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What might have been Reese’s most important Senior Bowl week in the game’s 71-year history ended on Mobile on Saturday.
With the NFL Combine set to include no face-to-face interaction between players and scouts and the form the various pro days will still take to guess, the Senior Bowl has become extremely crucial for the 2021 NFL Draft prospects. 130 college stars took to Mobile for a week of practices and meetings with professional recruiters, coaches and talent assessors.
So who made the biggest impressions during Senior Bowl week 2021? With the caveat that it’s very difficult for a player to injure their stock in the Senior Bowl, here are some of the players who have shone in Mobile (listed in alphabetical order):
1. Carlos “Boogie” Basham, DL, Wake Forest – How can you not love a great man named Boogie? The 6-foot-3, 281-pound Basham didn’t play in Saturday’s game, but has proven to be a consistent presence all week in the other team’s backfield. With the ability to play both indoors and outdoors as per the scheme, Basham should be a valuable commodity on draft day.
2. Michael Carter, RB, North Carolina – Short but tough (5-8, 202) Carter was an electric playmaker for the Tar Heels (1,000-yard back-to-back seasons) and showed that ability in practice and in Saturday’s game. He also worked as a slot catcher during practice, adding to his appeal for teams looking to find a versatile threat to the next level.
3. Dez Fitzpatrick, WR, Louisville – The wide receiver group was deep this year, and the 6-2, 202-pound Fitzpatrick stood out as much as any of them over the week. He forged a particularly close bond with Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger, who was postponed to Saturday’s game. The two faced each other twice for the National Team’s first goal and Fitzpatrick finished the day with six receptions for 90 yards.
4. Richie Grant, SAF, Central Florida – If there was anyone who “made money” this week, it might be Grant, who dominated in three days of practice. A very productive three-year-old starter at UCF, he led his team in tackles twice and was second the other time.
5. Najee Harris, RB, Alabama – Harris closed the doors after Wednesday, but he deserves a lot of credit for doing as much as he did in training with an ankle that was far from healthy. Running backs don’t often come in the first round, but Harris’ combination of size, tackle-breaking ability, receiving skills and competitiveness might be too tempting to pass on to pro teams.
6. Creed Humphrey, OL, Oklahoma – Oklahoma has a history of producing outstanding NFL offensive linemen, and Humphrey is the latter. With the ability to play both center and guard, he’s the kind of guy you might look for in 15 years and see he’s been in 10 Pro Bowls.
7. Mac Jones, QB, Alabama – Jones did not play in Saturday’s game due to an ankle injury he sustained in Thursday practice, but he was Mobile’s best quarterback by far. Jones’ leadership skills and precision have been eye-opening all week, as he proved his garish numbers in 2020 were not just the result of his supporting cast. He could squeeze into the top half of the first round of the draft.
8. Quinn Meinerz, OL, Wisconsin-Whitewater – Every year there is a little school player who captures everyone’s imagination in Mobile for some reason. In the past, it was Carson Wentz of North Dakota State or Jeremy Chinn of southern Illinois, and this year it was the 6-3, 320-pound Meinerz, a Division III player who s ‘is shown with a mullet, performed in a crop-top jersey and dressed on Saturday despite a broken hand suffered during training on Thursday.
9. Dillon Radunz, OL, State of North Dakota – Radunz has a prototypical tackle size (6-5, 308) and has played for the program which is essentially FCS-level Alabama (if not more dominant). He more than held his place in Mobile, winning the practice player of the week award by voting on the players he faced during drills.
10. Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida –Toney did not play in Saturday’s game much to the disappointment of fans in his hometown, but the former Blount High School star player has had an exceptional week of training. His speed and versatility (he’s a former high school quarterback) should play well at the next level, and there’s a chance he could end up being drafted in the first round.
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