Alabama Crimson Tide

Senior Bowl 2017: 10 players who are now on the rise

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 8:34 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

Fansided, Sayre Bedinger/FanSided via NFL Mocks

The 2017 Reese’s Senior Bowl has been an excellent event with a ton of NFL talent. Which 10 players have impressed the most this week?

Jan 9, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide tight end O.J. Howard (88) scores a touchdown during the third quarter against the Clemson Tigers in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

1. O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama

If O.J. Howard wasn’t solidified as a top 20 selection prior to Senior Bowl week, he is now. The 6-6, 250 pound tight end out of Alabama has shown all week long exactly the type of skill he proved capable of in every game tape I watched of his while a member of the Crimson Tide. He is a hands catcher. He is a phenomenal blocker. He gives great effort.

Everything about this young man is special, which is why it wouldn’t surprise me to see a team try to draft him in the top 10-15 selections. This is a difference maker at the tight end position that we haven’t seen coming out of college really since Rob Gronkowski in 2010.

In fact, Howard compares pretty favorably to Gronk, but he doesn’t have the significant injury history coming out. This is the type of player that you can plug into your offense and make a focal point right away. I think he proved to scouts and analysts at the Senior Bowl that he is a household name and he’s going to make a major impact on Sundays moving forward.

Oct 21, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; South Florida Bulls quarterback Quinton Flowers (9) runs with the ball past Temple Owls defensive lineman Haason Reddick (7) during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

2. Haason Reddick, LB, Tulane

There have been questions surrounding Reddick of how he will translate his game to the next level. Is he too small to play defensive end or outside linebacker in a 3-4? Does he have the ability to consistently play in coverage as a 4-3 or 3-4 inside linebacker?

Those questions were seemingly answered this week as Reddick was one of the most dominant players on the field, on either side of the ball at the Senior Bowl practices.

He showed an ability not only to get after the quarterback with excellent quickness and bend around the edge, but he looked like a defensive back at times when dropping into coverage. This is a former walk-on who flies around the field and plays with a chip on his shoulder. If I were picking in the first round after about pick no. 20, I would seriously consider this guy. He’s proven that he’s a three-down linebacker, but his role might be even more versatile than originally thought. This wa a great week for the linebacker out of Temple.

3. Obi Melifonwu, S, Connecticut

There was a little bit of first round hype surrounding Melifonwu heading into Senior Bowl week, but that’s now become a full on freight train.

Melifonwu showed exceptional quickness and ability to cover a lot of space at Senior Bowl practices. There was one play in particular when the team was practicing two-point conversions, and the play was a misdirection toss to the Michigan running back. Melifonwu sniffed the play out, and while he let up a little bit so he didn’t destroy the runner, he made an excellent play coming from the safety spot in what may well have stopped the offense from putting two points on the board.

At 6-4, Melifonwu is certainly going to intrigue teams that are looking for that next Kam Chancellor type of player. He certainly put on a show in Mobile and could hear his name called on day one of the 2017 NFL Draft…

4. Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE, Villanova

Tanoh Kpassagnon is a player that we’re going to have to go back and watch more tape on. There’s definitely no one in this year’s draft class that has as intriguing a physical makeup as the 6-7 Kpassagnon, who has the look of an ideal 3-4 defensive end.

He showed in one-on-one drills some serious quickness for a big man, and played with good pad level. Of course, being as tall and long as he is, Kpassagnon has the ability to stack and shed offensive linemen with ease.

With improved strength and an even better understanding of the game, this is the type of player I could see develop into a stud at the next level.

5. Taylor Moton, OT, Western Michigan

Moton has been a stud right tackle for Western Michigan, but NFL scouts aren’t usually all that interested in guys who specifically specialize in playing right tackle only. Moton will unquestionably provide the exception there.

At Mobile this week, he showed out and proved he’s capable of stepping into a starting role early in the NFL. He has great lower body strength and plays with a very good base. He has good feet in pass protection, and does a good job of keeping his hands inside.

I didn’t see many individual reps where Moton was beat. Some think he best projects to guard at the next level, but with his size and length, I don’t think playing right tackle will be much of an issue. This guy looks like a very reliable player at the next level who could be a steal in the third round.

6. Dion Dawkins, OL, Temple

Dawkins has been Temple’s starting left tackle, but he was moved inside to guard for Senior Bowl week.

That was a very solid move.

In a draft that is considered to be fairly weak on the offensive line, Dawkins showed out this week and proved capable of moving inside to guard at the next level. He obviously plays with power, but having played left tackle, he has great feet. The adjustment to moving inside could take some time, but Dawkins is clearly a starter sooner than later at the next level.

He has excellent size and should hear his name called sometime on day two of the 2017 NFL Draft. He plays with a chip on his shoulder, the type of toughness and grit you love to see from an offensive lineman.

7. Zay Jones, WR, East Carolina

I think when all is said and done, the Senior Bowl will be where Zay Jones really put himself on the NFL map. Of course, catching a thousand passes this past season at East Carolina certainly helps…

Okay, so we’re exaggerating a bit, but the Senior Bowl truly was a great week for Jones — who actually caught 158 passes this past season at East Carolina — to show his stuff. He not only has great hands, but has excellent quickness, intelligence, and route running ability.

That was all on display as he was winning battles left and right this week at the practices. This is a guy who catches anything and everything thrown in his direction. I think he did a lot to help himself this week and should be solidified as a day two selection, someone who could rise up to the top half of the second round.

8. Trent Taylor, WR, Louisiana Tech

Though Trent Taylor lacks in overall size, he was one of the quickest players on the field all week in Mobile.

There was one time when I recall Daniel Jeremiah saying on the TV broadcast, and I’ll paraphrase, “The next time someone covers the kid from Louisiana Tech in the slot, it will be the first time.”

Taylor was finding ways to get open and proving himself capable of being an effective weapon at the next level out of the slot and in red zone work. He made a really nice, tough grab for a touchdown in tight coverage, showing off his soft hands and body control.

There was plenty of talk about Ryan Switzer in this week of practices, and rightly so, but Taylor had a fine week in his own right.

9. Tarell Basham, EDGE, Ohio

Basham’s senior season was spent terrorizing quarterbacks on the way to winning the MAC Defensive Player of the Year award, and he picked up where he left off in Senior Bowl practices.

Basham showed excellent quickness off the ball, and an ability to use a variety of rush moves to get pressure on the quarterback. He finished his senior season at Ohio with 15 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks to go along with 12 quarterback hurries.

I love his quickness off the ball, and tackles really struggled with his full arsenal of pass rush weapons. I think as he continues to grow in knowledge of the game and learn offensive linemen tendencies, he’s going to be a top of the line pass rusher at the next level.

Some feel like he’s making a push for the top 50 after his week in Mobile…

10. Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington

Kupp was a man among boys at Eastern Washington, racking up 73 touchdowns in four seasons. He proved that his lack of D-1 competition was not necessarily an indicator of a lack of true ability when facing top competition at the Senior Bowl.

There was simply no one this week that could contain Kupp, and he even got some first round love before all was said and done.

Kupp has been dominating defensive backs off the snap, getting a lot of clean releases and making tough catches. He has the look of a pro-ready receiver with the ability to run clean routes and be effective in red zone work.

Despite playing four years at Eastern Washington, it looks like the transition to the next level is going to be seamless for Kupp.

More from NFL Mocks

This article originally appeared on

share

Get more from Alabama Crimson Tide Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Alabama Crimson Tide

College Football

National Football League

Temple Owls

Western Michigan Broncos