Tag: 2020 senior bowl

8 small-school prospects for the Eagles to consider in the 2020 NFL Draft

8 small-school prospects that could interest the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020 NFL Draft

The Philadelphia Eagles are no strangers to targeting small school players in the NFL draft and the results have been positive recently.

The Eagles used the 2016 Senior Bowl to analyze Carson Wentz and the results have been fairly positive since Howie Roseman used the No. 2 pick on the former North Dakota State star.

There have been plenty of small-school gems drafted over the years and with the Eagles in need of some retooling, here are 8 sleeper prospects who could interest the Birds.

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1.Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR, Liberty

The 6-4, 215-pound stud put on a show in Mobile at the Senior Bowl and firmly put himself on the map as a player in the NFL draft.

Gandy-Golden has all the tools and 4.5 40-yard times that could catapult him up, draft boards.
Last season, Gandy-Golden racked up 79 catches for 1,396 yards and 10 touchdowns.

He excels at boxing out defenders and catching the ball at its highest point.

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2020 NFL draft: Kyle Dugger scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans should know about Lenoir-Rhyne safety prospect Kyle Dugger

Kyle Dugger | S | Lenoir-Rhyne

Elevator Pitch

The Cliff Harris Award winner, which is given to the best defensive player in Division II. Dugger has size, athleticism and length to be an impactful. defender at the next level. The small school safety has been a riser since the Senior Bowl. He could find his way into the conversation for day two.

Vitals

Height | 6-1

Weight | 217

Class | Senior

College Stats

College Bio

Combine Profile

Strengths

With Dugger, there is some position flexibility. While he projects best as a strong safety, there could be opportunity to play nickel corner in sub packages. Has the physical profile to cover tight ends at the NFL level. Teams could move him around to maximize his potential.

The small school prospect can win with speed and athletic ability. Dugger can play from a single high position and he gets downhill fast in order to help in run support. He understands angles and uses his speed to get there, and he will explode through his tackles. Can be disruptive at the catch point.

One underrated aspect of his game is return ability. At Lenoir-Rhyne, Dugger was used on punt returns which makes him even more attractive at the next level. He averaged a touchdown return for every 10 attempts. Six total scores in four seasons as a return man on punt coverage. Only returned a handful of kickoffs but could be a way to get on the field early in his career.

Weaknesses

See the ball, chase the ball. It isn’t necessarily bad when you find a guy who can play with reactions. However, his instincts are not up to par with where you would expect a top tier safety to be. Dugger needs to get up to speed with the uptick in competition. Gets away with his mental processing due to the speed at which he plays.

Dugger will need to be coached up quite a bit with coverage. Since his instincts aren’t quite there, he will need some work when asked to drop into coverage, instead of playing for the run. He definitely has the traits that a good defensive coach can mold into a more well-rounded safety.

Projection: 3rd-4th Round

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10 defensive backs for the Eagles to watch at the 2020 NFL Combine

NFL Combine 2020: 10 defensive backs for the Eagles to watch

The 2020 NFL Draft is fast approaching and with the Eagles looking to make changes up and down the roster, Howie Roseman and company could have a few surprises in store.

The Eagles have been linked to Henry Ruggs III and Tee Higgins for weeks now, but what if Howie Roseman believes in the depth at receiver in the draft and decides to lean another way in the first round?

The Eagles have several big needs and there’s been some discussion about a full-scale rebuild in the secondary.

Malcolm Jenkins wants a new contract, and Roseman has been transparent about both parties doing what’s best for both parties. Rodney McLeod is an unrestricted free agent along with cornerbacks Jalen Mills and Ronald Darby.

If the Eagles do choose to use a first or second-round pick on a defensive back, here are 10 defensive back options that make the most sense.

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1. Kristian Fulton — CB — LSU

With Jalen Mills set to hit free agency, the Eagles could replace the former LSU cornerback with one of the current Tiger greats.

Fulton made an immediate impact when thrown into the fire and over the past two seasons, he’s been the highest-graded cornerback in America, according to PFF.

Fulton is elite at the point of attack, as he owns the highest forced incompletion rate in the past two years, allowing just 23.7% of contested targets to be caught.

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What the Redskins scouting tells us about Brandon Scherff, Ereck Flowers 2020 future

The Redskins may have revealed a plan to keep Brandon Scherff and Ereck Flowers in 2020 by not scouting OL position hard at the Senior Bowl.

As the 2020 offseason starts to ramp up over the next weeks, and teams further delve into their free agency and NFL Draft preparation going ahead, it’s important to parse through the shrouded information we get from teams and try to figure out what they might do when it comes to big personnel decisions.

