Top 10 prospects to watch at Senior Bowl week
With two weeks to go until the next meaningful game to be played in the NFL, it's time to start looking ahead to the draft with the largest annual prospect game - the Senior Bowl.
This year's game, coached by the Denver Broncos' and Houston Texans' staffs, will be played Saturday, Jan. 27 in Mobile, Alabama. Practices will also be broadcast on NFL Network from Tuesday to Thursday, giving everyone the chance to get a good look at the prospects.
Though many of the players projected to go in the early picks are underclassmen ineligible for the game or prospects who don't need the extra spotlight to boost their stock, there are plenty of talented potential future NFL stars to watch.
Here are the 10 most-important names to pay attention to:
10. Rashaad Penny
Position: Running Back | School: San Diego State
Penny averaged 7.8 yards per carry, while rushing for 2,248 yards in his senior season - his first year as a full-time starter. Penny's receiving skills weren't tested a lot in college, but he has the other tools to be an every-down player. If Penny can flash potential as a pass catcher out of the backfield, he could turn out to be one of the best value picks of the draft.
9. Armani Watts
Position: Safety | School: Texas A&M
Watts loves to play aggressively from the safety position and has impressed from the time he walked on campus at Texas A&M, winning a starting role as a freshman. He has been criticized for questionable tackling skills, but will need to wait until Saturday's game to show scouts he can take the ball carrier to ground properly.
8. Allen Lazard
Position: Wide Receiver | School: Iowa State
Lazard didn't have a lot of competition to overcome in order to be Iowa State's all-time leading receiver, but the 6-foot-5 pass catcher would have been great wherever he went. Lazard amassed at least 800 yards in each of his last three seasons, catching 10 touchdowns in 2017, and playing key roles in his team's upsets of 3rd-ranked TCU and 4th-ranked Oklahoma.
7. Chukwuma Okorafor
Position: Offensive Tackle | School: Western Michigan
Okorafor checks all the physical boxes scouts are looking for when they search for a franchise offensive tackle: 6-foot-5, 335 pounds, strong hands, and quick feet. However, the Western Michigan product needs a lot of help with his technique and football IQ. He will have the chance to work with NFL coaches in practice all week and will need to show he is able to process and use the information he's given to be successful in the pros.
6. Mike Gesicki
Position: Tight End | School: Penn State
There looks to be more talent at the tight end position in this year's draft than in recent years. Gesicki has the potential to sneak into the end of the first round, and can improve his chances by outperforming Senior Bowl teammate Troy Fumagalli of Wisconsin, his closest competition among seniors.
Gesicki has ideal size for an NFL tight end (6-foot-6, 252 pounds) and could be the first player taken at his position this spring.
5. Marcus Davenport
Position: Defensive End | School: UTSA
Playing at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Davenport was rarely seen by casual fans or given much attention by national media. But, after highly-respected analyst Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com put the defensive end seventh overall in his initial mock draft, you can expect to hear more about him.
Davenport improved each season at UTSA, finishing his career with 21.5 sacks and 37.5 tackles for a loss over 42 games. In 11 contests as a senior, Davenport racked up 17.5 tackles for a loss, 8.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and four pass deflections.
4. James Washington
Position: Wide Receiver | School: Oklahoma State
Washington resembles a running back the way he totes the rock in the open field - not to mention his jersey number (28) - but this unanimous All-American was voted the best receiver in college football last season. Washington has been one of the most productive players in college since 2015, producing at least 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in three straight seasons. Coming off a 1,549-yard, 13-score season, he is expected to be off the board in the first round.
3. Shaquem Griffin
Position: Linebacker | School: Central Florida
The edge-rushing twin brother of Seattle Seahawks corner Shaquill Griffin was born with amniotic band syndrome affecting his left hand and had the hand amputated at age four, going on to compete in football, baseball, and track.
Griffin was the defensive leader of UCF's undefeated team this season, compiling 18.5 sacks over his last two seasons and winning the AAC Defensive Player of the Year award in 2016.
2. Josh Allen
Position: Quarterback | School: Wyoming
There is no doubt Allen has the physical traits of an NFL quarterback with a strong arm, 6-foot-5 height, and decent mobility for a player of his size. Allen has been widely projected as a first-round pick, though much of his resume doesn't quite add up. Allen was far from dominant in the Mountain West division, winning just eight games in his last two seasons, and throwing for only 1,812 yards and 16 touchdowns through 11 games in 2017.
Playing at Wyoming, he didn't get enough of the national spotlight to get a strong look at what makes him so worthy of first-round status, but the week of practice and game will give fans and scouts a chance to judge this small-school passer.
1. Baker Mayfield
Position: Quarterback | School: Oklahoma
There may not have been a more exciting football player to watch in 2017 than Mayfield - in college or the NFL. The Heisman Trophy winner's fiery personality, competitive nature and on-field success made him a lighting rod for attention at Oklahoma.
Despite his tremendous on-field success, some are still doubting the 22-year-old's ability to translate to the pros as he played in a conference known for weak defense and stands only 6-foot-1. How Mayfield interacts with NFL coaches and performs using pro schemes will be very helpful in trying to determine whether he can be successful in the NFL.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)