The 2022 Senior Bowl is underway down here in Mobile, Alabama. Today will kick off the first day of practices, which run Thursday and all lead to Saturday’s game. We’re down here covering this week’s events, Jonathan Heitritter, Jacob Harrison, Tyler Wise, and myself.
This year’s Senior Bowl, for multiple reasons, looks a little different than past years. There was no public weigh-ins this year, something that’s become standard across the college all-star games. Instead, the Senior Bowl tweeted out weigh-in results Monday afternoon.
So before the players hit the practice field, here’s a quick recap reacting to how players measured in. Click here for full weigh-in results in a handy table Dave Bryan put together for you all.
– Always a bummer to hear about the players who don’t appear to be in Mobile after initially accepting invites. Couple of Penn State kids in S Jaquan Brisker and WR Jahan Dotson and some interesting off-ball linebackers in Iowa State’s Mike Rose (a personal favorite of mine) and Utah’s Devin Lloyd. Not 100% sure of the reasons why they don’t appear to be in attendance but it’s often injury related.
– Toledo Tycen Anderson is a big man at safety, officially weighing in at 6013, 204 pounds with 33 inch arms. Rare measurables for the position. Seems to be a bit older for the position as a fifth-year senior but an interesting, versatile MAC prospect.
– I talked up San Diego State TE Daniel Bellinger earlier in the week for his size and but he’s a little shorter (6042) and not as long (32 1/2 inch arms) than I would’ve liked.
– I admit I don’t know much about him but Kentucky interior offensive lineman Luke Fortner is an interesting build at a shade under 6’4, a shade over 300 pounds, with 33 inch arms. Played guard and center with 36 career starts.
– Kenny Pickett nor Carson Strong have rare height but at nearly 6’4 for each, they tower over the rest of the class. No weigh-ins were surprising for any of the quarterbacks. The big talk was Pickett not measuring his hands, which he’ll reportedly do at the Combine. His hands are reportedly small but they didn’t seem to impact him at Pitt one bit.
– One of the most surprising weigh-ins of the day was Kentucky Darian Kinnard. Listed at 345 pounds on the Wildcats’ website, he came in at 324 pounds. A good number for him.
– Bunch of small-school kids who look the part. Southern Utah OT Braxton Jones (6051, 306, 36 inch arms, 84 1/4 inch wingspan), Northern Iowa OT Trevor Penning (6060, 330 pounds, 34 3/4 inch arms) Missouri State DT Eric Johnson II (6042 300, 33 7/8 inch arms), Sam Houston State CB Zyon McCollum (6020, 202 pounds) and Fayetteville State CB Joshua Williams (6024, 193 pounds, 32 1/4 inch arms). Penning is top name of this group and a potential first round pick.
– Alabama DT Phidarian Mathis is one of those guys who looks the part. 6037, 313 pounds with 34 5/8 vines for arms. Combine that with his pedigree and that’s an impressive place to start.
– CB Roger McCreary from Auburn has good tape and spent most of his time on the outside but with just 29 1/4 inch arms and overall small frame, he may have trouble staying there in the NFL. But he can tackle and has good hit power for a corner so I think he can play inside.
– Alabama’s Brian Robinson has just one-year of production, sitting behind Najee Harris and the like, but he “won the weigh-in” at 6’1, 226 pounds. Very similar to Harris, who came in 6’1, 232.
– Southern Alabama WR Jalen Tolbert listed at 6’3 on his team’s site but came in well under 6’2 today (6012). That’s a little disappointing. Plus side, he’s a bit heavier than listed, coming in at 195 pounds after being listed at 190.
– Guessing Minnesota OT Daniel Faalele has been asked to get his weight down, listed at 6’9, 380. He came in heavier than that though at 387 pounds. According to Stathead’s Combine Index, no player drafted has been heavier than 375 pounds, USC OT Mike Williams who went 4th overall in 2002. He spent just four years with the Bills. Faalele can still be the biggest dude on the field and drop 10-15 pounds. He probably should. We’ll have a profile on him in the next couple of days.
– Penn State EDGE Jesse Luketa a big guy at 6’3, 261 pounds. But he’s a decent athlete too with an aggressive demeanor. Guy I want to watch this week.
– Michigan’s OT Andrew Stueber is one to watch. Big kid at 6060, 327 pounds with 34 1/8 inch arms and regarded as having good athleticism and a little bit of versatility too. Gets lost in the shuffle of some bigger names in this class but he has a solid resume.
– Miami (OH)’s Sterling Weatherford was a safety/hybrid in college but is listed as a linebacker in Mobile and adding weight as such. Up to 230 pounds from a listed 215. Jeremy Chinn came to the Senior Bowl and balled out as a linebacker/rover role a few years ago. Weatherford will try to do the same.
– And Nevada TE Cole Turner is well-put together at 6060, 246 pounds with 33 inch arms. Good prospect in a strong group of them down in Mobile.
