• Houston WR Tank Dell: No defensive back has really been able to get their hands on Dell, and he’s made them pay in both one-on-ones and the full-team scrimmages.
• Tulane RB Tyjae Spears: Although it's difficult for running backs to truly showcase their skill sets in the All-Star game practices, Spears stands out above the rest,
• Day 1 recap: Click here to read PFF's recap of Day 1 of the Senior Bowl
Estimated Reading Time: 5 mins
Day 1 is when you make your first impressions, but Day 2 is often when you really get to stand out at the Senior Bowl. If you put together a good first practice, you had a chance to stack it with another to solidify being a “winner” on the week. It can also be a crucial day to “bounce back” or really take to the teaching of the NFL coaches around you.
Day 2 is always a fun time to evaluate prospects because everyone is often more comfortable and confident in the new environment; you’re getting the best, or at least a better, version of each player.
Here’s who stood out from Day 2 of the Senior Bowl and players who might be rising up draft boards across the league.
WR TANK DELL, HOUSTON
It was the second day in a row that Dell’s athleticism stood out. He measured in at 5-foot-8 and 163 pounds, so you figure if defensive backs can get their hands on him, he won’t be able to handle the physicality. The problem is no defensive back has really been able to get their hands on him in that way, and he’s made them pay in both one-on-ones and the full-team scrimmages. With as much dynamic ability as he has, he feels like a player who is a Day 2 lock, and one whose stock is trending more and more toward being a second-round pick.
.@UHCougarFB WR Tank Dell’s quickness and speed are standing out every rep he’s on the field. Gained separation at release, into the route, and on the break. This was almost the play of the day pic.twitter.com/QshK6eQILM
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) February 1, 2023
EDGE WILL MCDONALD IV, IOWA STATE
McDonald is another player stacking good days at the Senior Bowl. At 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, he’s a lighter edge rusher whose strength is his speed. In the clip below, he went up against Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright, who has been one of the best offensive tackles at the event so far. But on that rep, and the one before it, McDonald got the better of him.
Not many pass rushers have gotten past Darnell Wright this week, but @CycloneFB edge rusher Will McDonald has a few win against him.
McDonald has been using his speed effectively against’s Wright’s outside shoulder, which set up this nice inside counter. Good week for McDonald pic.twitter.com/sHbN1sQfVA
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) February 1, 2023
If you need a speed rusher in this class, McDonald should be on your list, and his success at the Senior Bowl might even raise his stock to the first round.
RB TYJAE SPEARS, TULANE
It’s tough for running backs to really show their skills during the practices of All-Star events. In games, they are allowed to fight through contact and really do their jobs to the fullest. But with limited contact in practices, it’s tough to really showcase what teams will want to see from you. Well, no one told Tyjae Spears that because he has still been turning heads all week. His one-cut ability is deadly for opposing defenses, often leaving tacklers in the dust, like in the play below. It’s a loaded running back class, but some NFL team is getting a good one in Spears.
What a run by Tyjae Spears! pic.twitter.com/5HOHEmklwM
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) February 1, 2023
WR MICHAEL WILSON, STANFORD
We talked about Stanford’s Michael Wilson a lot in the Day 1 recap, but we had to give him another shoutout on Day 2 for likely bringing us the play of the day. Wilson was once again able to show such a great understanding of how to win at the position with successful separation in his release, the nuances of running a route in a way that gives you an advantage, and then the athletic ability to cut and gain speed. He was another winner on Day 2.
.@StanfordFball WR Michael Wilson once again making his case for WR1 at the @seniorbowl here on Day 2.
Gets across the face of the DB on the release, leans left and boxes him out before cutting inside on the skinny post. Impressive understanding of how to win at the position pic.twitter.com/U8AwuO5RJJ
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) February 1, 2023
OTHER NOTES
• Minnesota center John Michael-Schmitz continues to impress. His mentality is welcomed, flashing good physicality and pride in the one-on-one portions of practice, and he’s also showing he can be a great blocker in space. He is solidifying his OC1 status in Mobile.
• It was good practice for Kentucky cornerback Keidron Smith. He measured in at over 6-foot-1 with a 76 3/4-inch wingspan. He used that length very well in the early portions of practice and looked comfortable being physical (but not too physical) with wide receivers during one-on-ones.
• Northwestern defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore has been a standout for two days now. He was a “winner” in the measurements before even stepping on the field as a 6-foot-1 defensive lineman with an 82 1/2-inch wingspan. That unique build allows him to get low at the snap but then create separation and leverage with his arm length, something he’s been able to showcase with frequency in practice at the Senior Bowl.
• Michigan State wide receiver Jayden Reed’s speed has been a problem for defensive backs all week. His quickness off his release has been an instant success on many of his reps, and he’s also shown the long speed to pair with it to be one of the best vertical threats (and just overall route separators) at the event.
• Cincinnati linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. has been unblockable when they have asked him to pass rush, but that’s nothing new, as he earned a 92.7 pass-rushing grade this past season, which was the top number for off-ball linebackers.
• As if there weren’t enough cornerbacks to be intrigued about, South Carolina’s Darius Rush had a handful of great reps on Day 2. He had an interception on Day 1 and nearly grabbed another. No other player has as many forced incompletions on the week as Rush.
• Florida State safety Jammie Robinson has been using his physical play to his advantage. He’s been really impressive in some of the one-on-one reps against slot receivers, not just tight ends. He has definitely been a name that people have talked about as a winner of the week.
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