MORSE: Senior Bowl Day 3 Review and Top Players

Mark Morse

2 years ago at 4:30 am ET

Posted Under: 2021 Patriots Draft

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This wraps up the Senior Bowl Practice coverage. First off, an incredible job by the Senior Bowl staff and Jim Nagy in particular. They allowed this group of college seniors to show their stuff. Some will benefit and others will need to improve before the draft if they want to hear their name called.

Here are some outstanding players I have observed. I follow that with players other scribes have been impressed with this week and the ones I liked. Finally, I have the long list of players that are injured. I have to mention Quinn Meinerz OG from Wisconsin – Whitewater. He broke his hand sometime in practice on Thursday, but never came out and finished practice. He said he wants to play on Saturday. That is desire and toughness. He also switched to playing OC which he had never done before and played remarkably.

Mac Jones QB Alabama – He was far and away the most impressive player in Mobile. Many questioned whether his success was due to the outstanding cast of players around him. Wide Receivers DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle will be 1^st round picks. Running back Najee Harris is a Day 2 pick along with three outstanding Offensive lineman in Rimington Award winner Center, Landon Dickerson, Outland Trophy winner, Tackle, Alex Leatherwood and the mountain, Guard, Deonte Brown. Jones had a completely new crew of receivers that he was not familiar with. It didn’t matter … Jones was fantastic all week. Consistent in his decision making, delivery and feel for the game. This is exactly what the scouts wanted to see. He may have vaulted himself as high as the #8 selection in the draft. His American team was coached by Matt Ruhle and the Carolina coaching staff. They got an up close and personal look at Jones and couldn’t help but come away impressed.

Larry Roundtree RB Missouri – He outperformed all expectations this week. His pass catching, route running and blocking were at an elite level, something scouts weren’t expecting. He was quicker than advertised. His 40 time will be very important and determine how high he will be drafted. He really helped himself his week.

Cameron Sample DE Tulane – Sample is rather small for DE but he is very dense and explosive. He is hard to move off the spot despite being just 6’3” 280 lbs. His hand work is exquisite with his aggressive style. He just kept showing up on the tape play after play. So much so that scouts are now going back and re-evaluating his game tape. Here is another case of coming in unheralded, and leaving making some money by getting picked higher than he would have if he didn’t have this showcase.

Cade Johnson WR South Dakota St – SD St is a FCS school in the Missouri Valley Conference that chose not to play this fall. Therefore a good showing for Johnson here in the Senior Bowl was very important. He didn’t disappoint. At 5’10” 186 lbs, Johnson is not a physically imposing player. He plays the slot which most of the WR here this week did. In 2018 and 2019 seasons he put up back to back 1000 yd seasons. He made a spectacular one handed catch on a long sideline throw for a TD with the defender draped all over him. On another route he completely destroyed the DB with a shoulder and head fake, leaving the DB in his dust. He beat him by 20 yards on an over route. He will be a day three pick now rather than a UDFA.

Amari Rodgers WR Clemson – Rodgers came in as one of the more heralded WR’s and he didn’t disappoint. He solidified himself as a Day 2 selection with a chance of getting a first round pick. He was slick off the line in press coverage gaining the early advantage and stacking the DB’s and making them pay. I was most impressed with his short area quickness, especially near the goal line. He made several receptions of balls thrown into a tight window.

Trevon Gaines WR Florida – He was a 5 star recruit coming out of High School and committed to Ohio St. He later transferred to Florida to become one of Kyle Trasks favorite targets this past season. He stands 6’4” and 217 lbs. Hard to miss. He is not a burner but just uses good technique and gets open. When he is thrown the ball he catches it! He reminds me of Jakobi Myers.

Matt Miller Players he liked this week at the Senior Bowl practices.

DT Levi Onwuzurike (Injured and will not play in the game)

OT James Hudson

WR Kadarius Toney

WR D’Wayne Eskridge

OT Dillon Radunz

OC Quinn Meinerz (Broken hand and wants to play in the game)

LB Jabril Cox

CB Richie Grant

CB Aaron Robinson

QB Mac Jones (Ankle injury may not play)

Evan Lazar 20 players to watch on Saturday’s game

QB Mac Jones, Alabama

QB Jamie Newman, Wake Forest

WR Kadarius Toney, Florida

RB/WR Demetric Felton, UCLA

WR Amari Rodgers, Clemson

WR Nico Collins, Michigan

WR Tylan Wallace

WR Shi Smith, South Carolina

WR Josh Palmer, Tennessee

WR Cade Johnson, South Dakota State

TE Hunter Long, Boston College

OL Alex Leatherwood, Alabama

OL Deonte Brown, Alabama

OL Quinn Meinerz, Wisconsin-Whitewater

DL Jonathon Cooper, Ohio State

DL Marvin Wilson, Florida State

DL Marlon Tuipulotu, USC

LB Riley Cole, South Alabama

CB Ifeatu Melifonwu, Syracuse

CB Aaron Robinson, UCF

DB Richie Grant, UCF

Morse’s Top Performers

WR D’Wayne Eskridge, Western Michigan

CB Aaron Robinson, UCF

RB/WR Demetric Felton, UCLA

QB Mac Jones, Alabama

OL Quinn Meinerz, Wisconsin-Whitewater

WR Josh Palmer, Tennessee

OL David Moore, Grambling

RB Kylin Hill, Mississippi St

TE Tre McKitty, Georgia

FB Ben Mason, Michigan

Edge Patrick Jones, Pittsburgh

DB Thomas Graham, Oregon

DT Cam Sample, Tulane

Edge Quincy Roche, U Miami

Injured Players that most likely will not play in Saturday’s game

Luckily the Senior Bowl Committee anticipated injuries/COVID related issue and added 16 more players than usual. The National Team is so short on WR’s that TE Kenny Yeboah has been taking reps at WR.

OC Ben Cleveland Georgia

OC Landon Dickerson, Alabama

WR DeVonta Smith, Alabama

QB Mac Jones, Alabama

OC Quinn Menerz, Wisconsin – Whitewater

LB Charles Snowden, Virginia

LB Monty Rice, Georgia

DB Robert Rochell, Central Arkansas

WR Ben Skowronek, Notre Dame

WR Sage Surratt, Wake Forest

DT Levi Onwuzurike, Washington

LB Chazz Surratt, North Carolina