For the Washington Redskins, there are a number of areas that they need to address over the coming months. We’ve identified those needs as some of the following: Tight End, Wide Receiver, Offensive Line, Backup Quarterback, Cornerback, Linebacker, and Free Safety. Our first chance to see their preparation came last weekend at the 2020 Reese’s Senior Bowl. Ron Rivera, Jack Del Rio, and Scott Turner met with Redskins scouts in Mobile, Ala. to evaluate some talent that they might focus on drafting.

While in Mobile, the Redskins seemingly scoped out players at the TE and WR position, while putting less of a focus on quarterbacks and players on the offensive line. Can we glean anything from this information? Does it tell us anything about a potential draft strategy in Washington?

It just might. Let’s start with the O-line. The fact is, the Redskins are almost at a fork in the road when it comes to putting together their front-five for 2020. They have two guards — Brandon Scherff and Ereck Flowers — who are set to hit free agency this year, both of whom found success in 2019 and have expressed interest in coming back to Washington. Should the Redskins retain them, the continuity and experience in the middle will go a long way towards building a solid front. Likewise, there is the Trent Williams situation to monitor going forward. Williams said that he would “never be a Redskin again” late last year, but the litany of changes Washington has made over the past couple of months might make him reconsider. Should Williams return, the offensive line would become a strength of the team going forward. Of course, there is also a scenario where the Redskins miss out on all three of those players, putting them in a dire situation going forward.

As for the backup QB position, we have Alex Smith to consider. There is not yet a date that he is eyeing for a return to the field, but many people believe that it could be as early as this season, should his recovery continue on the right track. It’s nearly impossible to predict how Smith will look once he returns to the game, due to the severity of his gruesome leg injury, but he could likely be thrown into a quarterback competition with Dwayne Haskins this summer. Should Haskins beat him out for the starting job, Smith would be a great QB2 for the Redskins.

It’s nothing concrete, but during a time where meetings with the media are infrequent, and all you have to go off of is the teams’ actions in public, it’s something. The Redskins have a few major free agency decisions to make going forward, and based on their scouting at the Senior Bowl, it could tell us that some veteran players are around to stay in 2020.

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NFL Draft: 3 Senior Bowl players the Seahawks could consider

The Seattle Seahawks have used the Senior Bowl to inform NFL draft decisions in the past. Here are three players they could consider.

The Senior Bowl concluded on Saturday afternoon with the North squad defeating the South squad, 34-17.

The Seattle Seahawks have always used the Senior Bowl to evaluate talent, and plenty of recent draft picks (including 2019 first rounder L.J. Collier) shined during the contest.

As such, a list of high performers from the 2020 game could be a good starting point when evaluating potential targets for the Seahawks come draft day.

With a handful of positions in flux next season, including the offensive and defensive lines and the wide receiver spot, here are three Senior Bowl high-performers who could be on the Seahawks radar as they get ready for the combine and, eventually, the draft itself.

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Bears met with a kicker, punter and long snapper at Senior Bowl

The Bears did their due diligence with special teamers during the Senior Bowl last week, meeting with some well-known prospects.

The Bears did their due diligence with special teamers during the Senior Bowl last week, where they met with some prospects that could be future Bears.

The Bears met with Georgia kicker Rodrigo Blankenship, Texas A&M punter Braden Mann and LSU long snapper Blake Ferguson at the Senior Bowl.

While Bears kicker Eddy Pineiro had a solid rookie season — where he connected on 23-of-28 field goals (82.1%) — it looks like the Bears are still looking at kickers.

And in terms of great college kickers, Blakenship is one of the best. He went 66-for-79 for 83.5% on field goals in his career, including 6-for-8 on kicks from 50 and longer. He also made all 174 extra points in college.

Bears punter Pat O’Donnell signed a two-year extension last March, which leaves him under contract through 2021. O’Donnell averaged 44.8 yards per punt, which ranked 26th in the NFL, including a long of 75 yards. O’Donnell also had 26 punts inside the 20-yard line, which ranked 16th in the league.

If the Bears were looking for a replacement for O’Donnell, Mann is a good prospect to watch. In his career with Texas A&M, Mann averaged 49.1 yards per punt, including a career-long of 82 yards.

Chicago has a decision to make at the long snapper position. Patrick Scales is a pending free agent, which means Ferguson could wind up being the most likely target of the three special teamers they met with last week.

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3 QB prospects from 2020 Senior Bowl that Bears should avoid

The Bears are looking for answers at the quarterback position, not another problem. Which is why they should beware of drafting these 3 QBs.

The Bears have several needs they need to address this offseason, but none is as big a topic of conversation as the quarterback position.

While the Bears remain committed to Mitchell Trubisky as their starting quarterback in 2020, a lot can change between now and the start of the NFL season. Chicago is expected to explore the free agent market this offseason, as well as look to the NFL Draft for a young prospect to develop.

