2022 Senior Bowl Game Day Winners
Who said the game doesn’t matter?! While the practices are the massive spectacle of the Senior Bowl every year, a good amount of media leaving before the weekend arrives, it is still the Senior Bowl. The whole week is centered around the All-Star bowl game. The game does matter and it can help a player’s stock in a variety of ways. Whether it’s through solidifying a strong week or providing a rebound from a couple of mediocre practices, the Senior Bowl game should not be overlooked. Here are six players that made the most of the Senior Bowl game.
Perrion Winfrey, DT Oklahoma
Perrion Winfrey played himself into first-round contention this week. A player who many in Sooner Nation claim was severely misused, Winfrey realized the potential many saw at Oklahoma. The first thing you notice about him is his energy. He has an infectious energy that uplifts his teammates around him and fuels his own performance. He plays with extreme violence as a result, and it’s combined with natural leverage to create a heck of a bull rush. Quick and agile, you don’t know what Winfrey is going to hit you with until he’s wrapped up the quarterback. After dominating the practices, a two-sack performance earned him the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl MVP award.
Boye Mafe, EDGE Minnesota
While Winfrey took home the MVP award, Boye Mafe pushed him to the limit for it. In a defensive end class that took the offensive tackle unit to the cleaners in Mobile, Mafe was one of the brightest stars. Experiencing a breakout senior season with seven sacks and 10 total tackles for loss, Mafe carried that momentum into Mobile. With a wicked first step and otherworldly bend for being at 255, Mafe slithered around most tackles here. With two sacks himself. Mafe is an interesting mid-round prospect.
DeAngelo Malone, EDGE Western Kentucky
DeAngelo Malone’s big week should not come as any surprise to anyone who knows him. For three seasons now Malone has steadily been amongst the best defensive ends in football, averaging a little over 16 tackles for loss over that time. Malone might only be around 230 pounds, but he still packs a punch. He is in a class of his own at converting speed to power, and he lives in the backfield. While he might not have stuffed the stat sheet like Mafe and Winfrey, he gave the National squad more than they could handle. It will be interesting to see how teams view the undersized former Hiltopper, but Malone did everything he needed to down in Mobile.
Christian Watson, WR NDSU
No player in this Senior Bowl cycle has raised their move higher than the wideout from North Dakota State. After strong showings in the 1v1 drills and just catching everything in practice when it came to the big game, he didn’t get much of an opportunity but when it came to his only target of the game he made the most of it with his 38-yard reception. Pickett’s pass was underthrown but Watson not only was still able to make a spectacular catch but had the wherewithal to get up and continue to run after not being touched diving for the football. Watson displayed he deserves to be a 2nd round consideration with his 6’4 frame and mid 4.3 speed, he’ll make waves in the NFL soon enough.
Jesse Luketa, LB Penn State
The National Team put on a clinic today registering eight sacks & Jesse Luketa had two of them, one of them being a strip-sack which cost the American Team points before the half. Luketa has had a great showing in the Senior Bowl practices displaying his abilities to win his matchups on the edge. Although being 6’3 and 265 Luketa has shown a high motor and winning nearly every snap. Luketa has shown in Penn State and this week Mobile he can be a force as a pass rusher and a drop back linebacker. Where he gets drafted will be interesting to see in April to see how an NFL team will use him, but at Mobile, he was a pass-rushing pillar.
Malik Willis, QB Liberty
Willis went from a project to the worst-kept secret within a week here in Mobile. I’m sure now until April, he and Pickett will be who the analyst and mock draft experts will go back and forth about who is QB1. Willis' raw talent was definitely showcased this week. Very strong arm to push the ball down the field and in tight windows, and the athletic ability to take over a game as a dynamic runner. Today wasn’t the right circumstances for Willis to show off as a passer because his offensive line allowed pressure on every play. However, his ability as a runner and change direction was almost video game-like. In the draft, especially at QB, someone is always willing to gamble on raw talent and work on the other fixable aspects for them to become a complete package. We saw it with Josh Allen 4 years ago. If a team comes in with a laid-out blueprint plan Willis could be a force in the NFL like the spurts we’ve seen in Mobile this week
-By: Kris Thomas & Jacob Keppen