Mark Schofield highlights some of the defensive players to watch at this week’s Senior Bowl.
As the NFL season winds down, the draft season heats up.
This year the draft process will be a bit different than in year’s past, given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. But the unofficial kickoff to draft season is upon us, the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.
While this week usually gives teams a chance to see draft prospects up close over the course of a few days of practice, the circumstances of 2021 might mean the Senior Bowl takes on even more importance. With the NFL shelving the Scouting Combine, Senior Bowl Week is now the best chance for teams to get true face time with prospects before the draft, meaning those who have good weeks down in Mobile could truly improve their draft stock.
With that in mind, here are just some of the names I’ll be keeping a close eye on this week on the defensive side of the ball.
Michigan football attempts to start a winning streak as it takes on a winless Penn State team. What players should you watch closely?
[jwplayer YaOcRwS8-XNcErKyb]
Despite losing three games in a row, Michigan football finally got a victory last week as it defeated Rutgers in triple-overtime 48-42. With a 2-3 record, the Wolverines still have a chance to end its season with a record above .500 with four games left in the season. Michigan’s next opponent is its easiest one so far, against a winless Penn State Nittany Lions team.
Penn State is struggling like the Wolverines are, but it’s more extreme as the Nittany Lions haven’t been able to win a game this season, and they haven’t been playing the top teams all season long — save for Big Ten Week 2. Penn State started with a heartbreaking loss in overtime to Indiana and then took on Ohio State on the road. Its next three losses came to unexpected teams, Maryland, Nebraska, and Iowa. Penn State now will look to capture its first win of the year against a Michigan team that is not up to its standards.
Both teams look at this week’s game as a big moment for programs. For Penn State, can it finally capture its first win of the year? Is it able to take down Michigan in back-to-back seasons? For Michigan, can it obliterate a team it has no excuse to lose against? Could this win spark a late-season push?
Those questions and more will be answered on Saturday, but some players might need an extra set of eyes to watch out for when it comes to the action on the field. From two quarterbacks in the middle of controversy to an NFL ready player looking to build his resume for the draft, check out which five players you should pay attention to below.
One player that would be a perfect fit for the future of the Cardinals’ edge rushing core is Penn State’s Shaka Toney.
Entering week seven of the NFL season, the Arizona Cardinals have started to get their momentum back, despite losing pass rusher Chandler Jones to a torn biceps, which ends his 2020 season. However, they did go out and trade for New York Giants edge rusher Markus Golden for a 2021 sixth-round pick. The Cardinals have talented edge rushers, but it is still an area of concern. They have Devon Kennard on a three-year deal and Jordan Phillips through the 2022 season. Markus Golden is only with the Cardinals through this season, and they need another player that possesses elite speed with a high motor.
The Cardinals will have some talented edge rushers to choose from in the 2021 NFL Draft. One player that would be a perfect fit for the future of the Cardinals’ pass-rushing corps is Penn State’s Shaka Toney.
Shaka Toney has a tremendous burst of speed and has the talent to be a key contributor for the Cardinals’ defense. The 6-foot-3 and 253-pound edge rusher has the athletic ability to make big plays out of nowhere, as he has done before. Toney plays with a high motor and uses his athleticism to his advantage. Penn State is without arguably one of the most talented prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft in Micah Parsons to an opt-out. They still have both Toney and Jayson Oweh as their top defensive stars. Last season, Toney recorded 40 total tackles and 5.5 sacks. The minute he stepped onto the field for the first time as a Nittany Lion, he was an immediate contributor. In 2017, Toney was named to the All-Freshman team by BTN.com, recording 17 total tackles and 3.5 sacks. Toney is one of the most impressive edge rushers in the Big Ten that should not be overlooked.
Shaka Toney is an impressive talent. However, there are two traits that he will have to polish up. First, Toney’s technique is impressive, he just needs to stay consistent with it. He is powerful with his rip move, but there are times where he will rely too much on his athleticism, meaning he will play too high and is not as active with his hands as he should be. Toney can also be a bit of a high tackler at times. This is an area where he should not have too much of a problem polishing up, as he has been on his game before of being an efficient tackler.
Shaka Toney has the talent to be a key contributor for the Arizona Cardinals. He possesses elite speed and athleticism that Vance Joseph will fall in love with. He has room to grow and with the loss of Micah Parsons to the NFL Draft, this is a big opportunity for Toney to take that big leap in his final season as a Penn State Nittany Lion.
