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    2021 Senior Bowl Practice Report: National Team

    National Team 2021 Senior Bowl Practice Report: Defensive Line

    Note: Click the tabs that correspond with each day to read the update from that practice.

    Adetokunbo Ogundeji, Notre Dame

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Ogundeji did what he needed to do on Day 1. The Notre Dame defender wasn’t as consistently disruptive as Onwuzurike and Odighizuwa, but he still showed flashes with his straight-line explosiveness and length. Ogundeji can be a versatile defensive lineman, and as long as he continues to flash, an NFL team will give him an opportunity at development.
    Ogundeji showed flashes on Day 1, and on Day 2, without Levi Onwuzurike on the field, the Notre Dame product shined. His length is incredibly effective at creating penetration, but he also has impressive burst and hand power. Additionally, Ogundeji flashed exciting flexibility more than once today, beating Robert Hainsey with that flexibility on one occasion. He’s quickly becoming a big riser according to my National Team Senior Bowl practice report. He came in with all the necessary traits, and now he’s starting to convert.
    After achieving “riser” status on Wednesday, Adetokunbo Ogundeji took a step back on Thursday. The Notre Dame defensive end gave Meinerz some trouble with his burst and length early on, but he didn’t always sustain his speed and hand urgency through his reps. He needs to add more after his initial strikes, and he’s not nearly consistent enough with his counters. As of now, Ogundeji is still a high-upside prospect who needs further refinement.
    Adetokunbo Ogundeji’s Thursday performance was a bit underwhelming after his strong Wednesday showing, and it alluded to some of Ogundeji’s prevailing issues. He can further polish his length usage and pass-rushing moves, and he needs to be able to stack moves at the NFL level. Nevertheless, Ogundeji has an enticing physical foundation with his athleticism, length, and converted power. Even if he didn’t build on his Wednesday success, Ogundeji did enough to boost his stock a bit, based on my National Team Senior Bowl practice reports.

    Daelin Hayes, Notre Dame

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Daelin Hayes was of the group that helped themselves the most on the edge. The 6-foot-3, 261-pound defensive end showed a little bit of everything. He was quick off the line, extremely physical with his hands, and he also showed flashes of impressive bend around the corner. For a player who never quite put it together on tape, Tuesday’s showing was a major positive.
    Make that two strong days for Notre Dame edge defender Daelin Hayes. Hayes again flashed bend and powerful hands, and he played with 100 percent effort the entire way through. A play particularly representative of Hayes’ playmaking awareness was a forced fumble early on. Hayes didn’t get immediate pressure, but as he worked around the pocket, he had the wherewithal to reach and knock the ball away from the QB.
    After a tremendous two-day stretch to start the week, Daelin Hayes didn’t move the needle on Thursday. He partook in some drills with the linebackers and didn’t make much of an impact. He did beat a tight end handily in one-on-one blocking drills, but that’s almost to be expected from a player like Hayes, who’s more of a defensive end.
    Daelin Hayes’ final day was a bit of a lull, but it’s worth noting he was playing out of position. He belongs on the edge more often than not, and while on the edge at Mobile, he thrived. Hayes packed all of the miscellaneous traits he’d shown in spurts on tape into his initial two-day stretch. Burst, hand speed and power, bend, playmaking awareness — it was all there. Hayes was already known to be a high-character player with some upside, but his practice run was big for his stock.

