Senior Bowl Results: Offense
Senior Bowl Results: Offense
Well, the day has come and passed. The North took on the South in today’s Senior Bowl and we had quite a showing from a few players. If you missed the game, shame on you; however, you’re in luck. In this article, I’m going to recap the game and take a look at each player on offense that impressed in today’s game and those who would have been better served staying off the field.
Game Numbers
The North went on to beat the South for the first time in the last four years by a score of 34-24. The North was coached by Jon Gruden and the Oakland (soon to be Vegas) coaching staff, while the South was helmed by Kyle Shanahan and his San Francisco coaching staff. Potential first-round pick Daniel Jones from Duke came away with the honors of game MVP.
Quarterbacks
The Senior Bowl is a prime opportunity for quarterbacks to set themselves apart from the rest of their class. This game had a few of college football’s premier signal callers under center. Drew Lock from Missouri looked particularly sharp his quarter of action, making strong, accurate throws and giving his receivers opportunities to run after the catch. On one particular play, he threaded the needle for what should have been a touchdown, however it was dropped in the end zone. He also completed an underhand pass, showing creativity that will be fun to watch on Sunday’s. Lock appears to be one of the top quarterbacks in this draft and helped bolster his position in the first round.
Another quarterback who had a successful afternoon is Duke’s, Daniel Jones. He looked strong throwing the ball in his Senior Bowl debut, completing 8-11 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. He also proved himself as a true dual-threat option, adding a rushing touchdown. After a tough week leading up to the game, Jones appeared to silence his critics and looked poised and confident, leading an 84-yard drive for a touchdown. After walking away with the game’s MVP award, I expect Daniel Jones to be in the mid-first round to early second round range in the draft.
Ryan Finley of NC State also looked to be an efficient passer, going 7-11 for 84 yards. Finley isn’t known for having a strong arm but showed in this game his precision and accuracy when pushing the ball out to his receivers. His performance, along with good pre-draft workouts might be enough to land him in the late second round, however, I believe he appears to be in the third round conversation; he’ll be a strong choice on day two of the draft.
The quarterback with the most work in this game was Tyree Jackson from Buffalo. While he showed some promise, Saturday’s game was a bit of a mixed bag from him. He did throw two touchdown passes when the score of the game was meaningless, however, he also threw an ugly interception on fourth down. After throwing the interception though, he bounced back with his second touchdown of the game on an NFL-type back shoulder throw. One play that demonstrated Jackson’s best ability was a 54-yard strike that allowed him to show off his strong arm. Tyree Jackson should be considered at best a fifth-round pick, thanks to his elite arm strength and large frame.
Running backs
The Senior Bowl wasn’t exactly an easy day for running backs, with the leading rusher racking up 60 yards on 8 carries. It seems that the most effective rushers in the game were the receivers for the North coming on end-arounds. Speaking of the leading rusher, Tony Pollard of Memphis showed the quick burst and elusiveness out of the backfield that has made him an electric kick returner. When it comes to his draft prospect, he showed that he can be more than an elite return-man; he can be a serviceable rusher and receiver.
Receivers
Of the receivers in this game, the most impressive by far was Andy Isabella from Massachusetts. He came away with seven receptions on seven targets for 74 yards and a touchdown. He showed good speed on his run after securing the screen pass for a touchdown. While he could stand to work on his ability to catch the ball away from his body, he still shows good hands and concentration when making a catch. Isabella showed the kind of ability that will make him a very good slot receiver. He also had a 14-yard run in which he again showed his quickness.
Another strong receiving performance came from Hunter Renfrow, who appeared to be everywhere on the field Saturday. He pulled down 5 catches on 6 targets for 63 yards, proving to be a reliable target for his quarterback. Some of his strengths that were on full display in the game were his route running and ability to separate himself from the defensive back, and his quickness in breaking out of his routes. He also showed good range when adjusting to make catches. I look forward to watching Renfrow on Sundays in the NFL.
Terry McLaurin of Ohio State was also expected to stand out and did not disappoint. He caught 4 passes for 53 yards. McLaurin shows great route running ability with quick feet, and strong hands when securing catches. One of his most-praised traits is his speed to get downfield on vertical routes. In many cases, good receivers can make their quarterback look great, and McLaurin’s quarterback is a top-5 pick. I believe that McLaurin has a lot to do with that. Terry McLaurin should also be considered in the first two rounds of the draft.
Conclusion
There was a lot to be excited about in the 2019 Senior Bowl. While there were many players that stood out, these are the offensive weapons that did the most to improve their draft stock. Look for these players to make some noise come draft time.
-By: Nick Selko