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Matt Anderson

Stock Up Stock Down from first Senior Bowl American practice

Tuesday was the first day of practice for the Senior Bowl, meaning it was the first chance to see some of the best prospects in the nation take another step in preparation for the NFL Draft in April.

During Tuesday’s practice, there were plenty of players who stood out for good and bad reasons. Let’s take a look at ten American Team players from the senior bowl who either helped or hurt their draft stock.

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National Team Practice

Stock up: Oklahoma RB Eric Gray

Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Gray put in a really good day of practice on Tuesday and got to showcase a lot of his skills. In running back drills, he looked explosive out of the backfield while displaying his ability to move laterally. Later on in practice, you were able to see his speed and his ability to catch out of the backfield, which will be a huge draw for NFL teams. His day was nowhere near perfect, as he was held in check on a few plays in one-on-one situations with linebackers, but overall it was a good start.

Stock up: Princeton WR Andrei Iosivas

Stock up: Houston WR Nathaniel Dell

Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Wow, what more can you say about this kid? He put on an absolute clinic in Tuesday’s first practice of the senior bowl. His route-running was decisive and exceptional. His release off the line of scrimmage was lethal, and his explosiveness was quite the sight. He dominated the wide receiver group and put on a show in the one-on-ones.

Stock up: Miami CB Tyrique Stevenson

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Stevenson was a treat to watch in Tuesday’s practice and really showed his physicality at the position. He displayed very quick hips and was able to read and react perfectly. Stevenson was about as lockdown as you could want on the first day of practice.

Stock up: Kansas State CB Julius Brents

Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Much like Stevenson, Brent put on a great show in Tuesday’s practice. He was patient in his coverage and showed some fluidity as well. Brents also didn’t shy away from playing physically. He was vocal on the field when he made good plays and stuck with receivers every step of the way.

Stock up: Iowa State EDGE Will McDonald

Syndication: The Ames Tribune

On the defensive line, Will McDonald had an outstanding day. He continued to bring the energy throughout the whole practice and really put on a show. His burst off the line and relentless pursuit in the pass rush was hard not to notice. He’ll be a name to continue to watch as we head into Wednesday’s practice.

Stock: Gophers C John Michael Schmitz

John Michael Schmitz

The Gophers center is widely perceived as one of the best center prospects in the upcoming NFL Draft, and in Tuesday’s practice, he proved that. The one thing with offensive linemen is that when you don’t hear about them, they’re typically doing their job. That was Schmitz today. In 11 on 11s, he was consistent and demonstrated his blocking in space on a screen pass. Today was a building block to continue to confirm his status as a top center-field prospect.

Stock up: Oklahoma TE Brayden Willis

Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports

Brayden Willis quietly put together a good day today. While he didn’t make any splashy plays, he showcased his blocking skills and put together some good reps versus the linebackers in one-on-one drills. Willis is likely a day-three pick in the draft, but as a solid senior quarterback, he could entice teams to want to draft him.

Stock down: Georgia RB Kenny McIntosh

Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Many people were excited to see McIntosh in Tuesday’s practice, but unfortunately, the running back went down with what appeared to be a significant injury at first. Thankfully, after some time with trainers, he was able to walk off under his own power, and it was later reported that it was just a bad cramp. McIntosh will get to showcase his skills in Wednesday’s practice.

Stock down: TCU QB Max Duggan and Shepherd QB Tyson Bagent

Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Day one of practice is typically tough for quarterbacks, and that was no different today. The quarterbacks for the American team didn’t play particularly badly today, but they also didn’t play well. They were just sort of facilitating practice. There were no splash plays or ah-ha moments from either of them. Post-practice, most of the attention was on injured Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker. Duggan and Bagent will have another opportunity on Wednesday to try and build some momentum.

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