2022 Senior Bowl Practice Report: American Team

Amaré Barno drilled with the defensive linemen, but that might not be where he fits at the next level. He flashed at times with his bend and burst, reducing his surface area and getting low to the ground. But Barno’s strength is a severely limiting factor at times. He consistently struggled to disengage from blocks, even against tight ends, and also lost his balance several times rushing the passer.

It’s been a strong week for the defensive linemen overall, but Amare Barno has not been included in that ascension. Barno was underwhelming on Tuesday, and even more so on his second day of action. He clearly lacks high-end power, and that showed up often in 1-on-1s. The Virginia Tech defender also failed to supplement his lack of power with pass-rush creativity, often relying on mere speed and explosion to no avail. It’ll take a strong Thursday showing to turn Barno’s week around.

Unfortunately, Barno’s performance Thursday did little to boost his stock at the Senior Bowl. While he can pop on contact, his play strength is just not enough on the edge. Thus, he relies on his speed, which doesn’t work when offensive linemen know once they get their hands on you, it is over.

Zachary Carter flashed a lot on the first day of practices. Carter has imposing power at the point of attack, but he also showed he could use his opponent’s leverage and balance against them. That methodical approach, combined with Carter’s tools and versatile profile, could help him stand out over the entire duration of Senior Bowl practices.

It somehow flew under the radar, but Zachary Carter had a strong second day at the Senior Bowl. The Florida defensive lineman flashed great burst and power off the line, and his extensions were incredibly explosive. Carter was consistently disruptive, but he didn’t just win off traits. He showed he could stack rushing moves and keep his motor going through the entire rep — something that scouts should come away impressed with.

Zachary Carter’s effort is visible off the tape. He never gives up on a rep, even if it is clear he lost it. He owns one of the deadlier bull rushes at the Senior Bowl, using it to win multiple reps in 1-on-1s. Nonetheless, he hasn’t been perfect, struggling at times after his first move fails.

For a player who’s been considered a Round 2 prospect at times, Kingsley Enagbare didn’t stand out as much as expected on Day 1. The South Carolina edge rusher is solid in most areas, but he lacks elite initial burst and struggled to gain immediate disruption as a result. He got locked up at times and wasn’t able to stack counters consistently. Enagbare did show good pursuit on the backside of run plays, but he left a lot on the table as a pass rusher.

Relative to his draft billing, Kingsley Enagbare wasn’t quite as productive as expected on Tuesday. Nevertheless, his performance took a step up on Wednesday. The South Carolina edge rusher made a few nice plays, using hand replacement and strength to latch and rip away anchors in 1-on-1s. He also showcased his twitched-up and flexible pass-rushing style in team drills. His main appeal has always been his well-rounded profile, and that showed up today.

Kinglsey Enagbare had a nice showing on Thursday. He quickly beat Max Mitchell around the edge, who otherwise had a fantastic day. He beat Spencer Burford quickly inside, but Burford was able to recover in time to stop Enagbare from reaching the QB. While he didn’t wow or flash elite traits, he mainted his solid play through three day of practices which is a lot more than others can say.

For a nose tackle, Neil Farrell Jr. did what was asked of him on Tuesday. He showcased above-average initial burst for his size, as well as some power in straight-line rushing situations. Beyond that, Farrell can also stand his ground in the middle and run with blocks. He wasn’t overly disruptive, but the most important thing for nose tackles is to maintain leverage and keep spaces tight. Farrell did that, at the very least.

Expectations have to be tempered somewhat for nose tackles at times, but the performance of Travis Jones and Otito Ogbonnia has somewhat diluted Neil Farrell Jr.’s play thus far. Farrell hasn’t been ineffective, as his power and density make him difficult to displace. But he hasn’t been as consistently disruptive as his counterparts, and a lot of his rushes fade after his initial bull rush. He’s got the size, but the pass-rush utility hasn’t always been there.

Neil Farrell Jr. used a cross-chop move to move Justin Shaffer out of the way, but the offensive lineman was able to recover in time to halt the LSU DT. He can fight with his hands and possesses great play strength with leverage. Farrell’s Day 3 outing showed he can create pressure from the interior with more than just a bull rush.

Eric Johnson popped a couple of times after coming to the Senior Bowl from the NFLPA Bowl. He didn’t look outmatched often, which was a great sign for the Missouri State defensive lineman. He has good burst off the line, can get around the edge with ankle flexion, and can lower his pads and shoot them into contact. Johnson has the tools, and he earned his spot today with a strong performance. If he can build on it, it could do wonders for his stock.

The Senior Bowl is a great proving ground for FCS prospects, and Eric Johnson is another exhibit of proof this year. The Missouri State product shined on Wednesday, after piquing scouts’ interest with a strong Tuesday outing. His hands can be a little high at times, but overall, Johnson was great. He loads his hands and extends with force, possessing the torque to redirect blockers. He also has some twitch and agility. He wrecked one blocker with a swift spin move, and also executed a fake spin later on, capitalizing quickly with his power and length.

