of attack in run drills against offensive linemen. And (he) ran Houston’s Patrick Paul back into the pocket with a big bull rush early in the rush segment of practice. Alabama edge defenders are always well-schooled, but the aggression from Braswell really stood out.”
Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA
And we’ve got another edge rusher showing out at the Senior Bowl. Latu was so dominant at UCLA, he earned unanimous All-American honors as well as the Lombardi and Hendricks trophies. But he’s got competition at the Senior Bowl for top pass rusher.
Zeirlien gushed over this former Bruin, saying watching the UCLA game tape was the highlight of his January. After the first Senior Bowl practice, Zeirlien wrote: “He looked controlled but instinctive throughout his rush reps. He still has some work to do as a run defender, and Latu’s biggest hurdle pre-draft will be the medical evaluations, as he did have a serious neck injury during his time at Washington. But Latu is priming his draft slotting by reinforcing what he put on tape for the last two seasons at UCLA.”
Senior Bowl game information
The Senior Bowl, which is considered the most prestigious all-star game on the calendar, is set for this Saturday. Not all the top guys are competing in Mobile. For example, Caleb Williams, the likely top pick, isn’t participating in drills. Neither is Drake Maye.
You can check out the rosters and other info here.