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With as many as six quarterbacks potentially going in the first round this year, many are projecting the Falcons to draft Ryan’s eventual replacement.
The Falcons finished the 2020 season with a 4-12 record, earning the fourth-overall selection in the 2021 NFL draft. Atlanta’s last top-five pick came in 2008 when the team drafted quarterback Matt Ryan third overall.
With as many as six quarterbacks potentially going in the first round this year, many are projecting the Falcons to draft Ryan’s eventual replacement. For this mock, I went in a different direction and focused on finding players that can help Atlanta win now.
Looking at the Senior Bowl for fantasy players
The 2021 Senior Bowl offers up a chance to review the newest crop of potential NFL rookies and that’s been even more important in these COVID-19 times. Evaluating new players will be more challenging than ever with the incoming players having played fewer games, jumbled schedules or no schedules at all, or having opted out for the 2020 season. Add in the lack of an NFL Combine this year and the Senior Bowl is the only place to watch a collection of college players from various schools play together.
Of course, the bulk of the first round of the NFL draft usually involves declared juniors looking to cash in early on their talent. But in past years, the Senior Bowl allowed a glimpse of players that would go on to productive NFL careers, and therefore produce fantasy value. Few players take more than five or ten turns with the ball since they attempt to give everyone playing time.
Notable players from recent Senior Bowls:
2020
QB Justin Herbert (pass 9-12-83, TD)
QB Jalen Hurts (pass 6-13-58 TD)
RB Joshua Kelley (rush 15-105)
RB Antonio Gibson (rush 11-68)
WR Chase Claypool (receive 2-6, TD)
2019
QB Daniel Jones (pass 8-11-115, TD)
RB Tony Pollard (rush 8-60, TD)
WR Terry McLaurin (rush 1-19, receive 4-53)
WR Andy Isabella (receive 7-74, TD)
2018
QB Josh Allen (pass 9-13-158, 2 TD rush 5-19)
RB Kalen Ballage (rush 10-57)
RB Rashaad Penny (rush 9-64, receive 1-74 TD)
WR DJ Chark (receive 5-160, rush 1-9)
WR Tre’Quan Smith (receive 5-79, TD)
WR Michael Gallup (receive 3-60)
Notable 2021 performances
While 2021 is considered a rich draft for potentially elite quarterbacks, the consensus Top-5 are all underclassmen. Kyle Trask (Florida) did not play but a few of the expected Day 3 senior quarterbacks did.
QB Feleipe Franks (Arkansas, 6-6, 228) – Completed 9-of-16 for 122 yards and a touchdown but never ran the ball. Franks played three years for Florida before starting his senior year at Arkansas, where he threw for 2,107 yards and 17 touchdowns. He totaled nine rushing touchdowns in college with moderate rushing ability.
QB Kellen Mond (Texas A&M, 6-3, 217) – Completed 13 of 25 for 173 yards and two touchdowns. Ran twice for 11 yards. Mond played all four years for the Aggies and topped out at 3,107 passing yards with 24 touchdowns as a sophomore. He ended with 71 passing scores in his career. He ran for as many as 500 yards in a season and totaled 22 rushing touchdowns there.
QB Jamie Newman (Georgia, 6-3, 235) – Completed 10 of 14 for 118 yards and a touchdown. Only had the one full season as a starter for the Bulldogs when he threw for 2,868 yards and 26 touchdowns. He also added 574 yards and six scores on 180 rushes so he’s one of the dual-threat entrants in the NFL draft.
Almost all of the elite running backs coming from college are juniors since it doesn’t make much financial sense to remain in school where he could be injured and not reach for the big payday in the NFL. Even sitting on the bench in the NFL pays a lot more being on a college team (wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more). There is still talent that remains for that final year, but they mostly end up as depth or the lesser-halves of committee backfields. But you never know.
RB Michael Carter (North Carolina, 5-8, 199) – Ran for 60 yards and a score on his eight rushes and caught two passes for 15 yards. Carter played all four seasons for the Tar Heels but was never more than half of a committee. He led the team with 156 carries for 1,245 yards and nine touchdowns last year but teammate Javonte Williams had about the same stats but with 19 scores as the bigger back (220 lbs.) and the declared junior is expected to be a Top-5 pick. Carter projects to be another “lesser half” of a committee in the NFL. But Carter was the only running back in the Senior Bowl with more than 18 rushing yards.
Not unlike running backs, elite college receivers leave school after their junior seasons in almost all cases. So the Senior Bowl tries to give some playing time to a large number of receivers that will likely end up as No. 2 NFL receivers at best. There are always the occasional exceptions, but the problem with the Senior Bowl and receivers is volume.
There were 20 players with a reception in this year’s game. A few were stand-outs.
WR Dez Fitzpatrick (Louisville, 6-2, 210) – Easily led all other receivers in the game with six catches for 90 yards. The Cardinal played all four years in a powerful offense but never caught more than 45 passes or gained more than 833 yards in a season. Scored nine times as a senior and while his volume was only moderate at school, he was their leading receiver.
WR Shi Smith (South Carolina 5-10, 190) – Led the American Team in the Senior Bowl with three catches for 57 yards. He’s a smaller player that uses 4.4/40-time speed to his advantage. Four-year starter for the Gamecocks, he topped up with 57 catches for 633 yards and four scores there. He’ll be a Day 3 pick by a team looking to develop a slot receiver.
