Kadarius Toney returns home to his native Mobile, Alabama, on Saturday to compete in the Senior Bowl. The receiver had a standout senior season for the Gators, becoming its leader in catches and passing yards.
A shifty, human joystick-type player who can be used all around the field, Toney is perhaps the most dynamic offensive skill position player Florida has had since Percy Harvin.
His breakout final season has got him some attention from both national writers and NFL scouts. As it stands now, many have mocked Toney as a first-round pick. At the Senior Bowl, he’ll have the opportunity to solidify that status.
He’ll have to do so with high expectations, though. In an article for The Athletic, Dane Brugler lists Toney as his top prospect at the Senior Bowl.
Here’s his rundown Toney, who had 70 catches for 984 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2020.
2. Florida wide receiver (and Mobile native) Kadarius Toney enters the week as my highest-graded Senior Bowl prospect – does he leave the week with that distinction?
DeVonta Smith will be in Mobile, but won’t participate in any drills as he rehabs his thumb injury from the national championship game. Landon Dickerson is a no-doubt first-round talent, but the medicals make it a challenging projection. His tape and intangibles are so impressive that he might still go in the first round.
With those two Alabama prospects not participating, that makes Florida WR Kadarius Toney my highest-ranked Senior Bowl prospect entering the week.
Growing up in Eight Mile, which is about eight miles northwest of Mobile, Toney was a do-everything quarterback at Mattie T. Blount High School where he was responsible for 120 total touchdowns over his prep career. With the opportunity to play quarterback, Toney signed with the Gators out of high school and he spent his first three seasons in Gainesville as an athletic weapon without a true position. But he went from gadget player to productive receiver as a senior, posting 70 catches for 984 yards and 10 touchdowns.
A loose, elastic athlete, Toney routinely makes the first man miss with his special start-stop twitch, frustrating would-be tacklers and creating explosive plays. Though his 2020 film showed an improved route runner, he is still a work-in-progress with his steps and tempo. Toney has the quickness to run circles around defensive backs during Senior Bowl drills, but scouts will be focused on his route movements.
The other important element of Toney’s Senior Bowl week will be the interviews. He has a history of questionable off-field decisions, and some scouts have voiced concern that he is more passionate about rapping than football. Toney will have the opportunity to show teams the person and not just the player in Mobile.
Toney is currently ranked No. 25 overall on my top 100 draft board. Eight other Senior Bowl invites appeared in my top 50 rankings: Wake Forest DL Carlos Basham, North Carolina LB Chazz Surratt, Alabama OT Alex Leatherwood, Alabama QB Mac Jones, Washington DT Levi Onwuzurike, Notre Dame OT Liam Eichenberg, Washington DB Elijah Molden and Alabama OG Deonte Brown.
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