There were some quarterbacks that shined on the Senior Bowl stage, including Oregon’s Justin Herbert, Utah State’s Jordan Love and Washington State’s Anthony Gorgon. But there are some quarterbacks that didn’t help their draft stock following a week of practices and Saturday’s game.

The Bears are looking for answers at the quarterback position, not another problem. Which is why they should beware of drafting these three quarterbacks.

1. QB Shea Patterson, Michigan

Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

The Senior Bowl presented an opportunity for Shea Patterson to make a case for him to be drafted this April. But unfortunately that wasn’t the case for the Michigan quarterback, who actually made a case why teams should steer clear of selecting him in the NFL Draft.

Patterson was the worst quarterback in Mobile, and he struggled with accuracy both in practices and during Saturday’s game. Patterson completed 6-of-10 passes for 131 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception and added 9 yards rushing in the game. While Patterson did make some nice plays, he followed those up with overthrows (including an interception) that left you scratching your head.

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5 standouts from the 2020 Senior Bowl for the Bills

5 standouts from the 2020 Senior Bowl.

A week of practice for more than 100 college seniors from across the nation culminated on Saturday with the 2020 Senior Bowl, where the North had a dominating 34-17 victory over the South team. The North won the game with a strong run game, and a great front-four that was rotated throughout the game.

Could the Bills be interested in any standouts from the game?

Let’s look at who stood out during the Senior Bowl and helped their draft stock before the NFL combine:

North defensive lineman Alton Robinson. Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

EDGE Alton Robinson, Syracuse

This is the beginning of the edge rushers that will be discussed because the North created consistent pressure with just four men. Not many people outside of Central New York saw Alton Robinson play during his time at Cuse but he had 19.5 sacks in his career, who has a variety of moves and a great motor.

During the Senior Bowl he had two sacks, the first was against the elusive Jalen Hurts where Robinson bullied his matchup and dragged Hurts down. His second was against Steven Montez where Montez escaped the initial pressure but, Robinson tracked him down and finish the sack.

The Buffalo Bills need more players who can pressure the quarterback, and Robinson is projected as a Day 3 pick, so he should be on the radar of Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott.

 

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Justin Herbert wins Senior Bowl MVP for Bengals-led South squad

One potential Bengals target put on a show for the coaching staff.

With Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan calling the shots, Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert won the 2020 Senior Bowl MVP award for the south team.

Herbert played the first quarter of the all-star game, completing nine of his 12 attempts for 83 yards and a score, the touchdown coming on a screen pass to a back.

“He’ll be a really good player in this league,” Callahan said, according to Bengals.com. “He’s calm, he’s poised. He managed the offense and ran what we wanted him to do. It was a nice showing. He can run it. He can do that, he’s a really good athlete.”

We had previously asked if Herbert could do enough to sway Bengals coaches at the Senior Bowl with Joe Burrow taking a pass on the event.

And even now, the same answer is it’s largely unlikely. The Bengals have reportedly narrowed things down to four prospects at No. 1 and Herbert is one of them, but a good showing over the weekend doesn’t trump Burrow’s historic season — nor the must-have homecoming storyline for a team in need of fan support.

Herbert nailed a critical portion of his draft journey at the Senior Bowl by all accounts, which is especially interesting from a Bengals perspective thanks to the personal nature of it. But he’ll have increased competition from the likes of Burrow and others at the combine and other stops along the path to the draft as things continue.

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5 standouts from the 2020 Senior Bowl that should be on Bears’ radar

There were several prospects that flashed throughout Senior Bowl week, and some that should be of interest to the Bears.

The Senior Bowl is officially in the books. Following a week of practices and meetings with scouts, the Senior Bowl culminated in a 34-17 win for the North.

There were several prospects that flashed and elevated their draft stock throughout the week, and there were a few that should certainly be of interest to the Bears.

The Bears have several needs to address this offseason, and there are some intriguing prospects that could certainly help them do that.

Here are five players that impressed this week during the Senior Bowl that should be on the Bears’ radar.

1. EDGE Bradlee Anae, Utah

Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

The Bears are in need of help coming off the edge, and one player that raised his stock at the Senior Bowl was Utah edge rusher Bradlee Anae, who was an absolute force during Saturday’s game.

Anae made life difficult on Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts Saturday. He simply couldn’t be blocked, and he came away with back-to-back sacks of Hurts in the second quarter. He also affected one of Hurts’ throws that was easily intercepted by Ohio State linebacker Malik Harrison.

Anae projects to be a top 50 prospect, and luckily for the Bears they have to top-50 picks at No. 43 and No. 50. If Anae is still on the board when pick No. 43 rolls around, you have to imagine it’d be hard for the Bears to pass Anae up.

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