2022 Senior Bowl Practice Report: National Team

Kenny Pickett seemed to be pressing to get speed on throws which resulted in passes being off the mark. He had some nice throws and, for the most part, protected the ball. Really did not wow anyone today.

Notes from Wednesday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 2.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

Desmond Ridder was all over the place with his throws and missed several wide-open targets. The arm strength and physical skills are obvious, but he needs a lot of work on his pass placement.

Notes from Wednesday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 2.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

Strong made some beautiful throws, and he far and away has the strongest arm on any quarterback. He also needs a lot of work on his game. Often times Strong resorted to flinging the ball downfield and not properly delivering passes.

Notes from Wednesday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 2.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

Tyler Badie showcased great vision during team drills as well as solid hands during passing drills. But it was his patience that really stood out. He chose his shots perfectly and burst through the smallest of creases for big gains. Badie also had a great day in the passing game, which was unsurprising.

Notes from Wednesday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 2.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

While the Cincinnati offense didn’t quite show it, Jerome Ford was on display in the passing game. He was crisp with routes and even better at the catch point when accurate balls were placed. Ford didn’t get to show much on the ground, but his passing game was stellar.

Notes from Wednesday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 2.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

The TE class was headlined by their work in the passing game, and we had to wait until 7-on-7s to really see Jeremiah Hall in action. He had a great set of out-breaking routes, understanding his strength at the catch point as well.

Notes from Wednesday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 2.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

There were a few moments of glory for Abram Smith as he hit the hole very well during team drills. He had the luxury of some great blocking in front of him during Day 1, but Smith showcased the vision to hit even the biggest holes.

Notes from Wednesday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 2.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

It was an unfortunate display in the passing game as Rachaad White found his way open with great routes but suffered a drop on the lone accurate placed football. He did, however, showcase enough burst during team drills and 7-on-7s that he made the drop an afterthought with his performance.

Notes from Wednesday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 2.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

Doubs did not show much in the way of quickness or burst. I’m told he is supposedly going to run in the 4.3’s during workouts, but I didn’t see that type of speed. He did catch the ball well.

Notes from Wednesday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 2.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

Started slowly then picked it up as the practice progressed and looked very good at the end. Made several nice plays in scrimmage. Quick, was able to separate, and showed soft, strong hands.

Notes from Wednesday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 2.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

Had one bad drop but otherwise caught the ball well. I did not see much quickness or speed in his game.

Notes from Wednesday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 2.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

Best receiver from the first session. Ran quick, crisp routes, separated from opponents, and caught the ball well. Had his man beat badly in full scrimmage and was wide open down the field, but Desmond Ridder missed him.

Notes from Wednesday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 2.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

Ran decent routes and separated from defenders but lacked any semblance of balance and was all over the place. Also struggled a lot in battles.

Notes from Wednesday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 2.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

Caught the ball extremely well. Made a terrific contested catch down the field. Consistently extends his hands to make the catch away from his frame. More of a loper with average speed and struggled to separate.

Notes from Wednesday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 2.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

It started off slow, like the practice in general, but Jake Ferguson eventually picked it up. After some balance issues early (falling on his route breaks), Ferguson had a nice grab during team drills that attempted to atone for a few early mistakes.

Notes from Wednesday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 2.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

Showcasing strength at the top of his route breaks, Charlie Kolar broke defenders spirits with his strength and hands at the catch point all the same. He was solid in the run game as well.

Notes from Wednesday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 2.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

There was a physicality with Trey McBride’s game during Day 1. He was pushing defenders back in the run game and then bullying them off his routes. He struggled to separate during team drills but performed much better in 7-on-7s.

Notes from Wednesday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 2.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

It was a good day for Jeremy Ruckert. He put forth a great display with his route running and soft hands. His size was evident, and his prowess in both facets showed out.

Notes from Wednesday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 2.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

Cole Turner is a big man and a big deal. On the first snap of 1-on-1s, Turner beat Illinois S Kerby Joseph for a big gain. It was a solid day in team drills for Turner as well. But it wasn’t all hits as Turner was slow to break and allowed Joseph to secure a PBU on another target in 1-on-1s.

