The Senior Bowl is always an important part of the draft process. But this year, during the coronavirus pandemic, teams will rely even more heavily on the information they gathered from prospects and practice this week in Mobile, Ala.
"Really a critical week for us, one of the biggest weeks of the year, especially considering we haven't had a chance this year to get many live exposures," Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta said. "We haven't had many school visits. We haven't been to many college games. So this is really a significant piece of the draft puzzle."
Players were on the practice field Tuesday through Thursday, leading up to Saturday afternoon's game. Here are some of the players who stood out:
DE Carlos "Boogie" Basham, Wake Forest
6-foot-5, 285 pounds; 6 games, 28 tackles, 4 ½ for loss; 5 sacks
Basham had a strip-sack which he recovered during Wednesday's team drills, showing his ability to force turnovers. He had at least one quarterback pressure in all 34 games he started at Wake Forest. His first step has been too much to handle for many offensive linemen during one-on-one drills.
WR D'Wayne Eskridge, Western Michigan
5-foot-9, 190 pounds; 6 games, 33 catches, 768 yards, 8 touchdowns
Teams looking for a someone to take the top off defenses have seen Eskridge's ability to beat cornerbacks on deep routes. He is getting off the line of scrimmage quickly without being jammed. ESPN's Field Yates of ESPN called Eskridge the most impressive player on the field during Tuesday's practice. Eskridge has also been mentioned as an intriguing prospect by Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta.
RB Demetric Felton, UCLA
5-foot-10, 200 pounds; 6 games, 132 carries, 668 yards, 5 touchdowns; 22 receptions, 159 yards, 3 touchdowns
Felton has drawn huge attention this week not only as a runner, but as a receiver. He has taken some defensive backs to school with his route-running, while displaying quickness running between the tackles. Felton is convincing teams that drafting him will make their offense more dynamic.
OC Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma
6-foot-5, 320 pounds
Humphrey, who played on the Sooners' offensive line with Ravens guard Ben Powers, was expected to be one of the top offensive linemen at the Senior Bowl and he has not disappointed. His power as a run blocker is making it difficult for defensive linemen to get off his blocks. He is also moving well, showing the ability to create holes on a variety of running plays.
QB Mac Jones, Alabama
6-foot-3, 214 pounds; 13 games, 311-for-402, 4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns, 4 interceptions
The impressive accuracy that Jones displayed during the Crimson Tide's run to another National Championship has continued in Mobile. He consistently gives receivers a chance to make plays, hitting them in stride and throwing them open. Jones is solidifying his case to be a first-round pick for a team in need of a quarterback.
C-G Quinn Meinerz, Wisconsin-Whitewater
6-foot-3, 320 pounds
This is the small college prospect creating the most buzz. Meinerz is a nasty blocker who loves mixing it up in the trenches. He has opened eyes during blocking drills by pancaking defensive linemen to the ground. How tough is he? According to The Athletic's Dane Brugler, Meinerz broke a bone in his right hand during practice this week, but he stayed on the field and intends to play Saturday in the Senior Bowl.
DT Levi Onwuzurike, Washington
6-foot-3, 293 pounds; opted out of 2020 season
It has been more than a year since Onwuzurike played in a game, but if he feels rusty, it's not showing. He has shown the potential to be an effective NFL run stuffer during one-on-one drills. Offensive linemen are having difficulty moving Onwuzurike, and he sheds blocks quickly.
WR Josh Palmer, Tennessee
6-foot-2, 210 pounds; 10 games, 33 catches, 475 yards, 4 touchdowns
This is another strong draft class for wide receivers and Palmer is raising his stock with his consistency this week. Palmer has a long wingspan he uses to haul in catches and he presents a big target to quarterbacks as a possession receiver. He's running nice routes with deceptive moves.
WR Cornell Powell, Clemson
6-foot-0, 210 pounds; 12 games, 53 catches, 882 yards, 7 touchdowns
He isn't the fastest receiver at the Senior Bowl, but he's showing Velcro hands and a knack for using his body to shield defenders. When given a chance to make plays, Powell is finding a way. A one-handed grab he made during Wednesday's practice was a highlight of the session.
EDGE Quincy Roche, Miami
6-foot-3, 245 pounds, 10 games; 45 tackles, 14 ½ for loss, 4 ½ sacks
More of a bull rusher than a speed guy, Roche is using his power to put the pressure on quarterbacks. Roche has also shown agility, going low on some offensive linemen to create leverage. No matter who he lines up against, Roche does not look overmatched.
WR Amari Rodgers, Clemson
5-foot-10, 210 pounds; 12 games, 77 catches, 1,020 yards, 7 touchdowns
One of the smaller receivers at the Senior Bowl, Rodgers is getting open with decisive cuts that could translate into him being a productive slot receiver. He has made several nice catches on long balls during one-on-one drills, and he has shown strong hands in traffic.
RB Larry Rountree III, Missouri
5-foot-10, 210 pounds; 10 games, 209 carries, 972 yards, 14 touchdowns
It was expected that Rountree would run with force, but he has also excelled at pass protection and while making several nice catches. His performance during the game on Saturday will be another important audition, but Roundtree's stock among running backs seems to be rising.
WR Shi Smith, South Carolina
5-foot-10, 190 pounds, 9 games, 57 catches, 633 yards, 4 touchdowns
Running a variety of routes effectively, Smith is showing he can lineup anywhere and get open. Not only is he fast, he's showing change-of-pace on routes to keep defenders off-balance. Smith has made some of the most acrobatic catches of Senior Bowl week.
WR Kadarius Toney, Florida
5-feet-11, 194 pounds; 11 games, 70 catches, 984 yards, 10 touchdowns
He was extremely impressive on Tuesday's first day of workouts, and despite a couple drops the following day, Toney is consistently winning one-on-one battles with his athleticism. He has made some ankle-breaking moves to beat cornerbacks in press coverage.
