Wisconsin has Four Players Invited to NFL Combine

Wisconsin has four of its former players invited to the 2020 NFL Draft combine.

With the NFL season now in the rearview mirror, it is officially NFL Draft season and with the college football all-star games completed, the next step in the process is the NFL scouting combine.

Wisconsin had four players invited to Indianapolis in running back Jonathan Taylor, wide receiver Quintez Cephus, center Tyler Biadasz, and outside linebacker Zack Baun.

The four will look to boost their NFL Draft stock as Taylor, Biadasz, and Baun are expected to be drafted in the top two rounds of the NFL Draft, which will take place over a three day period from April 23rd to April 25th.

With strong combines by Taylor and Biadasz, they could potentially be the first players selected at their respective positions. While Baun will look to build off of his Senior Bowl performance in Mobile, Ala. in order to solidify himself as a possible first round draft pick.

Cephus has the most work to do at the combine as the wide receiver class is strong. A strong combine and him interviewing well with teams should allow him to move up teams NFL Draft boards.

Chris Orr was not invited to the combine. Orr will still have his chance of working out for NFL teams whether that’s through workouts or at Wisconsin’s pro day, which still has yet to be announced when that will be.

The NFL scouting combine is set to take place in Indianapolis from Sunday, February 23rd to Monday, March 2nd.

NFL Draft profile: Zack Baun

Sizing up Zack Baun

As the NFL Draft draws closer, Badgers Wire is exploring draft profiles of those who have declared. The basic premise of these articles is to take a brief look at each player. Each column will take a look at each player’s football statistics as well as their physical statistics. Finally, we’ll give you a brief summary of what each player offers and where he can be expected to go in the 2020 NFL Draft. Next up is Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun.

The Badger standout had a mixed performance at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, just over a week ago. Thanks to contributions from Joe Goodberry of The Athletic and Patrick Carlisle of LB3 Scouting, we were able to get quality coverage of Baun’s practice week before the game for Badgers Wire. What ultimately makes Baun a tempting pick is his versatility combined with his work ethic and on-field production in an NFL-ready defense at Wisconsin.

Carlisle said Baun “has continued to shine as a pass rusher consistently winning against some solid Senior Bowl offensive tackles with speed and technique. In linebacker drills he showed solid coverage skills for a guy who was more of a pass rusher in college.”

Goodberry said, “Zack Baun has been doing drills at both linebacker and defensive line and has had moments of success at each. Showing some nice speed to chase the ball, Baun has taken to playing inside linebacker.”

Several major outlets have projected Baun as a solid fit for two blue-collar franchises cut from the same cloth with owners who have a deep friendship. The NY Post said Baun would be a great fit for the Giants, comparing him to players like T.J. Watt, Ryan Connelly, and Joe Schobert, all of whom have a Wisconsin connection to Baun.

FanSided’s Pittsburgh site said Baun would be a great fit for the Steelers, comparing him to T.J. Watt and suggesting he could play well next to Buck linebacker Devin Bush. The Baltimore Ravens’ official site labeled him as one of the Senior Bowl Prospects (at Positions of Need) Who Have Stood Out, while the NFL’s official site interviewed him as key player. There is a clear need for the player in the upcoming draft.

Wisconsin Football Season Review: Inside Linebackers

How well did Wisconsin’s inside linebackers play during the 2019 season.

Wisconsin finished its fifth season under head coach Paul Chryst as Chryst improved his overall record to 52-16 and has a posted a 34-10 record in conference games. After not winning the Big Ten West Division title in 2018 the Badgers were back in Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship game as the West representative for the fourth time in the last six years since the Big Ten went to its current format.

In this Badgers Wire feature we will examine the play of Wisconsin’s inside linebacker from the 2019 season and take a sneak into what the 2020 season may have in store for the position:

Wisconsin lost two impact players in inside linebackers T.J. Edwards and Ryan Connelly as the two led Wisconsin in tackles with 113 and 89 respectively last season. In addition, Edwards 11.5 tackles for loss and Connelly’s 10 tackles for loss ranked first and second on the team not to mention Edwards had a team leading three interceptions.

Despite losing two high impact players the expectation was that the Badgers were going to simply reload with Chris Orr and Jack Sanborn officially taking over at inside linebacker.