    Elerson Smith, Northern Iowa

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Elerson Smith measured in around 6-foot-6, 262 pounds, with an 83-inch wingspan Tuesday morning. He lives up to the numbers in person. Smith fits the profile of a lengthy, easy-moving edge rusher. He needs to be more consistent with his get-off at the line, as he was tentative at times. That said, Smith flashed a lot of impressive traits, including suddenness and bend. He’s not the most powerful player, however, and that also showed up today.
    He still isn’t among the top risers at his position, but Elerson Smith has quietly been playing well. He brings good energy on the line, and today, he did a better job using his hands and sustaining rushing efforts. Smith has a tangible combination of length, burst, and bend. There’s still work to be done to put it together, but today was a big step in the right direction.
    Smith flashed every single day at the Senior Bowl. On one rep on Thursday, Smith beat James Hudson with quick, forceful hands. He brings a good amount of quickness on most reps. The issue is simply channeling his traits most efficiently. Smith made good progress over time, and at the very least, he reaffirmed his upside to scouts in person.
    Elerson Smith was subtly one of the most consistent linemen at the Senior Bowl based on my National Team practice reports. He flashed several times every day, and displayed impressive athleticism, twitch, and hand speed to go with his 6-foot-6, 262-pound frame and 83-inch wingspan. Going up against a talented group of linemen, Smith passed his first test of the offseason. It still remains to be seen if he has enough density and play strength to be a consistent threat in the NFL. That said, his physical foundation lends him a lot of natural upside, and that upside shined through in a favorable setting.

    Jonathon Cooper, Ohio State

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    On tape, Jonathon Cooper doesn’t have elite athletic traits. But he made a few plays today with his energy off the line. He has the capacity to be very quick and sudden with his movements, and he compounded that energy with excellent hand usage on more than one occasion. It’s good to see that from Cooper because he’ll need to win with precision and hand speed at the NFL level.
    Jonathon Cooper has been very impressive at the Senior Bowl so far. Today, he consistently played with good leverage and energy. On one rep, he beat James Hudson with a combination of twitch and hand usage. I’m still not sold on his natural explosiveness and bend, but he’s shown himself to have some degree of pass-rushing utility this week.
    Another good practice concludes a surprisingly productive week for Jonathon Cooper. He was twitchy off the line all week, and today, his fast, decisive hands again took the spotlight on a couple of one-on-one reps. Cooper brings a ton of energy and also does well in pursuit with his high motor. Every day, the projected NFL floor for Cooper gets higher.

    Levi Onwuzurike, Washington

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Levi Onwuzurike had himself a day with the National Team at the Senior Bowl. The Washington defensive tackle is incredibly long and explosive, and he was incredibly active getting penetration on the interior. He also used his length to establish a strong anchor in run defense. He can do a better job converting and keeping his balance in the backfield, but he has very impressive traits.
    Levi Onwuzurike did not suit up on Wednesday.
    Levi Onwuzurike did not suit up on Thursday.
    Onwuzurike only played one day at the National Team Senior Bowl practices, but that’s all he needed. The Washington defensive lineman showed off his explosiveness and proportional length on Tuesday. He got beat by Quinn Meinerz on one rep, but aside from that, he was incredibly disruptive and active on the interior. His absence was visibly felt on Wednesday, and that counts for something. Onwuzurike didn’t have as much room to improve his stock as other prospects, but he’s comfortably within Day 2 range now.

    Osa Odighizuwa, UCLA

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Shorter players tend to play with better leverage, but taller players tend to have better length. Luckily for Osa Odighizuwa, he’s an athletic marvel who benefits from both traits. Odighizuwa plays low, with awesome arm extension, burst, and leg drive. He made quite a few plays today with those traits in his toolbox.
    After a solid first day, Osa Odighizuwa took a step back on Wednesday based on my National Team Senior Bowl practice report. He did manage to show off some impressive lateral athleticism with a nice spin move up the middle. That said, he was much less consistent getting his length in the right place, and he was beaten soundly by D-III interior lineman Quinn Meinerz, who was more aggressive getting to the contact point. Odighizuwa will need to get back on the right page on Thursday.
    Odighizuwa went up against some of the better linemen at the Senior Bowl today and was expectedly up-and-down. He showed off his explosiveness versus Ealy in an early rep, and he also showed off impressive functional power when fully extended.
    Osa Odighizuwa had a good Senior Bowl week overall based on my National Team practice reports. After his excellent debut, I expected him to maintain more of a presence throughout the week. Instead, his consistency waned, and he struggled to beat linemen who beat him to the punch at the line. Odighizuwa can do a better job targeting weak spots with his length, but his enticing combination of explosiveness, density, and leverage was very much on display in Mobile. Odighizuwa is likely a safe Day 2 prospect in this class.