Notes from Wednesday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 2.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

Like the other non-FBS linemen, Ja’Tyre Carter wasn’t very consistent on day one of the Senior Bowl. He’s dense but a little smaller than most of his counterparts, and he was easy to move off-platform at times. He flashed solid grip strength, but the Southern lineman can do more to prove himself in the days to come.

Like many FCS prospects, Ja’Tyre Carter’s most important showing will come on Thursday. There are intriguing traits with Carter, who has some mobility within his frame. But he’s still struggled with keeping his base and staying on-platform, and with his smaller-than-average size, he can be moved fairly easily. He has athleticism and grip strength, so there’s a chance he could bounce back tomorrow.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

Daniel Faalele’s size will enamor onlookers, and for good reason. The Minnesota offensive tackle has neutralizing strength and can erase smaller linemen. But he wasn’t as consistent as desired on Day 1. Faalele showed some stiffness laterally and couldn’t always flip his hips to redirect defenders. He opened his torso a bit too much, exposing himself to power, and got knocked off-balance in 1-on-1s. He’ll need to be more consistent later in the week.

Daniel Faalele feels like a polarizing prospect just by watching him on the field. It’s easy to fall in love with the size, and there are some good perks that come with that. He has awe-inspiring anchor strength, and he also flashed good lateral recovery for his size – something he hasn’t always shown on film. He can also drive players back in run defense, and escorted one edge defender out of the play in 7-on-7s. But Faalele still isn’t the most mobile, and he may be confined to a right tackle role in the NFL.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

Luke Goedeke left practice early with an undisclosed injury.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

Marquis Hayes seems built for the interior. The Oklahoma blocker is a finisher who blocks to the whistle on every play. He also has great power and length, which translates well. That said, Hayes could’ve been better on his first day. He struggles to drop his pads and anchor at times, and his hand placement can be more consistent.

With his proportional length, Marquis Hayes has consistently had his moments on the interior. The most marketable element of his game is his power, and he was able to drive defenders back with that power capacity. He’s a mauler who brings that energy on every rep, and that consistency will certainly be appreciated this year.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

One could argue that Zion Johnson was the highest-rated offensive lineman coming into the Senior Bowl, and he played up to his reputation on Tuesday. The Boston College blocker had clean pass sets with a good base and was strong, well-leveraged, and authoritative with his hands. He also showed he could open lanes in the running game. Johnson’s Day 1 showing was very on-brand for the Eagles prospect.

Zion Johnson’s strong week continued on Wednesday. The difference between him and the next best lineman wasn’t quite as stark as it was on Tuesday, but Johnson was still one of the best on the National Team. The Boston College blocker showed he could gather opponents and reset his anchor while keeping a strong base. He also was able to redirect momentum and recover mid-play. Johnson got caught lunging at times, but he was strong overall.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

There were times when Abraham Lucas struggled to lower his pads — an expected issue for a taller blocker. He was also a little early off the snap at times. Nevertheless, he’s a well-put-together athlete who showed he could anchor and drive defenders downfield as a run blocker. If he can keep working on bending his knees and driving his pads into players, he can end the week on a high note in two days.

It was a roller coaster of a day for Abraham Lucas. The Washington State product wasn’t as steady as desired. He kept his torso open a bit too much in 1-on-1s and lost balance against some rushers. Lucas also had heavy feet at times when seeking to recover laterally. He did, however, flash nice mobility getting out into open space on a designed screen. He has the athletic traits and the experience, but applying those qualities in Wednesday’s practice proved to be difficult.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

The upside pops with Trevor Penning, which was to be expected. He’s a big, physical mauler who has imposing strength and a constant edge. He also showed he could reset his anchor and gather power rushers. However, while Penning is nasty, he’s also uncontrolled. He can be stiff laterally at times and didn’t always match positioning with timing. His physical edge should still be enough to win over some evaluators.