Those expectations were correct.

As the previous season, the top two tacklers by the end of the year were Wisconsin’s middle linebackers as Sanborn finished with 80 tackles and Orr registered 78 tackles.

Orr outside of outside linebacker Zack Baun was one of the clear leaders of not only Wisconsin’s defense but also the team. Orr was able to find a way of consistently making impact plays for Wisconsin’s defense.

Orr who appeared in 50 career games started all 14 games for the Badgers this past season as he posted career highs in both tackles for loss (14) and sacks (11.5).

Orr’s ability to generate pressure up the middle complemented Baun well on the outside and made it difficult for opposing offenses to move the football down the field consistently against Wisconsin’s defense.

Sanborn who played as a true freshman made a nice jump from his freshman to sophomore season. Sanborn with Orr made it difficult to rush the football up the middle. Sanborn did a good job of diagnosing plays and then hitting the rushing lanes for him to execute at a high level.

Fellow inside linebackers Mike Maskalunas and true freshman Leo Chenal were able to make positive contributions on the inside too.

Maskalunas appeared in 14 games finishing the season with 16 tackles and registered 2 pass breakups and recovered one fumble. Chenal missed three games because of a head injury but still finished the season with 20 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, two quarterback hurries and recovered a fumble too.

2020 Wisconsin Inside Linebackers

Losing Orr will hurt as he was a great leader for Wisconsin as he had the respect of all of his teammates. But at the same time with Sanborn returning and the expectation that Chenal will slide in at the other inside linebacker position the Badgers once again should be set at the position like they have been the last few years. Maskalunas will return for his senior season as he’s a reliable player that the coaches can count on as he has a comfort in Wisconsin’s 3-4 defense. The Badgers will need to have a reliable fourth inside linebacker as that responsibility could fall to redshirt freshman Maema Njongmeta or Malik Reed, Jordan Turner, or Preston Zachman as the three will be true freshman. Turner and Zachman both enrolled early at Wisconsin, which will give themselves a good chance of seeing the field early if they can gain a comfort in Wisconsin’s defense.

Seahawks select linebacker in 1st round of Mel Kiper’s Mock Draft 1.0

ESPN’s Mel Kiper is projecting the Seattle Seahawks select linebacker Zack Baun with the No. 27 overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Draft talk is in full swing now that ESPN’s Mel Kiper has released his 2020 Mock Draft 1.0. After losing to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs, the Seattle Seahawks will select at number No. 27 in the first round come April.

Kiper projects Seattle will select linebacker Zack Baun out of Wisconsin.

“It’s fair to say the early returns on 2019 first-round pick L.J. Collier, whom I ranked outside my top 50, were disappointing; he played just 142 defensive snaps and didn’t have a sack,” Kiper writes. “Put that next to an injury-plagued season from Ezekiel Ansah and an inconsistent year from Jadeveon Clowney, and the Seahawks produced a very un-Pete-Carroll-like 28 total sacks, tied for second-fewest in the league.”

2020 Mock Draft 1.0: https://t.co/NZGhHyChP2

— Mel Kiper Jr. (@MelKiperESPN) January 24, 2020

“This front seven could be depleted in free agency – Jarran Reed is another who could leave – which means Baun, whom I really wanted to find a way to sneak into the first round here, makes a lot of sense,” Kiper continues. “He’s not going to be a traditional hulking 4-3 defensive end, but he gets after quarterbacks in different ways. His 2019 breakout season (12.5 sacks) included a few “wow” moments from his relentlessness, and he’s going to get some comps to former Badger T.J. Watt. If he lands in Seattle, he’d play outside linebacker, but he’d get plenty of opportunities to get after quarterbacks.

“I thought about Oklahoma defensive tackle Neville Gallimore, who has had a good week at the Senior Bowl as a Reed replacement, but I’ll stick with Baun.”

With a significant increase in the salary cap this upcoming season, it’s foreseeable the Seahawks could renew a contract or two as opposed to losing so many players to free agency.

What Seattle manages to do come March will have a huge impact on the Seahawks’ draft board.

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6 Senior Bowl prospects the Jets should target in the draft

Temple’s Matt Hennessy and LSU’s Lloyd Cushenberry III are among prospects at the Senior Bowl that the Jets should priortize come April.