    Patrick Jones II, Pittsburgh

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Patrick Jones is known for the energy he brings off the line, and that energy was palpable today. The Pitt EDGE hits an extra gear very quickly, and it’s fun to watch. Having said that, he wasn’t as polished or consistent as expected today. If he can solidify the rest of his game around his burst and motor, he can have a standout week.
    Jones again had some concerning reps with his lack of precision. His series against Adrian Ealy was particularly notable. Jones didn’t get his hands in the right place, and Ealy responded by latching on and mitigating Jones’ speed rush. Jones needs to find more synergy between his upper and lower body on Thursday. He has an opportunity to rise up the board this week, but he hasn’t claimed it yet.
    Patrick Jones can generate good power when he’s fully extended, but he didn’t always give himself a chance to reach that point on Thursday. Jones needs to do a better job of sustaining hand motion even after initial failure, and his feet sometimes fall out from under him when he tries to rush the edge. He brought good juice all week, but he struggled to win after employing his first move.
    As someone who enjoyed Patrick Jones’ tape, I wanted to see more consistency from him across Senior Bowl week. Jones brought his trademark energy and burst, but his hand technique was inconsistent and poorly targeted. Additionally, when Jones lost multiple reps, his confidence was visibly shot, and he sometimes struggled to rebound. After his underwhelming length measurement, Jones could’ve used a strong week to quell concerns. He didn’t get that. The tape bears more importance, but Jones might see a slight dip if he can’t rebound on game day.

    Rashad Weaver, Pittsburgh

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Rashad Weaver isn’t quite as explosive or athletic as his teammate Patrick Jones, but Weaver gave scouts a lot to like on Tuesday. Like Jones, he brought a ton of energy on the line, and he also had very fast, workmanlike hands on the edge. Weaver worked hard to refine his hand technique as he sought to return from a torn ACL. It looks like that work is paying off.
    Weaver’s Wednesday showing was similar to his Tuesday showing. The Pitt defensive lineman didn’t always generate the best explosiveness, but he still had his moments. Weaver maintained good hands throughout most of the practice. He beat Robert Jones with a smooth spin move, showcasing some lateral athleticism.
    Rashad Weaver was the more consistent of the two Pitt defensive linemen this week. Weaver again displayed excellent hands on Thursday, and he also brought relentless energy to the table. He was a relatively steady threat for linemen as a pass rusher, and he brought similar utility in run defense, using his length to gain early leverage.
    Rashad Weaver was the better of the two Pittsburgh defensive linemen in Mobile, and supplemented his hand speed and precision with surprising athletic freedom. His explosiveness still isn’t top-tier, but Weaver flashed good lateral mobility and urgency, and he was able to win several times when traveling downhill. With his size and motor, Weaver brings a lot of projected versatility on the line, and in Mobile, he put that on display.

    Ta’Quon Graham, Texas

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Ta’Quon Graham is a very intriguing player. He measured in at 6-foot-3, 290, with an 85-inch wingspan. His play meshes well with his size. He has the length to generate momentum into power, as was seen several times on Tuesday. However, he needs to build up that momentum more consistently.
    Ta’Quon Graham can still put together more consistency, but his length continues to be an impressive quality. On one rep, he managed to turn around Robert Jones with aggressive usage of his reach. Without Onwuzurike, today was a day Graham could have shown more, but nonetheless, he did enough to maintain interest in my National Team Senior Bowl practice report.
    Ta’Quon Graham has been listed under “sleeper”status for two days, but on Thursday, he started to break out based on my Senior Bowl National Team practice report. Graham was one of the few all week who managed to beat Creed Humphrey, using his initial burst and length to wrench by the interior lineman. Graham also beat Jaylon Moore with impressive methodical hand usage, and he displayed good leverage versus the run. He needs more strength to disengage against anchors in pass defense, but Graham saved his best for last, after tantalizing onlookers early.
    Ta’Quon Graham flashed early on, but didn’t mesh completely until his final day. When he did, however, the wait was worth it. With the second-longest wingspan among his fellow defensive linemen, Graham frequently used that length to his advantage. Each day, his ability to extend and establish leverage was apparent, and on Thursday, he combined that with initial explosiveness off the line and methodical use of that length. For a player who didn’t have much name recognition heading in, Senior Bowl week was a successful endeavor for Graham based on my National Team practice reports.

