Here are the biggest takeaways from the Senior Bowl.
The 2022 Senior Bowl saw the top talent in college football come face-to-face as preparations for the NFL draft began. As for defensive battles, here are excerpts from the game that will affect how teams evaluate and ultimately select these players.
Malik Willis makes the case for top quarterback in the class
Kenny Pickett had a solid game in his stint as quarterback, leading 6/6. He lengthened 89 yards and a touchdown. However, Willis' ability as a sprinter is sure to captivate NFL scouts and front office personnel. The Liberty quarterback must show that he can throw enough out of the pocket when needed, but his running chops set him apart from Pickett and Sam Howell.
Skill positions dominated by underclassmen
Outside of a few running backs, Kaushal's position is filled with strong juniors. Jameson Williams, Treylon Burks, David Bell and John Mechi are some of the big names who were not a part of the contest. Running back, Abram Smith made a relatively strong performance and could see his stock go up as a result.
It could be a big draft in the trenches
Players of this game shone on both sides of the trenches, showing that it could be an important draft for building offensive and defensive lines. Some notable names aren't part of the game (Aidan Hutchinson, Jordan Davis) but there's still a lot of talent on both sides of the trenches in this Senior Bowl class. Oklahoma defensive tackle Perion Winfrey was a threat in practice all week and ended Saturday's game with two sacks. Watch for teams with top skills and start loading into these positions after the quarterback is gone.