30 Players from the Senior Bowl Who Helped Their Draft Stock

*Note: Danny Shelton isn’t included because he just reaffirmed his first round status. Also the order isn’t important all these players boosted their stock with a strong week:

1. David Cobb-RB, Minnesota:

-Cobb was the best back on either team and looks to be the complete package for the next level. He can run, catch, and block and should quickly become an every down back for some team. He runs with nice vision and patience to fit in a zone scheme, but he also runs with some power as well.

2. Jamison Crowder-WR, Duke:

-Crowder is undersized at 5’8″ 174 lbs, but he just kept making plays throughout the week. He’s going to have to be a slot guy and probably limited in some of the things he can do, but he showed some ability to be a playmaker and valuable weapon in the NFL.

3. Quinten Rollins-CB, Miami (Ohio):

-Rollins is one of the more interesting cases down here as he has just one year of football experience (played college basketball before), but he showed the skills to be a good cover corner at the next level.

4. Ali Marpet- OG, Hobart:

-Marpet comes from a small school, but he quickly showed that he belong on the same field as Big 10, ACC, and Pac-12 guys. Marpet displayed the best technique of any offensive lineman on the North squad and he used that to win battles vs a number of North DT’s. He did struggle some vs power guys, and may be best suited in a zone scheme, but he is a very intriguing guy to watch. He probably won’t go until the 4th round and he represents a nice project.

5. Max Garcia- C/G, Florida:

-Garcia was considered an afterthought entering the week, but have a pretty decent week of practice (including good reps versus Danny Shelton) and the versatility to play multiple positions, Garcia should be moving up draft boards. At the very least he would represent a good utility offensive lineman, and in a weak center class he could develop into a starter down the line.

6. Laken Tomlinson- G, Duke:

-Tomlinson got better as the week went on and he ended up being the best guard prospect vs the top two North defensive tackles (Shelton and Carl Davis) thoughout the week. He needs to work on his technique and hand usage some, but overall he displays nice power and a strong base to build upon.

7. Rob Havenstein- T, Wisconsin:

-Though not a highly rated prospect, Havenstein had a great week from a consistency perspective. Whether in 1-on-1’s or team work, he constantly was winning his battles and engulfing defenders. Now this doesn’t make him into a top 100 prospect by any means, but he shows some promise of having a future at RT in the NFL.

8. Carl Davis- DT, Iowa:

-Davis weighed in at 321 and showed great quickness and production throughout the week. He didn’t have a big career at Iowa, but after this week he will force some teams to go back and do some extra work on him to see if it was a fluke or more of a sign of his future at the next level.

9. Hau’oli Kikaha- OLB, Washington:

-Kikaha had some questions surrounding him despite his production these past two years, but he came through the Senior Bowl in a real positive light. He’s very quick off the edge and shows the movement skills to drop into coverage as well. He’s an excellent fit for a 3-4 team as an edge rusher.

10. Nate Orchard- OLB, Utah:

-Orchard had a breakout Senior campaign, but there were going to be questions about whether or not he was a one year wonder. Down here at the Senior Bowl Orchard started answering those questions by having a really good week in practice. Orchard is not as strong in coverage and his run support is a bit weak, but boy does he get after the quarterback. He displays nice speed and quickness and does a nice job setting up offensive linemen.

11. Josh Shaw- CB, USC:

-After a big Shrine Game week last week, Shaw followed it up with another strong week at the Senior Bowl. He’s tall, long corner who is excellent in press coverage. He does a nice job in transition and can run with most guys. Some teams will look for him at safety and he could play there as well, but corner looks like his best position for now.

12. Eric Rowe- CB/S, Utah:

-Rowe looked good playing both safety and corner and will definitely get looks at teams in both spots. Either way you have a guy with good size and length, who is very good in coverage and has nice range and physicality.

13. David Johnson- RB, Northern Iowa:

-Johnson showed well as a small school back and opened eyes as a complete back down in Moblie. He fared well in pass protection (which is huge at the next level) and caught the ball well out of the backfield. He had a couple really nice runs as well.

14. Phillip Dorsett– WR, Miami:

-Dorsett is probably the fastest receiver not only down in Mobile, but in this draft. He was timed at a 4.21 40 at Miami, whether that holds up at the combine or not is meaningless as this kid can fly. Though deep balls were his primary focus at Miami, Dorsett showed good route running and fluid movements to create separation on other routes.

15. Dezmin Lewis- WR, Central Arkansas:

-Lewis is a small school receiver, but he showed up extremely well this week. He has excellent size and uses it well to his advantage. He doesn’t have elite speed, or route running, but he’s good in both areas. If you are looking for a mid-round receiver with big time upside, Lewis is going to be your guy.

16. Tyler Lockett– WR, Kansas State:

-Lockett might be undersized, but man can he fly. He’s electric with the ball in his hands and he showed an excellent ability to track the football and win jump balls. Lockett is going to be a good receiver who can help inside, but also be a vertical threat and special teamer.

17. Clive Walford- TE, Miami:

-Walford was clearly the best tight end on either team and helped himself quite a bit showing well as both a receiver and blocker. Few tight ends are the complete package in today’s NFL so Walford is going to appeal to all 32 NFL teams in some capacity.

18. Tre Jackson- G, Florida State:

-Jackson was probably the most consistent offensive guard on the South squad (which was a very impressive group), he displays good power and a strong anchor. He’s very tough to move and once he gets his hands on you it is pretty much over.

