Shorter, but Productive South Practice Closes Out Senior Bowl Week
Emory Hunt
In what was the final practice for the public here in Mobile, the South Team went for a little bit over an hour on Thursday, as you began to see the mass exodus of scouts immediately afterwards. It was a team-vs-team heavy practice that gave a lot of opportunities for guys to make plays at close to full tilt before Saturday’s game.
Tyree Jackson Stands Tall Amongst the Rest
This has been a really good week for Jackson’s draft stock, as the 6’7 signal caller has been consistent with his accuracy and ball placement throughout the week. For as fast as he throws the football, he also makes it very catchable. Jackson’s ability to fit the football into tight windows has drawn a ton of praise from those in attendance, both scouts and media alike.
Tyre Brady & Deebo Samuel Standout
I thought Thursday’s practice was an excellent one for both Tyre Brady (Marshall) and Deebo Samuel (South Carolina). In what seems to be a broken record, both guys have had really good practices during their time in Mobile. Whether it’s in 1-on-1s or 7-on-7s, you always see both players making acrobatic catches that have the crowd going “Oooh and Ahhh”.
Bluegrass Corner Ballin’
Another player who has made the most of this week in Mobile has been Kentucky Wildcats cornerback Lonnie Johnson Jr. I thought he was the best corner out there on Thursday, and one of the best during the entire week. Johnson, for a 6’3 corner, is very fluid and technically sound. His length allows him to shrink passing windows and he has the ball skills to make catching the football very difficult for the wide receiver. Johnson has definitely made himself some money this week at the Senior Bowl.
Offensive Line-Defensive Line Battle to Stalemate in 1-on-1s
I thought this was one of the more competitive periods of practice. Both sides did their fair share of damage to the other. There were a few standouts that we’ll mention below, but these two units I’m excited to see go up against the North Team, as that alone will be must see TV.
More Day 3 Practice Standouts (South Team)
OL – Javon Patterson (6’3 314), Ole Miss: Patterson was outstanding during 1-on-1s. I don’t recall seeing him lose a rep. His footwork and hand placement was consistent and he maintained a good level of control throughout the rep.
DL – Kingsley Keke (6’4 305), Texas A&M: Keke has excellent core strength that allows him to escort an offensive lineman back into the lap of a QB. It’s the ball get off, in conjunction with his strength, that makes him impressive.
DL – Montez Sweat (6’6 245), Mississippi State: Remember the movie The Last Dragon? Well, Sweat definitely had the glow of Bruce LeRoy during Thursday’s practice. He just has a knack for making his skill set consistently work for him against the offensive linemen. If anything, Sweat has solidified his spot as one of the top defensive players in the NFL Draft after this week of work.
OL – Ross Pierschbacher (6’3 309), Alabama: No one frustrated more defensive linemen during 1-on-1s than Pierschbacher. It didn’t matter how fast or explosive the defender came off the ball, Pierschbacher did not budge. He showed an excellent ability to anchor, absorb and redirect. Fantastic performance on Thursday.
OL – Oli Udoh (6’6 365), Elon: Quietly, the former Elon Phoenix and Shrine Game call up has been steady all week long. It’s been good for Udoh personally and his subsequent draft stock, to stack back-to-back strong weeks.
QB – Jarrett Stidham (6’3 215), Auburn: Stidham had a really good Thursday practice, making some nice throws during 7-on-7 period and during team periods.
RB – Wes Hills (6’2 218), Slippery Rock: It’s been impressive to see how good of a receiver Hills is coming out of the backfield. This was one element of his game that you wanted to see coming into the week, and he hasn’t disappointed. Another player who’s stacking back-to-back good weeks.
DL – Jaylon Ferguson (6’5 262), Louisiana Tech: Ferguson moves extremely well for his size and has a bit of finesse to his game to go along with his excellent strength. He’s been one to consistently give OL fits this week.
DL – Dontavius Russell (6’3 320), Auburn: I think Russell’s ball get off and ability to whip out a counter move is what made him a tough block on Thursday during 1-on-1s. He does a great job of using his own natural leverage, and stealing leverage away from an offensive lineman.
DE – Carl Grandseron (6’5 261), Wyoming: Granderson had himself a day today during 1-on-1s. Good hand usage was the reason why he won so many battles. He was also able to dip and accelerate past the OL as well.
TE – Dax Raymond (6’5 250), Utah State: Raymond had a really good day during 7-on-7 drills and during 1-on-1s. He runs really good routes and does a great job of tracking the football, looking it into his hands.
Day 3 Practice Highlights (South Team)
WRs/DBs 1-on-1s
OL/DL 1-on-1s
Team-vs-Team