Highlighting a few Senior Bowl interior defensive linemen and edge defenders who could be on the Chargers’ radar after Day 1 of practices.
Day 1 of practices at the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl has officially ended.
On a chilly day in Mobile, AL, there were a handful of NFL draft prospects who shined in the trenches on the first day.
Here are five players who stood out:
DT Travis Jones, UConn
I highlighted Jones as someone who should be on the Chargers’ radar coming into it, and he showed why as the National team took the field to start the day. In one-on-ones, Jones displayed the upfield disruptiveness with power and length that was compromising blockers from the snap and the anchor strength to make him immovable in the run game. The 6-foot-4 and 328 pounder is showing to be the perfect 0-1-technique with mismatch ability.
DT Neil Farrell Jr., LSU
Farrell had the second-highest run-stop percentage among Power 5 interior defensive linemen (11.4%) in 2021, and it was replicative on the practice field. In one-on-ones, he demonstrated exceptional burst and power to work his way into the backfield, strength at the point of attack to stalemate double teams and occupy the interior of the offensive line.
EDGE Myjai Sanders, Cincinnati
Sanders is one of the top-ranked edge defenders down here, and he lived up to his billing on Tuesday. On back-to-back reps, he beat the massive tackle Daniel Faalele. On the first, Sanders went into the toolbox and pulled out a swipe to rip move and the body flexibility to turn the corner. He followed that with an attempted spin move but instead, Sanders’ power was too much for Faalele to withstand.
EDGE Dominique Robinson, Miami (OH)
Robinson, the small-school standout, shined in his first day against higher level of competition. He had two would-be sacks of Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett. He won with speed and bend on the first rep, and followed that up with a bull rush that pushed the tackle back into the pocket, showing power and the length to lockout.
EDGE DeAngelo Malone, Western Kentucky
Flying under the radar is Malone, the 2019 Conference USA defensive player of the year. While relatively lean at 6-foot-3 and 234 pounds, Malone looks like the type of player who Brandon Staley covets at the position. He is explosive and loose off the snap with speed and burst, and uses length to his advantage.
