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Final takeaways, observations from the Senior Bowl

Emptying the notebook of all the standout players from this year’s all-star scouting event.

(AP Photo/Butch Dill)
(AP Photo/Butch Dill)

MOBILE, Ala. — There's still a game to play before the Senior Bowl concludes, but a week of practices provided the numerous scouts and NFL teams in attendance all they needed to cross some t's and dot some i's.

I was at the event as well, doing scouting that was far less important (though treated just as seriously by yours truly). As we close the page on the week that unofficially kicks off draft season, I wanted to share some of the notes I'd written down while attending practices on Tuesday and Wednesday.

National Roster

Standout players

  • TE Elijah Arroyo (Miami)
  • LB Jeffrey Bassa (Oregon)
  • WR Pat Bryant (Illinois)
  • OLB Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston College)
  • DT Joshua Farmer (Florida State)
  • OLB Mike Green (Marshall)
  • WR Jayden Higgins (Iowa State)
  • WR Tez Johnson (Oregon)
  • DT Aeneas Peebles (Virginia Tech)
  • CB Quincy Riley (Louisville)
  • OLB Josaiah Stewart (Michigan)
  • DT Junior Tafuna (Utah)
  • OLB David Walker (Central Arkansas)
  • OL Grey Zabel (North Dakota State)

Observations

  • Central Arkansas pass rusher David Walker hits like a spring-loaded boxing glove. He has good leverage and won reps with both speed and power.
  • Oregon WR Tez Johnson is in a tier of his own on the field. Excellent separation skills to go with smooth hands.
  • Louisville CB Quincy Riley doesn't waste a step in coverage and has really good technique. He dropped an easy interception, but he's also made several plays on the ball.
  • Marshall pass rusher Mike Green has Tasmanian Devil-like energy. He may get swallowed up by bigger linemen, but he's explosive and relentless.
  • The 1-on-1 battles between the offensive linemen and pass rushers were very competitive.
  • Miami TE Elijah Arroyo's athleticism really jumped out. He's got great size and moves very smoothly in and out of breaks. One pretty bad drop, but he was otherwise clean.
  • Iowa State WR Jayden Higgins rebounded from a rough first practice nicely on Wednesday. He's got a nice frame and deceptive speed, but he struggled with drops.
  • Florida State DT Josh Farmer won consistently. He is very strong but also moves well for someone listed at 314 pounds. When he didn't succeed on a rep quickly, he wore his opponent down eventually.
  • Boston College edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku was terrific in 1-on-1 drills. He displayed multiple ways to win and was active during the team period on Wednesday.
  • Oregon LB Jeffrey Bassa was an impressive presence in the middle of the field. His athleticism as a former safety was clear, and he was one of the few interior linebackers winning in coverage. He left a strong impression.
  • Minnesota LB Cody Lindenberg had a pick-six in 7-on-7s. Read the middle-field throw well from zone alignment and extended for a tough grab.

American Team

Standout players

  • WR Jack Bech (TCU)
  • CB Maxwell Hairston (Kentucky)
  • DE Jared Ivey (Ole Miss)
  • DT Camron Jackson (Florida)
  • OLB Kyle Kennard (South Carolina)
  • LB Smael Mondon (Georgia)
  • DT Walter Nolen (Ole Miss)
  • WR Jalen Royals (Utah State)
  • DT T.J. Sanders (South Carolina)
  • OL Jonah Savaiinaea (Arizona)
  • OT Jackson Slater (California State – Sacramento)
  • OLB Barryn Sorrell (Texas)
  • OLB Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M)
  • TE Mason Taylor (LSU)
  • OT Carson Vinson (Alabama A&M)
  • DT Deone Walker (Kentucky)

Observations

  • UCF CB Brandon Adams had a very nice rep against Arkansas WR Isaac Teslaa in 1-on-1s. Stayed right on top of Teslaa on a vertical route and made an over-the-shoulder interception in the end zone. Adams had a good pair of practices.
  • SMU RB Brashard Smith has great feel for the running back position as a former wide receiver. His vision was superb, and he had the level of route running you'd expect from a former wideout.
  • LSU OL Emory Jones was a player I couldn't stop watching – for better and worse. He took his lumps at times but showed real tenacity to bounce back every single time. His size could be a real issue at tackle, but he still had some impressive reps. Jones had fiery moments with both Barryn Sorrell and Shemar Stewart, which were fantastic to watch.
  • TCU WR Jack Bech was solid every day. He separates smoothly and plucks the ball out of the air. Made a handful of acrobatic catches and won on a variety of routes.
  • Kentucky CB Maxwell Hairston is someone who I was excited to see in person, and I was completely sold on him. He's a good football player.
  • Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart is a big dude. He was a physical presence on the field and easily among the most vocal. There was clear desire to prove himself through domination, and he won in multiple ways.
  • Maryland safety Dante Trader shined on Wednesday. He won most of his 1-on-1 reps and made nice plays against the run as well.
  • Utah State WR Jalen Royals is already a polished player. He had some beautiful releases at the line of scrimmage and understood how to gain leverage against defenders. Hands were excellent.
  • Arizona offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea is a strong dude. Whenever he locked on with good hand position, the rep was over. He looks better suited to play guard than tackle, where his strength can really be promoted.
  • Kentucky DT Deone Walker towered over the other players. Pad leverage will always be an issue for Walker, but he had some reps where he was flat-out undeniable.

Join us as we take a look back on our favorite photos of offense moments from the Atlanta Falcons' 2024-2025 season.

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