Tuesday was the first day of practice for the Senior Bowl, meaning it was the first chance to see some of the best prospects in the nation take another step in preparation for the NFL Draft in April.
During Tuesday’s practice, there were plenty of players who stood out for good and bad reasons. Let’s take a look at ten American Team players from the senior bowl who either helped or hurt their draft stock.
Stock up: Oklahoma RB Eric Gray
Gray put in a really good day of practice on Tuesday and got to showcase a lot of his skills. In running back drills, he looked explosive out of the backfield while displaying his ability to move laterally. Later on in practice, you were able to see his speed and his ability to catch out of the backfield, which will be a huge draw for NFL teams. His day was nowhere near perfect, as he was held in check on a few plays in one-on-one situations with linebackers, but overall it was a good start.
Oklahoma RB Eric Gray had 99 career receptions.
Should be a 3-down back in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/kT8t00UmRE
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) January 31, 2023
Stock up: Princeton WR Andrei Iosivas
Princeton WR Andrei Iosivas has looked crisp in the early portion of practice at the @seniorbowl
Clean release here, and had a great catch (unguarded) in the endzone pic.twitter.com/RZMoD9ISV3
— Matt Anderson (@MattAnderson_8) January 31, 2023
Stock up: Houston WR Nathaniel Dell
Wow, what more can you say about this kid? He put on an absolute clinic in Tuesday’s first practice of the senior bowl. His route-running was decisive and exceptional. His release off the line of scrimmage was lethal, and his explosiveness was quite the sight. He dominated the wide receiver group and put on a show in the one-on-ones.
Houston WR Nathaniel Dell dominated 1 on 1 drills for the WR’s here at the @seniorbowl pic.twitter.com/qUBSCdXUSR
— Matt Anderson (@MattAnderson_8) January 31, 2023
Stock up: Miami CB Tyrique Stevenson
Stevenson was a treat to watch in Tuesday’s practice and really showed his physicality at the position. He displayed very quick hips and was able to read and react perfectly. Stevenson was about as lockdown as you could want on the first day of practice.
Miami CB Tyrique Stevenson undercutting the over route and stopping the QB from throwing pic.twitter.com/E9H9NyYjdx
— Bobby Skinner (@BobbySkinner_) January 31, 2023
Stock up: Kansas State CB Julius Brents
Much like Stevenson, Brent put on a great show in Tuesday’s practice. He was patient in his coverage and showed some fluidity as well. Brents also didn’t shy away from playing physically. He was vocal on the field when he made good plays and stuck with receivers every step of the way.
From the cornerback group Kansas St. CB Julius Brents was fantastic in the 1 on 1’s
Played with patience and physicality pic.twitter.com/oqKKXL9qbh
— Matt Anderson (@MattAnderson_8) January 31, 2023
Stock up: Iowa State EDGE Will McDonald
On the defensive line, Will McDonald had an outstanding day. He continued to bring the energy throughout the whole practice and really put on a show. His burst off the line and relentless pursuit in the pass rush was hard not to notice. He’ll be a name to continue to watch as we head into Wednesday’s practice.
Will McDonald vs. Tyler Steen#SeniorBowl pic.twitter.com/sN4C85tDgj
— WalkTheMock (@WalkTheMock) January 31, 2023
Stock: Gophers C John Michael Schmitz
The Gophers center is widely perceived as one of the best center prospects in the upcoming NFL Draft, and in Tuesday’s practice, he proved that. The one thing with offensive linemen is that when you don’t hear about them, they’re typically doing their job. That was Schmitz today. In 11 on 11s, he was consistent and demonstrated his blocking in space on a screen pass. Today was a building block to continue to confirm his status as a top center-field prospect.
John Michael Schmitz on the move for this screen.
But look at Tyjae Spears 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZseC8yVNDO
— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) January 31, 2023
Stock up: Oklahoma TE Brayden Willis
Brayden Willis quietly put together a good day today. While he didn’t make any splashy plays, he showcased his blocking skills and put together some good reps versus the linebackers in one-on-one drills. Willis is likely a day-three pick in the draft, but as a solid senior quarterback, he could entice teams to want to draft him.
Brayden Willis as a lead blocker 😤
The @OU_Football TE has been great today at the Senior Bowl pic.twitter.com/kRHfQc1GM6
— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) January 31, 2023
Stock down: Georgia RB Kenny McIntosh
Many people were excited to see McIntosh in Tuesday’s practice, but unfortunately, the running back went down with what appeared to be a significant injury at first. Thankfully, after some time with trainers, he was able to walk off under his own power, and it was later reported that it was just a bad cramp. McIntosh will get to showcase his skills in Wednesday’s practice.
Georgia RB Kenny McIntosh — who left Senior Bowl practice after getting twisted up trying to grab a loose ball — just had a bad cramp in his calf. He won’t return today, but good news on one of the draft’s top running backs.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 31, 2023
Stock down: TCU QB Max Duggan and Shepherd QB Tyson Bagent
Day one of practice is typically tough for quarterbacks, and that was no different today. The quarterbacks for the American team didn’t play particularly badly today, but they also didn’t play well. They were just sort of facilitating practice. There were no splash plays or ah-ha moments from either of them. Post-practice, most of the attention was on injured Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker. Duggan and Bagent will have another opportunity on Wednesday to try and build some momentum.
Alabama S Demarcco Hellams picks off TCU QB Max Duggan. #SeniorBowl pic.twitter.com/Nbl1BhOl6Y
— Kevin Knight (@FalcoholicKevin) January 31, 2023