Eric Johnson owns stellar natural leverage and can throw offensive linemen off of him as a run defender. He moves with more twitch than one would expect from his size, and his pass-rush toolbox is more than one would expect from an FCS DT. But Johnson has proven he belongs in Mobile, and with further coaching, he could become a contributor in the NFL.

When you’re a fringe first-round prospect, you’re expected to appear a cut above your counterparts at Senior Bowl practice. Jermaine Johnson II checked that box on Tuesday. He was one of the best defensive linemen in the entire group, showing explosiveness, agility, strength, speed-to-power conversion, and adaptability as a rusher. Johnson set the standard for the American Team with his performance on Day 1.

Jermaine Johnson II is a man on a mission this week. He was phenomenal in Day 1 action, and he continued his torrid streak of production on Day 2. Johnson has shown off plenty of traits in a short time span, notably explosiveness, agility, core strength, and calculated hand usage. If he wasn’t already trending that way, Johnson should be in the Round 1 conversation.

Not in attendance.

Much like his American Team counterpart Barno, DeAngelo Malone clearly has the profile of a space player who belongs in more 7-technique and wide-9 alignments. Malone got out-muscled at times when he was in congestion, but he’s a smooth lateral mover who left linemen in the lurch several times with his ability to change directions. Beyond his agility, Malone also showed off some coverage utility, dropping out to cover running backs in the flats. That versatility will only make him more appealing.

DeAngelo Malone is similar to teammate Amare Barno in that he lacks power and appears light compared to his counterparts. However, Malone has been much better than Barno so far this week. Malone has shown that he can be methodical as a rusher, both converting his speed to power and feigning speed rushes to open up inside lanes. He attacks tight ends but also causes issues for linemen with his spryness and tenacious approach.

DeAngelo Malone showed he can convert his speed to power with an outstanding rep against Braxton Jones. His get-off and hands are quick, and he has enough bend to get around the arc in a hurry. Additionally, the Western Kentucky edge rusher is physical, destroying TEs as a run defender in team drills.

Phidarian Mathis has a noticeable presence whenever he’s on the field. He could’ve been more impactful on Tuesday, but his motor always stands out, as does his alignment versatility across the defensive front. Mathis can take reps closer to the center and fill space, but he also flashes the burst and ankle flexion to stunt farther outside. It wasn’t a day that will vault Mathis up boards, but he’ll remain steady if he keeps playing like he did on Tuesday.

Phidarian Mathis’ straight-line power capacity has consistently arisen in 1-on-1 drills, but the Alabama defensive lineman has been more productive in team settings. In 1-on-1s, Mathis doesn’t always strike cleanly at the initial point of attack, and he’s struggled to disengage at times. He’s had his moments, but it hasn’t quite been the week some expected from the potential top-50 pick.

It was a bit of a rough day for Phidarian Mathis. He really only had one good rep in 1-on-1s, with Cade Mays, Luke Fortner, and Ed Ingram getting the best of him. Still, Mathis doesn’t lack power, and he continued to play well in team drills.

John Ridgeway showed off tools to mold on Tuesday, which is productive in its own right. His pads can sometimes be high, which helps offensive linemen get underneath him and attain greater leverage. But Ridgeway is long, powerful, and aggressive up the middle, and he drove blockers back a couple of times with that combination. Tuesday was good for Ridgeway, in that he saw success, but also left room to build later this week.

Just like on Tuesday, John Ridgeway got great push up the middle with his length and power capacity. His pads were still an issue at times, but he seemed able to drive his pads into contact and attain better leverage at the point of attack. Ridgeway hasn’t been the most disruptive lineman at the Senior Bowl, but he’s at least put himself on the radar with some nice flashes in 1-on-1s.

John Ridgeway is a strong defensive lineman and it showed Thursday. He harnessed his power into a couple of reps easily moving offensive linemen deep into the pocket. He also can fill gaps against the run on the interior, holding Dylan Parham in place as the ball carrier ran right into Ridgeway for the stuff. He can make plays as a nose tackle in the NFL.

Did not participate on Tuesday.

A late addition from the NFLPA Bowl, Sam Williams quickly had people wondering why he wasn’t at the Senior Bowl sooner. The SEC standout wasted no time making an impact with his easy athleticism. He was extremely quick off the line all day, routinely beating tackles off the snap. In 1-on-1s, he toasted Kinnard with an effortless ghost move, displaying bend and burst. And against Max Mitchell, he let loose a devastating swim move. Williams quickly distinguished himself as one of the better edge rushers in a strong EDGE group.

