2022 Senior Bowl Day Three Practice Winners
Day Three is up, the practices are now done. The third day held indoors gave players an even playing surface from the potential weather, definitely providing better conditions than the rainy second day. These five players made the most of their last practice and will be looking to carry their good form into the Senior Bowl game on Saturday.
Desmond Ridder, QB Cincinnati
Many spent the past two days ragging on Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder. Ridder’s performance in the first two practices was subpar. He was inconsistent with his accuracy and was late on too many throws. His arm talent didn’t really show that much either. Many were ready to write off the former Bearcat, myself included, but boy did he respond in a big way on Thursday.
All of the aspects of his game that are intriguing were on display during Thursday's practice. He looked a lot more settled in and confident, and it showed in the 7v7 drills. He made multiple impressive throws, including a laser into a tight window in the end zone. Ridder still has his flaws, but do not forget that there is still talent there. Hopefully, he can keep the momentum rolling into the game on Saturday.
Dominique Robinson, EDGE Miami (Ohio)
The amount of growth seen from Dominique Robinson over the past two years is astounding. Just two years ago in 2019, Robinson was a depth receiver for the RedHawks. Here he is at the 2022 Senior Bowl, giving some of the best linemen in the draft trouble. Just the idea of going from catching passes to rushing the passer is mind-boggling, much less showing NFL potential as a defensive end!
All week Robinson has flashed. Early on day one, I couldn’t stop asking "Who is #11 on the defense?" He just kept making plays with his speed in the 1v1 drills. It was the same on day three, Robinson impressing heavily with his lower body explosiveness and fluidity. He was a prospect not on a ton of casual fans’ radars when he accepted Senior Bowl invitation, but Dominique Robinson is a name to get familiar with over the next few months.
Tyler Badie, RB Missouri
Tyler Badie will sadly be off some draft boards based on measurements alone. Yes… he is not a big back by any means. He is only 5’7, a death sentence in football. Despite his small stature, Badie has easily been the best back in Mobile. He is clearly a special runner in space, gliding across the grass. What stands out most is his patience, doing really well at letting his big guys up front clear the way for him.
Watching Badie the past few days reminds me of Philadelphia Eagles running back Boston Scott. Any Eagles fan will speak about just how underrated Scott is, consistently delivering when his number is called. Badie might go undrafted, but look for him to be a nice piece at the next level.
Khalil Shakir, WR Boise State
Shakir was someone I was skeptical about heading into day three. It’s not that Shakir was noticeably bad the first two days... he kind of just blended in with the rest of the pack. There were good moments, particularly on short routes where he'd use his phenomenal agility to shake the defender on the turn, but his play was overall inconsistent.
On day three, Shakir beat nearly every corner at the line of scrimmage. He excels with his short-area quickness, and it was on full display during the final practice. He has great suddenness to his game, and it could make him a solid slot weapon in the league. I can’t wait to see him in a game setting on Saturday where his ability with the ball in his hands will be amplified.
Jalen Pitre, SAF Baylor
Jalen Pitre has been fantastic at the Senior Bowl. A somewhat positionless player, Pitre has excelled in whatever role asked of him down in Mobile. He’s given pass-catchers fits in drills with his stickiness in coverage. An ace in the 11v11’s, seemingly always in the right place to make a play. The versatile defender has made so many plays underneath and over the middle of the field. If that sounds familiar, that's exactly what he did at Baylor. It will be interesting to see how teams view Pitre and where the position he will play at the NFL, but as an overall playmaker Pitre has arguably been the best defensive back in Mobile.
Writer
-By Jacob Keppen