QB buzz and sleepers were everywhere at the 2022 Senior Bowl

The 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl was a hit! For 16 years in a row, I’ve attended these practices in Mobile, Ala., looking for the next big-time players headed to the NFL. The Senior Bowl rarely disappoints on the field, and this year was no different.

In fact, this might have been the most talent-laden Senior Bowl I’ve ever seen in person. Usually, there are around 10 first-round prospects in this game. This year, that number could be 15 to 20 when the 2022 NFL Draft rolls around.

I was able to see some top-notch players all week. And I was able to identify sleepers from these practices, as well.

Here are my final thoughts as I recap my experience attending the practices for the Senior Bowl in 2022.

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Could Be Faster

The New York Jets and Detroit Lions were the coaching staffs in charge of practice this year. These NFL teams are there to run practice, and they are not there to make practice more scout or media friendly – so they don’t.

Over the years, I’ve seen one team mostly each year run a slow practice. This year, both teams ran a slow practice. Instead of working through reps or one-on-one drills where we could take a lot away, the Jets and the Lions did a lot of teaching, stretching, special teams and things that didn’t make my notebook during the day.

I’d like to see a mandate for any team coaching these All-Star teams that guarantees to get so many reps for each position. I look at what happened at the Shrine Bowl over the weekend, where players were featured in a way that gave scouts/media a lot to look at. Yes, stretching is important – do all that – but make sure when you’re practicing, it’s not a glorified walk through. Over 900 media members were credentialed for this game, and anyone who is anything in the NFL was in town for this game. Give us something more to watch.

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Let’s Go Inside

On Wednesday, there was a downpour in Mobile that made it difficult to take as much away from the practices and drills the players were going through. Yes, seeing someone struggle with the elements is something to note – but most offensive players did not perform like they did the rest of the week due to the weather and the field conditions.

The University of South Alabama has a beautiful facility, and there is an indoor facility (with an open end, so not totally enclosed) that is right next to the stadium. I was wondering why things didn’t get moved indoors on Wednesday. I was really perplexed when I pulled up on Thursday, with cold weather but no rain, and saw we were inside for practice.

The facility is right there, and Mobile usually has at least one day of bad weather during the week of practice. The Senior Bowl should just plan on moving to the indoor facility. I’d also consider closing the open end at the facility to make it truly an indoor practice.

In 16 years, the weather has slowed things down in Mobile. With the Shrine Bowl in Vegas – with no weather issues but still a beautiful indoor NFL stadium – the Senior Bowl needs to set things up better so they don’t lose top talent to the oldest All-Star game in the country.

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Broncos Buzz

Just like in Las Vegas at the Shrine Bowl practices, everyone to a man believes the Broncos will be trading for quarterback Aaron Rodgers. I’ve reported it before, but it bears repeating that people in the scouting community feel the Broncos will be paying a fair price for Rodgers. The educated guesses I’m hearing are nowhere near the overpayment the fear mongers in the media put out there. Instead, I think the price that could be paid is fair for the Packers and the Broncos.

The word is that this comes down to Rodgers’ decision. He can stay if he wants to stay, and the Packers are moving around players/salaries to create cap space so they can at least franchise tag wide receiver Davante Adams in late February. Keeping Adams and keeping Rodgers is on the board – if Rodgers wants that.

There is some concern that Rodgers might just hang up his cleats and get ready to head into the Hall of Fame the same year as Tom Brady. I don’t think that will happen, but one thing is clear: That’s Rodgers’ decision.

If Rodgers wants to be traded, that’s up to him. He is holding all the cards despite what some may say about Rodgers still being under contract or the Packers not trading him to a predetermined team but rather looking for the best deal for themselves. Don’t believe the misinformation.

Rodgers will play elsewhere in 2022, likely with the Broncos – if he wants to. The moves for Nathaniel Hackett at head coach and Justin Outten at offensive coordinator (both former coaches with the Packers) are not just by coincidence. The Broncos want to make themselves the most attractive to Rodgers as possible – because it’s up to him as to where he goes and what he does in 2022.

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Which Wilson?

The New York Jets have a potential franchise quarterback in second-year pro Zach Wilson. In 2021, the Jets were happy to select Wilson with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft and he played most of his rookie season. Wilson wasn’t great, as most rookie quarterbacks perform poorly in their first year, but he did flash the talent that he showed in BYU just a bit.

There has been a tiny bit of buzz that they could pick up the phone and call the Seahawks about another quarterback named Wilson – veteran Russell Wilson, who may be playing for another team this season. I know, it sounds crazy because the younger Wilson is only in his second year, but the pressure to win is heavy in New York – especially for the front office.

General manager Joe Douglas has been on the job with the Jets since 2019, and the team needs to win now – something they may not be able to do with the younger Wilson. He may choose to trade the No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft and other assets in order to secure a big upgrade at quarterback. These situations create power struggles in the NFL, especially when a GM and head coach don’t come in together. Douglas has been there since 2019, and head coach Robert Saleh was hired just last year.

I do not think this happens, but it’s an interesting proposal to consider – and one I think should be explored. Again, I think Zach Wilson is good enough to give at least one more year to as the Jets starter, but it’s called “Not For Long” for a reason, and the front office may choose to accelerate things with the acquisition of a superstar passer like Russell Wilson.

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Senior Bowl Sleepers

I saw some great small school talent at the Senior Bowl. While they are not sleepers in the scouting community, these players are not household names for college football, draft or NFL fans. At the Senior Bowl, these small school players had a chance to show off their big-time ability in front of talent evaluators and executives.

Fayetteville State defensive back Joshua Williams was a favorite of mine heading into this game. His game is all about speed, and he recorded some of the fastest times regardless of position during the week. Williams has speed, but he also has instincts to diagnose plays and watch a receiver’s nuance to make a play on the ball. Some team is going to get a solid pro with upside in Williams.

South Dakota State wide receiver Christian Watson could go a lot higher in the draft than any mock draft has him going at this time. It’s not just because of the Senior Bowl, but it’s because most weren’t familiar with his game before this week. There are few doubters now as Watson put on a show in Mobile. Watson has a great size/speed combination and can be moved around the formation.

I wrote up Western Kentucky edge DeAngelo Malone in my day three Senior Bowl report at DenverFan.com. He’s a bit undersized, measuring in around 250 pounds, but his speed and instincts looked great this week of practice. I like the way he can “bend and burst” to get to the quarterback, and he has enough body flexibility to make it difficult for taller offensive tackles to even get a hand on him.

Coastal Carolina tight end Isaiah Likely had some in the scouting community saying he was the best tight end of the week. Daniel Jeremiah, top NFL Draft expert on NFL Network and former NFL scout, believes Likely had the best week of any tight end in Mobile. I like Trey McBride as the best tight end in this class, and I believe McBride had a strong performance during the week. Taking nothing away from Likely who also looked good in front of NFL scouts.

South Alabama wide receiver Jalen Tolbert was arguably the best wideout at the Senior Bowl. I like the way he can levitate in the air, almost gliding as he goes up for a pass. Tolbert seems to draw in the ball like a tractor beam, and he does a good job of catching passes cleanly with his arms outstretched.

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