    Tarron Jackson, Coastal Carolina

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Tarron Jackson’s size is somewhat limiting, but the Coastal Carolina defensive lineman had a solid day on Tuesday. He came off the line with a ton of heat on each play, and while he’s not naturally elite with his explosiveness, he has a red-hot motor that was noticeable on Day 1.
    Tarron Jackson will need to put together more strong reps to establish stable notoriety. He had some nice plays on Wednesday, most notably, a disruptive moment against stalwart center Creed Humphrey. But Jackson often struggled to gain clearance. Even though he has good burst and urgency at the line, he needs to attain more consistency with his hand usage, in order to work back against his size.
    After flashing a few times earlier in the week, Tarron Jackson struggled to stand out on Thursday. He was never able to get superior leverage against his opponents, and overall, he just doesn’t seem to have enough in his tool chest.
    In a strong defensive line group, Tarron Jackson fell under the radar. He wasn’t as consistently disruptive as his counterparts. Although Jackson’s high motor afforded him some solid reps, his limited athletic profile put a cap on his ability to find daylight around the edge. Jackson’s stock didn’t necessarily drop, but that’s more because he was already a mid-to-late Day 3 pick. More likely than not, Jackson lingers in a similar place after his trip to Mobile.

    National Team 2021 Senior Bowl Practice Report: Linebackers/Edge

    Note: Click the tabs that correspond with each day to read the update from that practice.

    Shaka Toney, Penn State

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Shaka Toney measured considerably smaller than expected, coming in at 6-foot-2 and 238 pounds. Even so, the Penn State product shouldn’t be thought of any lesser. His size was already known to be a slight hindrance of his upside, but regardless, Toney displayed the trademark bend and explosiveness that earned him so many fans. He also showed good balance against power, something that may be key for him moving forward.
    Toney redeemed himself a bit yesterday with his balance and dip around the edge, but today was a much rougher showing for the Penn State product based on my Senior Bowl National Team practice report. As an edge rusher, Toney was less disruptive, and he had trouble shaking tackles who latched onto his less imposing frame. He also took part in some off-ball linebacker drills, and he was not a natural in coverage, struggling to match pass catchers out of their breaks.
    Thursday was a similar day for Toney. He flashed superior lateral agility on several reps, but his size remained an issue against larger offensive linemen. He seems limited to a 3-4 outside linebacker role at the next level. He’ll need space to utilize his athletic traits.
    Toney’s weigh-in unearthed some serious concerns regarding his size and mass at the next level, and his week of practice could have done a better job quelling those concerns. Toney still has some of the best bend in the class, but he didn’t show enough off-ball versatility, and he also got handled quite a few times by longer linemen. I’m still a fan of Toney’s pass-rushing upside, and he has excellent proportional length for his size. But Toney needs to hone his physicality and expand on his athletic traits. Otherwise, he may have a limited NFL projection.

    Baron Browning, Ohio State

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    It’s clear now that Baron Browning is the best Ohio State linebacker in the 2021 NFL Draft. Now, the question is, how far can he rise? He was a big winner at the weigh-in, and he had some nice plays in practice, too. On one occasion, he put his elite athleticism on display, changing directions with ease to mirror a pass catcher in coverage. The upside is immense with Browning, and with any luck, he can keep proving that this week.
    Browning might not fit the typical definition of “riser”, because he’s already thought of very highly. That said, my Senior Bowl practice report has Browning a cut above the other National Team linebackers today. The Ohio State product is an elite athlete on the second level, and that athleticism helps him a ton in all phases. Early on, he had a pass breakup after matching his opponent out of a route break. Later on, he won several times rushing the edge with his burst, and he even stood tall in run defense, filling lanes and dishing out physicality.
    Browning again boasted all the necessary athletic tools to succeed on Thursday. He was explosive as a pass-rushing threat, rangy from sideline to sideline, and he also displayed good reactionary quickness when pursuing targets. Overall, it was a solid week for Browning, and he did what he needed to do to maintain his stock.
    In what was potentially the most complete week by a Senior Bowl linebacker, Baron Browning did a good amount of everything. He affirmed his upside in pass coverage and displayed playmaking ability, he clicked and closed on ball carriers well in run defense, and he built up searing speed when traveling downhill, either to rush the passer or take on blockers. Browning is one of the highest-upside linebackers in the 2021 NFL Draft. During the National Team practices at Senior Bowl week, we saw him convert on that upside.