19. Shaq Mason- G, Georgia Tech:

-As a run blocker Mason’s game is already NFL ready, as a pass blocker Mason leaves something to be desired, but he helped himself this week. Though raw as a pass blocker, Mason improved throughout the week and overall did a nice job. He will still likely struggle to pick up pass blocking assignments early in his career, but he showed he has the potential to be very good here.

20. Arie Kouandjio- G, Alabama:

-Kouandjio early in the week had some issue anchoring vs power moves, but he improved as the week went on and was one of the fiercest interior offensive linemen in Mobile. He had some of the best battles of the week, and he’s a guy who could start quickly at the next level.

21. Daryl Williams- T, Oklahoma:

-Williams was not the most highly rated OT down in Mobile, but he was clearly the most consistent on the South squad. He’s a guy who is limited to RT, but he shows nice length, strength and a good base. He’s not going to wow you and probably isn’t ever going to be a Pro Bowl player at the next level, but he can play and probably start at RT in the future. He’s also not much of a project so at worst he could be a solid back-up and be that early in his career.

22. Gabe Wright- DT, Auburn:

-Wright’s week was cut short, but before his practice week ended he showed he could be a very good 3 tech penetrating defensive tackle at the next level. He maybe could get some 5 tech looks as well, but his strength is going to be getting after the quarterback with a quick first step.

23. Preston Smith- DL, Mississippi State:

-Smith is a raw pass rusher overall and kind of a tweener as he’s undersized to play DT or a 5 tech, but probably too big to be a full edge rusher. He also doesn’t play with the most consistent technique. What he does well though is produce. Smith consistently gave OT’s problems and he’s the type of guy who if you have a game plan (either get him to add or drop weight) and can coach him up a little bit he can be a good player at the next level. His draft stock is a bit up and down because of the uncertainty, but a smart team will find a way to use him.

24. Grady Jarrett, DT, Clemson:

-Jarrett may be undersized, and some teams will knock him for that, but the kid can flat out play. He was disruptive throughout the week and was relentless on every snap. He’s the type of guy who goes non-stop and is a vocal leader on the field. He’s very quick off the snap which allows him to penetrate quickly and make plays in the backfield. Though his size will remain an issue, he proved he can make an impact at this size and NFL teams will take notice of that.

25. Joey Mbu, DT, Houston:

-Mbu quietly had one of the better Senior Bowl weeks among defensive linemen. Though not as hyped as many of his fellow DT’s Mbu just consistently showed good reps in both 1-on-1 and team drills. Mbu isn’t going to get a lot of sacks or blow up a lot of plays in the backfield, but where he wins is pushing back the interior of the line in pass rushing, limiting the QB from stepping up and holding up at the POA in run defense.

26. Lynden Trail, OLB, Norfolk State:

-One of the most impressive players down here this week, Trail was a small school guy who came in with a lot of intrigue but little certainty. Trail has impressive length and athleticism, and he used that to show case his pass rushing skills and even some nice coverage skills. He even got some work at TE showing some extra versatility. Overall this was a big week for a small school guy, he wasn’t overwhelmed playing against a higher level of competition and he took to NFL coaching well. While he still probably is a 5th rounder type, Trail is a guy who made a positive impression on NFL teams.

27. Stephone Anthony- ILB, Clemson:

-It can be tough for non-pass rushing linebackers to really shine in these practices as there isn’t full hitting and 1-on-1 coverage drills typically favor the TE’s and backs vs ILBs. Anthony though held his own in coverage drills while looking good in blitzing drills and full team work. Anthony maybe wasn’t allowed to fully hit running backs, but he showed good instincts and angles of pursuit.

28. Kevin White- CB, TCU:

-White is a smaller undersized corner, but that doesn’t stop him from being one of the toughest cover guys down here. He’s very smooth in transition and has nice speed to go along with good coverage skills. Despite his size he’s probably not completely limited to the slot (though some teams will pass given their type of defense). White covered a number of the South’s top receivers very well throughout the week and definitely helped his overall stock.

29. Cody Prewitt- S, Ole Miss:

-Prewitt came into this week trying to show he had the versatility, instincts, and speed to play safety at the next level and he passed that test with flying colors. Prewitt showed well both in the box and in a free safety role. His instincts, reaction time, and angles of pursuit were all top notch. He’s not going to be the most athletically gifted safety, but I think he showed he deserves consideration at either safety spot. Prewitt is also a team leader and a special teamer so there is added value there.

30. Ladarius Gunter- CB, Miami:

-Gunter was a corner who hadn’t impressed me much in the games I’d seen of his. He had size and length and it looked like he could run okay,but his game didn’t seem overly special. This week though I think his potential really shined through and he looks like a corner who could develop into a starter down the road. He showed nice coverage and ball skills to go along with his size. He ran better on deeper routes than I expected, and stayed with some of the burners on the South squad.

Bonus: 31. Nick Marshall- CB, Auburn:

-Marshall came to the Senior Bowl as a quarterback and at the opening press conference the head of the Senior Bowl Phil Savage talked about him wanting to try QB before any possible position switch. The next day Marshall decided to make the move to corner before the first practice. Though some have questioned if he made the right move, I think he absolutely made the correct decision. At QB even in a weak class he was maybe a 6th-7th rounder at best, and a guy who would get drafted mainly because of his exceptional athleticism more than anything else. At 6’1″, 205 he was undersized as a quarterback, but he’s excellent size for a corner, add in that athletic ability and his potential is really high. By making the switch now, not only did Marshall get the chance to show off to scouts this week (and he did pretty well considering), but he now can spend the next 4 months working on developing as a corner so he is ready when Rookie Mini-camp happens right after the draft. Marshall probably rose his draft stock by at least a round, and increased his chances of sticking in the NFL.