Senior Bowl Watchlist
With only the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs left to worry about action on the field, the rest of the NFL is in offseason mode. The most significant part of any offseason is talent acquisition. Teams are always looking to bring in younger, faster, bigger, cheaper talent. Some of that big fast, cheap talent will be on display at the annual college football Senior Bowl. NFL executives, coaches, and scouts all flock to Mobile, Alabama, to watch these seniors practice and talk to them. The senior bowl is also a hotbed of rumors and league gossip that the media find irresistible.
I’ll start digging deep into the draft in about a month. But I’ve already seen a few interesting guys. Check it out:
NORTH SQUAD
Neville Gallimore 6’2 302 DT
He might be the best defensive lineman in the entire game. Gallimore boasts an impressive blend of size, speed, and strength. When you watch Gallimore on a snap by snap basis, you see he’s always the first to move when the ball snaps, a testament to his quick-twitch and fast reflexes. I can see Neville Gallimore having success in a gap penetration attacking defensive front.
Hakeem Adeniji 6’5 300 LT
This mountain has a ton of experience, and it shows. Looking at his knowledge of blocking angles and good footwork, you see why he’s been a starter at Left Tackle since 2016. Some scouts say a move inside to Guard would be best for him. I say with improved strength, he can play anywhere. Versatility is a major asset in today’s NFL.
Quartney Davis 6’2 200 WR
Yet another talented receiver to add to an insanely deep group. Davis has excellent speed to go with his ideal size. Not only does he have the straight-line speed. Quartney also has the lateral quickness and agility to be a good route runner and dangerous after the catch. He had an ACL injury in 2016 and also missed time with a back injury. If medicals check out, Davis would be a weapon for any team looking to attack downfield.
Darius Anderson 5’11 212 RB
Darius Anderson is an explosive athlete at the Running Back position. He hits the hole fast when at the line of scrimmage and has the second gear to make the long runs look easy. Anderson also is a threat in the passing game doing damage on screens and check downs. Coaches will want to see if he can master the nuances of pass protection. Anderson was always in an RB by committee situation in school and probably would be most effective in that same role in the NFL.
Joshua Kelley 5’11 219 RB
Foot quickness for a man his size is very impressive. When you watch Kelley run, you’d think he was a scatback, but then you see him run through arm tackles, and you realize that he is every bit of 219lbs. In addition to his physical attributes, Kelley also has good vision to set up his blocks and navigate the open field. Like most running backs coming out of college, blitz pickup and pass protection will be the key to his playing time and roster spot. With the right coaching staff and offense Kelley could have a bright future.
SOUTH
Kyle Dugger 6’2 220 S/LB
Kyle Dugger is the perfect picture of the evolved Linebacker position. Speed, size coverage ability, Dugger has it all. The challenge is can Dugger stand out at the next level. Dugger was a jack of all trades in school and dominated the lower competition. He played running back, Safety Linebacker, and Kick returner. Versatility is definitely his forte. In the NFL, I can see Dugger being an Outside linebacker using his speed and physical ability to cover Tight Ends and Running Backs.
Dane Jackson 6’0 190 DB
Jackson is a player with the requisite size and athleticism to play at the next level. Most importantly, he has the feistiness and physicality to play on Sundays. Jackson would work well in a system that employs a lot of man press coverage. He uses his hands well to re-direct receivers off their route and has sufficient hip fluidity to mirror routes.
AJ Green 6’1 180 DB
AJ Green is a player to watch. He’s comfortable playing man coverage, zone coverage, and everything in between. He’s got enough speed to run with receivers on nine routes and enough hips to mirror receivers on in-breaking routes. My only concern could be his tackling ability at 180 pounds. Nothing a good strength and conditioning program can’t fix. Start Green off in the slot and let him progress into a larger role as time goes on.
Darnay Holmes 5’10 198 DB
I’ll say this, in this writer’s humble opinion, if Darnay Holmes were 6 foot 1, he’d be getting first-round consideration. Darnay Holmes is a high-level athlete with the speed and hips to contend with anyone. Evidence of his speed would be a year ago when Holmes ran stride for stride with Baltimore Ravens speedster Marquis Hollywood Brown. Not only is he fast, but he’s also a willing tackler. His lack of height may limit him to slot cornerback duties in the NFL, but Darnay Holmes will definitely make his presence felt.
Devin Duvernay 5’11 210 WR
Devin Duvernay looks like a Running Back playing Wide Receiver, much like San Francisco 49ers rookie Deebo Samuel and Carolina Panthers receiver DJ Moore. His thick build allows him a level of strength and physicality that smaller receivers can’t achieve. Not only that, but Duvernay is a good route runner. He knows where to sit his routes down in zone coverage, and he wins vertically in man coverage. My take is that Duvernay would be best suited as a slot receiver that could be a security blanket for Quarterbacks.
Brandon Aiyuk 6’1 206 WR
Probably the best WR on the field whenever he plays. Aiyuk’s fluid athleticism and excellent burst make him a dangerous player on any level of the field. He shows good long speed to get deep as well as excellent run-after-the-catch-ability. His tape is littered with bubble screens that he’s taken for long gains. Aiyuk can be a threat outside or in the slot at the next level.
Kindle Vildor 5’11 190 DB
He’s a live one. If he does nothing else, he’s going to make a wide receiver work for everything he gets. With Vildor coming from a small school, there are bound to be questions about his level of competition. Against LSU, Vildor showed that he could compete with high-level athletes. In Mobile, Alabama, Vildor is going to have to prove he belongs again.
Darrell Taylor 6’4 255 OLB
Taylor has excellent athletic as a pass rusher. He shows off his explosive short-area quickness every game. Natural bend and hip flexibility allow him to take angles to the quarterback that are difficult for offensive tackles to block. Taylor’s skill set translates to either a 3-4 defense as a stand-up rusher and outside linebacker or a 4-3 defensive end with his hand in the dirt. Once he adds some strength and pass rush moves to his repertoire, Darrell Taylor will be a solid player in the NFL.
These guys listed are just the tip of the iceberg as far as talent goes in this year’s draft. But a good place to start.