5 Standouts from the Senior Bowl Game
Josh Frey
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The Senior Bowl officially wrapped up following the conclusion of Saturday’s game, and overall, it was a great event with terrific performances from draft prospects throughout the week. Tomorrow, we’ll go over the biggest winners of the week at each position, but for today, here are 5 standouts from the Senior Bowl game.
Fresno State QB Jake Haener
Jake Haener consistently showed throughout the week that he was the QB1 of the event. Haener consistently delivered accurate passes in all varieties of short, intermediate, and deep throws.
In the actual game, the Fresno State product was no different. He completed 12 of his 19 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown, winning the game’s MVP award as a result.
Oklahoma RB Eric Gray
Coming into this week, we already knew that Oklahoma running back Eric Gray was an explosive athlete. However, over the course of the Senior Bowl he’s proven that he is much more than that.
During practice, he often was one of the fastest players on the field, and then during the game, he displayed a terrific balance of rushing ability along with some soft hands as a receiver. In all, he had 8 touches for 30 total yards, which won’t blow anyone away, but he has a knack for finding the ball.
Given the fact that the Vikings could be looking at a very different RB room in 2023, Gray is certainly a prospect to keep an eye on as the draft approaches.
LSU EDGE Ali Gaye
Ali Gaye’s numbers throughout his career at LSU aren’t spectacular, recording 18 TFLs and 7 sacks over 3 seasons, but his impact is undeniable on the defensive side of the ball. In the Senior Bowl game, that became apparent again, and Gaye actually got home for a sack as well. The EDGE class in this draft isn’t as deep as years past, so his strong week could vault him up draft boards in the coming weeks.
Stanford WR Michael Wilson
Michael Wilson led the National team in both receptions and receiving yards during Saturday’s game, catching 4 passes for 76 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown connection with Haener.
Wilson showed adept route-running skills throughout the week, and again, the Vikings could be looking to revamp their WR room behind Justin Jefferson this offseason. Wilson proves that viable options can be found later than the first round, so if the Vikings don’t take an RB in the first night of the draft, don’t assume that they won’t find a contributor later on.
North Dakota State OL Cody Mauch
We talked about Cody Mauch earlier in the week, but he’s worth bringing up again, especially from a Vikings standpoint. Mauch consistently showed up throughout the week with great showings in one-on-one reps as well as team drills.
Then, in the actual game on Saturday, Mauch took snaps at tackle, guard, and center for the National team. The Vikings have some uncertainty on the offensive line once again with Garrett Bradbury set to hit free agency. Someone with the versatility that Mauch offers should be on Minnesota’s radar as the draft approaches.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. He also earned minors in History, Human Biology, and Journalism. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys marathon training, playing video games, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. For more of his opinions, check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.