The first practices of the 2019 Senior Bowl are in the books. With one session down for each team, NFL draft experts Todd McShay and Steve Muench break down how the best prospects fared on Day 1, which under-the-radar prospects are rising and more.
Note: Coverage of Wednesday's and Thursday's practices begin at 1:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU/ESPN App.
QUARTERBACK REPORT
Let's look at how the signal-callers did on Day 1, along with their quarterback ranking from Scouts Inc.:
Drew Lock, Missouri
Team: North | Uniform number: 3 | QB ranking: 3
Lock is big (6-foot-3, 223 pounds), possesses a strong arm and shows athleticism, but he was inconsistent on touch throws and when on the move Tuesday. It was similar to what you see from him on tape. He really needs to become more consistent with his trajectory on touch throws and deeper passes. And a big talking point of the day was his 9-inch hands at the weigh-in. It was pretty surprising and is obviously a concern when it comes to ball security, pump fakes and handling poor weather. -- McShay
Will Grier, West Virginia
Team: South | Uniform number: 7 | QB ranking: 4
Grier looked pretty good on drops from under center Tuesday. It's all new to him, but he seemed comfortable for the most part and showed quick feet. I felt he was decisive when passing if his first read provided the answer, but he still tends to lock onto his primary target too long at times. He did show off a stronger arm than expected but was a little inconsistent when throwing on the move and out of play-action. -- McShay
Jarrett Stidham, Auburn
Team: South | Uniform number: 8 | QB ranking: 7
I thought Stidham got more comfortable as the day progressed. There's no denying the strong arm and smooth stroke, and he was at his best on out-breaking routes Tuesday. He was late on some of his reads but seemed to improve as he settled in. It'll be something to keep an eye on during the course of the week, as will hitting his spots. He missed within the strike zone too often, and it cost his wide receivers yards-after-the-catch potential throughout the afternoon. -- McShay
Tyree Jackson, Buffalo
Team: South | Uniform number: 3 | QB ranking: 16
Wow, this kid is just massive in person (measured at 6-foot-7 and 249 pounds), and he has the strongest arm of the group. He has a long-levered delivery and appeared a bit heavy-footed on drops, but because he's so tall, it's hard for him to consistently get his footwork and balance correct. He overshot a deep ball to an open wide receiver at one point in the 7-on-7 drill. -- McShay
Other quarterback notes from McShay:
Duke's Daniel Jones showed good anticipation and touch on some intermediate routes. He even let a couple of strong deeper throws fly, something you don't see a ton of on Duke tape -- although he overshot a deep ball that he should have connected on.
Ryan Finley of NC State was consistent and accurate on short-to-intermediate passes. His quick reads and ability to make intermediate timing throws stood out. He played it safe on a lot of the throws I saw him make today -- a lot of check downs -- and his arm strength is average at best.
Washington State's Gardner Minshew was decisive and got the ball out quickly, but he has an average arm and didn't take a lot of chances vertically, playing it safe most of practice. He was missing within the strike zone quite a bit, and I want to see that improve throughout the week.
As expected, Penn State's Trace McSorley is the smallest of the eight Senior Bowl quarterbacks (6-0 1/4, 200 pounds). His hand-span (9.25 inches) is on the smaller side too. He has average arm strength and doesn't drive it like some of these other guys, but he is very comfortable throwing on the move, and the ball placement on short-to-intermediate throws was pretty good overall.
DAY 1 DRAFT RISERS
These are the under-the-radar prospects who had a strong day of practice and whose college tape deserves closer inspection:
Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina
Team: South | Uniform number: 1
Samuel showcased his ability to stretch the field during one-on-ones, and it's not just about his speed. He quickly beats press coverage and tracks the ball well. He made a nice over-the-shoulder catch during practice. He also knows how to use his hands to create late separation without blatantly pushing off. -- Muench
Terry McLaurin, WR, Ohio State
Team: North | Uniform number: 10
This kid just ran right by cornerbacks on two occasions, using his wheels on some vertical routes. The speed is real. He was the fastest player tracked Tuesday (22.2 mph max speed), according to Zebra Technology. -- McShay
Tyre Brady, WR, Marshall
Team: South | Uniform number: 11
The 6-foot-3, 206-pound Brady looks like a natural pass-catcher with good length and big hands. His physicality and ability to quickly build speed stood out during one-on-ones. He looked explosive. -- Muench
David Long Jr., LB, West Virginia
Team: South | Uniform number: 11
Long stood out a few times in team drills, and sure seemed to be around the ball a lot. He's a player I have not done tape on yet, and I'm interested to see if he continues to make plays this week. -- McShay
L.J. Collier, DE, TCU
Team: North | Uniform number: 91
During one-on-ones Tuesday, Collier overpowered Kansas State offensive tackle Dalton Risner and then showcased his versatility by kicking inside to beat Charlotte guard Nate Davis with a nice push pull move. He moved well after weighing in at 280 pounds and he has excellent length (34-plus-inch arms). -- Muench
QUICK HITTERS
Here are some additional scouting notes on players who stood out on the practice field:
McShay:
Mississippi State defensive end Montez Sweat had a strong first day. He flashed some power, including knocking Alabama State offensive tackle Tytus Howard over on a power move. Sweat has a lot of speed and bend off the edge. He had some great battles Tuesday with Washington State OT Andre Dillard.
San Jose State tight end Josh Oliver had a good showing on Day 1. He has average speed but solid size (6-4, 246) and very good ball skills. He's showing that he's a reliable target in the passing game.
Offensive linemen Dru Samia (Oklahoma) and Ross Pierschbacher (Alabama) were very good in the run game. Jacksonville State's B.J. Autry also had some dominating snaps in the run game, even though he's not much of an athlete and has limitations in pass protection.
Boston College tight end Tommy Sweeney isn't much of a vertical threat and doesn't offer much run-after-catch ability, but he catches everything in his zip code. And he was a really consistent route runner Tuesday, making a lot of plays in 7-on-7 and team units.
UMass receiver Andy Isabella showed off his quickness and speed. He might just be the quickest wide receiver in attendance.
Western Illinois defensive lineman Khalen Saunders, who stayed in Mobile even while his fiancée was in labor, impressed with a perfect backflip at the end of practice. It's pretty impressive seeing a 320-pound defensive lineman pull that off in person.
Muench:
Houston cornerback Isaiah Johnson and Buffalo wide receiver Anthony Johnson got into some physical battles during one-on-ones.
Texas A&M defensive tackle Daylon Mack ran over Pierschbacher, winning with hands and leverage. You'd like to see Mack vary his pass-rush moves, though, and that's an area of improvement to watch this week.
The North offensive line got pushed around a little during one-on-ones, and it will be interesting to see how it responds Wednesday.