The Reese’s Senior Bowl is this afternoon and there are several intriguing prospects playing in the game. Here are our top ten offensive and defensive prospects to watch for.
Top 10 Offensive Prospects
1. Dan Feeney, OG, Indiana (North): Feeney is a road grader who plays with good technique, power and leverage. He is a solid short area pass blocker who moves well laterally and can adjust to speed rushers. Feeney is a first round prospect.
2. O.J Howard, TE, Alabama (South): Howard was more productive as a junior statistically but despite a decrease in his numbers, he still offers intriguing potential. Howard can play on the line or can be displaced and play in space as a split end or slot. He is a terrific blocker who is fundamentally sound but it his receiving skills that intrigue scouts and coaches.
3. Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington (North): I like Kupp’s size and competitiveness. He has had a great week of practice in Mobile. Kupp is a precise route runner who easily gets in and out of his cuts. He shows good vertical burst and can separate after the catch.
Kupp also has strong hands and has the size at 6’2 to win one on one battles. If Kupp has a good game on Saturday and a strong combine, he could go in the second round.
4. Forrest Lamp, OG, Western Kentucky: Lamp is a former left tackle who will move inside to guard at the next level. Lamp is athletic and can play on the line of scrimmage and in space. He is strong enough to anchor down and win one on one battles and has shown he can consistently get to the second off of double teams.
Lamp has smooth, fluid feet and can match up with speed rushers who line up as three techniques. He is an intriguing prospect who has day two value. Lamp appears to be out with an ankle injury but teams have a pretty good idea of what he can do.
5. Evan Ingram, TE, Ole Miss (South): Ingram is more of an H-Back than he tight end. He can line up anywhere in a formation and create match-ups. Ingram has terrific hands and is an exceptional route runner. Reminds me a lot of Jordan Reed.
6. Zay Jones, WR, East Carolina (North): Jones has good size and has the second level speed necessary to stack a corner and beat him on a fade ball. Jones has plus hands but he needs to be a more consistent route runner.
7. Davis Webb, QB, California (South): Webb threw the ball a bunch in college between his stops at Texas Tech and Cal. At 6-5 190, Webb has the size, the arm strength and the experience to develop into a starting quarterback. The quarterback class is average in this year’s draft. Webb can put himself on the map with a quality performance today.
8. Mike Roberts, TE, Toledo (South): Roberts played in the East West Shrine game last week as well. He is a terrific route runner who has strong hands and deceptive quickness in space . With a solid performance today, Roberts could position himself to go early in day three.
9. Ethan Pocic, C, LSU (South): Pocic is strong at the point of attack and gets good movement against shade defensive tackles and nose tackles. Pocic could be more consistent in pass pro but he has the size, skills and intangibles to be a starter in the NFL.
10. Jamaal Williams, RB, BYU (South): Williams runs with good power and balance. He is a tackle to tackle grinder who can push the pile on contact. Williams isn’t explosive in space but he is fast enough to separate in the open field and finish runs. Reminds me a lot of the Bears Jordan Howard.
Top 10 Defensive Prospects
1. Ryan Anderson, DE/OLB, Alabama: The 6’2 258 pound Anderson is an explosive, quick twitch pass rusher who makes plays. He is a bit undersized but he makes up for it by giving relentless effort.
Anderson plays with good leverage and he is stout against the run. He offers scheme versatility as either a five technique defensive end in the 4-3 or as an outside linebacker in the 3-4.
2. Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU: White will not play in the game because he tweaked his ankle earlier this week in practice. White has good size, speed and plays with a high I.Q. He is ideally suited in a defensive scheme that plays a lot of man coverage. White can also return kicks as well. He should go in the first round with a good combine.
3. Haason Reddick, ILB, Temple: The former defensive end turned outside linebacker had a great week of practice in Mobile. Reddick proved to scouts and talent evaluators that he is more than capable of playing in space and being effective in zone coverage. With a good game today, his stock could really rise.
4. Obi Melinfonwu, S, Uconn: Melinfonwu played free safety at Uconn but he has the size, speed and ball skills to play corner as well. Melinfonwu flew under the radar for the past two years playing but scouts are now aware of just how talented and athletic he is.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Melinfonwu went late in the first round or early in the second. Especially if he has a good combine. Reminds me of Cowboys cornerback Byron Jones, a former teammate of Melinfonwu’s at Uconn.
5. Cameron Sutton, CB, Tennessee: Sutton has good size (5-11 182) and is a terrific athlete. He had a great week of practice in Mobile after a shaky senior season in which he was inconsistent. If Sutton can put it together and get the most out of his ability, he has first round talent. Sutton is also a terrific punt returner.
6. Damontae Kazee, CB, San Diego State: At 5-10 183, Kazee doesn’t pass the eye test on first blush but he is a terrific corner. He is a fluid athlete who is smooth in his back pedal and can get in and out of breaks with ease.
Kazee anticipates routes well and does a good job of breaking on the ball. Kazee will struggle at times on the outside because he has good but not great ball skills. He is better suited to play in the slot as a nickel corner.
7. Desmond King, S, Iowa: King has played predominately corner in his career and he came to Mobile as a corner but he’ll transition to free safety in the NFL.
King is a smart, tough and instinctive player but he lacks the quickness to play corner on the outside and he doesn’t have the recovery speed teams look for in the NFL.
8. Dawuane Smoot, DE, Illinois: Smoot is a pure edge rusher who has an explosive first step and can separate from an offensive tackle quickly. At 6-3 255, he offers scheme versatility in that he can play defensive end in the 4-3 or outside linebacker in the 3-4.
Teams want to see more consistency from Smoot and I think he did that this week with the way he practiced.
9. Carlos Watkins, DT, Clemson: Watkins is ideally suited to play the three technique defensive tackle in the 4-3. At 6-4 312, Watkins has good length. He can extend, press and separate from blockers and he plays with a good motor.
Watkins showed good functional strength and leverage this week when splitting double teams. He also showed good power as a bull and rip pass rusher. Watkins should go early in day three and has the potential to start as a rookie.
10. Montravius Adams, DT, Auburn: Adams is a first round talent but consistency has been an issue for him. He has played up to competition at Auburn and he did that this week at practice but he needs to do it more consistently.
There is no question the talent is there. If Adams has a strong pre-draft season, he could potential go in the first round. The defensive tackle position is not strong in this draft.