TE Quintin Morris (Bowling Green, 6-4, 251) – Ended with three catches for 52 yards as the second-best receiver for the American team. Does not appear on many draft boards so far, but a nice showing at the Senior Bowl will help his case. Morris started the final three years at Bowling Green and topped out with 55 catches for 649 yards and four scores as a junior.
TE Kenny Yeboah (Ole Miss, 6-4, 247) – Caught two passes for 27 yards and a 21-yard touchdown as the longest-scoring play in the game. Will be a Top-10 tight end selected this year and can play any receiver position in the NFL including the “Y”. He too light to be an every-down blocker and turned in 27 catches for 524 yards and six touchdowns as a senior last year. Averaged 19.4 yards so he’s not a standard tight end.
The lack of an NFL Combine means the Senior Bowl was the only place to see some draft prospects playing together. There will be more Pro Days that we’ll cover but the 2021 NFL draft will be even more of a crapshoot than most seasons. Given the opt-outs, missing games, COVID-19 issues, and a potential second year of limited practices in the summer mean even less will be known from this year’s crop.
And within that, even more lower-drafted or rookie free agents that make NFL teams and contribute in their first year.
Jets Wire takes a look at the top performers from Saturday’s Senior Bowl that New York could target during April’s draft.
Following the completion of Saturday’s Senior Bowl, an entire week of evaluating prospects down in Mobile has finally come to an end. In the age of the pandemic, NFL teams were able to get in some in-person evaluation, in addition to interviewing some of the nation’s top seniors.
Let’s take a look at four top performers from Saturday’s game that the Jets could have their eyes on going forward.
The Bears are searching for depth at running back, and they met with North Carolina’s Michael Carter at the Senior Bowl.
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David Montgomery had his breakout season for the Chicago Bears in the final half of the season, but there’s still a concern about depth behind Montgomery moving forward.
Which is why it makes sense that the Bears have been scouting some of the country’s best running backs at the Senior Bowl that could serve as depth behind Montgomery.
According to BearReport.com’s Zack Pearson, the Bears spoke with North Carolina running back Michael Carter on Thursday at the Senior Bowl.
Just talked to #UNC RB Michael Carter at the #SeniorBowl. He told me he's met with some teams, including the #Bears.
— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) January 28, 2021
Here’s what NFL Draft Diamond’s Damond Talbot had to say about Carter.
I have fallen in love with Michael Carter from North Carolina. He is one of the best all around running backs in the NFL Draft. NFL teams want a player who can play Special Teams and a player that can play all four downs. Michael Carter is that guy. He is a solid return man, has great hands out the backfield and is hard to bring down as a ball carrier. Overall, this kid is flying up my draft board, where is he on the NFL’s radar? We will find out soon.
Last season, the Bears turned to receiver-turned-running back Cordarrelle Patterson to serve as Montgomery’s back-up, and Ryan Nall and Artavis Pierce were used sparingly.
Regardless if Chicago re-signs Patterson, the Bears would do well to bring in a young running back to develop behind Montgomery. And perhaps that’s Carter.
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North Carolina ran up, down, over, and through tenth-ranked Miami’s defense on Saturday.
It was just two short weeks ago when Notre Dame went on the road, allowed touchdowns on the first two North Carolina possessions, and then held the Tar Heels to just three points the rest of the way in the 31-17 Irish victory.
Fast forward to today and North Carolina’s highly touted offense was on full display, blasting Miami for 62 points in their 62-26 win at Hard Rock Stadium.
Michael Carter and Javonte Williams, the same running back tandem that Notre Dame held to just 85 yards on 19 carries two weeks ago, ran for an NCAA record 544 yards.
That total is the most ever by a pair of teammates in NCAA history, besting Jarvis Thrasher (324) and Quincy Daniels (199) who combined for 523 yards as teammates with Division-III Mary Hardin-Baylor in 2007.
Carter won the teammate battle in yardage, finishing with 308 yards and a pair of scores. Williams however found the end zone more, finding pay dirt three times while rushing for 236 yards.
As a team North Carolina wound up with 554 total rushing yards and an additional rushing touchdown from quarterback Sam Howell.
The 778 total yards by North Carolina on Saturday were a record for most ever allowed by a Miami football team.
If for some reason you weren’t already incredibly impressed with how well Notre Dame’s defense has performed this season then this should at least give a little bit more validation to that seeing as North Carolina did this against what was a top ten team.
Kyren Williams has slowed up a bit heading into Notre Dame’s game at North Carolina.
Kyren Williams has slowed up a bit heading into Notre Dame’s game at North Carolina. He no longer is at the century mark for his rushing average, but one should suppose he wasn’t going to run like he was in a video game all season. Still, he’s as reliable as a running back can get in the ACC, and opposing defenses must continue to plan for him. Plus, if he catches a pass from Ian Book, look out.
Either Javonte Williams or Michael Carter could be on this chart for the Tar Heels as they’re equally impressive, but for this post’s purposes, Williams gets the nod. It’s just as well since he leads North Carolina in rushing yards and has nearly four times the number of touchdowns on the ground as Carter. He will present a real challenge to the Irish’s incredible rush defense. In fact, it could be as difficult as it’s been for that part of their game all season, so we’re talking power against power here.
