airconteka
MVP
I think one of the best thing about the Senior Bowl is you can see how players adapt to different coaching, schemes etc
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Senior Bowl Thread
- Thread starter RavensMania
- Start date
Howabout players like Aaron Donald and Zach Martin whom were first thought of as 2nd round picks until the Senior Bowl.
For example... Herbert did really well with just running an offence and the huddle etc which was nice to see given he’s notably introverted
I don’t think that’s true - through the whole process Zack Martin was being mocked to us and Aaron Donald was always thought of as a top 20 pick right?
That’s what I remember at least but I’ll also admit that was the first year I really took any interest in the draft
they flew up draft boards after the senior bowl and atleast one of the two, possibly Zach Martin was considered a 2nd rounder because of the length of his arms.
JoeyFlex5
Hall of Famer
Neither was considered a 2 at any point. Zack Martin was very highly thought of from the start and Aaron Donald had top 10 hype and really was only being knocked because of the tweener label(a label that has since died). Literally neither of these guys were ever a doubt for top 20 let alone first round
@rossihunter2
Here is a write-up on Aaron Donald right after the senior bowl. I've bolded two spots in this that say he would be a great pick in the 2nd round for the Falcons and the Raiders. I know he was thought of as a 2nd round pick at some point and quickly went up draft boards. I haven't found the write ups on Zach Martin but they were out there as well.
Summary: If Donald were bigger, he would be the top-rated tackle and a high first-round pick. Over the past three seasons, Donald was one of the best interior defensive linemen in college football. He was phenomenal in 2013.
Donald got the 2013 season started with a good performance against future National Champion Florida State with a sack and other pressures on Jameis Winston
From there, Donald lived in the backfield as he recorded multi-sack games against Virginia Tech, New Mexico and Virginia. Donald was one of the nation's leaders with 11 sacks and led the country in tackles for a loss with 28.5. He also had 59 tackles, two passes batted and four forced fumbles.
Donald started his 2012 slowly, but rebounded in the second half. The junior totaled 64 tackles, 18.5 tackles for a loss, 5.5 sacks, one forced fumble and two passes broken up. A year earlier, he had a breakout sophomore season with 47 tackles, 16 tackles for a loss and 11 sacks.
Donald was the most impressive player at the Senior Bowl. He destroyed the offensive linemen in the pass-rushing one-on-ones and carried that over into the team scrimmage. Donald dominated the consensus-top guard in the draft class, Baylor's Cyril
Richardson, as he burned him with speed rushes. Donald also beat Richardson with powerful bull rushes despite Richardson having a 50-pound advantage. Donald put on a show with his pass-rushing ability as he was excellent in every practice in Mobile.
There is a ton to love about Donald as a player. He is a dynamite pass-rusher, which his collegiate sack total (29.5) indicates. Donald is explosive off the snap with a great get-off. He has pure speed to fire the gap as a three-technique and is very fast to close on the quarterback. Donald has developed repertoire of moves to keep offensive linemen on their heels and is very adept at shedding blocks and gaining leverage.
Donald is undersized, but he is extremely strong for his size. He has massive upper-body strength that he uses to shed blocks, and with his natural pad level, he can bench press offensive linemen and bull rush them down the pocket.
As a run-defender, Donald is at his best when he attacks up field. Donald is strong to battle at the line of scrimmage and holds his ground well for an undersized tackle. Handling downhill runs coming straight at him could be his biggest adjustment for the next level.
For the NFL, Donald should be a three-technique defensive tackle in a 4-3 defense. If a 3-4 team is comfortable with an undersized nose tackle, he could be in play there, but that is the exception rather than the norm. Donald doesn't fit as an end in a 3-4 or a nose tackle in a 4-3. Using him in a role other than three-technique in a 4-3 could be a waste of his skills.
Donald is a rare defensive tackle prospect who could become a double-digit sacker in the passing-driven NFL. That should get him selected in the first or second round next May.
Player Comparison: Randy Starks. There aren't a lot of players in the NFL with Donald's body type, but a player who has a similar style of play is Starks. Both are speed defenders who cause disruption at the point of attack. Starks (6-3, 305) is a skilled pass-rusher who puts consistent pressure on the quarterback. Donald does that as well while being a little smaller than Starks. Coming out of Maryland, Starks was a third-round pick, but Donald should go a round earlier. Starks has enjoyed a nice career with the Titans and Dolphins.