    Chazz Surratt, North Carolina

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    As was expected, Chazz Surratt was solid overall on his first day. He’s definitely a bit undersized, but he makes up for it with his athleticism and speed coming into the box. That athleticism was on display in drills and in open field, and it’s something Surratt can build on in the coming days.
    Nothing was very different for Chazz Surratt today. Like yesterday, he showed off his exceptional athleticism in coverage, using brisk explosiveness and closing speed to shrink gaps between himself and the receiver. He can trigger a bit quicker in those situations, but more often than not, he has the freedom to gain playmaking positioning. He also shows good urgency filling gaps against the run.
    Chazz Surratt did not suit up on Thursday.
    As expected, Surratt was in the upper tier of linebackers in his time on the field at Mobile. I actually thought Baron Browning and Jabril Cox left stronger impressions than Surratt, but they both played on Thursday, while Surratt sat that day out. Surratt still validated his athletic traits and displayed good urgency and willingness to shoot his gaps in drills. That was all he needed to do.

    Derrick Barnes, Purdue

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Derrick Barnes saw a lot of action on Tuesday and fared well, all things considered. He was late to fill his gap on one occasion, but more often than not, the linebacker read things well and dished out solid contact. It’ll take a big performance with the National Team in the Senior Bowl for Barnes to rise higher than Day 3. But he could still have a long future at the next level.
    Derrick Barnes has had a good week thus far. He has good size and density, and he also showed off good first-step quickness in coverage drills. Having said that, Barnes was a little stiff with his hip transitions following his backpedal. He’ll have to maintain his quick processing skills in order to compensate, but so far, he’s put up a respectable performance.
    Barnes was fairly decisive in his action on Thursday, making quick reads to gaps. He could use more physicality when disengaging in run defense, but he was steady throughout the practice. Overall, it was a good week for Barnes.
    Derrick Barnes had a good week. After weighing in at 245 pounds under 6-foot-1, there were some concerns over whether he could move well enough with that density. I think he proved himself to have decent athleticism for that size, and he also provided a steady presence in the linebacker group. He wasn’t much of a playmaker beyond his initial utility. However, he showed a lot of traits that suggest he can at least keep things clean at the next level.

    Garret Wallow, TCU

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Wallow tested positive and will not appear on the National Team Senior Bowl practice report coming soon.
    Wallow tested positive and will not appear on the National Team Senior Bowl practice report.
    Wallow tested positive and will not appear on the National Team Senior Bowl practice report.
    Garret Wallow was unable to appear at the Senior Bowl due to a positive test and will not have a National Team practice summary.

    Hamilcar Rashed Jr., Oregon State

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Hamilcar Rashed Jr. played a lot of snaps on the edge, but didn’t stand out a ton. There’s time for Rashed to change that, however, and he did win at the weigh-ins. Rashed weighed in at 254 pounds, which is a very good size for his frame. He has the length and the first-step quickness. Now he just needs to convert it into results.
    Hamilcar Rashed Jr. brought his trademark trait on Wednesday: His burst off the line. Unfortunately, however, he didn’t add much on top of that. He didn’t have the strength to consistently disengage against blockers, and his flexibility was thrown into question after he struggled to lower his surface area. Despite his promising weigh-in, Rashed hasn’t been a consistent threat at the Senior Bowl.
    It wasn’t a huge standout day for Hamilcar Rashed based on my National Team Senior Bowl practice report. On one rep, he tried to time the snap and failed, leading to an uninspiring launch off the line. He did flash good recovery athleticism, however, and he also showed swift hands on one rep. Rashed rebounded a bit from a lesser Wednesday showing, but he still didn’t distinguish himself in a well-stocked group of edge rushers.
    On one hand, Rashed’s week at the Senior Bowl was effective in getting his name back out there. After an uninspiring final season, he reminded onlookers of his immense physical potential. His weigh-in shed light on impressive proportional length, and he showed off good first-step quickness in drills. Having said that, Rashed was inconsistent when it came to converting beyond his physical traits. He flashed a few times with his hands and his balance. Aside from that, however, his strong moments were more cosmetic than diagnostic.

