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QBs/RBs/TEs To Watch During The Senior Bowl

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Senior Bowl week is one of the most exciting times of the year. Every year, players take advantage of the opportunity to impress coaches, vaulting themselves up draft boards. Last year, Daniel Jones received rave reviews during the Senior Bowl and David Gettlemen was quoted saying that this was where they really fell in love with him. He was drafted fifth overall.

Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon

Yet another example of why players should leave once they have favorable draft capital. At this point last year, Herbert was considered in contention for the first overall pick of the NFL Draft. This year, Herbert’s draft capital is more questionable to an extent, he’s simply not falling outside of the first round. Much like Daniel Jones last year, Herbert is given the opportunity to make a team fall in love with him so much that it vaults his draft capital.

Herbert is a fantastic prospect from a physical standpoint. He’s tall, mobile and has a great arm. He’s shown the capability to make the throws necessary to be an above-average NFL quarterback. Herbert’s problems evolve around his mental abilities and mechanics. His processing within the pocket needs a lot of work. Too many times have I seen him lock onto his first read then scramble after that. He wasn’t great at progressing through multiple reads to find the open man. Pressure is his kryptonite; he needs to greatly improve his pocket presence.

Right now, I’m projecting Herbert to go in the top 10 of the NFL Draft. The quarterback position is too important, and he shows too much potential to not be worth the risk. From a dynasty standpoint, things would probably be best if he went to a team where he could sit for a season. While talented, he has to work on processing things better and his mechanics.

Jordan Love, QB, Utah State

Utah State quarterback Jordan Love is another guy who is loaded with talent but currently lacks the mental traits necessary to be a starting NFL quarterback. Love is a big, mobile quarterback who can make every throw required. He shows good anticipation on his throws, often leading wide receivers into situations where they can accumulate yards after the catch. When the play breaks down, he does a good job of keeping his eyes downfield, scrambling, and making the throw on the run.

He has major leaps to make in terms of processing and reading defenses. A lot of his interceptions occurred due to poor decision making. He has the arm talent and accuracy to make throws, but he has trouble reading the defense. Love is not ready to start right away; he is a project who will take a few years.

If Love can put it together mentally, I believe he will become a good starting NFL quarterback. Seemingly locked into the first round of the NFL Draft, Love is a name to watch in the second round of Superflex drafts.

Ke’Shawn Vaughn, RB, Vanderbilt

Ke’Shawn Vaughn is one of the most talented running backs to play in this game in recent years. While undersized, Vaughn possesses great contact balance, he rarely goes down on first contact. Vaughn has impressive burs, he’s very quick to get through the hole, not that Vanderbilt opened too many of those this past year. His agility and change of direction are also impressive. I rarely see him lose any speed after changing direction. While his receiving stats aren’t spectacular, Vaughn showed to be a productive receiver. He can split out wide, while also showing the ability to adjust for balls, a skill that is encouraging to see in today’s NFL.

People often mention D’Andre Swift or Cam Akers as an option for the Chiefs. I think it’s much more likely they draft a guy like Vaughn in the third or fourth round. If he were to land there, he leaps all the way into the top five picks. If Vaughn lands in a spot where he could rise to the starter, I’m drafting him in every league this year.

Eno Benjamin, RB, Arizona State

Eno Benjamin’s weigh-in at the Senior Bowl has been talked about quite a bit. He recently sized in at 5’9’’ and 195 lbs. However, he says there’s a reason for that.

Seeing a running back weigh in under 200 lbs. is discouraging. If he’s just doing it so he can test better at the NFL Combine, then this is a non-story. If he plays games at that weight, then I’m concerned. 

I am a big fan of Eno Benjamin’s game. His agility and lateral quickness are amongst the best of this class. For a player of his size, Benjamin has surprisingly good contact balance. His ability to regain his balance after a hit or continuously keep his momentum moving forward is impressive. On top of his impressive contact balance and lateral quickness, Eno is also a good receiver with two seasons over 35 catches.

As it stands, Eno is my top-rated running back in this game. Eno has a great combination of vision, contact balance, lateral quickness, and receiving skills that could make him a very valuable asset to our dynasty teams. 

Harrison Bryant, TE, FAU

Harrison Bryant has a very impressive receiving profile for a tight end. Last year, Bryant posted an impressive 45-662-4 receiving line. As the unquestioned first option in 2019, Bryant went off for 65 catches, 1,004 yards, and 7 TDs. A tight end crossing the 1,000-yard mark in college football is remarkable. His play earned him the honor of being a unanimous First-Team All-American as well as winning the John Mackey Award, awarded to the best tight end in college football.

Harrison Bryant is one of, if not, the best receiving tight ends in this class. He doesn’t run a complex route tree, but he excels in the routes that he does. He mostly sticks with nine routes that showcase his straight-line speed, or outs, allowing him to use his athletic advantage over the linebacker to pick up yards after the catch. At 6’5’’, he has good hands and long arms, creating a big catch radius for the quarterback. He’s shown versatility by running routes from both in-line and the slot.

Harrison is a willing blocker but that doesn’t mean he’s a good one. By gaining some weight, he currently weighs 240 lbs., and improving his technique, he could develop into a good blocker. For the beginning of his career, expect him to be used heavily as a receiver and in the slot.

Due to his athletic and receiving abilities, Bryant has one of the highest upsides from the 2020 TE class. His blocking will be a liability, so he needs to land on a team that will play to his strengths. Falling into a Mark Andrews type situation could be great for his career.

Brycen Hopkins, TE, Purdue

When Rondale Moore went down to injury, Purdue needed players to step up. One of them was freshman wide receiver, David Bell. The other was senior tight end, Brycen Hopkins. Hopkins was impressive for a tight end by accumulating 830 yards.

Much like Harrison Bryant before him, Hopkins is another tight end who excels more as a receiver than a blocker. He’s willing to block; he just isn’t very good at it. He doesn’t come off the line with as much power or aggression that good blockers do. Unlike Harrison Bryant, Hopkins has run a full route tree. For a college tight end, his route tree and execution are exceptional. He has a good understanding of coverages, allowing him to manipulate the person covering him in man and knowing where to find the holes in zone defenses.

With good athleticism, the ability to pick up yards after the catch, and contested-catch skills, Brycen Hopkins fits in as a receiving option in today’s NFL. Most likely drafted on Day 2, I’m watching Bryant’s landing spot very closely. If he falls into the right spot, I could see Hopkins being a top-12 tight end in dynasty leagues.

Adam Trautman, TE, Dayton

People have spent a lot of time trashing this TE class, and I don’t think it’s completely deserved. Yes, the class lacks a talent of T.J. Hockenson, Noah Fant, or even Irv Smith, but the class has multiple TEs who I think could become meaningful fantasy contributors. Adam Trautman from Dayton is one of those guys.  

Trautman’s 2019 stats are remarkable. He caught 70 passes for 916 yards and 14 touchdowns. People will discredit him because he played at Dayton, but nonetheless, his production was eye-opening. Trautman’s explosion off the line of scream is evident when watching him play. There have been many plays where he has his man beat the second he starts moving. His speed allows him to keep that advantage over his defender. He’s agile, showing the ability to get in and out of his breaks smoothly. With a good route tree, Trautman is another talented receiving tight end in this class.

There’s a trend in these tight ends. They are exceptional receivers with a lot of work to do blocking. Trautman’s blocking is a project at the next level. Despite his poor blocking, I’m excited for Trautman coming into the league. He’s another guy who I believe has the potential to be a top-12 dynasty tight end.

 

Who are you watching eagerly this weekend? Who do you think will rise the most this week? Let me know on Twitter at @DFF_Steven.

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