Senior Bowl: Dudes to Put on Your Radar

Allow Stoney Keeley to put a few deep cut hidden gems on your radar through Day 2 at the Senior Bowl.

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One of my favorite aspects of the Reese’s Senior Bowl is how there’s always this crop of talent that seemingly comes out of nowhere to surprise scouts and analysts alike. This year is no different, and while I’d say that this year’s Senior Bowl isn’t quite as top-heavy as it’s been in recent years, there is still a hearty group of future NFL players here – don’t be surprised when the entirety of the 3rd-5th round of this year’s draft is comprised solely of dudes who played in this game. Here’s my list of guys (in no particular order) I knew very little about heading into the week that are showing some real potential.

Senior Bowl: Dudes to Put on Your Radar

RB Evan Hull – I love the way Hull is built. He came into the Senior Bowl with a reputation as a potential “utility back,” and all he’s done this week is cement that status. He’s a nifty runner in between the tackles, with a strong ability to navigate traffic. He can catch the ball well, and he adds value on special teams.

OG/C Jake Andrews – He’s not the most imposing offensive lineman out there this week, standing at 6’2″ 319lbs, and that size showed up at times in drills against the defensive line. But, damn this dude is scrappy as all get out. He is out there fighting this week, and I noted on Tuesday that Andrews is the type of player that “if he’s going down, you’re going down with him.” Andrews competes hard, showed some effective hand usage this week, and figures to be a guy that could come in and push whoever your starting center is.

RB Camerun Peoples – Peoples is a much more dynamic running back than he’s being given credit for (more on that in my piece linked below), and he’s made the most of his opportunity this week to show that. If he can continue showing improvement in the passing game, he’s going to be drafted higher than expected. I do see NFL RB1 potential here with Peoples.

OG Steve Avila – Man, when this dude is on, I love watching him play. He is a HOSS that just gets in there and moves dudes. When he gets his hands on you, it’s like a vise grip. I want to see a little more consistency out of him, but this is a guy that should have power run teams salivating.

DL Lonnie Phelps – Phelps has popped up several times in practices this week. He has a bit of a compact build at 6’2″ 251lbs, and he looks like a stout thicc dude, but the way he was getting around the edge and using his low center of gravity to win wrestling matches against bigger offensive linemen.

LB Cam Jones – Jones caught my eye while I was watching another linebacker for his hard running and instincts. Jones has a great first step in rushing the passer, seemed tight in coverage drills, and showed a propensity for play diagnosis with good patience and positioning. He was constantly closing on the ball in tenacious fashion.

TE Payne Durham – I have to give my guy Zach Lyons credit for the Payne Durham hype train. This guy is long and powerful. He’s a willing blocker that can make some moves after the catch. If you’re not already subscribed to Stacking The Inbox on Substack, go do it now and read more on this hidden gem of a tight end when Zach’s next column drops.

EDGE Nick Hampton – Hampton strikes me as a grinder. It doesn’t look like he’s moving as quickly as he is, but he is a smooth mover and powerful force at the edge. Running the individual drills, I noticed he has an easy manner about how he sinks his hips and changes direction.

LB Marte Mapu – I spent pretty much all of Day 2 watching the linebackers, and Mapu absolutely stole the show for me. He’s a downhill player in the run game, but has the instincts to drop and disrupt offenses in the passing game. He had an impressive tipped pass yesterday that showed he’s got some hops too.

DL Jalen Redmond – I’m not sure if Redmond has the size to to be a real tone-setter in the run game. But, he strikes me as an intriguing interior pass rush specialist. Redmond has demonstrated a knack for frustrating guards and getting around them to rush up the middle.

EDGE Isaiah Land – Land was popping people in yesterday’s practice…like a pesky gnat that just won’t go away, he was constantly scrapping with whoever they lined up at tackle against him. Land has a lot of fight in him.

OT Richard Gouraige – No one seems to be talking about Gouraige down here, and I don’t quite understand why. He’s had some impressive reps against some quality pass rushers. I’d like to see it a little more consistently, but this guy seems receptive to coaching, he’s built like a left tackle at 6’4″ 308lbs, and he’s won a lot more than I would’ve initially thought he would. He’s a name to watch in the middle rounds of the draft, as teams will undoubtedly fall in love with his size.

All Senior Bowl content is sponsored by Lyons Ford. They’re not your typical dealership! They will always give you every discount you qualify for, and give you you the most bang for your buck for your trade-in vehicle. You won’t regret doing business with them. Reach out to Zach on Twitter if you’re looking at getting a new or used vehicle.

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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.

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