The Senior Bowl Top 50: Scouting the Senior Bowl's Best
The Reese’s Senior Bowl is the premier pre-draft all-star game, pulling in the top draft prospects each year but also serving as an unofficial NFL job fair, convention and trade show. Anyone who is anyone will descend on Mobile, Alabama the first week of February to evaluate the 100 plus prospects for the 2022 NFL draft class, but also to rub elbows with important decision-makers, agents, media members and coaches.
The 2021 Senior Bowl produced six first-rounders in a draft process marked by the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the last three seasons, 20 first-rounders have suited up in Mobile.
This year, the projected number is closer to 10 thanks to a strong senior group and a quarterback class that is one of the strongest ever to take the field at the event.
With no clear-cut QB1 at this stage of the process, six of the top seven ranked quarterbacks on my Big Board will suit up to show off their talents at the Senior Bowl; an event tailor-made for quarterbacks to prove themselves. Previous years have seen Carson Wentz, Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen, Daniel Jones and Justin Herbert all benefitting from the week of practices, closed-door sessions with NFL front offices, and a week of exposure to NFL coaching.
This year will be no different at Kenny Pickett, Malik Willis, Desmond Ridder, Carson Strong, Sam Howell and Bailey Zappe look to impress coaches and scouts.
As we enter the week before the Senior Bowl—where the Draft Scout team will be posted up all week providing you around the clock coverage—let’s preview the rosters with my Top 50 overall players along with a scout’s quote on each.
After spending a week texting and calling area scouts and college scouting directors for nuggets on each player, I think you’ll enjoy this piece.
Please note: Senior Bowl rosters change daily and are subject to change after this posting.
50. DL Zachary Carter, Florida
6’4”, 277 lbs, No. 108 overall
What scouts are saying: “Some disagreement about where to play him—he’d be a nickel interior rusher for us. Uses his hands well. Overpowered tackles when he was lined up on the outside. Immediate situational rusher value.”
49. OT Braxton Jones, Southern Utah
6’7”, 310 lbs, No. 107 overall
What scouts are saying: “Technique is awful, but if you can coach that up his athletic tools are very nice and he has the size we all want (at tackle). I don’t think you can put him on the field before Year 2.”
48. WR Romeo Doubs, Nevada
6’2”, 195 lbs, No. 105 overall
What scouts are saying: “Here’s your Day 3 deep threat target. Moves well tracking the ball deep. Good speed. Patient and poised. Good body control and adjusts to it nicely.”
47. WR Alec Pierce, Cincinnati
6’3”, 212 lbs, No. 104 overall
What scouts are saying: “Really average speed but good hands and solid routes. He’ll have to win with timing and technique because he’s not separating with speed or first-step quickness. Just looks really stiff all-around.”
46. OG Dylan Parham, Memphis
6’2”, 304 lbs, No. 103 overall
What scouts are saying: “Junk yard dog type of guard. Wins with leverage and toughness. Will get beat up by length and quickness but if you keep him in a phone booth he’ll tear people up.”
45. TE Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina
6’4”, 245 lbs, No. 102 overall
What scouts are saying: “Super productive; pretty much their go-to target. Easy mover. Not sure you’ll ever get him blocking at a high level, but he has value in that F-tight end role and as a mover pre-snap.”
44. TE Jeremy Ruckert, Ohio State
6’6”, 250 lbs, No. 91 overall
What scouts are saying: “Better run blocker than I see people crediting him as. Can play in-line or flexed. Good enough athlete. Seemed to just show up and make big plays when they needed them—in an offense that doesn’t ask much of the tight end in the receiving game.”
43. LB JoJo Domann, Nebraska
6’1”, 235 lbs, No. 90 overall
What scouts are saying: “I think you’re way too high on this guy. Injured, played out of position, and hasn’t developed. In a class with so many good linebackers, betting on a guy to make a position change from basically corner to linebacker is a risk.”
42. DL Perrion Winfrey, Oklahoma
6’3”, 300 lbs, No. 88 overall
What scouts are saying: “Very good pass-rusher but he’s one-dimensional right now. Maybe that’s okay with some guys, but his run downs are really bad. He’s quick, agile, athletic. Just doesn’t look very tough when the ball is coming at him.”
41. OG Justin Shaffer, Georgia
6’4”, 330 lbs, No. 87 overall
What scouts are saying: “Bet he’s a starting left guard within three years. Not flashy at all but just does the work really well. Especially in the run game. If you’re trying to win fist-fights up front, he’s your guy.”
40. CB Tariq Castro-Fields, Penn State
6’0”, 185 lbs, No. 86 overall
What scouts are saying: “Thought he regressed (at Penn State) and was much better in 2019 than he was last year. Think he was getting by on athleticism and once he had to play against good route-runners, his technique fell apart. Good developmental player but not a reliable starter yet.”