You know you're a pretty big deal at the Senior Bowl if two of the best college football talent evaluators in the business, NFL Network's Mike Mayock and Bleacher Report's Matt Miller, are singing your praises on the same day.
Both analysts had great things to say about Miami Hurricanes tight end Clive Walford, who stole headlines on Day 2 of padded practice in Mobile.
"I think we've go the most explosive tight end in this year's draft on the field," Mayock said of Walford. "They (Miami) used him everywhere, occasionally inline but more often in the slot (and) out wide on the move. I'm not sure what he's going to run (at the NFL Scouting Combine), but I'm guessing somewhere in the 4.65 range, which is tremendous for his size. He's what today's NFL is all about as a TE; he's a pass-first, block-later tight end."
The 6-foot-4, 254-pound former high school basketball player, Walford turned his on-field practice efforts Wednesday into must-see television for fans, NFL scouts and more. In 1-on-1 drills, he showcased a shake move during routes that left defenders helpless and future NFL defensive coordinators curious about how exactly they'll cover him.
The 2014 Mackey Award Finalist finished with 44 receptions for 676 yards (15.4 avg) and seven touchdowns in his final season on campus.
Among other standout performers in Mobile this week, Cincinnati Bearcats linebacker Jeff Luc created high expectations during weigh-ins before later going out on the field in pads and looking every bit as good. Luc's explosiveness and speed in 11-on-11 team sessions drew high praise, including his ability to finish plays.
On Wednesday, Luc showed no doubt why he led the Bearcats with 134 tackles in 2014, stopping Nebraska running back Ameer Abudllah right in his tracks, allowing no chance for a broken tackle by the elusive Husker star.
As both North and South teams approach Thursday's final full practice of the week, look for both Luc and Walford to finish in strong fashion. It won't be a surprise if their week culminates with a solid showing in Saturday's Senior Bowl, further strengthening their cases as very worthy NFL draft picks.
