MOBILE, Ala. — dawand jones has been the talk of the week for the first few days in the 2023 Senior Bowl.
Jones opened the week standing at 6-foot-8, 360 pounds with the longest wingspan on record in the Senior Bowl’s 74-year history at 89.5 inches. And that size and length propelled him through an impressive first practice with coaches, scouts and executives from around the league in attendance. At the same time, the first day of practice was not fully padded and full of rides. Still, the former Ohio State standout offensive tackle was impossible to miss as the greatest human being on the field, not letting anyone top him Tuesday afternoon.
He had brilliant moments in those meaty one-on-one replays against defensive linemen, even against some of Mobile’s most intriguing names. Jones got the best of Army edge runner andre carter, not to mention Notre Dame Isaiah Foskey. Carter didn’t have much of a chance, with Jones sending him back in a hurry and not taking his foot off the gas. Foskey couldn’t dodge the big man, with Jones finishing the drill by putting Notre Dame’s all-time sacks leader on the turf.
And there was not much offensive work vs. defense for the American or national teams on Tuesday. Jones still took care of business, showing off his powerful hands and footwork against the Oregonians. dj johnson in one of those retro looks. Jones also helped boost the Texas running back. roschon johnson for a couple of big wins, with no defenders capable of moving the Buckeye.
Pro Football Focus ranked Jones 10th among offensive tackles in this year’s draft class. The analytics site had him allowing just 15 pressures over two seasons starting in Columbus. If Jones continues to look like this, he points up his stock before the scouting combination.
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See below for more observations and takeaways from the first day of Mobile internship:
— There’s not much to talk about quarterback-wise after the first day. And while that’s understandable, with the group throwing to the catchers they’ve met in recent days, it was still disappointing. Fresno State jake haener he released his first snap and then lost control of two more during the first 15 minutes. It was reminiscent of Desmond Ridder’s presentation on the first day of practice. last year. Haener eventually settled in, displaying that short-to-medium precision that propelled him to a successful college career. He probably also had one of the best pitches of the day. Haener put up a narrow window ball for the BYU catcher Puka Nacua along the sideline. It was an impressive catch, to be sure, but the quarterback dropped it into the bucket safely away from the defender. Haener turned that brutal start into a pretty solid day. He was sharp in team drills and one-on-ones, settling into a rhythm with his teammates throughout the week. BYU’s Jaren Hall had his fair share of takedowns and even fumbled uncontested when he fell back in team drills. It was a day to forget for the speedy midfielder. Those two managed the representatives of the national team, with Louisville’s malik cunningham deal with a apparent stomach virus. According to Senior Bowl CEO Jim Nagy, Cunningham is expected to return on the 2nd.
And there wasn’t much to report from the US team’s practice, with an even more intense course focus. The music and atmosphere was also turned down to end the day. With a day of ups and downs, TCU Max Duggan he shone on a pocket shot, throwing an interception up the middle. although shepherd’s tyson bagent he was shaky he and houston Clayton’s Melody he seemed to be having trouble, not getting that chemistry with the pass catchers clicking. There wasn’t much of anything noteworthy in the deep or intermediate passing game outside of Haener’s throwing.
— Illinois Broker brown chase will be looking to bounce back after a challenging first session. Brown was unable to secure a swing pass only in the backfield. He, too, was toasted in a pass-blocking drill, losing a fumble while attempting a spin move. Brown is an intriguing prospect after recording 1,643 yards and 10 touchdowns on 328 carries. On the other hand, Tulane’s Tyjae Spears he had an impressive sack and run on one screen, hitting another level to break past defenders.
— Carolina Inland Coast Advocate jerrod clark he shone a couple of times in the first session. Clark didn’t dominate any of his one-on-one opportunities. But the big man showed some athleticism and conscientiousness. He held up a hand to deflect a pass down the line and caught two of his own shots before the ball hit the grass in a forced fumble drill. The 6-foot-4, 345-pound player had 10 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks last season. If Clark can shine a little brighter in those one-on-one opportunities, track his name for the rest of this draft cycle around these parts.
— Alabama tight end cameron latu he finished the day with an impressive move down the line of scrimmage. Latu sold the block, then made a nice cut to the outside, opening wide for the long catch-and-run. He’s one of the names to watch at tight end. from purdue payne durham He’s another one of those guys to watch, he looks strong in blocking scenarios but doesn’t get a lot of opportunities in the passing game on Day 1.
– Tennessee defensive lineman byron young he flashed serious juice running to the passer during the second practice. He flew around the Alabama offensive lineman tyler steen on one encore and it was a handful every time he was on the field. Young had 23.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks over two seasons for the Volunteers. Steen recovered and handled another quick spin attempt, this time from Iowa State. McDonald’s IV?. Other highlights of the trench drills in the Team USA session include Syracuse offensive lineman Matthew Bergeron handling Young’s spin better than anyone. And Steen bouncing back after suffering that early loss, didn’t budge against LSU either. Ali GayeFast pass attempt.
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