Senior Bowl week is upon us down in Mobile, Alabama, which means scouting efforts will be in full force for the Jets and the NFL’s 31 other teams.

This is Joe Douglas’ first opportunity to shine as Jets general manager. He has his work cut out for him, whether it’s scouting the impressive offensive line class or finding new weapons for Sam Darnold.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at six players the Jets should have their eyes on at the Senior Bowl, which takes place Saturday.

C Matt Hennessy – Temple

Matt Hennessy, the brother of Jets long snapper Thomas Hennessy, would love to return home and be teammates with his brother for the first time on a football field.

Hennessy is quickly becoming a hot name in a rather weak center class. Washington’s Nick Harris has consistently struggled in one-on-one drills, while Hennessy has stood out. He has arguably been the best offensive lineman in Mobile thus far, consistently stonewalling opposing defensive linemen, as he did in college.

The Jets have struggled to find a mainstay to bark out signals on the offensive line. The team has gone through five centers in the past three seasons and have failed to replace the stability and production that Nick Mangold brought to the position for over a decade.

What stands out with Hennessy is his football intelligence and his pass blocking skills. At Temple, Hennessy was one of the most consistent pass blockers in the nation, not allowing a sack in 828 snaps. He allowed four total pressures during his junior campaign, per Pro Football Focus. He graded out as PFF’s top-ranked center in the FBS this season (86.9).

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Wisconsin Football Season Review: Outside Linebackers

How well did Wisconsin’s outside linebackers play during the 2019 season?

In this Badgers Wire feature we will examine the play of Wisconsin’s outside linebacker from the 2019 season and take a sneak into what the 2020 season may have in store for the position:

Zack Baun was simply terrific for Wisconsin’s defense in 2019. If the Badgers were going to be improved as a defense the Badgers were going to need Baun to deliver.

Baun certainly did and then some as he finished his season leading the team in both tackles for loss (19.5), sacks (12.5), and quarterback hurries (10) as his 76 tackles ranked third on the team.

With Baun having such a strong season he was able to earn First team All-Big Ten and earned All-American honors as well.

Most importantly with Baun being dominant at times the Badgers were going to need someone opposite of him at the other outside linebacker position to take some pressure off of him.

Initially, that responsibility appeared that it was going to go to redshirt sophomore Izayah Green-May as he won the other starting outside linebacker position out of fall camp. However, Green-May suffered an injury early on in the season causing him to miss the game against Central Michigan.

With Green-May out with a right arm, injury opened the door for Noah Burks. Burks took his starting opportunity and ran with it as he finished out the season as the starter along with Baun.

Burks finished the year with 36 tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks, three pass breakups, and one interception, which he returned for a touchdown.

Green-May only ended up playing in 10 games finishing the season with five tackles and a sack. Wisconsin also relied on at times at the outside linebacker position in Christian Bell and Tyler Johnson the two combined for 11 tackles and each had a sack.

With Baun consistently getting in opponents, backfields was one of the reasons why the Badgers were able to average 3.3 sacks over conference play, which ranked second. Creating that pressure on the outside also led to forcing quarterbacks to hurry up their decision making process in the pocket. As Big Ten quarterbacks completed an average of 50.3 percent (145-for-288 of their passes as that percentage was the second-lowest over Big Ten play.

Losing Baun to graduation hurts but Burks was able to make some nice strides between his redshirt sophomore season and redshirt junior season. Burks will need to continue to develop and take that next step in order to continue to find ways of getting in opponents backfields. Although it wasn’t the season Green-May was anticipating after he won the starting outside linebacker job out of fall camp he’ll need to continue to add weight and strength in order to hold up over Big Ten play. The Badgers will also need to see the continued development out of redshirt sophomore Jaylan Franklin and redshirt freshman Spencer Lytle as both will be counted on to take on a bigger role in Wisconsin’s defense. True freshman Nick Herbig enrolled early at Wisconsin, which will allow for outside linebackers coach Bobby April the chance to start working with one of Wisconsin’s prized recruits on the defensive side of the football.

