The 2017 Senior Bowl, one of the most important pre-draft scouting events of the year, begins Tuesday morning with the traditional weigh-in. DraftAnalyst.com will have you covered from start to finish with Tony Pauline (who’s attended Senior Bowl practices the past 18 years) and Chris Tripodi. To get the coverage started here’s a preview of the players to watch on offense.
Quarterbacks
There are a variety of opinions where
Robert Dobbs of Tennessee will land in the draft. Some believe he won’t be selected during the seven rounds, an opinion I would characterize as ludicrous.
But Dobbs does have a lot to prove at the Senior Bowl after an inconsistent senior season.
The strong armed passer offers the size and physical skills to play Sunday football and he also grades out well in areas of leadership and character. The red flag on his game is accuracy.
Dobbs has a tendency to spray passes and make receivers work unnecessarily hard to come away with the reception. Starting Tuesday he’ll be moving out of his comfort zone and will be required to make big league passes. Dobbs needs to show he can hit targets in stride on a consistent basis to cement himself as middle of day three pick.
Conversely Iowa’s
C.J. Beathard throws with accuracy but arm strength is a big question. Can he zip the outs? Does he have the ability to drive deep passes?
Answers to these questions will come next week.
Running Back/Fullback
Sam Rogers entered the season stamped as a street free agent by scouts but has since become everyone’s favorite fullback. Not just a solid lead blocker on the college level, the Virginia Tech product displays himself as a threat handling the ball as well.
Questions arise as to whether or not Rogers has the size and strength to be a true lead blocker or is he more of a west coast fullback.
The glory of the Senior Bowl is players line-up in pro-sets, which will give Rogers plenty of opportunity to prove he can hold up as a true fullback.
Donnel Pumphrey is another whose measurables don’t translate well to the next level. The record setting San Diego State running back put up massive statistics on the college level but measures somewhere around 5-feet/8-inches and 170-Pounds and scouts wonder how he projects for the next level.
Tyler Ervin and Darren Sproles are smaller backs and Senior Bowl alumni who enhanced their draft stock with good performances in Mobile. Pumphrey hopes to do the same.
Tight Ends/Wide Receivers
There are a number of good stories at the tight end position such as
Michael Roberts of Toledo who hopes to keep the momentum going after a strong week at
Shrine practice.
There’s the off the field dilemma of FIU’s
Jonnu Smith who is a terrific pass catcher in his own right.
And another outstanding pass catcher, hometown favorite
Gerald Everett of South Alabama,
a week five riser who will take a field familiar to him.
Yet in the end Alabama’s
O.J. Howard may have the most on the line.
Rated as our number one
tight end, Senior Bowl practices could help determine if Howard is a top twelve selection or a bottom of round one choice.
Howard is athletic, runs well and can block but criticism of his game centers around inconsistent hands. If he drops any catchable passes in drills Howard can kiss the top fifteen goodbye.
Amba Etta-Tawo from Syracuse also has a lot riding on the week.
The Maryland transfer burst on to the scene at Syracuse in 2016 after pedestrian production at his former school. Was Etta-Tawo a product of the new system installed by coach Dino Babers? Or is he the real deal?
His measurables, speed in one-on-one drills and hands will all be under close inspection next week.
Offensive Linemen
Troy tackle Antonio Garcia may have more on the line than anyone in attendance next week.
Relatively unknown entering the season, Garcia improved every aspect of his game and really jumped off the film in 2016. As reported back in
mid-December a number of teams grade Garcia as the top tackle from the senior class. Strong showings throughout the week, especially during drills in the pit, could push Garcia into the initial 42 picks.
Pitt’s
Dorian Johnson is graded as our top
guard in April’s draft. He’s nasty, dominant and effective in all areas of his position. Scouts will monitor Johnson’s athleticism and skills blocking in motion. Positive results could cement a first round standing for the big blocker.
