Plenty of this week’s Senior Bowl attendees flew south for the winter, but they must have brought the weather with them, as chilly conditions filled Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile for the first day of practices.
After Tuesday morning’s weigh-ins, the afternoon practice sessions were our first chance to see both the North and South squads in action, and there were plenty of noteworthy moments, both positive and negative.
Here are the biggest things we learned from the first day of practices:
Jordan Love is challenging Justin Herbert for QB3
LSU’s Joe Burrow and Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa appear to be the clear-cut top two in this year’s quarterback class, but there’s a battle brewing for the next spot, and Mobile is the venue. Oregon’s Justin Herbert looked as advertised during Tuesday’s South team practice, but Utah State’s Jordan Love looked every bit at promising.
While both passers missed a handful of throws, they also displayed the arm strength, touch and placement NFL decision-makers will want to see. Don’t be surprised if both of these guys finish the week strong, and challenge for top-10 consideration come April.
Javon Kinlaw is the best player in Mobile
We had a pretty good idea of this coming in, but South Carolina defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw delivered on the high expectations with a dominant performance Tuesday. He was unblockable during interior pass-rush drills, giving Clemson guard John Simpson particular trouble.
A massive defender who weighed in at 6-5, 315 pounds Tuesday morning, Kinlaw used every bit of his imposing frame to destroy whoever had the misfortune of lining up across from him. He entered the week on the top-10 bubble, and he won’t need to take another snap in Mobile to stay there, or perhaps, go higher.
Small school, big skills
Two of the more intriguing small-school prospects are both found along the offensive line: Ben Bartch of St. John’s and Alex Taylor of South Carolina State. Both made the most of their opportunity to shine against top competition, more than holding their own against some of the best defenders in the country.
Bartch played tackle at St. John’s, but is also getting a look at guard this week. Taylor’s massive frame (6-8, 308 pounds) is unmistakable, and his rare length was put to good use all afternoon. Both of these small-schoolers are trending up after just one day in Mobile.
Jalen Hurts a mixed bag, Shea Patterson wishes he was
After playing three seasons and winning national titles at Alabama, Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts got as much fanfare as any prospect in attendance this week. But his inconsistent play on Tuesday wasn’t the start he was looking for, as he struggled with accuracy the entire practice.
That’s still better than can be said of Michigan’s Shea Patterson, who didn’t look like a draftable prospect with his performance on Day 1. He’s got major work to do the rest of the week if he wants to leave Mobile with any positive momentum for his draft stock.
National champs shine
If you’re a Bayou Bengal, chances are you had a strong day of practice Tuesday. LSU’s pair of interior offensive lineman, center Lloyd Cushenberry III and Damien Lewis, both had fantastic performances. They routinely shut down interior rushers, and Lewis in particular was lauded by coaches for his technique during position drills.
It was a similar case for LSU tight end Stephen Sullivan. While teammate Thaddeus Moss may get the headlines, it was Sullivan who stole the show at his position Tuesday, consistently getting separation downfield and creating mismatches regardless of who was covering him.
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