2021 Senior Bowl: Who stood out and struggled at every position
We’ve reached the end of the 2021 Senior Bowl, with the game underway on Saturday. It’s been a great week to kick off the 2021 NFL Draft process, and it provided some normalcy to what will (once again) be a different draft process.
The week was over in a flash, and the practices were a fun spectacle once again. The coaching staffs of the Miami Dolphins and Carolina Panthers kept things upbeat, energic, and competitive all week long. The one-on-ones did not disappoint, and the intensity stuck around for the full team drills.
It was unfortunate to not see DeVonta Smith be able to practice at all because of his injury in the National Championship. Fellow Crimson Tide potential first-rounder Najee Harris also had to end up pulling out of practice as well. While the quarterback class always gets headlines, some were disappointed to not see Kyle Trask down in Mobile either.
As always, fans of NFL teams and colleges want to know who the big winners were down at the Senior Bowl. In this article, we will break down the standouts and strugglers from every position down at the 2021 Senior Bowl. Let’s dive on in!
2021 Senior Bowl: Quarterbacks
The quarterbacks down in Mobile had plenty to prove and plenty to gain heading into the week, and with most of the headlines directed elsewhere, that isn’t a good sign.
Alabama’s Mac Jones came into the week as the leader in the clubhouse with the best chance of all participants to be selected in the first round. While Jones did a fine job and made some impressive throws in team drills, it’s clear his arm strength and velocity on the football is limited.
Both Jamie Newman and Kellen Mond kept things competitive with Jones in practices, showing off their arm talents. Newman looked like the best thrower of the football, but Jones had a better command of the offense during 11-on-11 and looked more comfortable working through reads. Newman and Mond threw some bad picks.
As far as the National team goes, it was pretty ho-hum as well. Ian Book probably looked the most confident in practices and team drills, while Feleipe Franks flashed his arm strength. Franks, however, looked like he was aiming rather than letting it loose in team drills. As for Sam Ehlinger, it was more of the same.
In a week where quarterbacks have often made money in the past, no one really stood out and made a case to be selected in the first round. A team may reach for Jones, but right now, it doesn’t look like value.