Biggest risers from 2022 Senior Bowl week
See which 2022 NFL Draft prospects rose to the occasion in Mobile, Alabama.
The Senior Bowl in Mobile, Al. is the pinnacle of the all-star circuit. We saw plenty of one-on-one and team reps from some of the top prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft. With Senior Bowl festivities behind us, we can begin breaking down the profiles of the top performers. The following players posted the best tape over the past week.
I missed Day One of the Senior Bowl practices, but I caught the following two days and the game. I’ll try to revisit the first day later this week, but standout performances from Tuesday barely influenced this article.
Reach out to me on Twitter @Sam_Teets33 or in the comments section below this article with any reactions. I’ll take anything, positive or negative.
*All height and weight measurements come from the Senior Bowl.
Kingsley Enagbare, EDGE South Carolina
Kingsley Enagbare (6'3", 261 lbs.) had the longest arms (35") of any pure edge rusher measured at the Shrine Bowl or Senior Bowl. The only defenders with longer arms were Otito Ogbonnia, Eyioma Uwazurike, and Perrion Winfrey. Enagbare used his length as a weapon, one-arm bull rushing tackles and tight ends and driving them deep into the backfield.
Enagbare did a good job attacking offensive tackles’ hands, swatting their initial punches and getting into their pads. He doesn’t have elite bend or cornering ability, but he showed some signs of flattening his rush when advantages presented themselves. I was initially concerned Enagbare wouldn’t possess the power to compete with some players at the Senior Bowl. I was wrong.
Logan Hall, EDGE/IDL Houston
Logan Hall (6'5", 278 lbs.) combines the skill set of an edge rusher with the power of an interior defensive lineman. He used a spin move to beat Ja'Tyre Carter on Day 3 and had active hands that made it nearly impossible for blockers to pin him down. Hall also has a developed swim move, which let him almost walk into the backfield on reps against Marquis Hayes, Cole Strange, and Andrew Stueber. When his polished moves don’t work, Hall has the classic bull rush.
Hall has the power throughout his frame to anchor the defensive front in the running game. He’s not quite as powerful as Travis Jones or as bendy as Jermaine Johnson, but he brings great get-off and a total package capable of blowing up running plays and putting quarterbacks under duress.
Jermaine Johnson II, EDGE Florida St.
Jermaine Johnson II (6'4", 259 lbs.) was the most impressive performer at the Senior Bowl. The Georgia transfer looked unstoppable for most of the week. He won with power, putting Kentucky’s Darian Kinnard flat on his butt on the first day of practice. Johnson also showed excellent hand counters, making it hard for offensive linemen even to touch him.
Johnson showed more bend off the edge than I expected, and his ability to convert speed to power while flattening his rush was NFL-caliber. He’ll go in the first-round.
Johnson chose to sit out Thursday’s practice.
Travis Jones, IDL UConn
The broadcast spent the week pitching Travis Jones as a nose tackle. He has the size (6'4", 326 lbs.) and physicality to play as a nose and destroy running games. However, unlike Georgia’s Jordan Davis, I envision a path for Jones to play three downs instead of filling the traditional two-down nose tackle role.
Jones uses leverage well and has exceptional power in his lower body, which he displayed by running through offensive linemen like they were tackle sleds at practice. When slowed on his initial rush, Jones activated his hands, often flipping linemen around with ease. After his initial rush died he frequently resorted to tossing centers (he has examples of this against Zion Johnson and Cole Strange). His hands have terrific pop and power.
John Ridgeway, IDL Arkansas
John Ridgeway (6'4", 327 lbs.) tried employing a spin move several times during the week with little success. He often ended up doing half spins and getting caught midway through the move, but I like that he was working on something other than his polished and effective bull rush. Ridgeway’s power was near the top of the interior defensive line class in Mobile, perhaps only trailing UConn’s Travis Jones.
Perrion Winfrey, IDL Oklahoma
Perrion Winfrey (6'3", 303 lbs.) was up there for best performances in Mobile. He looked completely unblockable on Day 2 thanks to an explosive first step and hands that bounced linemen backward on first contact. He doesn’t have as much power in his lower half as Travis Jones, but Winfrey was able to drive linemen deep into the backfield several times.
Aside from simply working forward as a pass rusher, Winfrey won multiple reps against the run in team drills. He even managed to force a fumble by Rachaad White.
Devonte Wyatt, IDL Georgia
Devonte Wyatt gains natural leverage with his frame (6'2", 307 lbs.), but his freakish agility and quickness in small spaces separate him from other Senior Bowl participants. Wyatt’s active hands and arms were always looking for ways to break past offensive linemen, and few tackles or guards were equipped to handle the Georgia product’s polished moves. Wyatt lost a few reps throughout the week, most notably against LSU’s Ed Ingram.
