Eight To Watch at the Senior Bowl

If you’re like me, and despise the Pro Bowl for its ‘no defense’ rule, then this weekend will be devoted to watching the showpiece event for many prospective rookies coming out of college, giving them a chance to show their skills to NFL coaches, scouts, front office personnel and general managers.

Many players currently in the NFL have seen their draft stock balloon or plummet during and after this event, so the stakes are high, and first impressions made by the young players before the combine will be important in the coming months.

While some high profile players have decided to skip the event, like QB Geno Smith, many people’s projected no. 1 pick, many others will grab it with both hands as an opportunity to improve their ranking on many teams’ draft boards. Here are eight players I’ll have my eye on in the coming week…

1- QB – Ryan Nassib – Syracuse (NORTH)

Nassib is possibly the most polished signal-caller in this draft class, and has a real chance of sneaking his way into the first-round thoughts of many QB-needy teams. He needs to prove his ability to fit throws in tight windows, and keep making the sound decisions that made him such a hit at Syracuse. If he can have a good week, don’t be surprised if Nassib ends up going at the end of the first round, or near the top of the second as a team like the Bills, Jets or Steelers look for high-quality competition at the QB position.

2- OL – Eric Fisher – Central Michigan (NORTH)

The big 6’7’, 307 pound offensive tackle from Michigan is already flying up teams’ draft boards as the second best tackle behind Luke Joeckel. He is a good pass blocker, with the ability to move defensive tackles backwards in the run game. A good week here could result in Fisher being picked in the 10-20 range. St Louis would be a good fit.

3- DB – Desmond Trufant – Washington (NORTH)

A lot of teams have already scheduled meetings with the 6’0’ defensive back from Washington, so while he may not seem a first round talent, the amount of interest in his services could inflate his value with a productive week here in Mobile. His speed and competitive attitude are his really attractive attributes, but he is also underrated as a ball-hawk. The Eagles, Vikings and Browns are rumoured to be three interested parties.

4 – DL – Alex Okafor – Texas (NORTH)

This speedy 6’4’ edge rusher from Texas will be a very interesting watch for scouts. While he was very productive at college, he doesn’t seem to translate to a natural position in the NFL, whether it be LE or RE. This week’s performance will helps scouts to decipher this talented pass rusher with violent hands and exciting burst, but concerns over his real position are holding him at the top of the second round at the moment.

5 – QB – Tyler Wilson – Arkansas (SOUTH)

Many coaches and respected NFL personnel are very interested in Wilson from Arkansas, as he has shown real flashes of brilliance at college, especially in winning the Cotton Bowl last year. He has the arm strength to make all the throws in an NFL playbook, but his lack of receiving options, a porous offensive line and an inconsistent running attack has seen his stock fall this season. A good week here can reassure scouts that the Wilson of 2011 has not disappeared, and his grit and determination can see him sneak into the back end of the first round of the draft, with a team like Arizona expected to be keen.

6 – RB – Stepfan Taylor – Stanford (SOUTH)

Taylor is one of the most consistent runners coming out of college this year, and his powerful north/south running style will be appealing to many NFL GMs. He breaks tackles with alarming frequency, and while he may not have the elite burner speed of a CJ Spiller type, he is reliable, healthy and competitive. He seems a perfect fit for a power running team like the Jets in the second round, but with a strong showing this week, don’t be shocked if a team trades up ahead of them to snag him at the end of the first or high in the second.

7 – DL – Ezekial Ansah – Brigham Young (SOUTH)

Ansah is probably the most raw, exciting pass rusher on either of the two squads, and he has drawn comparisons to Jason Pierre Paul with his combination of pure athleticism, strength and nose for the QB. He will have to show scouts that he is consistent in both getting into the backfield and in digging in for the run game, and if he does so, a team will take a chance on his massive upside in the middle of the first round. New Orleans may be a team that are willing to take a gamble, or even the Giants.

8 – LB – Sean Porter – Texas A&M (SOUTH)

While you may not hear Sean Porter’s name very much over the coming months, he could be just the type of athletic linebacker that teams are looking for to play on the outside of a 4-3 scheme or as a pass rusher in a 3-4, even though he was inconsistent this year. When you look at the success of Tampa Bay’s Lavonte David this season, the versatile Porter should have a good chance of a team looking for a similar player showing a lot of interest in him. He needs to bulk up a little and become more physical, but his high football IQ and good instincts are impressive. His value right now is likely in the third round, but with a consistently good week here, he can jump into the second round.