    Justin Hilliard, Ohio State

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Justin Hilliard isn’t well-known among the other Buckeyes linebackers, but he had a decent day on Tuesday. Coming in at just over 6-foot-0 and 226 pounds, Hilliard is a little undersized. Still, he showed good physicality in blitzing drills, and also flashed nice range in coverage. He’s a player to watch moving forward.
    Hilliard had a few nice reps, but overall, it was a rough day for him. His athleticism remains a question. He had a couple of nice moments disengaging blocks in run defense, but his coverage ability clearly isn’t top-tier. He got dusted by Khalil Herbert on one occasion, failing to flip his hips fast enough to track the running back. Like his teammate Tuf Borland, he’s in need of a strong conclusion to avoid dropping his stock.
    Hilliard is a player you want to like, but he didn’t do enough to earn confidence on Thursday. He showed a bit better proactive physicality in one-on-one situations, but he got routed a couple of times in run defense, and his coverage ability was once again uninspiring.
    Hilliard came into the Senior Bowl National Team practices with a chance to establish buzz, but he failed to do so. He wasn’t the worst of the linebacker bunch, but he was inconsistent more often than not. He seems to be a decent athlete, but Hilliard’s size doesn’t allow him to maintain positioning in gaps, and in coverage, he wasn’t consistently proficient at sticking to his man in one-on-ones. I feel comfortable saying that Hilliard has more upside than Borland, but beyond that, there are still many questions.

    Tony Fields II, West Virginia

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Fields’ size stands out as an issue. He’s still underweight at linebacker, and there were times when he struggled to hold his own in congestion. Nevertheless, Fields plays with good pace, and he made a few solid plays. On one occasion, he stood his ground and made a stop in run defense. On another, he disrupted a receiver at their route stem with his physicality.
    Fields’ size remains an issue, but one can’t deny his positive traits. Fields is a good mover who showed excellent fluidity with his hip transitions on Wednesday. He also displayed solid instincts and proved to be physical on special teams, despite his undersized frame. Fields plays with more force than his listed weight. While that won’t always fly in the NFL, it’s a plus.
    Tony Fields was one of the better linebackers for both teams on Thursday. He was very fluid in drills, and he displayed good instincts in congestion, flowing to the ball carrier with ease on one particular seven-on-seven rep. Even with his size, Fields brings some multi-phase playmaking ability to the table. Hopefully, we’ll see more of that on game day.
    Fields’ Senior Bowl performance confirmed through the National Team practices much of what we already knew about the West Virginia linebacker. He has good athleticism and fluidity, and he’s also very instinctive on the second level. However, his size is a legitimate concern. Having weighed in at just 222 pounds with a 76-inch wingspan, some of those size issues were visible on the field. Nevertheless, Fields brought a lot of energy and quelled some doubt with his physical, proactive play style. He was a riser this week, but his weight might be a sticking point through the draft regardless.

    Tuf Borland, Ohio State

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    As expected, Tuf Borland was a solid communicator at the second level. That said, his size and athletic limitations hindered his ability in coverage. He also struggled to maintain positioning against linemen at the second level.
    Few linebackers have hurt themselves more than Tuf Borland this week. On my board, he was already borderline draftable heading into the Senior Bowl, and my practice report from the National Team doesn’t move the needle in his favor. He’s been beat in every phase so far. He’s not athletic enough to cover, he’s not big enough to seal off lanes in run defense, and in run blocking drills, he got obliterated by Virginia Tech running back Khalil Herbert. His main utility exists on special teams, but even there, he’s struggled to stand out. Borland needs a strong Day 3.
    Borland utilized decent recognition skills at times, but Thursday was another day that reaffirmed his limitations. Borland was inconsistent filling holes in run defense, and he again failed to hold up in coverage. He’s not athletic enough to negate his size limitations, and he’s not big enough to negate his athletic limitations.
    Borland was exposed at the Senior Bowl. He’s a solid leader and a high-character player, but it was visible every day of practice that he didn’t quite have the necessary physical tools to succeed. Borland’s draft stock was already in a tough spot, but now, it’s hard to bank on him being selected at all. His strong locker room presence and willingness to play special teams may help him a bit, but he doesn’t offer much upside, even in the later ranges.

