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2023 NFL Draft: Players to Watch from NFLPA College Eight Bowl Practice, Observations
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2023 NFL Draft: Players to Watch from NFLPA College Eight Bowl Practice, Observations

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Pasadena, Calif. — Draft season has arrived and the NFLPA College Eight Bowl (Saturday, 6 p.m. ET, NFL Network) kicked off the All-Star Game before the Shrine Game and Senior Bowl. I was at the Rose Bowl this week to watch the national and US teams practice, talk to scouts evaluating players on those rosters, and spend time with members of the coaching staff (centuries NFL experience accumulated over ) ).

What stood out during the three days of practice for the NFLPA Collegiate Eight Bowl?

player of the week

Offense: Michael Ezaike, TE, UCLA

I don’t think Ezaike (6’5, 252 lbs) lost a single rep in this week’s 1v1. Linebackers and safety alike had a hard time getting him on and running with him.this is deep Tight end class demonstrating all the growth seen in skill set at the position. We’ll have to take a second look at Ezaike’s regular season tapes to confirm his place as a blocker, but he’s an athlete. You are competent enough to take your chances.

Defense: David Perales, Edge, Fresno State

On the defensive side (no pun intended), I hand it over to Perales. The 6-foot-3, 255-pound edge rusher from Fresno State had the most explosive shootoffs of either team this week. To understand the nuances of rushing passersby, there is also something to say. Perales clearly does. He never gave up his rushlane discipline to win one-on-one. He also knew how to convert speed into power, show some secondary rushing moves, and build a wall on the throwing side of the quarterback to force him out of the pocket.

Perhaps it further encourages his hopes for the NFL. Perales has a sturdy edge against the run that looks like his defender, removes wrinkles on the perimeter and is tight enough to keep his ends from sealing him or climbing to the next level. showed.

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winner of the trenches

Offense: Jobone Gwynn, G, South Carolina

He used his strong hands and good feet to stay in front of defensive tackle and was a pass protector all week. Gwynn (6-3, 300kg) has the functional strength and height to do the job at the next level, but his NFL team interested in him is skeptical of his weight. And to offset concerns about wingspan, you’ll want to see him run well.

Defense: LaTrell Bumphus, DL, Tennessee. Scott Matlock, DT, Boise

Both defensive tackles wearing the 99th played with good anchors and motors from the inside. Banfuss (6-3, 290) has endured ups and downs in his last three seasons due to a leg injury, but exploded out of his stance during college bowl practice, giving him his DT win this week. showed his rush of internal power.

Matlock (6-4, 300) was a bit ahead in his use of hands and understanding of rush lanes. Based on how his protection was set up, he expanded or narrowed his path to quarterback. This is a positive sign that suggests he understands how pass rushing works across defensive units.

Best player on the perimeter

Offense: Braydon Johnson, WR, Oklahoma State

Johnson’s (6-0, 205) speed is something defenders here had a hard time adjusting to early in the week. Wherever he was positioned, he was running at a defensive back.While Johnson isn’t the most sophisticated route his runner, the national team quarterback is known for getting the ball into his hands. There was no resistance to He’ll jump at the opportunity to become a returner and flash the explosive power I’ve shown here.

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Offense: Jason Brownlee, WR, Southern Miss

Brownlee (6-3, 202) was the most sophisticated receiver I’ve seen this week. He moved smoothly in and out of the slot, displayed soft hands and executed the routes well. In his one-on-one, he stalled too much and lost a rep on release, but quickly rectified this problem by scrimmage being more aggressive from his line. If Brownlee tests well, he could offer value as a versatile receiver.

Defense: Anthony Johnson Jr., DB, Iowa State

Among the players to watch Collegiate Bowl previews, I named Johnson (6-0, 207) as the player I’d like to see on NFL defense. Johnson is no stranger to his one-on-one matches, but it’s easy to see that he’s racked up more than 200 tackles in his career.

He wasn’t the only one that caught my eye. Jalen Green (6-1, 200), looking comfortable as a midfield player from Zach Arnett’s Mississippi defense. He went down with multiple interceptions and consistently broke the ball at the right angle and tempo to make a tackle after a catch.