Wyatt sat out Thursday’s practices with an ankle injury and didn’t play in the game.
Brian Asamoah, LB Oklahoma
Brian Asamoah is an undersized linebacker (6'0", 222 lbs.) that measured in smaller than he did at Oklahoma. However, the National Team’s offensive line, tight end, and running back groups voted him the top linebacker from the practices. He won’t offer much as a pass rusher, but his stickiness in one-on-one coverage and mobility are reminiscent of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah’s versatility.
Asamoah wasn’t overwhelmed in the running game either. He showed the ability to read running plays, shoot through gaps, and crash in from the backside for quick stops.
Jalen Pitre, DB Baylor
I turned off the Senior Bowl practices feeling fairly disappointed that more defensive backs didn’t jump off the screen. Baylor’s Jalen Pitre (5'10", 196 lbs.) was one of the few that consistently made plays on the ball. I wish he were an inch or two taller, but he’s versatile enough to play safety or in the slot while occasionally taking reps as a true corner.
Pitre’s instincts are next level in this class. His Senior Bowl tape is nothing but pass breakup after pass breakup paired with terrific physicality.
Kerby Joseph, S Illinois
Kerby Joseph (6'0", 200 lbs.) was the other clear winner among defensive backs. Pro Football Focus arrived on Joseph’s bandwagon early, and it’s easy to see why. The Illinois product has great ball skills and was routinely a step ahead of quarterbacks throughout the week, even getting a few wins against Trey McBride in coverage. Joseph also flashed good instincts and anticipation.
Trevor Penning, OT Northern Iowa
Trevor Penning (6'6", 330 lbs.) was the most physically imposing offensive lineman this week. He went into Thursday’s practice actively looking to start a fight, especially with Ohio State’s Tyreke Smith. Penning showed some vulnerabilities to speed rushers, but his length and size were enough to swallow pass rush plans. He occasionally lost reps because of poor leverage.
The UNI product had some of the best finishes among all blockers.
Ed Ingram, IOL LSU
Ed Ingram (6'3", 317 lbs.) went through the gauntlet at the Senior Bowl, facing a host of powerhouse SEC defensive linemen. Ingram’s anchor was on full display against Phidarian Mathis and Devonte Wyatt. Aside from lower body strength, Ingram’s arms appear powerful enough to forklift linemen once he gains leverage.
Ingram arguably had the best blocking rep of the week when he stonewalled Wyatt on Wednesday. He got nasty in the team drills, and I was very impressed with how he maintained leverage.
Zion Johnson, IOL Boston College
I wasn’t prepared to see Zion Johnson (6'2", 314 lbs.) taking snaps at center, but he spent plenty of time there during the practices. Johnson started 2021 and 2019 for Boston College at left guard. He played right tackle in 2020 but never logged a snap at center, according to Pro Football Focus. It was an adjustment for Johnson, who had a few high snaps on Day 3 and stayed late to work on his shotgun snaps on Day 2.
Overall, I thought the transition went well for Johnson. He showcased high-level versatility and picked up some wins against elite competition, like Travis Jones. Johnson has relentless hands that constantly latch and re-latch mid-rep to keep defenders trapped. He’s a borderline first-round pick.
Dylan Parham, IOL Memphis
Dylan Parham began his collegiate career at Memphis as a tight end. I didn’t take him too seriously as a top 100 selection coming into the draft process because Memphis listed the center at 285 lbs., which is too light to stick in the NFL. However, Parham weighed in at 6'2", 313 lbs. That was an immediate win for Parham, who went on to establish himself as one of the best trench players in Mobile.
Adding weight hasn’t limited Parham’s superb mobility, which allowed him to open holes for running backs in the team drills. The center’s anchor was my biggest concern entering last week, but he showed more than enough strength to play the position in the NFL.
Jamaree Salyer, IOL/OT Georgia
Jamaree Salyer (6'2", 320 lbs.) primarily played left tackle over the past two years, but he also took snaps at both guard spots. He played every spot but center during the Senior Bowl practices, and I believe he’s earned the right to try playing tackle in the NFL. Salyer showed patience throughout the week, absorbing and deadening pass rushers.
In pass pro, Salyer consistently kept his body square between the defender and quarterback. He didn’t allow for easy angles or hand counters. The Georgia product also packs a punch in the running game, easily able to create movement and dislodge defenders.
Dameon Pierce, RB Florida
Dameon Pierce (5'9", 220 lbs.) blew past linebackers in receiving drills with ease. He also stood out in pass protection, winning almost all of his one-on-one reps on Thursday. Pierce has fresh, powerful legs after not having over 110 attempts in any season during his collegiate career. He’s one of the most well-rounded backs coming out of Mobile.
