In case you didn’t know, this year’s Senior Bowl roster is absolutely stacked. It might be one of the most talented groups ever to set foot in Mobile. That effect, of course, extends to the 2022 Senior Bowl wide receivers group. There’s no shortage of pass-catching talent at the February showcase this year. Here’s a look at the roster for each team and some of the top players to watch ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft.
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2022 Senior Bowl Wide Receivers
Here are the wide receivers participating on each team in the Senior Bowl.
Note: Penn State’s Jahan Dotson and SMU’s Reggie Roberson Jr. withdrew from the Senior Bowl
National Team
- Khalil Shakir | Boise State
- Alec Pierce | Cincinnati
- Romeo Doubs | Nevada
- Christian Watson | North Dakota State
- Jahan Dotson | Penn State
- Bo Melton | Rutgers
- Braylon Sanders | Ole Miss
American Team
- Calvin Austin III | Memphis
- Reggie Roberson Jr. | SMU
- Danny Gray | SMU
- Jalen Tolbert | South Alabama
- Velus Jones Jr. | Tennessee
- Tré Turner | Virginia Tech
- Dontario Drummond | Ole Miss
Top Senior Bowl Wide Receivers
There’s a well-balanced distribution of talent on the National and American teams at this year’s Senior Bowl. There may not be many bona fide first-round prospects in Mobile, but there’s an abundance of potential Day 2 talent — and someone could rise into Round 1 territory with a dominant showing.
One-on-one reps against defensive backs always provide an opportunity for wide receivers to stand out. With no safety help, those reps are naturally slanted slightly in favor of receivers. In that setting, who’s best set up to shine?
National Team roster filled with talent
Bo Melton can separate and acquire RAC yards. Khalil Shakir is a dynamic vertical threat with speed and acrobatic ability. Romeo Doubs is a twitchy athlete who can stack defensive backs and rise for passes.
Going further, Alec Pierce is a big-bodied receiver with great explosiveness and ball-tracking ability. And Christian Watson — an FCS prospect who could be a big riser — is a size/speed phenom with long strides that would make Bigfoot gasp.
American Team headlined by Sun Belt star Jalen Tolbert
Now, we move on to the American Team, a crop led by local kid and certified production machine Jalen Tolbert. Tolbert may come from a smaller school, but he dominated at the Sun Belt level. He accounted for 40% of the Jaguars’ receiving production in 2020 and nearly 50% in 2021.
It’s no surprise that Tolbert was a target sponge for South Alabama. He has a skill set that’s incredibly conducive to success. Tolbert has a long 6’3″ frame, and downfield, he can stack defenders and use his body control and ball-tracking ability to come out on top consistently. Closer to the line, however, Tolbert has enticing twitch and separation ability that goes overlooked at times.
Tolbert can own one-on-ones with his traits, but he’s not the only American Team wide receiver to take note of. SMU WR Danny Gray brings speed and dynamic ability to the fold. So, too, does Calvin Austin III, an elite explosive threat with a capacity to play bigger than his frame.
There’s also Velus Jones Jr., an undersized but explosive run-after-catch threat, as well as Dontario Drummond — a 6’1″ bowling ball with a 215-pound frame. Rounding out the group is Tré Turner, an ordinary physical specimen who compensates with high-end instincts at the catch point.