The 2020 Senior Bowl is hours away from kicking off, and the New Orleans Saints will be watching. Recent draft prospects they’ve selected who stood out in the collegiate all-star game include defensive end Marcus Davenport, who sacked quarterback Baker Mayfield early in the game and later returned a fumble 19 yards for a defensive touchdown. Wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith scored the first points in that 2018 game with a 14-yard touchdown reception.
Of course, just showing out in this exhibition game doesn’t mean the Saints will draft a prospect. But it obviously leaves an impression; they’ve drafted at least one participant in the first three rounds in each of the last five years, and often grabbed two. The opportunity to more extensively scout these players and fill out the scouting report does a lot to help their projection in the NFL.
This year, the North Team (coached by Matt Patricia’s Detroit Lions) will kick off against the South Team (coached by Zac Taylor’s Cincinnati Bengals) in a game featuring several high-profile quarterbacks, including Oregon’s Justin Herbert, Utah State’s Jordan Love, and Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts. The Saints currently don’t have a single quarterback under contract for next season, so it’s very possible they end up selecting one of those prospects.
Additionally, the Saints need upgrades at receiver. Keep an eye on players such as Baylor’s Denzel Mims, Florida’s Van Jefferson, Ohio State’s K.J. Hill, and Texas wideout Collin Johnson. This is one of the most-lauded wide receiver classes in recent memory, and New Orleans stands to benefit.
Here’s everything you need to know to tune into Saturday’s Senior Bowl game:
Game Information
North Team (Detroit Lions) vs. South Team (Cincinnati Bengals)
2:30 p.m. ET Saturday, Jan. 25
Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Ala.
Television
NFL Network
Streaming
fuboTV (try it for free)