Defense: Malte Mapu, Nickel/S, Sacramento State

Mapu (6-3, 216) has the potential to be a real player on the next level. He has the size and wingspan that NFL staffers covet for his position.This week he also appeared to be an active communicator, zone he played with excellent spatial awareness in coverage, Running performed well in his one-on-one matchup with his back. The American team’s coach, Jeff Fischer, chose not to run the ball much during the team period, so it’s still interesting to see what Mapu looks like taking blocks and tackling in the box. Yes, but Mapu’s game has a clear profile of future contributors.

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A player who can prove more

Malik Cunningham, QB, Louisville

Cunningham (6-1, 190) recently accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl. I hope he’s a little more willing to take chances on the field while he’s there and use his feet when plays fall apart.

For prospective quarterbacks, especially good athletes, this is a tricky proposition. You don’t want to be too aggressive and look like you’re pushing for a splash play or don’t know how the defense is playing. You don’t want to tuck and run too often when your pockets fall apart, or you risk being criticized for abandoning your offensive structure. It can also appear risk averse in terms of taking risks.

Cunningham will have to contend with the noise that his size and speed make him better suited to play in another position, showing that he can hang out with a QB on mobile.

Demotrey Jacobs, OT, South Florida

Jacobs (6-6, 315 minutes) struggled with edge rushers this week, and Hall of Fame OT Jackie Slater, the National Team’s offensive line coach, corrected Jacobs’ passing set and made contact. I was keen to find balance through Setting up pockets in the NFL is a different proposition than playing in Jeff Scott’s offense at USF, and Jacobs has shown his footwork and patience between now and the testing phase of the pre-draft calendar. Some improvements need to be made.

Joseph Ngata, WR, Clemson

I was surprised to see how often Ngata (6-3, 215) had to fight to pull off the national team’s defense. , but he found it too often intertwined with smaller DBs. Ngata may not be a next-level burner, but his jump and agility scores during the test phase should reveal whether he still has explosive athleticism after battling injuries in college. am.

Here are some more thoughts on how each team (and coaching staff) approached this week.

• There was a clear difference between how Fisher and national team coach Eddie George practiced. George’s staff was more focused on the competition period. Defenders were colliding at high speed on runs, scrambled for the ball at catch points, and shoving after the whistle in the trenches.

Fischer devoted a lot of time to individual work and special team foundations. His offense also passed significantly during the overall team period, and the American team remained less touched overall. But I wouldn’t be surprised to see the national team start a little faster and play a more physically imposing style on Saturday.

• The varsity defense (coordinated by former Tennessee Titans one-man Joe Boden) appears to be more focused on matching routes between zone and man than Tim Hawke’s American defense. looked like Hauck spent more time on traditional spots his drops his coverage, playing linebackers deeper and never turning off a particular route man his coverage. Quarterbacks (Cunningham, James Madison’s Todd Centeio, Kansas State’s Adrian Martinez) will be on the varsity, East Carolina’s Holton Earlers, Penn State’s Shawn Clifford, and Incarnate Ward’s Lindsay Scott Jr.) will be on Saturday’s variety. Respond to photos.

Considering how often the look changes, I was surprised to see so little coverage from Bowden’s group over the course of the week.

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• When ex-return specialist Joshua Cribbs wants a job coaching the NFL’s special teams, he expects to quickly rise to the top of the pros. Cribbs was in complete control during his practice period.he was Incredibly detail-oriented, it articulates each basic and its application. Each player who participated in Team USA’s Special Team improved significantly throughout the week.

• While most of these pre-draft All-Star games have been low scoring, I’d like to further caution you not to expect fireworks at this year’s NFLPA Collegiate Eight Bowl. Both teams’ talent advantage is clearly in favor of the defense, with the exception of players in offensive skill positions, the quarterback being flushed out of pocket regularly throughout the week and checking the ball against his coverage in the zone. Did. I can count on one hand how often passes are thrown on schedule over 12 yards downfield.

(Photo: David Perales: Cary Edmondson / USA Today)



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