NFL Matches: Dallas, Chicago, Miami, Seattle, Jacksonville, Atlanta, Oakland
There are a lot of teams that could consider Donald in the first two rounds of the 2014 NFL Draft. The highest that he could hope to go would be in the middle to the back half of the first round. There are three teams that could use defensive tackles, and it looks unlikely Donald would fall to their second-round picks, so if any of those three want him, they have to get him with their first selection - or maybe trade down.
The Cowboys badly need a three-technique for Monte Kiffin's Tampa 2, and Donald would be a perfect fit. Defensive line coach Rod Marinelli likes his tackles to be short, quick and thick. Donald fits that to a tee, so landing in Dallas could be the highest hope for Donald.
The Bears (Henry Melton) and Dolphins (Randy Starks) both have their interior pass-rushing defensive tackles hitting free agency. If these organizations don't re-sign them, Donald could be in play for Chicago or Miami, but either of those teams would probably need to trade down.
The Seahawks could use an interior pass-rusher and disruptor. Tony McDaniel and Brandon Mebane combined for two sacks this season. The fast, strong and physical Donald is a good fit in Seattle's defense.
Jacksonville needs help all over its defense, including the inside of the defensive line. The Jaguars had a pathetic pass rush in 2013, and getting Donald to rush from the interior would be an upgrade.
The Falcons also have to improve the interior of their defensive line. The team's staff coached Donald at the Senior Bowl, and he bonded well with defensive line coach Brian
Cox. Donald would be a good fit in Atlanta and could be the player who Thomas Dimitroff thought he was getting when he took Peria Jerry in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Donald would be a great fit for the Falcons in the second round.
The Raiders need to improve their defensive tackles and almost drafted one in the first round last year. Oakland has to get better at rushing the passer, and Donald could have an impact in getting Peyton
Manning
,
Philip Rivers and Alex Smithto move off a spot. Donald makes a lot of sense for the Raiders in Round 2.
JoeyFlex5
Hall of Famer
Dunno where you found this bullshit lol but Aaron Donald was considered a first round lock from day one on essentially every outlet I had ever looked into and zack Martin was right there with cj mosley for most commonly mocked player to the ravens at 17th overall. I vividly remember heated discussions right here on our boards about Aaron Donald’s fit in a 3-4 and how we would be stupid to pass if he was available to us.
Grim
Ravens Ring of Honor
I agree with @RavensMania regarding Donald shooting up boards after the Senior Bowl. He was a popular player who could rise but I don’t recall him being consider top 10 pick. Zach Martin was a guy considered to be a first round pick though. I don’t recall him being considered a 2nd rounder
JoeyFlex5
Hall of Famer
I never said top 10 lock, I said top 20 lock with some top 10 hype.
Grim
Ravens Ring of Honor
I think the top 20 lock is debatable.
NQ it was bullshit, but it was out there in more than one place I might add.
JoeyFlex5
Hall of Famer
Yeah I love seeing how marlon Davidson reacted to some coaching, he was dominant at DT and also looked like an entirely different edge rusher, had a plan every rush and he worked the plan very well, very cerebral yet playing much faster than he played on film.
also Denzel mims, he didn’t face much press in college and his torso exposure on film had me worried, but he faced press in Mobile and he dominated against it with hand usage off the line and absolutely could not be pressed or even leveraged.
one guy I think definitely didn’t show a change after coaching was Javon kinlaw. Still really like the player but I walked away from the senior bowl feeling no better about him than I did prior.
Kinlaw did what he needed to - had 2 pretty awesome days where he beat everyone up and then packed up and went home
JoeyFlex5
Hall of Famer
Yeah it wasNt to say he did poorly, just that some guys really helped their stock by showing something different, and kinlaw just kinda came in and physically dominated exactly the way he does on tape and showed no improvement or refinement compared to the tape. He did well because he’s a physically superior player to most blockers he’ll face, but he didn’t go shooting up boards like Davidson or mims
partly i think that's because there wasnt much higher he could get on the board tbh - i think he was already in the discussion as a potential top 10 player and post senior bowl he's in the exact same spot - i kind of give him props for even bothering to turn up