    National Team 2021 Senior Bowl Practice Report: Defensive Backs

    Note: Click the tabs that correspond with each day to read the update from that practice.

    Ambry Thomas, Michigan

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Thomas was very good in man-to-man situations. He had a very nice pass breakup on Tylan Wallace. He’s a sticky guy who is hard to shake, and that is one of the best compliments you can give to a corner.
    Thomas’ problem is that he starts off fantastic, but at the end of routes, he gets too physical and penalized. He pushed off twice in one-on-ones, both of which he stuck with his man all the way downfield. He played well, but he needs to be more disciplined.
    Today was Thomas’ best day. He had a great rep against Frank Darby, and even though Darby made the catch, Thomas was attached to his hip throughout the play. He showed patience that he didn’t show Wednesday and ended the week on a good note.
    Shaking Thomas is a tough task. He is good at sticking with his man regardless of the moves thrown at him. He does need to be more disciplined to avoid penalties, which is the biggest problem he has.

    Camryn Bynum, California

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Bynum got beat a few times. He gave up a 50-50 ball to Frank Darby, and D’Wayne Eskridge practically threw him away on a slant route in one-on-ones.
    Based on my National Team Senior Bowl practice report, Bynum had a few sparks. He did get beat a few times, but he had a stout rep against Sage Surratt where he broke up the pass. That said, Frank Darby beat him on a deep ball, and Surratt evened the score in a one-on-one. Hopefully, we see a more complete performance on Thursday.
    A few ups and downs from Bynum to close the week. Frank Darby blew by him in one-on-ones, but he rebounded with a very good rep against Desmond Fitzpatrick. He is a guy that will take chances on plays, and when it pays off it looks good. He will make a play on the ball more often than not. That said, he got beat more than he would have liked this week.
    It was a week of ups and downs for Bynum. He was beaten on multiple occasions in one-on-ones, but Bynum did have his moments where he was unshakable and made plays on the ball. He could be a hit or miss guy at the next level.

    Keith Taylor, Washington

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Taylor and Desmond Fitzpatrick went back and forth in one-on-ones, but Taylor had a really nice rep getting under the ball and running with Fitzpatrick step for step to prevent a deep completion.
    Based on my National Team Senior Bowl practice report, it was a great day from Taylor. He had a PBU deep downfield and stuck with his man in seemingly every drill. There was no egregious errors he made, and was a tough matchup every time he was up.
    Another good day from Taylor. He had a nice pass breakup on Desmond Fitzpatrick in the end zone and had another notable rep against Nico Collins that fell incomplete. The last two days were very productive days from the former Washington player.
    Taylor progressively got better each day. He was constantly making plays on the ball to prevent completions, which will earn him a spot in any rotation at the NFL level.

    Rodarius Williams, Oklahoma State

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Williams didn’t look bad, but he didn’t look great either. Sage Surratt made a great sideline catch over him, but in Williams’ defense, he got under the route and was with Surratt the entire way.
    Rodarius did not participate in Senior Bowl practice today for the National Team.
    Williams did not practice on Thursday.
    There wasn’t much to say about Williams. He wasn’t active for much of practice and didn’t have much film to put out all week.

