The third and the final day of the 2020 Senior Bowl practices concluded this past Thursday. This was the last chance for prospects to get one last look and analysis in front of NFL scouts and coaches before the big game on Saturday. Thursday’s practice was moved from Ladd-Peebles Stadium to the University of South Alabama due to weather conditions. Many of the top prospects who were not injured showed out on this last day including other underrated prospects to boost their NFL Draft stock.
Top Performers From 2020 Senior Bowl Practices Day Three
North Squad
Wide Receiver K.J. Hill (Ohio State)
Hill was a player that was highlighted for his school and the position he played. He backed this hype up from the beginning of the week. It was in Thursday’s practice where he was able to separate himself from the rest of the North Squad receivers. Hill was winning matchups against the defensive in team periods and in the 7-on-7s portion of practice. He displayed great versatility in his route-running and ability to catch the ball in those multiple routes. His impact in the entire practices matches former Ohio State wide receiver Terry McLaurin who dominated the Senior Bowl last year.
Running Back Joshua Kelley (UCLA)
From day one, Kelley made his presence known in his versatility as a runner and as a wide receiver. He was undervalued due to the need to evaluate the passing game from the coaching staff. Kelley won matchups in the passing game throughout the week. He also displayed his great burst of speed and explosiveness as a runner. This was a player that boosted his draft stock due to his consistency and reliability throughout all three days.
Linebacker Logan Wilson (Wyoming)
The linebacker position was undervalued throughout all three days of the 2020 Senior Bowl. While some stood out on Thursday, one of the most noticeable was Wilson. On Thursday, he was stout in the linebacker zone to quickly stop the running plays as well as providing strong coverage against the pass. Wilson made multiple pass breakups in team periods including one that was in the end zone. He even made a great athletic interception off Shea Patterson on an excellent read in the team period.
Offensive Tackle Josh Jones (Houston)
NFL scouts and coaches were high on the size and consistency of Jones before the three days of practice. They did want to see more from him in terms of dominating at the line of scrimmage. On Thursday, he demonstrated such dominance by creating huge lanes for his running backs in multiple drills. Jones pancaked Ohio State defensive tackle Davon Hamilton during team period. He also dominated North Carolina defensive end Jason Strowbridge, who has also had an impressive Senior Bowl week, during a big matchup.
South Squad
Wide Receiver Jauan Jennings (Tennessee)
Many of the wide receivers performed very well in the practice days of Senior Bowl week. Jennings was a player that was consistent from day one’s practice and continued to make progress. Thursday was his most significant day in a controlled setting that favored the offensive side of the ball. Jennings won multiple matchups where he was outside or slot receiver. Of all the receivers in the Senior Bowl, Jennings was the one that raised his Draft stock the highest.
Cornerback Dane Jackson (Pittsburgh)
This was a rough week for the defensive backs with the way the evaluations favored the passing game. Jackson was the most impactful player on the defensive side of the ball in team periods in Thursday’s practice. He also won multiple one-one-one matchups against multiple receivers that had a great week in the Senior Bowl. Jackson was also an excellent run stopper and played hard on every single play on Thursday.
Quarterback Steven Montez (Colorado)
Throughout the entire week, the talk of the South Squad was the hype of quarterbacks Justin Herbert (Oregon) and Jalen Hurts (Oklahoma). This left Montez to have to make a name for himself by trying to equal out some of the hype. What he could control was the impact of the South’s offense through his playing ability. Montez made great throws in tight windows and extended drives. His best performance was the quick offense where he was highly active to get his teammates the play. He displayed great athleticism, stout arm strength, and leadership for South’s offense.
Linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither (Appalachian State)
This week was a great opportunity for smaller school standouts to showcase their talent in front of scouts and coaches. Many of the smaller school athletes were able to make a name for themselves. Davis-Gaither was able to come alive on the last day of practice by showing his intensity and quickness to attack the running backs. Many of the smaller school linebackers make their case through consistency and intensity. One example that Davis-Gaither compared himself to in the Senior Bowl as well as Darius Leonard of South Carolina State in 2018.
