We have reached the point in the offseason when NFL prospect showcases have begun, and scouts are eager to see how the top players in this year’s class perform at the major bowl games. There are several events, including the American Bowl, the East-West Shrine Bowl, and the Senior Bowl, that serve as showcases for players to impress NFL scouts up close. Scouts love these events because they can get official measurements and see how each player prepares for practice and for a game, and this week will be very important for several prospects looking to push themselves up draft boards
The Senior Bowl will be played on the 31st and features some of my favorite guys in this year’s draft class, many of whom showed why they belong in the conversation to be some of this year’s top picks. Fans love to see one-on-one practices from these bowl games, and while some clips will go viral, helping or hurting a player’s draft stock, it’s the consistency that scouts are looking for. Today, I wanted to do something a little different: instead of predicting how these players will perform, I am going over my top-graded prospects from the event and how their performances will affect their draft stock.
Demetrious Crownover
The winner of the name game at the Senior Bowl is going to be Demetrious Crownover, the massive offensive tackle out of Texas A&M. At the Senior Bowl, Crownover came in at 6’7/330, and that massive frame showed up often both on film and at the Senior Bowl, where he dominated. His 35+ inch arms just engulfed smaller edge rushers, and he does an exceptional job kicking wide and beating pass rushers to the spot. He is a dominant run blocker, but what impressed me most was Crownover’s ability to sink his hips and get low against faster edge rushers to maintain the pocket. As of today, Crownover is my T3 in the draft and someone I think belongs in the first round, and certainly should not fall out of the top 50.
Max Iheanachor
Iheanachor is a super interesting prospect, as he did not start playing football until just five years ago. While he is far from the most polished prospect in the class, his athletic profile gives scouts a lot of hope that more is to come. He comes in at 6’6/320, the perfect frame for an NFL tackle, and his arms are 34.5 inches, proving to have all the intangible traits you can look for from an NFL tackle. He is not polished as a prospect, and he will be more of a project, but in a draft class as thin as this one, he could be very appealing. Scouts will watch not just how he plays against higher competition, but also how receptive he is to coaching at the Senior Bowl. A potential top 50 pick who may need to sit for a year but could develop into a cornerstone offensive lineman. Think of someone like Jordan Mailata, but smaller.
Nadame Tucker
Quickly implanting himself on “my guys” list, the Senior Bowl will be vital for Tucker’s draft stock as a player who just this year led the nation in sacks. Tucker started his career with Houston, where he struggled to find the field and transferred to Western Michigan after year three. This proved to be a vital mistake for Houston, who really could have used a player like Tucker on their defensive line. At WMU, Tucker blew me away with his elite first step and his ability to win in pass-rush scenarios with both speed and power. Scouts know Tucker has all the tools in the world, but there are concerns as to why he did not crack the Houston roster. If he proves he can win against top tackles in Mobile, his stock will skyrocket.
Jalon Kilgore
Kilgore is one of the most underrated prospects at one of the most underrated positions in the draft. Listed as a safety, Kilgore has played a wide range of positions in the secondary for South Carolina, but where I think he has really excelled is in the slot. He is a physical guy and loves to get up on the line of scrimmage and get into someone’s face. He does a good job jamming but also has the speed and skills to stick down the field. Where he really shows he can be a slot is when you let him blitz or defend the run, as he is an exceptional run defender and does a great job getting downhill and wrapping up. He has star potential in the NFL, and his performance in Mobile will only make him more popular.
Davison Igbinosun
It would not be one of my articles if it did not include the name Davison Igbinosun, whom I have been pounding the table about for well over a year now. Iggy is my top boundary corner in this year’s class, and I think his incredible blend of size, strength, and athleticism sets him up to be a star in the NFL. He has great ball skills in coverage, he’s a great athlete to stick on the hip of receivers, and he has exceptional physicality to jam guys at the line and come up to make tackles. Iggy has played in several defensive styles and has succeeded in all of them. The biggest gripe scouts have had with him is that he can be grabby, but his penalties took a nosedive this year, and I think he is the biggest sleeper in the class. Admittedly, he can be somewhat stiff and may struggle against elite speed, but I think his versatility and athleticism make for an incredible NFL corner.