Report: Saints met with Michigan QB Shea Patterson, other prospects at Senior Bowl

The New Orleans Saints have been busy meeting with top 2020 NFL Draft prospects at the Senior Bowl, including Michigan QB Shea Patterson.

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The festivities and practice sessions running up to the 2020 Senior Bowl are in full swing, and the New Orleans Saints are in attendance. This is the first opportunity many coaches and front office personnel will have to scout the prospects in this year’s NFL Draft, so it’s important for these rookies-to-be to make a strong first impression.

Walter Football’s Charlie Campbell reported that the Saints were active in meeting with players from both the North Team and South Team, but we shouldn’t look too deeply into these brief conversations. Often it’s just an opportunity to touch base with a player and maybe get their phone number to schedule a more in-depth interview later on. Eventually, every team meets with just about every prospect.

QB Shea Patterson, Michigan

Patterson, 6-foot-1 and 204 pounds, appeared in just 10 games at Ole Miss during his first two years before transferring to Michigan, where he completed more passes (424) than he attempted in his first stop (392). In his career, Patterson went 662-of-1,098 (60.3%) for 8,800 passing yards, scoring 68 touchdowns against 27 interceptions. He’s been an inconsistent asset on the ground, never averaging better than 4.1 yards per carry or running more than 87 times in a season. He’s very much a pocket passer and has a lot to prove at this all-star game.

DT Larrell Murchison, N.C. State

Murchison was one of the first defensive linemen to arrive at N.C. State after the Saints hired decorated position coach Ryan Nielsen, so there probably isn’t much of an inside-scoop here. The 6-foot-2, 294-pound lineman transferred to N.C. State in 2018 and immediately made an impact, racking up 20 tackles for loss and 11 sacks in just 23 games. He fits the profile of someone like Mario Edwards Jr., who the Saints line up all over the formation thanks to his tweener body type.

WR Quartney Davis, Texas A&M

Davis weighed in at 6-foot-1, 199 pounds after getting called up to the Senior Bowl having earned his degree as a junior. He caught 99 passes in two years with the Aggies, gaining 1,201 receiving yards and scoring 11 touchdowns through the air. He’ll need to show either exceptional speed, route-running nuance, or another high-upside ability to get drafted, but the Saints have to consider every option to upgrade their receiving corps.

LB Zack Baun, Wisconsin

Baun (6-foot-2, 240 pounds) is a versatile defender who’s been moving easily from coverage drills to one-on-one pass-rush drills during practice. He played sparingly early in his Badgers career before starting as a junior in 2018, and held onto that post in his senior year, putting up an obscene 19.5 tackles for loss (and 12.5 sacks). He could be a nice addition to a banged-up Saints linebacker corps, which has two starters returning from season-ending injuries (Alex Anzalone and Kiko Alonso) and a third entering a contract year (Demario Davis).

WR Collin Johnson, Texas

Johnson was a college teammate of Saints rookie Lil’Jordan Humphrey, opting to stay in school and take advantage of his rare physical tools (6-foot-5 and 221 pounds). He contributed to the Longhorns passing game all four years at Texas, catching 188 passes for 2,624 yards and 15 touchdown scores. That’s an average of 4.5 receptions per game and 62.5 receiving yards per game, which bodes well for his future in the NFL. It’s always best to boost your resume with sustained success.

DT Josiah Coatney, Ole Miss

Coatney has a big frame (6-foot-3.5, 309 pounds) and has started all three years he played at Ole Miss, consistently posting up 46-to-65 tackles per year; that’s an average of 4.8 per game, which is a great number for a defensive line. It shows how often he was flowing to the ball and disrupting the offense in front of him. He also finished his collegiate career with 15.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. The Saints have done a great job finding undrafted gems along the defensive line like Shy Tuttle and Taylor Stallworth, and Coatney could join them.

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2020 Senior Bowl: 7 prospects to watch on defense

The Bears have several needs they need to address this offseason. Here are 7 prospects on defense they should be watching this week.

The road to the 2020 NFL Draft starts in Mobile with the Senior Bowl, where Bears scouts will have the chance to get to know some of the top prospects in this draft class.

More than 100 of the top collegiate seniors from schools all over the country will participate in this year’s Senior Bowl, which will take place on Jan. 25.

