Senior Book notebook: Will Grier loses money and more
At theSenior Bowl on Tuesday, Will Grier had the toughest of days. Meanwhile, Daniel Jones and Drew Lock showed off their skills.
MOBILE – Nothing went right. If there’s a quick, three-word sentence to sum up Will Grier’s Tuesday at the Senior Bowl, that would suffice.
Grier took the field at Ladd-Peebles Stadium with the South team and was off throughout the session. His accuracy was erratic from the jump, especially on designed rollouts to his left. While that’s a tough throw for any right-handed quarterback, it’s a play that needs to be made against air.
Among myriad scouts, coaches and executives, Grier’s day elicited the most commentary. While his stock can recover over the coming months, it was certainly a nasty way to get his process going.
In a year where there are not any elite quarterbacks in the field, Grier had a chance to shoot up some boards with a great showing in Mobile. That opportunity appears lost.
The struggles are compounded by the efforts of Daniel Jones and Drew Lock in the North team practice. Both Jones and Lock were slinging the ball around to the delight of many within the rained-soaked crowd, showing off good size and impressive arm strength. If anything, Lock was having trouble overthrowing some of his targets, while Jones had to occasionally reset after an inaccurate shot.
On the whole, though, both appeared to help themselves moving into the second day of Senior Bowl practices.
From the Notebook
– In the morning, Daniel Jones spoke about a litany of topics, ranging from his relationship with Duke coach David Cutcliffe to Jon Gruden’s assertion that he’s going to be a first-round pick come April.
One answer that stood out was his ability to play through pain. Jones relayed that as a redshirt freshman he fought through broken ribs before only missing two games in 2018 with a broken left clavicle.
While that’s admirable, there’s another way to look at this. Jones sustained significant injuries in two of his three years as a starter. While quarterback-needy teams may overlook that, it matters as the competition only grows bigger, faster and stronger.
– One of the favorite drills here is the offensive and defensive linemen going 1-on-1. While every team pays attention to that portion of practice, one stood out. The Baltimore Ravens had a three-man contingent sitting at the 20-yard line, with that group including head coach John Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.
During the North practice, Martindale made his way down behind the end zone during these drills. The Ravens were honed in, something that makes sense considering what a physical team they’ve been over the years.
– This isn’t a great class for wide receivers, but there are a few names to watch. NFL personnel in Mobile are almost uniform in their praise of Deebo Samuel of South Carolina. In his senior season, Samuel amassed 62 catches for 882 yards and 11 touchdowns after an injury-plagued junior campaign.
After measuring 5-foot-11 and 216 pounds, Samuel showcased speed and ball-skills at practice. While his height is a question mark, the likely second-day pick has a dense frame and the ability to get up the field.
– Speaking to one long-time scout, another name to watch in this process is Preston Williams out of Colorado State. Williams, who declared for the draft as a junior, transferred from Tennessee after his sophomore season due to multiple arrests. The scout conceded that any team drafting Williams would be taking a chance, but the upside is there from an on-field standpoint. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, the expectations is that he’ll run either a high 4.4 or low 4.5 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis next month.
– Of any player I spoke with during the media sessions on Tuesday morning, none was more impressive that Texas defensive end Charles Omenihu.
At 6-foot-6, 275 pounds, the 22-year-old spoke with intensity about what has driven him to this point. Everyone has a story, but Omenihu’s passion came off as genuine rather than a rehearsed line, speaking about people mocking him and laughing at the idea he could play in the NFL since it became his dream in the fourth grade.
The Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year prefers a 4-3 system and would be ideal for the end in that scheme. During practice, Omenihu showed why he’s one of the best prospects in Mobile, including one rep that drew oohs and ahhs from NFL personnel.
– Finally, a housekeeping note. With the weather turning ugly come Wednesday as the forecasts call for consistent rain, the practice is being moved to the indoor bubble on the South Alabama practice. Due to the size of the facility, no media is being permitted, and each team is being asked to limit the amount of scouts sent to the building.