Sam Williams continued his dominant ways, using his athleticism to his full advantage. There were some reps where he solely relied on his speed to the edge, but his pass-rush arsenal is immense. He toasted Cade Mays at right tackle with quick jab to the left before cutting back inside, forcing a hold.

Devonte Wyatt remains one of the more advanced pass-rushing defensive tackles in the 2022 NFL Draft, and he played up to that reputation on Tuesday. He wasn’t perfect, of course. Especially in run defense, he gave up too much surface area at times and was walled off. But Wyatt was consistently active in pursuit and displayed the necessary power to drive blockers back. He also used a violent rip move to perfection on one rep, surging into the pocket.

Behind Perrion Winfrey, Devonte Wyatt might be the most impactful interior defensive lineman at the Senior Bowl. Wyatt brings tons of energy and plays with a violent edge on every snap. On one occasion in 1-on-1s, he set up his opponent with his initial angle, then used lateral agility and violent hands to execute a deadly rip move inside. Wyatt’s pass-rushing ability is top-tier, and it’s why he’s been consistently disruptive this week.

Not in attendance.

Run fits were the name of the game for Damone Clark on Day 1. He was great during the 9-on-7 portion of practice. Despite an obvious advantage for the defense, Clark was the first to react and first to the ball on more than one occasion.

No practice report is available from Day 2.

Perhaps the best aspect of his game, Damone Clark was solid when rushing the passer up the middle. The big man routinely blew up block attempts from RBs and was solid coming downhill in the run game. Clark read the run fits beautifully and filled the holes with speed and grace. Making matters even better, Clark had really the only flash of brilliance in 1-on-1s from the linebackers.

It was not the best day for JoJo Domann. He was slow in coverage and moving laterally. While he did flash at times in the run game, he jumped to fill a hole too quick at others. However, the name of the game is pass coverage in today’s NFL, and Domann will have to improve there this week.

No practice report is available from Day 2.

JoJo Domann had a difficult time finding much success on Day 3. He was stuffed in the pass-rushing area and got left behind on a few routes in coverage. Domann’s bread and butter will be his run defense that he showcased in team drills, but he’ll have to improve his coverage skills to last in the NFL.

The read-and-react ability from Aaron Hansford was on another level during Day 1. He was quick to read, quicker to react, and even faster to hit the hole once he saw the intended point of attack. Hansford looked great in both facets — he stuck with receivers in coverage, but his run defense skills were eye-opening.

No practice report is available from Day 2.

It was a brilliant display of pass-rushing for Aaron Hansford during 1-on-1 drills against the tight ends. Hansford showcased a great ability to get off the ball and did an even better job of fighting off hands. He wasn’t perfect in coverage, but Hansford also had his moments in team drills.

With quick hands, D’Marco Jackson was able to fight off run blockers with little trouble in the run game. He was strong in coverage at times but will need to work on continually blanketing the bigger, faster tight ends. Still, Jackson’s athleticism was on display, and he has more than enough juice to close space when necessary.

No practice report is available from Day 2.

Moving well laterally, D’Marco Jackson was just about the only linebacker to stick with Dameon Pierce in coverage on Day 3. He was kept in check when rushing the passer, but that’s never really been his game anyway. Jackson’s movement laterally and sideline to sideline has paid dividends this week.

Sporting a non-Florida helmet, Jeremiah Moon was easy to miss on Day 1. He was slow in run defense and would overpursue when he did make the decision to chug upfield. His overpursuing led to him getting blocked out of plays. Moon also struggled to stick with receivers of all different sizes and backgrounds. He may be better suited at rush end in the NFL.

No practice report is available from Day 2.

It was another sluggish showing for Jeremiah Moon, who was tough to find in action during team drills. He had some flashes of what separates him athletically, rushing and bending off the edge. Regardless, for the most part, he was stymied. Moon also got lost in coverage a couple of times, whether he was covering tight ends or receivers.

Understanding his strengths and the defensive scheme with relative ease, Channing Tindall was terrific on Day 1. He had a great backside run fill where he maintained his angle and eventually made the play on a cutback attempt. Tindall was good in coverage, but his ability to stuff the run from the outside was what turned heads.

No practice report is available from Day 2.

Clearly the best tape of Channing Tindall’s day came when he was rushing off the edge. He made mincemeat of tight ends attempting to block him but was stonewalled by running backs when rushing up the middle. Tindall also flashed his coverage ability in 1-on-1s on multiple occasions but did struggle against faster TEs.

No practice report is available from Day 1.

Tycen Anderson was awful in coverage drills. He looked stiff, lacked explosion, and could not stay with receivers out of breaks or transition to run downfield.

Quick to react at times, Tycen Anderson proved he absolutely had the athletic ability to stand up to the Power Five wide receivers he was covering. His backpedal may need some seasoning, but he has enough closing speed to make up for minor coverage lapses all the same.

No practice report is available from Day 1.

