Senior Bowl Stock Down – Offense
The Senior Bowl is the last time draft prospects get a chance to put on pads and play in a game before the NFL Draft. It’s probably the most important of any pre-draft event. The combine is important, but as far as the chance for net draft movement, Senior Bowl week is the best chance for players to impact their draft position as we saw last year with Eric Fisher and Ziggy Ansah.
A lot of players use the Senior Bowl experience to improve their draft stock by a few rounds, but unfortunately some have bad weeks and drop a round or two or off the draft board all together. Here is a breakdown of offensive players who hurt their draft stock in the last week.
Stock Down: Offense
David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
QB Tahj Boyd – Clemson: Coming into the 2013 season Boyd was talked about as a top-10 pick. After an up-and-down season, a rough week of practice and a terrible performance in the game, Boyd might not even be drafted. What a disastrous senior season. Boyd had a floated deep ball picked off, had two passes deflected at the line of scrimmage, and struggled with accuracy like he did most of the week. He was enough talent that some team will probably take a chance on him but it looks like it won’t be until day 3.
QB Logan Thomas – Virginia Tech: I made the mistake of getting roped in by Thomas’ exceptional physical tools and even listed him as a potential developmental QB for the Bears. After watching him get sacked 5 times in the Senior Bowl and struggle with both accuracy and decision-making, I’m not sure he’s an NFL QB. Despite having all the tools to be a star at the next level, Thomas just does everything a little too slow. I’m still hearing he might be a day 2 pick, but I hope it’s not by the Bears.
QB Stephon Morris – Miami: Another guy with all physical tools that can’t seem to put it together. Morris has a cannon arm, but his mechanics and decision-making are awful. He was all over the place with his throws on Saturday. For every completion there was 4 or 5 terrible throws. No thanks.
RB Jerick McKinnon – Georgia Southern: A converted QB who looked unnatural as a RB during the game. McKinnon was hesitant to pick a hole, fumbled, and didn’t show enough speed or moves to be anything special. Looked like an undrafted free agent to me.
WR Jeff Janis – Saginaw Valley St: Didn’t look like anything more than just a guy. With plenty of injuries on the North roster, Janis got a chance to start and didn’t take advantage of it. He looks like an NFL receiver, but doesn’t play anything like one.
OT Brandon Thomas – Clemson: Got destroyed by speed rushers all week. Thomas can run block and can hold up against power rushers, but showed this week that he doesn’t have the quickness or footwork to handle decent speed rushers.
OT Seandral Henderson – Miami: Not a day of practice passed without at least one analyst saying how Henderson has ideal size (6’8, 345) and strength for the tackle position. He looks the part, but every time I noticed him on field he was getting burned. Henderson had a couple of good moments in practice, but overall he doesn’t play up to his size or potential.
OG Cyril Richardson – Baylor: It was a rough week for Richardson. He got embarrassed by Aaron Donald in 1-1 drills and then by Will Sutton and then by Caraun Reid… It was that kind of week for Richardson. He is effective in straight ahead run blocking but doesn’t move well laterally and had problems any time he was asked to pass block, pull, or do anything except block straight ahead. No offense lineman hurt his stock more.
Twitter: @MikeFlannery_