2017 Senior Bowl: Day 3 practice recap

The final day of practice leading up to the 2017 Reese’s Senior Bowl is in the books. Here are the biggest takeaways from Day 3 in Mobile.

We’re getting ever closer to the 2017 Reese’s Senior Bowl. Kickoff from Ladd Peebles Stadium in Mobile will be at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 28. The North and South teams completed their final day of practice on Thursday before Friday’s walkthrough.

Thursday’s practice for both teams was a bit abbreviated. The South got the bulk of their work done on Tuesday with the North getting a ton done on Wednesday. Both teams practiced for about an hour and a half apiece on Thursday. Here are the biggest takeaways from Day 3 of Senior Bowl practice broken down by position group.

Quarterbacks

The quarterback position has been the hardest to dissect. It wasn’t until Thursday that we saw a clear separator. That guy was Cal quarterback Davis Webb for the South. Of the six quarterbacks playing in the Senior Bowl, Webb has the best throwing motion, the best pocket presence, the best touch, and is probably the most accurate. He had his issues with footwork on Tuesday, but he took Hue Jackson’s coaching very well to get better at that part of his game.

Pittsburgh’s Nate Peterman is probably No. 2 of the six quarterbacks. He’s more inclined to throw the ball down the field, but still lacks pocket awareness. Frankly, he holds on to the ball way too long. Iowa’s C.J. Beathard has a quick release, but doesn’t have a great deep ball. Tennessee’s Joshua Dobbs shows flashes of brilliance, but will make a mistake every four or five reps. Colorado’s Sefo Liufau doesn’t have an NFL arm. Tiffin’s Antonio Pipkin is still swimming against elevated competition.

Running Backs

The two standouts from the running back position on Thursday were Virginia Tech fullback Sam Rogers and BYU’s Jamaal Williams. Rogers got better every day for John Fox’s North team. He can do a lot of things as a fullback. Rogers is an excellent pass catcher and a strong blocker in pass protection. Williams looks to be a great tackle breaker for the South and he was the leading running back in BYU history when he did leave Provo.

Tight Ends

The tight end position group was progressively less impressive each day. Alabama’s O.J. Howard let a great first day of Senior Bowl practice go to his head. He needs to prove he’s the best player in Mobile on Saturday.

That being said, Ole Miss’ Evan Engram can do it all. He projects as a great pass catcher at the next level. Engram is really an oversized wide receiver that will line up in the slot. Toledo’s Mike Roberts continues to get better with every rep. He’s not as dynamic as Engram or Howard, but he’s a productive one.

Wide Receivers

Thursday was a strong day for many wide receivers. The most talented wideout in Texas A&M’s Josh Reynolds finally put it all together. He was really impressive. Eastern Washington’s Cooper Kupp and East Carolina’s Zay Jones got better every day. They are very fluid receivers that take to coaching. Mississippi State’s Fred Ross also had his best day of Senior Bowl practice.

However, the best wideout this week was easily Louisiana Tech’s Trent Taylor. He crushed it in the red zone on Wednesday and was outstanding in third down situations on Thursday. Though small, he could be something special in the slot.

On the other side of the coin, North Carolina’s Ryan Switzer was playing through pain with a bum ankle suffered on Tuesday and it unfortunately caused him to lose his edge. Clemson’s Artavis Scott is a very loose route runner. Western Kentucky’s Taywan Taylor drops far too many balls.

Offensive Linemen

Three players stand out from practice with the North team on the offensive line. USC’s Zach Banner is an absolute specimen at tackle. He has a huge frame and he knows how to use it effectively. Banner can be a bit lethargic but if he plays with more enthusiasm, he might be Anthony Munoz.

Pittsburgh’s Adam Bisnowaty went from atrocious on Tuesday to technically sound on Thursday. He really took to Jeremiah Washburn’s coaching at tackle. Unfortunately for Bucknell’s Julie’n Davenport, once North pass rushers realized that they can attack him inside or on a bull rush, he was completely exposed.

For the South, Troy’s Antonio Garcia probably put the best tape together. He could handle a wide array of pass rushers coming at him form the edge. Vanderbilt tackle Will Holden joined the team on Thursday and shined, however, Virginia’s Eric Smith was not that lucky. Mississippi State’s Justin Senior put together a nice week. UCLA’s Conor McDermott largely underwhelmed.

Defensive Linemen

For the North, the big standout from Thursday was Illinois’ Dawuane Smoot. He hits the edge with power and makes every pass protector earn their stripes on each rep. Smoot is very versatile as an edge player. However, Michigan’s Chris Wormley might be the most disappointing player at Senior Bowl practice. Did he even have a good rep?

For the South, Alabama’s Dalvin Tomlinson had the best day. He took advantage of tired South offensive linemen. Tomlinson projects as an stud interior pass rusher late in games. He thrives in winning time.

UCLA’s Eddie Vanderdoes is raw power. Unrefined, but if he can be tamed a bit, he could be a great interior player. For now, he comes with a ton of yellow laundry on the field. Villanova’s Tanoh Kpassagnon could be a Jason Pierre-Paul type of the edge. He’s a great athlete, but plays too high and can be compromised with tackles strong in leverage principles.

Linebackers

The MVP of Senior Bowl practice is undoubtedly Temple’s Haason Reddick. He won every single rep the Bears staff through at him. They kicked the outside linebacker inside and he still thrived. It wouldn’t be shocking if the Bears take him in the second or third round. This guy can play.

Michigan’s Ben Gedeon runs from sideline to sideline relentlessly. Lindenwood’s Connor Harris reads the run very well and is ahead of the curve in pass defense. Wisconsin’s Vince Biegel had a spin move that would have made Dwight Freeney proud.

For the South, Florida’s Alex Anzalone looks to be technically sound. He’s like a lesser version of a Brian Cushing, but just as injury-prone. Anzalone should still be a solid mid-round pick. Clemson’s Ben Boulware is a gamer. He may be outmatched physically, but he forced a fumble and was always in the middle of everything.

Defensive Backs

The two defensive backs that were great for the North on Thursday were West Virginia cornerback Rasul Douglas and Connecticut safety Obi Melifonwu. Douglas will draw flags, but he is great in press man in zone coverage. He is always looking to break the pass up. Melifonwu has great hands and always uses angles to his advantage. He never takes a wrong step, as he is a very efficient player.

Lamar’s Brendan Langley didn’t really want to compete in practice this week and it showed. Their might be a few holes in Desmond King’s game. The Iowa Hawkeye standout may need to go to the right system to have success in the NFL. He’s not the defensive backfield panacea we thought he was coming out of Iowa City.

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The guy that made himself a ton of money this week in Senior Bowl practice was San Diego State’s Damontae Kazee. He thrives playing off-man. People in the Mountain West already knew that. What came as the most pleasant surprise of Senior Bowl practice was that Kazee is dominant in press man, despite being undersized. He needs to pick the ball a little better, but he could be a 10-year starter in the an NFL defensive backfield.