Isaiah Likely, TE Coastal Carolina
Isaiah Likely came in with the size (6'4", 241 lbs.) to outrebound safeties and the speed to outrun linebackers. He had some false steps and wasted energy in his releases, but he mostly dominated in one-on-one reps. Likely doesn’t offer much value as an in-line tight end, but he fits the traditional “bigger receiver” build that many NFL teams embrace.
Trey McBride, TE Colorado St.
Trey McBride cemented himself as the runaway candidate for TE1 in the 2022 NFL Draft. The Colorado State product has a squattier build (6'3", 249 lbs.) than other Senior Bowl tight ends, but he clicked with Kenny Pickett immediately. I didn’t see McBride drop a pass this week, even during Wednesday’s rainy day when the ball was slippery and quarterbacks struggled with accuracy. His build lends to creating positive leverage in pass protection, and he showed a firm anchor during blocking reps.
Calvin Austin III, WR Memphis
Calvin Austin III is a smaller receiver (5'7", 173 lbs.), but he’s coming out of a school infamous for producing versatile weapons. Austin owned cornerbacks in Mobile, easily creating separation with his speed, twitch, and fluid route running. It’ll be interesting to see if those skills translate in real game situations when players are more physical, but Austin showed teams what he brings to the table.
Khalil Shakir, WR Boise St.
Khalil Shakir showed out on Thursday. The slot receiver (6'0", 193 lbs.) is a smooth route runner that creates natural separation. He took some punishment over the middle, absorbing some of the larger shots dished out at the Senior Bowl practices. Shakir maintained his catches through contact, including a diving grab away from his body in the back of the end zone.
Jalen Tolbert, WR South Alabama
Penn State’s Jahan Dotson was one of a handful of prospects that opted out of the Senior Bowl. That opened the door for Jalen Tolbert, who became the highest-ranking wide receiver left in Mobile, just ahead of Romeo Doubs. At 6'1", 195 lbs., Tolbert measured a little smaller than I expected, but he still performed well in contested catch situations.
Tolbert naturally high points the football in contested situations and brings it in with long arms and soft hands. He maintains control through contact and rarely loses the ball once it hits his hands. Tolbert has enough speed to threaten defenses vertically. His release package, footwork, and route running were even better than I expected.
Christian Watson, WR North Dakota St.
Christian Watson played at the FCS level, but he more than belonged with the elite competitors present at the Senior Bowl. Watson showed soft hands, high-pointing and plucking the ball out of the air away from his body. He struggled to create separation on some reps deep in the red zone, but the 6'4", 211 lb. receiver had some nice releases. Watson has great flexibility for a player his size.
Senior Bowl Remaining Risers
Malik Willis, QB Liberty (6'0", 220 lbs.)
Greg Dulcich, TE UCLA (6'3", 248 lbs.)
Jeremy Ruckert, TE Ohio St. (6'5", 250 lbs.)
Brian Robinson Jr., RB Alabama (6'1", 226 lbs.)
Spencer Burford, OT UTSA (6'3", 293 lbs.)
Luke Fortner, IOL Kentucky (6'3", 302 lbs.)
Troy Andersen, LB Montana St. (6'3", 242 lbs.)
Darrian Beavers, LB Cincinnati (6'4", 252 lbs.)
Jesse Luketa, EDGE/LB Penn St. (6'2", 261 lbs.)
Neil Farrell Jr., IDL LSU (6'3", 338 lbs.)
Eric Johnson, IDL Missouri St. (6'4", 300 lbs.)
Boye Mafe, EDGE Minnesota (6'3", 255 lbs.)
DeAngelo Malone, EDGE Western Kentucky (6'3", 234 lbs.)
Myjai Sanders, EDGE Cincinnati (6'4", 242 lbs.)
Senior Bowl Fallers
Kenny Pickett, QB Pittsburgh (6'3", 217 lbs.)
Sam Howell, QB North Carolina (6'0", 221 lbs.)
Carson Strong, QB Nevada (6'3", 226 lbs.)
Daniel Bellinger, TE San Diego St. (6'4", 252 lbs.)
Daniel Faalele, OT Minnesota (6'8", 387 lbs.)
Max Mitchell, OT Louisiana (6'5", 299 lbs.)
Bernhard Raimann, OT Central Michigan (6'6", 304 lbs.)
Darian Kinnard, OT/IOL Kentucky (6'4", 324 lbs.)
Andrew Stueber, OT/IOL Michigan (6'6", 327 lbs.)
Cole Strange, IOL Chattanooga (6'4", 304 lbs.)
Phidarian Mathis, IDL Alabama (6'3", 313 lbs.)
Sterling Weatherford, LB/S Miami (OH) (6'3", 230 lbs.)
Yusuf Corker, S Kentucky (5'11", 204 lbs.)