Winners and Losers from the Senior Bowl
You’ve probably heard about Roman Wilson’s big week or the QB struggles in Mobile. But there’s a lot more you need to know…
Want to hear about the RB from Troy who gained the second-fastest yards in college football in 2023 — but still looks like a sleeper?
Or how about an intriguing FCS wideout I didn’t even know about last week?
Let’s review the most notable Senior Bowl performances and how they will affect your draft dynasty rookie …
Risers
Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan
Wilson immediately proved to be the most explosive receiver in the Senior Bowl, routinely beating DBs in coverage.
The 5’10, 186-pounder also made it clear in interviews that he’s as sharp mentally as he is shaking defenders.
Michigan’s run-heavy offense limited Wilson’s production, but his career-best final season included catching 50% of the team’s TD passes.
Keep Wilson in mind as a rookie-draft target. You should even consider him late in the current best draft ball game.
Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia
Like Wilson, McConkey is not physically imposing (5’11, 187 pounds). But he regularly displays some of the strongest footwork and route running skills of any WR.
McConkey’s consistent ability to separate DBs in drills suggests he could be a difference-making slot WR in the NFL.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see him go in the top 50 picks in the NFL Draft. Here’s hoping his Senior Bowl buzz doesn’t push his rookie-draft ADP too high.
Marshawn Lloyd, RB, USC
There is no tackling during Senior Bowl practice, so you cannot judge a RB’s ability to play through contact.
The drills, however, allow backs to show off areas like initial burst, pass-catching, and agility.
Lloyd stood out and got my vote as the best back. His fellow defensemen agreed, voting for Lloyd the top RB of the week.
Lloyd’s Skills reduce his Limited Stats
He only recorded 34 catches in three college seasons, but Lloyd’s route running out of the backfield and ability to haul in passes continued to shine in Senior Bowl practices.
The 5’9 back also regularly shook off defenders before contact and showed strong acceleration. We’ll see about his 40 hours, but Lloyd quickly gets to top speed.
In a relatively weak RB class, he might be one of the few guys with a chance at a workhorse usage.
failures
Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington and Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
The QB game was not strong in the Senior Bowl. But the event could be especially important for first-round hopefuls.
Neither helped his stock much.
Penix had some good moments but often struggled in the pocket and folded under pressure. These are the same issues that come up often in his film and were on display in the national title game.
Nix Confirmed His Limitations
Nix did well on short-area throws, matching his college performance. Of the 44 QBs with at least 400 dropbacks in 2023, Nix ranks third-lowest in average target depth (6.8).
I wanted to see more variety in Nix’s skill set but I didn’t get it.
Nix didn’t often get his feet under him when stepping up to throws, which led to bouts of inaccurate extras downfield and questionable decision-making.
It looks like he needs to land in a West Coast offense that is horizontal.
Ultimately, neither Nix nor Penix appear ready to play in the NFL right away.
Disappointed to see Penix and Nix trending down?
We already like four other QBs in the 2024 class more …
Find out who they are in our 2024 superflex rookie rankings.
Devontez Walker, WR, North Carolina
Walker’s limited college production made the Senior Bowl important for his draft stock.
He continued to flash pace in three training sessions, occasionally outrunning defenders and getting more open next week.
But Walker showed little and dropped the ball a lot — either tightly covered or open.
He is raw. I felt the same way about South Carolina WR Xavier Legette, but he flashes more often than Walker and sports more athleticism.
I wouldn’t recommend Walker in your rookie draft and worry that he’ll be one-dimensional in the pros.
Meet These Men
Kimani Vidal, RB, Troy
Vidal and Kentucky’s Ray Davis caught my attention all week.
Davis is big but flashes with some very impressive catches in drills. He looks capable of leading an NFL committee.
Vidal is particularly intriguing, especially at only measuring 5’7.5.
He showed quick burst and acceleration, and was strong as a route runner and pass-catcher all week.
And what Vidal lacks in height, he completely make up the mass (215 pounds). His build reminds me of Maurice Jones-Drew’s.
I can see Vidal ending up in a decent supporting role in the NFL. He’s not much of a later-round dart throw, but it’s a throw I’m willing to make more often in rookie drafts.
Ryan Flournoy, WR, Southeast Missouri State
I honestly had no idea who Flournoy was before the Senior Bowl — or that there was even a school called Southeast Missouri State.
But in every practice, this FCS wideout has shown he can hang.
Flournoy showed good speed, made some tight-window catches, and found impressive ways to use coverage and get open against FBS-level DBs.
He also took part in punt-return drills and appeared to track the ball well. Special teams may be his best bet at making an NFL roster in 2024.
Flournoy Sounds Ready to Work on Improving
As a WR, Flournoy will need some refinement in his footwork. And the jump from the Ohio Valley Conference to the NFL won’t be easy.
The good news: He knows it.
Flournoy — the only player I spent time talking to — practiced with an underdog mentality all week. He stayed after practices to catch more passes and do extra work with the coaches.
He might just grab Day 3 capital and start as a depth piece, but Flournoy has the potential to be something useful for your dynasty roster.
Michael Pratt, QB, Tulane
Pratt was the only QB in Mobile to consistently carry the ball without making a fatal error.
He showed sound mechanics and stepped up to make good throws from the pocket in every practice session.
Pratt puts good zip on his passes and is reasonably accurate on both short and deep throws. If he can sharpen that accuracy, Pratt could compete for a starting role.
Spencer Rattler Has Tools … And Issues
South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler may have the best “tools of any QB I’ve ever seen. But too many times he held the ball too long and/or made poor decisions.
Rattler is probably the exact opposite of Pratt in that regard.
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