The Senior Bowl is back 2024 draft season The entire Pewter Report staff was on hand to report live from Hancock-Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. It was a sunny day without a cloud, and the temperature was around 59 degrees. In other words, it was a great day for the football world to see future Bucks in action.
National team senior bowl practice
Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. Senior Bowl Day 1 – Photo Credit: USA Today
The varsity team was the first to leave to begin practice around 9:30 a.m. local time, with Oregon’s Bo Nix, Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman, and Tampa native and University of Washington graduate Michael -We have a star-studded group of quarterbacks in Penix Jr. While the quarterback had the ability to make accurate passes and throw deep balls, it was the wide receivers who made the highlights as the stars of the show.
A day in the life of a wide receiver
They all had their moments, so deciding who was the best wide receiver was like picking at straws. But it was University of Southern California wide receiver Brenden Rice, son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, and University of Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson who came out on top. Rice attacked defenders on the left and right, especially Penn State cornerback Johnny Dixon, on three consecutive plays.
Rice showed great ability to run down the field and track the ball with ease.He can get open 11-on-11 often and even We wrapped up the last play of practice. We won again 1-1.
Wilson’s strength going into the Senior Bowl is his ability to make big plays, and he performed best in 11-on-11 group settings, making two big gains that put him over the top of the defense on the field. Wilson probably had the longest play of the day with a deep ball over the middle and always found space with few others around him. His separation on routes led to some wide-open plays, and his ability to do so will serve him well the rest of the week.
Another wideout who attacked defensive backs during the session was Florida State wide receiver Ricky Pearsall. Some wins are clean, some wins are like 1-1 at the Senior Bowl.Pearsall The left cornerback was exposed to dust earlier in the day. Create enough separation to get into the end zone. He also showed the ability to make some of the more difficult catches from short to intermediate, proving he can do more than move down the field.
Shout out to North Carolina wide receiver Devontez “Tez” Walker, who won many battles in each practice session. He had a big moment at the end of practice when he was pulled away from Penn State corner Karen King, who tried to apply pressure at the line of scrimmage. There’s a rawness to Walker’s game, but his size in the NFL combined with the suddenness of his cuts make him another interesting name in this group. There’s a lot to be concerned about regarding the wideouts heading into the rest of this week.
QB prospects
As for the quarterback group, none of them had a bad day, but none of them were especially great. Michael Penix Jr. had some good moments early on. He fired a laser throw over the middle, beating a defender and into the hands of Malachi Coley.And he showed off his deep ball accuracy. with a touchdown pass To UCF’s Javon Baker.
There was also an argument that Sam Hartman had the best day. He constantly connected with his receivers in the middle and down the field, and didn’t have many incompletions. Knicks was also accurate, but he didn’t have any throws that would be considered a splash.
Famous office ladies live up to the hype on the first day of the Senior Bowl
Some of the big names Pewter Report has been keeping an eye on heading into the Senior Bowl were very visible in the trenches. Jackson Powers-Johnson excelled in pass protection by putting defenders on the ground. His physicality was just there. Offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga also made headlines by defeating Laitu Ratu in a one-on-one matchup.
Among the running backs who shined, Marshall’s Rasheen Ali played an active role. Marshawn Lloyd also had a big run, and New Hampshire native Dylan Raub came in from the outside for a big gain.
One star and one small school defender making noise.
It was no surprise at all that UCLA edge rusher Laitu Latu had a dominant win off the rep against Tagliese Fuaga on this day. All of Latu’s charms were on display, especially his speed and power. Often, especially on these plays, Latu was able to move to the right by the opposing offensive tackle.
Every year, the Senior Bowl has players from small schools with something to prove. This season, one of those players is Toledo cornerback Kunyon Mitchell. Mitchell was one of the best players taking corner kicks for the national team on Tuesday. His standout play came when he covered Rice on a throw from Knicks. Mitchell had five interceptions in 2022, but just one in 2023, so it appears he’s looking to get back into his groove. Covering the standout receiver of the day is a good start.
U.S. team’s Senior Bowl practice
Kansas State TE Ben Sinnott and Auburn S. Jaylin Simpson at the Senior Bowl – Photo courtesy of USA Today
Defense was certainly a hot topic for the American team when it was their turn to practice in the afternoon. The defensive line completely dominated 11-on-11, thwarting running attack attempts and constantly hitting quarterbacks in the face during pass rushes.
Florida State defensive tackle Braden Fisk particularly stood out. He got up so quickly that at times you had to wonder if he was ahead of the snap itself.
The back end of the defense also had a solid day. Fresno State cornerback Carlton Johnson intercepts Spencer Rattler’s mid-range shot. It was a nice play where Johnson read Rattler’s eyes and broke the ball.
Auburn safety Jaylin Simpson also had a great day. He broke up a pass to Kansas State tight end Ben Sinnott. Although the ball was essentially in his hands, Simpson knocked it out at the last moment. University of Missouri corner Chris Abrams-Drain almost came up with his pick after dropping a pass.
Offensive notable player
Louisville WR Jamari Thrush at the Senior Bowl – Photo courtesy of USA Today
One wide receiver who had a good day for Team USA was Louisville wide receiver Jamari Thrush. Slash displayed incredible speed going deep down the field and made an early touchdown catch.
Best player on opening day of the Senior Bowl had to go to Georgia wideout Rad McConkie, which isn’t all that surprising.
McConkie showed impressive quickness and route-running aptitude, which certainly increased his draft stock. McConkey was a name to watch heading into Senior Bowl week, and now he could find himself in the conversation early on day two.
Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt felt he had good chemistry with Florida State tight end Jaheim Bell. Team USA’s quarterback room lacks the name recognition of the national team, but Pratt had the best day of the group. He possessed accuracy and also displayed sneaky athleticism. Otherwise, it was a disappointing first day for the remaining signal callers on Team USA’s side.
Among the running backs at the Senior Bowl, Georgia’s Daijun Edwards made huge strides in not only his run but also his screen game. Overall, it was a tough battle for this group, but they have a chance to bounce back in the next two practices.
The Pewter Report will have all the coverage of the upcoming Senior Bowl over the next two days.
