On his tape, Eskridge looks like he is moving at a different speed than everyone else in the Mid-American Conference. And it was more of the same against better competition here. Cornerbacks struggled to press and contain him at the line of scrimmage as Eskridge used his suddenness and well-timed swipes to release and quickly get the upper hand. He hits his top speed with his second step and also showed remarkable start-stop quickness mid-route, leaving defenders out of position and off-balance.
Aside from his athletic gifts, Eskridge caught everything thrown his way with quick, strong hands to snatch away from his frame. He debuted at
No. 76 overall on my top-100 draft board and with his separation skills and pass-catching ability, I don’t have any regrets about ranking him that high. It is going to be a tough week of practice for the cornerbacks on the National squad as they try and stick with Eskridge one-on-one.
During the American practice, it was a trio of SEC receivers who stood out, led by South Carolina’s
Shi Smith.
The South Carolina native made the catch of the practice with a leaping, full-extension grab above his head — something he made look routine while in college. But it was more than acrobatics for Smith, who ran aggressive routes and used a sharp burst off his plant foot to create separation from defensive backs.
Smith is the type of competitor who is full-speed at all times, which can occasionally disrupt his focus. But that wasn’t the case today as he showed very quick hands to stab the football cleanly and put it away. It got to the point during team drills that the quarterbacks weren’t looking toward the other receivers because they knew there was a better chance of a completion when targeting Smith.
Two other SEC receivers played really well Tuesday: Florida’s
Kadarius Toney and Tennessee’s
Josh Palmer. Toney is my top-ranked prospect in Mobile, so it was no surprise that cornerbacks had a tough time with his athleticism and tracking skills. Palmer looked like a player on a mission with the way he practiced today. He created separation vertically and did a great job fearlessly working the middle of the field and securing the ball through contact. Out of the shadow of shaky quarterback play in Knoxville, Palmer is a strong candidate to be a better pro than college player.