2018 Senior Bowl South Team practice Day 3

Quarterbacks:

Kurt Benkert- Benkert had another solid day, and I thought his consistency improved each day in practice. There is potential in his game as at times he shows the zip and accuracy you are looking for in a starting caliber QB. Other times he over throws his guy or mis-reads the defense in team drills. The good out-weigh’s the bad, making him a mid-round project.

Kyle Lauletta- Outside of Baker Mayfield I don’t think any QB helped themselves more than Lauletta. First as a small school guy he showed not only that he belonged at the Senior Bowl, but that he’s battling for the number 2 QB spot. Lauletta was accurate throughout the week and finished strong on Thursday. He was the most consistent QB on the North squad in 7-on-7 and team drills and he showed he has more than enough arm for the next level.

Wide receivers:

James Washington– Washington continued to show that he was the best receiver in Mobile this year. He didn’t have as many highlight catches as he had in previous practices, but just watching his reps you could see him clearly creating separation and making plays. He’s the most refined receiver here at the Senior Bowl and the one who can make the most immediate impact at the NFL level. For any team wanting to use Washington on Special Teams as a returner, he was the best at handling punts and kick-offs in ST drills. Even when they were forced to catch kicks with only one hand Washington didn’t drop a single one.

D.J. Chark- Chark had his best day of the week and was all over the field making plays. His calling card is definitely his deep ball skills, as he had a couple impressive catches on deeper routes. Chark though showed more all-around ability in Thur. practice, winning on more intermediate and shorter routes. Chark has a lot of tools with his size, speed, hands and leaping ability, but he needs to work on refining his route running.

J’Mon Moore- Moore I thought improved in Thursday’s practice. He’s got a good combo of speed and size, and he used it too make some really tough catches throughout practice. He’s an inconsistent route runner and his hands are more inconsistent, but there is some raw potential to develop.

Tight Ends:

Jordan Atkins- Atkins really made the most of the opportunity he had down here in Mobile. He came in with some later round potential, but I think he’s solidified his case this week to lock in a better draft projection. His blocking won’t ever be his calling card, but he did improve throughout the week. Where he shined was as a receiver as he was the toughest guy for the South linebackers and safeties to cover. In addition to being frequently open, Akins showed great hands and leaping ability making a number of contested catches look easy.

Offensive Line:

Isaiah Wynn- Wynn just put on a clinic at practice once again. It didn’t matter who he faced, or what game plan they had against him, Wynn stopped them cold. Wynn’s footwork and balance are really impressive and he uses his hands so well, making it really tough for defenders to get free of him.

Brandon Parker- Parker had his best day of the week and was another player who improved throughout the week. He’s still a work in progress who needs to work on his technique, but his size, wingspan and athleticism gives him a ton of potential. He doesn’t show it every rep, but when he uses his tools properly he can just wall off defenders.

Alex Cappa- Cappa is just fun to watch and you can see the potential for so much more when he improves his technique. Cappa was probably the toughest tackle that pass rushers had to face, not because he would always win his battles, but because when he did win they would have no chance to recover. When Cappa gets his hands on a guy, it usually meant the play was over.

Colby Gossett- Gossett had another mixed bag day, but I like his upside and potential. I see good hand usage, and pretty decent footwork. Gossett played better in team drills, but strength and consistency remain the concern.

Defensive Line:

Andrew Brown- Brown was a wrecking ball throughout practice both in 1-on-1’s and team drills. He was easily the hardest match-up for opposing offensive linemen, winning with speed and quickness off the line, as well as good hand usage to fight off blockers. He was an emotional leader throughout practice and earned plenty of praise from coaches during individual drills.

Da’shawn Hand- Hand continued a strong week making a number of positive plays in team drills and winning a good share of his 1-on-1 reps. Hand had a very inconsistent college career, but he’s really put it all-together this week in Mobile. He’s got size, power, speed and quickness. When he puts it together he’s very tough to slow down.

Christian LaCouture- Best practice of the week for LaCouture as he made his presence felt throughout the practice. He showed a lot of power in his rushes and won the leverage battle in a number of his reps.

Marcus Davenport- Davenport had been having a quiet week since his impressive weigh-in, but he finally had a strong practice to back-up his potential. The flashes we saw in Day 1 and 2 of practice came a lot more frequently in Day three, as Davenport used his length and speed to win a number of reps. He also showed a better willingness to counter inside if the Edge was blocked off. He still needs more consistency, and he needs to play the run better but this was a good day.

Shaquem Griffin- Griffin is so athletically gifted and plays with excellent instincts and a high motor that it’s easy to forget he’s overcoming a disability. Despite missing a hand, Griffin shows well both in coverage and as a pass rusher on too many reps to ignore. While there are questions about just how much he can play at the next level, he’s worth a mid-to-late round shot.

Defensive Backs:

M.J. Stewart- Stewart was the best corner on either squad during practice this week. His coverage skills were very impressive as he typically was stride for stride with receivers this week. He’s got size, speed and instincts and really helped his case this week.

Siran Neal- Neal has been used at boundary corner a lot, but his future may be better at safety or slot corner. He plays physical and can press, while showing good quick reactions and can mirror guys in the short area. He’s much better in zone or when the play is in front of him, and that is typically where he makes his best plays.

Quin Blanding- Blanding had another solid day in coverage. He didn’t make any big splash plays, but he broke up a few routes and in man coverage he was pretty solid staying on his man. Blanding also comes up well in run support and takes good angles when chasing down ball carriers.