I understand that I’m probably in the minority on this one, but I LOVE the Senior Bowl. I watch it every year and this season won’t be any different. Realistically, it all started for me back during the 2008 season when we had the first overall pick. I vividly remember watching Joe Flacco and thinking that he had some serious potential despite coming from a smallish school in Delaware. Of course, our old friend Chad Henne also participated in the game that season.
With 2020 being arguably our most important draft/offseason since that time, you bet I’ll be tuning into the Senior Bowl once again to identify any potential sleepers that Miami should consider. News broke recently that Joe Burrow will not be playing in this year’s game, an understandable decision considering he has the number one overall selection essentially locked up. So, who else should Phins fans be keeping their eyes on? Here’s my preview of who I’m most excited to watch this weekend:
QB – Jordan Love – Utah State: The Utah State Quarterback has moved past the “sleeper” role and has now become more of a known commodity in the scouting community. Love is a player who hits on everything you look for from the position. Tremendous arm strength, running ability, escape-ability, and solid accuracy. That being said, there are some questions surrounding Love and his potential future in the NFL. He had a disappointing senior season but many blame this on the supporting cast and coaching changes that went down at Utah State. It’ll be interesting to see how Love performs with a strong supporting cast. A huge game could cement him as a lock to be a first-round draft pick. Of course, the other quarterbacks will also be intriguing. Aside from the stars such as Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts, another guy that I’ve always had my eye on is Washington State’s, Anthony Gordon.- OLB – Zack Baun – Wisconsin: This is a guy who has recently caught my attention. Baun is the type of swiss army knife player that can fit in perfectly with a Brian Flores defense. He can fill all sorts of different needs on the field and he should give Miami plenty of options in their various defensive fronts. His most promising skill sets stems from his ability to effectively rush the passer, as he tallied 12.5 sacks this season for the Wisconsin Badgers. Keep an eye on Baun as a potential option for the Dolphins at that #26 pick.
- CB – Kristian Fulton – LSU: Jeffrey Okudah has seemingly established himself as the top cover corner available in this coming draft, but Kristian Fulton is another guy that should offer some serious consideration in the middle part of the first round. Fulton was somewhat overlooked this season due to the emergence of teammate and freshman sensation Derek Stingley, but he is a player that offers plenty of potential and should be a contributor right from the get-go. Playing in the always tough SEC, he was asked to cover some of the top wide receivers in the country and he delivered promising results throughout his career. Coming off the National Championship, he’ll be eager to showcase his talents for NFL scouts throughout the entirety of the draft process. I could easily see Miami taking him with that Steelers pick if he’s still available (most pundits are projecting Fulton to be picked in the top 15). Adding him to a secondary that already has Xavien Howard will make this a position of strength for Miami for the foreseeable future.
- OT – Josh Jones – Houston: There is plenty of offensive linemen to keep an eye on in this year’s senior bowl. Guys like Lloyd Cushenberry and Prince Tega Wanogho from SEC programs immediately come to mind. But the guy I’m most interested in watching against the stiff competition that the Senior Bowl offers is Josh Jones from Houston. Standing in at a tremendous 6-7 310 pounds, Jones is an offensive tackle that displays surprising athleticism for his size. He played left tackle in his career for the Cougars and wowed scouts with his skill set and blocking ability. With several offensive linemen electing to return to school this year, Jones could be a potentially vital target for Miami due to their impending need for a serious influx of talent on the offensive line.
The Senior Bowl will be played on Saturday, January 25th at 2:30 PM EST in Mobile, Alabama. The game will be broadcasted on NFL Network. If you’re not super busy, I’d suggest tuning in and getting your fix of NFL Draft talent!
- Article written by Corey Settino – Follow me on Twitter! @MiamiofLI