Yusuf Corker struggled in coverage drills and was unable to stay with any of the receivers anywhere on the field. He’s a solid run defender but has limitations.

Working on tight ends, for the most part, Yusuf Corker appears ready to be a strong safety in today’s NFL. He was solid in coverage, both pressed against the tight ends and off the ball. Corker has size, strength, and athletic ability in spades, and he was able to showcase it in coverage time and again on Day 3.

Akayleb Evans had a solid day. He physically beat down opponents defending passes and showed solid ball skills. I liked the aggression with which he played.

Akayleb Evans got beat twice, though it was not due to lack of effort. He’s large, physical, and possesses solid ball skills but struggled with the smaller, quicker wideouts today.

It was a decent showing for Akayleb Evans. He let a few throws get on him quickly but backed it up with some physicality at the line of scrimmage. Overall, it was exactly what we’ve come to know from Evans as a cornerback.

Mario Goodrich was very physical throughout the day and battled hard. He made several nice plays, but in multiple instances, he put himself in situations where he would’ve been flagged for a penalty if there was an official on hand.

Mario Goodrich flashed ability, but he looked stiff. He struggles to transition with receivers or stay on their hip out of breaks.

There is no practice report for Day 3.

No practice report is available from Day 1.

No practice report is available from Day 2.

There have been better days for Derion Kendrick. He was lost in coverage, got turned around a few times, and lost both on the inside and outside during 1-on-1s. The talent is there, but this was not his best performance.

No practice report is available from Day 1.

Except for one play, Zyon McCollum was beaten often and beaten badly. He shows little in the way of quickness, and I feel he’s better off at safety.

There were some things to like but more to be concerned about with Zyon McCollum on Day 3. He was overmatched at times and the inferior athlete at others. Yet, McCollum was able to showcase his ball skills and closing ability during 1-on-1s. He also had a nose for the football in run defense during team drills.

Roger McCreary showed a lot of solid fundamentals and the ability to quickly backpedal then flip his hips in transition. We loved his physical style of play, which led to several pass breakups.

Fundamentally, Roger McCreary was very good. His backpedals, hip turns, and transitions were solid, as was his head for the ball. But he just does not seem to have the explosive burst you want in a No. 1 corner.

There may have been a touchdown scored on Roger McCreay in 1-on-1s, but the Auburn cornerback was in great position on seemingly every rep. Even the touchdown he allowed to Velus Jones required a perfect throw and an even better catch to be completed.

No practice report is available from Day 1.

Leon O’Neal Jr. is an imposing-looking defensive back, but he showed a lot of limitations in coverage. Though he primarily lined up at free safety, I believe O’Neal is best as a run-defending strong or box safety.

There is no practice report for Day 3.

No practice report is available from Day 1.

Alontae Taylor showed some explosion and the ability to fire to the ball out of his plant. However, he lacked balance and regularly got twisted, which on one occasion resulted in a long reception to his teammate, Velus Jones Jr.

It was a shaky performance for Alontae Taylor on Day 3. He was flagged for defensive pass interference and then lost an outside release that he had leverage on during 1-on-1s. Taylor can get grabby at times in coverage, and the third day wasn’t his best performance.

Cam Taylor-Britt had a few early mishaps which resulted in long pass completions, but he got stronger as the practice proceeded. His speed and burst to the ball were impressive.

No practice report is available from Day 2.

Overall, it was a sluggish day for Cam Taylor-Britt. He lost on the slot and out wide, getting turned inside and out on multiple occasions. Taylor-Britt was flagged multiple times during 1-on-1s but did make up for it with great aggressiveness throughout the day. The latter is something we’ve become accustomed to during Senior Bowl week.

Josh Thompson had a few shining moments, but there were several instances where he got outright beat. In situations when he was facing the action, Thompson looked good.

Josh Thompson made a few nice plays, but he was nondescript overall. He’s a safety with solid ball skills, yet seems to make plays after the fact.

Routinely matched up against Calvin Austin III, it was a tough ask for Josh Thompson in coverage during 1-on-1s. Yet, Thompson made the most of his opportunities, locking down Austin on a couple of reps. He didn’t win them all, but his athleticism was off the charts at times against the much shiftier Austin.

Tariq Woolen gave us pretty much what we saw from him on film. He’s a big, athletic corner with nice speed who did not get his head back around to locate the ball.

Tariq Woolen is the most impressive-looking defensive back in Mobile, but he needs a ton of work. He’s late reacting, was slow to transition with receivers off the line, and like yesterday, was chasing opponents around the field.

The big man from UTSA had another great day as Tariq Woolen played well against a variety of receivers in 1-on-1s. He’s certainly known for his size, but his speed has shown on multiple occasions during the week. Woolen is far from polished as a cornerback, but his athletic ability keeps him in the play more often than not. Woolen played well all week, but especially on Day 3.