The second of two freakish Northern Iowa tackle prospects to come through Mobile, Trevor Penning remains an interesting evaluation. The Panthers tackle has a nasty attitude that shows up as advertised. However, he didn’t always gather power well and wasn’t able to reset his base consistently when edge rushers got inside his torso. He did take a rep at guard and was able to drive back defenders on the interior. But his pad level brings concern there as well. Penning’s mentality is contagious, but he still has room to improve heading into Thursday.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

It was an up-and-down day for Central Michigan’s Bernhard Raimann, but he flashed potential. Raimann’s quick off the snap, and he can flex to absorb power. However, his hands can be a little high at times, and he can also be walked back by more powerful defenders. If Raimann wants to lock in his Day 2 billing, he’ll need to improve his anchor and leverage on Wednesday.

A strong Senior Bowl showing could’ve catapulted Bernhard Raimann into early Day 2 territory. Unfortunately, he hasn’t quite had that yet. Like Day 1, he got worked back quite a bit and bent a lot when stressed by power. He does have good athleticism, and that shows up when he gets into space. But Raimann hasn’t been consistent when dealing with high-level power rushers this week.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

Cole Strange is a fiery competitor. That much is certain. The Chattanooga guard had a good mentality on Tuesday, meeting the challenge of FBS linemen. There’s still room for Strange to improve. He got moved back at times; like many FCS blockers, he may need an acclimation period. But he flashed a good anchor, moves well in space, and has the core strength to lock down squirming rushers. There are traits to build on if Strange can take advantage.

Cole Strange has had an iffy week, but there’s a silver lining there. He’s definitely a little smaller and a little less dense than most tackles, and sometimes it shows. But he did flash the ability to reset his anchor, and once again displayed good core strength when players tried to drive him back. He also took some reps at center and looked solid. As long as Strange keeps bringing the energy on Thursday, he should earn some fans as an intriguing interior blocker.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

It was a rough day overall for the National Team offensive linemen, but Andrew Stueber was a bright spot. The Michigan offensive lineman wasn’t perfect, but he was fairly strong through team drills and locked down guys during 1-on-1s. He used his grip strength to absorb power, worked to the second level, and was composed and reactive with his hands. He also took snaps on the interior, showing versatility. Stueber checked all the boxes on Day 1.

Andrew Stueber wasn’t quite able to match the performance he had on Day 1 today. He’s largely been a middle-of-the-pack performer so far, but Wednesday wasn’t as strong as Tuesday. Stueber got beat a couple of times in 1-on-1s when he couldn’t lower his pads enough, and his hands weren’t as consistent when he sought to respond to opposing moves. Day 3 will be crucial in determining his direction.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

Matt Waletzko is relatively light, and it shows. He can’t always control more powerful linemen, but he has the grip strength to stay latched and showed he can redirect momentum with his natural leverage. Waletzko is a great athlete with an imposing frame, but the raw strength is lacking somewhat against FBS linemen. We’ll see if he can compensate for that later in the week.

Matt Waletzko is quickly distinguishing himself as one of the better FCS offensive linemen in Mobile. His light frame sticks out, but he doesn’t play light. He was able to consistently gather players, reset his anchor, and keep his base stable against power rushers. He moved well laterally, and actively finished opponents who sacrificed their balance to sink underneath him. Waletzko’s stock is on the rise after today.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.

Unfortunately, Nick Zakelj looked outmatched for much of the first practice. He showed some recovery but was too easily moved back, and his feet retreated too often. He also struggled to absorb power at times. For an FCS prospect on his first day against FBS competition, it was about what you’d expect. The key for Zakelj is to improve over the course of Wednesday and Thursday. Perhaps he’ll see time on the interior.

It still wasn’t a perfect day for Nick Zakelj, who got beat a couple of times in 1-on-1s. The Senior Bowl stage still looks a little big for him, but he might slowly be growing into it. He took a few reps on the interior and looked better there. One of his best reps came toward the end of practice, when he kept synergy between his upper and lower body, reset his hands, and negated his opponent in pass protection. Thursday will be big for Zakelj.

Notes from Thursday’s practice will be updated soon after practice has ended on February 3.