    Thomas Graham Jr., Oregon

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Graham was very impressive in one-on-ones. He completely prevented Frank Darby from making a catch, running with him every step of the way and not biting on the break. He raised a lot of eyebrows.
    Graham had a stout day. He had a nice PBU that very well could have been an interception in one-on-ones. That said, Demetric Felton gave him the work on a double-move down the sideline which resulted in an easy catch. A tumultuous day, but there were several positives to take away.
    I liked what Graham showed today. He had a really good rep in one-on-ones against Nico Collins, sticking to his hip and forcing a throw that Collins couldn’t haul in. The only thing that was a con for Graham on the day was a rep against Desmond Fitzpatrick where he hit a double move at the line of scrimmage to break to the outside. Besides that, really no complaints on Graham — good day.
    A really good week from Graham. He constantly forced errant throws and made receivers earn the receptions when they did haul in a pass. His stock shot up.

    Tre Brown, Oklahoma

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Brown showed a lot of smooth footwork and good hands in one-on-ones, specifically against Demetric Felton.
    What a day for Tre Brown. Based on my National Team Senior Bowl practice report, he constantly had people talking. His footwork in warmups looked great, he was a nightmare for receivers in one-on-ones, and he had an interception as well. Very good day for Brown.
    Did not practice on Thursday.
    Brown had arguably the best practice of anyone Wednesday. He stuck to his assignment and made several great reads, one that led to an interception. He’s going to do well at the next level.

    Benjamin St-Juste, Minnesota

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    St-Juste is physical and sticky. He had several great reps in one-on-ones in which he had several pass breakups.
    St-Juste looked good. He continued to show how good he is in press coverage by sticking to his assignment during one-on-ones on a short in route, which led to a PBU. He’s big and physical, and that style of play has suited him well.
    St-Juste closed out practice with a nice pass breakup in the end zone against Desmond Fitzpatrick. He and Demetric Felton went head to head a couple of times in one-on-ones, one of which Felton one. The next time up, St-Juste recognized the move that Felton was about to use and took it away, forcing the incompletion. He had a very solid week and helped out his stock in a good way.
    In a matter of a year, St-Juste went from nearly retiring from football to showing out at the Senior Bowl. He made several plays in the game, nearly had an interception, and had people talking.

    Damar Hamlin, Pittsburgh

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Hamlin didn’t look all that great today. He was a non-factor in several drills, hopefully Wednesday at the Senior Bowl we see an improvement from the former Pitt Panthers player in the practice report.
    He had a much better day Wednesday. He held his own against the tight ends, and looked much better in one-on-ones. That’s not to say he was perfect, but he needed a rebound day after Tuesday. Based on my National Team Senior Bowl practice report, he did just that.
    Hamlin built off his Wednesday performance and had some good reps on Thursday. He kept Boise State tight end John Bates in check in one-on-ones and didn’t allow any separation. He has a knack for getting his hands on the ball and forcing pass breakups, which is always a nice quality to have in a good coverage safety.
    He showed to be a very good coverage safety. He held tight ends in check in one-on-ones and had a nice showing in the game itself. His ability as a deep coverage option will find him on a roster as a solid contributor this fall.

    Darren Hall, San Diego State

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Hall had one of the best one-on-one reps of anyone today, going step for step with Frank Darby and breaking the pass up in the end zone. The best play of a solid day from Hall.
    Hall got beat by Cade Johnson on a double-move, which obviously wasn’t the best look for him. He looked solid outside of that, though. His one-on-oes as a whole were solid, and his footwork has improved.
    No practice report from today.
    Hall had good reps throughout the week. He is physical at the line of scrimmage, and that physicality carries over when it comes to making plays on the ball. He will be a gem that will come off the board in the mid-rounds.

    Tre Norwood, Oklahoma

    TuesdayWednesdayThursdayAnalysis
    Didn’t see too much of Norwood, but he was part of a pass breakup downfield on a pass from Ian Book. We’ll see if he gets more looks come Wednesday.
    Norwood looks good in press coverage. Although he gave up a deep reception to Tylan Wallace, he showed good ability to stick to his man. He had a PBU later on in a scrimmage, so an overall solid day based on my National Team Senior Bowl practice report.
    It wasn’t the best day from Tre Norwood. He got beat quite a few times, one in specific was by Cade Johnson in one-on-ones. He just got eaten alive. He just seemed flat-footed today.
    Norwood had a few moments, but compared to the rest of the DBs, he was somewhat silent.

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