While the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots make preparations for their Super Bowl matchups, the remaining 30 NFL teams look ahead to free agency and the draft.
First among these will be the Senior Bowl, a yearly rite of passage of the nation’s top [willing] senior college prospects who will be poked and prodded like cattle in a weeklong combine-like event.
Exhale.
The Senior Bowl also acts as a preview of what's to come this draft season. Last season, the practices - and remember, it’s all about the practices - help vault Carson Wentz into the second overall pick few thought he’d become this time last year. In hindsight, it wasn’t Wentz who ultimately may be remembered for his Senior Bowl appearance, but fourth-rounder Dak Prescott - a member of the South Team. In all, four quarterbacks invited to last year’s game made a starting appearance in 2016.
It's significant to know this year's matchup will be coached by the Cleveland Browns (South Team), who own the first overall and twelfth overall picks in this draft and the Chicago Bears (North Team), who own the third overall pick.
Names To Know
This year’s roster is a microcosm of what the class has to offer in 2017. Unlike last year’s quarterback-rich class, this year offers a thin depth chart at the position, while bursting at the seams with first and second-day worthy defensive backs and offensive and defensive lineman.
Corners and Receivers
Cornerbacks Jourdan Lewis (Michigan), Desmond King (Iowa), Rasul Douglas (West Virginia), Cameron Sutton (Tennessee), Corn Elder (Miami, FL), Damontae Kazee (San Diego State), and Tre’Davious White (LSU) are the headliners at the position. None are locks to sneak into the first round, but could quickly change their fortunes with strong practices.
Lining up opposite the receivers in the coveted one-on-one drills are no slouches, either. Receivers Amara Darboh (Michigan), Amba Etta-Tawo (Syracuse), Cooper Kupp (Eastern Washington), Zay Jones (East Carolina), Artavis Scott (Clemson), Fred Ross (Mississippi State), Taywan Taylor (Western Kentucky), Josh Reynolds (Texas A&M), Travin Dural (LSU), and Ryan Switzer (North Carolina) are all up to the task.
Offensive and Defensive Lines
Even if the group of receivers and defensive backs don’t find their way into the first round, their ultimate landing spot will strongly be influenced by how they size up against one another.
The perimeter skill players aren't the only position group brimming with talent. The offensive line is well represented with first round guard prospects in Stanford’s Dan Feeney and Western Kentucky’s Forrest Lamp, while fringe first round tackles Antonio Garcia (Troy), Adam Bisnowaty (Pittsburgh), and Taylor Moton (Western Michigan) solidify the group.
The defensive front players leave little to be desired, either. Montravius Adams (Auburn), Carlos Watkins (Clemson), Jordan Willis (Kansas State), Tanoh Kpassagnon (UT-Chattanooga), Jaleel Johnson (Iowa), and Chris Wormley (Michigan) should all vacillate between the first and second round in their projections.
Further down the defensive front players are names like Dawuane Smoot from Syracuse and Tarell Basham from Ohio, who both have to prove they’re more than finesse pass rushers players in the NFL.
Safeties, Linebackers, and Tight Ends
Second level linebackers include National Champion Ben Boulware (Clemson), Florida’s Alex Anzalone, LSU’s Duke Riley, Temple’s Haason Reddick, and Alabama’s Ryan Anderson.
They’ll be paired across a formidable group of “move” tight ends, notably Evan Engram (Ole Miss) and Gerald Everett (South Alabama). The leader in the clubhouse at tight end is Alabama’s O.J. Howard, who will likely see more work as a receiver in a week in Mobile than perhaps his whole career in Tuscaloosa.
Also matched up against the tight ends will be a solid pair of safeties. Miami’s Rayshawn Jenkins and Texas A&M’s Justin Evans are the biggest names in the bunch.
Perhaps the one group with the most to prove is the running backs, who may have to settle being the 4th back taken in a class with a strong group of juniors. BYU’s Jamaal Williams, Toledo’s Kareem Hunt, and Wisconsin’s Corey Clement may have the best shot to break the glass ceiling set up by Fournette, Cook, and McCaffrey (the juniors).
Quarterbacks
Last on the docket are the quarterbacks, who project to be a much less inspiring group than last year’s crop. Nate Peterman, Davis Webb, and Josh Dobson enter the practices with the strongest reputations, but they might have to play their best ball to leave on good terms heading into the combine. Overall, it’s an uninspiring group.