By Zebadayah Ataelseed & Ryan Rubinstein
Day 2 was a better day for defense than offense. Whose stock rose and whose dropped? Here’s our list.
National Team
WR – Roman Wilson – Michigan – Buy
Roman Wilson stood tall as one of the only receivers to show consistency from Day 1. He showed out his solid line of scrimmage release and very good body control and hands. During the post-practice competitive period, Roman Wilson called out Senior Bowl standout Quinyon Mitchell. The Michigan product answered the bell by quickly stacking Mitchell and making a very good acrobatic catch on the sideline.
LB – Payton Wilson – North Carolina State – Buy
Payton Wilson was one of the more notable players having high expectations coming into the Senior Bowl and Wednesday he arrived to the scene with a bang. His one-on-one coverage skills have been solid and very sticky against running backs. His agility and break to the ball showed out in a big way. Aside from some of his coverage skills, he showed great communication and command of the defensive huddle. Wilson should continue to impress throughout the week.
EDGE – Austin Booker – Kansas – Buy
Austin Booker turned some heads with a great display of pass-rush ability. He easily had two of the best rushes of the week, each within a few plays of each other. Booker was able to win with speed, finesse, and strength, drawing a handful of reactions from coaches and scouts alike.
Honorable Mentions
WR – Devontez Walker – University of North Carolina – Sell
Devontez Walker had a rough outing today during the second day of practice. He was consistently able to generate space and separation but had wasted steps and significant drops.
CB – Quinyon Mitchell – Toledo – Buy
Although Mitchell’s Day 2 wasn’t as perfect as his Day 1, he still had a very good showing leveraging a lot of agility, tracking, and ballhawking.
American Team
DL – Darius Robinson – Missouri – Buy
Darius Robinson put on a clinic today on Day 2. His tall wiry frame coupled with his good speed caused issues for tackles and guards all day today. He notably won a lot using his ‘Swipe and Swim’ moves, beating out Senior Bowl standout Tyler Guyton. His inside/ outside versatility caused issues in both the run and pass game.
CB – DJ James – Auburn – Hold
James’s stock can slowly start to rise after today. He showed solid route recognition, consistently jumping routes and making plays on the ball. There were times he got a little too excited and drew a couple of flags because of it but his knack for being aggressive might very well pay off for him if he can capitalize on interceptions and not drop them.
WR – Jha’Quan Jackson – Tulane – Buy
Jha’Quan Jackson had himself a day, similar to Roman Wilson, Jackson showed up when it seemed like a lot of other receivers didn’t. His combination of quickness, speed, and separation has been fun to watch all week. He certainly is increasing his stock if he keeps playing at this level for the rest of the week.
Honorable Mentions
OG – Christian Haynes – UCONN – Buy
Haynes, who previously faced scrutiny for needing to improve his toughness, showcased significant growth. Taking snaps at both right guard and center, his resilience shined bright, surpassing many others on the field.
OT – Christian Jones – Texas – Hold
Christian Jones was labeled a potential riser for some, overall we’d have to hold some of his stocks. He had some notable wins against Day 2 standout Darius Robinson but when he lost, he lost badly.