But prior to then, practices during the week leading up to the game give front offices a chance to evaluate players on the field and meet with them off the field.

The Bears have several needs they need to address this offseason. Let’s take a look at seven prospects on defense they should be watching closely this week.

1. CB Lamar Jackson, Nebraska

The Bears could be facing changes in the secondary this offseason, especially with cornerback Prince Amukamara a likely cap casualty. If that’s the case, the Bears will be in the market for a new starting cornerback opposite Kyle Fuller.

Maybe that cornerback is Nebraska’s Lamar Jackson, who had a breakout senior season that has shown that he could be a solid and dependable cornerback in the NFL. Jackson had 40 tackles, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and 12 pass breakups in 2019.

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Seahawks address defensive line in latest Draft Wire mock draft

Draft Wire has their latest four-round 2020 mock draft, which has the Seattle Seahawks addressing their offensive and defensive line.

Now that the college football season is officially over, it’s time to start speculating on which college stars will find their way onto the Seattle Seahawks roster for the 2020 season.

Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling released his latest four round mock draft, which has the Seahawks investing heavily on the offensive and defensive lines – two key positions of need for this team if they want to make a Super Bowl run in 2020.

Here’s a look at each of Seattle’s four picks, and why they could be good fits.

Round 1, Pick 27: Solomon Kindley, OL, Georgia

Kindley isn’t being mocked in the first round very many places, but Seattle does have a history of making unconventional first round picks, so maybe this makes perfect sense.

Kindley is a hulking left guard – an area of need with Mike Iupati hitting free agency – although his mobility could use some work.

He’s more of a run-blocker than a pass protector at this point, another reason Pete Carroll could be interested, but unless he really impresses in the combine he’s probably not worth a first round selection.

Round 2, Pick 59: Cameron Dantzler, CB, Mississippi State

Dantzler has the requisite length (six-foot-two) to be a Seattle defensive back, and his previous experience at other positions gives him the versatility that coach Carroll craves, but he lacks physicality – often getting pushed around by bigger receivers.

Plus, he’s shown a tendency to get a little grabby on deep balls, which Seattle will want to avoid after seeing Tre Flowers cost them mightily because of that same issue.

Round 2, Pick 64: Zack Baun, EDGE, Wisconsin

This is a very weak draft for EDGE defenders, so while it may be a surprise to see Seattle wait this long to grab one, it probably makes the most sense.

Baun fits what Seattle needs as a quick pass rusher off the edge with the versatility and strength needed to make an instant impact.

He isn’t much of a run stuffer, but Seattle will take a third down pass rush specialist at this point – they can always work him into an every down player in the future.

For now, if he can get to the quarterback, he’s worth taking.

Round 4, Pick 123: Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU

Blacklock only recently committed to entering the 2020 NFL Draft, but many believe he has the size and strength to go within the top 100, making him a nice pickup at 123 if Seattle can get him.

Blacklock was the BIG-12 Co-Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2017, and showed great ability to get into the back field throughout his time with the Horned Frogs.

Seattle fans may be weary of taking a defensive lineman from TCU, but maybe reuniting Blacklock with L.J. Collier will get both of them going for Seattle in 2020.

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Steelers land edge rusher in new 2020 mock draft

Pittsburgh could need help at outside linebacker and Zack Baun is a fast-rising prospect.

It was a breakout season for Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Bud Dupree. The light finally came on for Dupree in his fifth season in the NFL and we got to see what he is actually capable of. Dupree finished with a career-high 11.5 sacks and lined himself up perfectly for a big free-agent payday.

Should the Steelers fail to be the team to give Dupree his payday, finding a new edge rusher opposite T.J. Watt will be a top priority. In a new 2020 mock draft, we see Pittsburgh doing just that with the choice of Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun with their second-round pick.

Baun is an intriguing prospect in the second round. He came on strong in 2019 and had his best season at Wisconsin. He finished with 11.5 sacks after only getting 2.5 sacks in 2018. In reviewing some games is seems the bump in production was as much to do with opportunity as anything else and his skills were evident in 2018 as well.

Even if the Steelers are able to sign Dupree or franchise him, Baun as a pick makes sense. Dupree and Watt played a ton of snaps in 2019 due partly because of issues with depth.

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