Senior Bowl Day 2 notebook: Breaking down the line play from Wednesday’s practices in Mobile
The middle day of the Senior Bowl is always an educational one. The newness of the experience is typically over for the players, and they can focus a little more on just playing football.
The action from the American and National team practices at Hancock Whitney Stadium generally reflected that. There was better coordination and cleaner ball throughout the day of practice.
My attention today was primarily on the trenches. The offensive and defensive lines took center stage after spending the first day breaking down the perimeter positions. It was hard to ignore some of the skill position action during breaks, however…
Here’s some of what I took away from the Wednesday sessions of the Senior Bowl.
Positive standouts
Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State: Zabel showed outstanding balance, quick feet and adept technique playing both center and left guard. He was the best lineman on the field for the National team overall.
Wyatt Milum, OL, West Virginia: Primarily playing right guard, Milum used his base power and quick hands to score wins in team drills and also 1-on-1s in the pit. That he does so with a surly disposition was great to see from a college tackle moving inside.
Oluwafemi Oladejo, EDGE, UCLA: No. 99 explodes off the snap for a taller pass rusher. He’s a bit long-levered, but Oladejo has a variety of moves and works them off a strong inside hand that sets everything up and jolts blockers back. More bend than expected, too.
Shemar Stewart, DL, Texas A&M: His strip sack on Riley Leonard was almost a Statue of Liberty play. Guys at his size aren’t supposed to have his explosiveness or speed playing on the end. Dominant day in the team drills.
Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College: He didn’t win every rep, but when he won, he did so immediately. Very good hand usage and closing tack to the quarterback. Excellent backside run defense in team drills.
Caleb Rogers, IOL, Texas Tech: Rock solid pivot who plays with some snarl but also a very crafty two-hand punch. Was praised in position drills by the coaches for his hand placement and foot drive. When the position coach uses you as an example of what he wants to demonstrate to the others, that’s a definite positive.
Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall: Green had the most dynamic rep of 1-on-1s, bullying his blocker into the dirt. Proved he could win inside with a polished rip move, and his balance through contact is great for a lighter (he’s 253) edge.
Darius Alexander, DL, Toledo: Much like Ezeiruaku, Alexander didn’t win all the time but looked fantastic when he did. If he wins with his first step to the inside, the quarterback is in major peril. Plays bigger than he looks, too.
Negative standouts
Jonah Monheim, IOL, USC: he’s been consistently overpowered and technically outclassed in 1-on-1s. Monheim did do a little better in team drills at center.
Josh Conerly, OL, Oregon: He was on the business end of Mike Green’s highlight reel. It wasn’t the only time No. 55 was on the ground. Conerly is more of a shover than a sustainer as a pass protector and that got repeatedly exposed by the better rushers here.
Mac McWilliams, CB, UCF: made the notes twice for getting beaten over the top in 1-on-1s and he lacked the recovery speed to break up an underthrown ball from Riley Leonard on one of them.
A quarterback comparison
On the American roster, quarterbacks Jalen Milroe and Jaxson Dart often go in sequence in the reps. It proved to be a striking example of the differences between the two, notably in the 1-on-1 passing drill for RBs and TEs.
Dart consistently led his target to open space with his throws. To say he’s “throwing them open” is disingenuous, but Dart was very good at letting his guys catch short passes in full stride when and where they needed it to be there to quickly transition from receiver to runner. It wasn’t perfect, but it sure stood out positively in contrast to Milroe.
It’s not that Milroe is inaccurate on the same throws, mostly shorter outs or crosses or sticks. But his lack of precise ball placement relative to what Dart (and Tyler Shough and Dillon Gabriel on the National roster) really stood out. He makes his receivers work harder to secure the ball and turn it up the field. Whether it’s a foot too low or a count too late, Milroe definitely lacked the precision that NFL scouts desire on the shorter, YAC-oriented offensive concepts.
