Prospects boost stock during Senior Bowl week

 

MOBILE, Ala. — The 2015 Senior Bowl will be played Saturday, but the heavy lifting is already done as all 32 NFL teams were represented this week to evaluate prospects during daily practices.

The game itself, scheduled for 4 p.m. ET on NFL Network, carries some value, but the majority of scouts and executives have already left town, having seen what they needed to see.

Below are 10 Senior Bowl prospects who opened eyes this week and helped themselves in the minds of NFL evaluators.

— OL Ali Marpet, Hobart (6-4, 307). It’s not easy for a player to go from Division III to the Senior Bowl and stand out in a positive way, but that’s what Marpet did this week, more than just holding his own during drills. He did a nice job squaring and with excellent body coordination to latch and play sticky against some of the best pass rushers in the senior class. Marpet might be ideally suited inside at guard in the NFL, but he proved in Mobile that he’s worth a draft pick.

— CB Kevin White, TCU (5-9, 180). During practice drills, White displayed the athleticism needed for the position with natural movement skills, swivel hips and explosive footwork to redirect his momentum in any direction. Measuring 5 feet 9 and 180 pounds with arms under the 30-inch benchmark, White doesn’t necessarily look the part, but he is a top-notch competitor who doesn’t back down physically, attacking the catch point with a “my ball” attitude.

— DT Carl Davis, Iowa (6-5, 321). After playing mostly a one-technique role for the Hawkeyes, Davis didn’t have too many splash plays on his college game film. But when put in one-on-one opportunities in Mobile, he was near unblockable, using his initial quickness, brute power and natural leverage to shine during drills. Davis was already considered a top-75 draft pick entering the week, but after this week, he might have cemented himself as a top-50 prospect.

— WR Jamison Crowder, Duke (5-8, 174). It can be tough for a 5-8, 174-pound wide receiver to stand tall in this type of all-star setting, but that’s exactly what Crowder did this week, showing the best combination of explosion and polish at the position. He has a tiny catching radius and small hands (8 3/8 inches) but caught everything thrown his way during drills, showing the ball skills and separation skills that will appeal to teams in search of an impact slot target.

— DE/OLB Nate Orchard, Utah (6-3, 251). Despite a record-setting senior season at Utah, Orchard wasn’t considered a first-round pick entering the week and was far from being a top-100 lock. But he forced evaluators to take a second look after he routinely flashed during practices, winning with edge speed, long arms and active energy. Orchard has limitations, but he also uses his bag of tricks to be effective, reinforcing that at times the end result is more important than the process.

— DT Danny Shelton, Washington (6-2, 343). Shelton entered the week with a good amount of hype and he lived up to the expectations, showing off rare movement skills for a 343-pound body. He also has the upper-body power to match but got away with bullying blockers in college and needs to develop his hand technique for the next level. As the week winds down, Shelton is the prevailing favorite to be the first player drafted from the Senior Bowl rosters.

— RB David Johnson, Northern Iowa (6-1, 224). Looking like a linebacker during the weigh-ins, Johnson was another small-school player who immediately proved that he belonged, especially as a pass catcher out of the backfield. He doesn’t have the traditional frame for the position and might be best suited for a hybrid H-back role, utilizing his ability as a receiver and blocker in pass pro. But regardless, he’s a versatile prospect teams would love to add to the depth chart.

— OT La’el Collins, LSU (6-5, 308). Just like his game tape, it didn’t always look pretty for Collins in Mobile, but more often than not, he gets the job done. Seeing reps at tackle and guard, he showed the same grit and determination during drills that he does during games, extending and selling out on each snap. Collins will fall off balance and overextend himself at times, but he also showed that he can recover and finish his blocks. He reinforced the first-round grades being thrown at him.

— FB Jalston Fowler, Alabama (5-10, 264). Although he’s tagged with the fullback label, Fowler showed that he’s much more than that. With only 12 carries as a senior for the Crimson Tide, he was an afterthought on that offense, but after seeing him during Senior Bowl practices, it was clear that he was also underutilized. During drills, Fowler was through the hole with decisive quickness and the pop to brush off contact, keeping his feet and rumbling to the second level.

— G/C Shaq Mason, Georgia Tech (6-2, 310). It was easy to see Mason’s body control and quickness in Georgia Tech’s triple-option offense, but it was near impossible to truly evaluate him until seeing him outside of that scheme. This week in Mobile provided scouts that opportunity to judge his talent in a pro-style look and Mason didn’t disappoint. He made the easy transition and even took some snaps at center, which might be his best NFL position.

Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) is a senior analyst for NFLDraftScout.com, owned by The Sports Xchange and distributed in partnership with CBSSports.com.