Question No. 2: Which under-the-radar prospect impressed you the most in Mobile?
Kiper: Nathan Shepherd, DT, Fort Hays State. This kid belongs. He constantly gets into the backfield. He can play end in a 3-4 defense or tackle in a 4-3. I was very impressed and need to take a closer look at his game tape. The 6-4, 310-pound Shepherd broke his hand on Wednesday and won't play in the game on Saturday, but he should be fine for OTAs after the draft.
McShay: DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Penn State. He had an extremely impressive week. He just balled out working the middle, in scramble drills, and in making tough catches in traffic. Some guys seem like pros in this setting, and Hamilton definitely passed the eye test. He was open all week. Based off what I saw, I wouldn't be shocked if he was one of the top five wide receivers picked in April.
Muench: Jordan Akins, TE, Central Florida. With South Dakota State's Dallas Goedert -- our top-ranked tight end -- sidelined by a hamstring injury, Akins arguably had the best week out of all the tight ends.. At 246 pounds, he's on the lighter side, but he's big enough to play the F or receiving tight end role. Plus the former receiver is 6-foot-3 with above-average length and frame to continue to add weight. He showed teams that he's a smooth route runner with enough quickness to get open, and he has the strong hands to make tough contested catches. Akins has the playing speed and body control to make plays down the seam. At this point in the process he looks like a third- or fourth-round pick, but there's still a long ways to go. The medical needs to check out -- he reportedly tore an ACL in 2015 -- and teams might have concerns about his age as the 25-year old played baseball coming out of high school. Teams are going to watch more tape following his performance in Mobile.
Bowen: DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Penn State. He put on a clinic in route running this week. From his shake at the line of scrimmage to the wiggle in his hips to set up defensive backs at the top of the route, Hamilton sliced through man-coverage. Along with the advanced skill set he showed in the route stem to gain leverage on defenders, Hamilton flashed a quick burst of speed out of his breaks. And that allowed the Penn State product to create some immediate separation to the ball. Along with Oklahoma State's James Washington, Hamilton was the top receiver I saw on the practice field. His stock should be rising.
Legwold: Michael Joseph, CB, Dubuque. It's difficult to be under the radar when virtually anyone who has a job in personnel in the NFL is watching you, but Joseph is trying to make the jump from Division III to the NFL. He had eight interceptions this past season, 15 in his career, and while he had some bobbles in coverage, he also showed the willingness to compete on every snap. At 6-1, 186 pounds, he'll get stronger in an NFL strength program and will offer a size-speed combination that should find him a spot in the league.
Senior Bowl draft risers
These are the under-the-radar prospects who stood out in practices in Mobile and moved up draft boards:
DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Penn State
Team: North | Uniform number: 5
Hamilton isn't the biggest or most explosive receiver in Mobile, but he's the best route runner, and the North's corners had a hard time staying with him. He gets of the line well, sets up defenders with his footwork and is an effective hand fighter who wins battles with his physicality. While Hamilton's hands are on the smaller side (9 1/4-inch) and he dropped some passes, he also made some contested catches and showed the ability to catch the ball away from his frame. He has moved into the fourth-round conversation. --
Muench
Justin Jones, DT, NC State
Team: North | Uniform number: 27
At 6-2, 311 pounds, Jones' low center of gravity and mass makes him tough to move off the ball. He's not just a sit-and-anchor run-stuffer though. Jones showed better-than-expected quickness and the ability to generate good initial surge. He drove offensive linemen into the backfield in the run game and pushed the pocket as a pass-rusher. Plus he has the length and big hands to press and control blockers when he shoots his hands inside. Jones projects as a late Day 2 pick. -- Muench
Levi Wallace, CB, Alabama
Team: South | Uniform number: 39
The 176-pound Wallace is lean and gets muscled off some routes, but he stood out the most among the corners. He uses his excellent length to disrupt receivers getting off the line and get his hands on passes. He masks average change of directions skills with solid balance and the ability to read receivers and anticipate breaks. He looks like an early Day 3 pick. -- Muench
Michael Gallup, WR, Colorado State
Team: North | Uniform number: 84
The purpose of this exercise is to identify the biggest risers, and I've tried to avoid projected early round picks who had strong weeks like Texas San Antonio defensive end Marcus Davenport. Gallup, who projected as a late third-round pick coming into Mobile, is the highest rated player on my list and the reason he's moving into the late second-round conversation. He doesn't have great measurables, but he has an above-average release, is an effective short-to-intermediate route runner and has the speed to stretch the field. Plus, he has soft hands and good ball skills. -- Muench
Nathan Shepherd, DT, Fort Hays State
Team: North | Uniform number: 97
UCF tight end Jordan Akins, who was mentioned earlier, deserves recognition, but I'm going with a prospect who got injured in the second practice. Shepherd, who broke his hand Wednesday, eased concerns about him playing at the Division II level. At 310 pounds, he's quick, has violent hands to keep blockers off his frame and has has the core strength to push the pocket. The medical could ultimately cause him to drop but assuming it's not serious or has long-term ramifications, Shepherd has moved from a late-round pick to a middle-round pick. -- Muench
Question No. 3: Which prospect raised more questions than answers with his performance this week?
Kiper: Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State. He looked like a one-dimensional player in Mobile. He dropped passes and struggled to catch the ball. We know Penny can run -- he rushed for 2,248 yards in 2017 -- but he needed to show that he could do the little things, and that didn't happen. He also struggled in pass protection. I'd also throw in Virginia QB Kurt Benkert, who struggled with accuracy all week.
McShay: Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State. I liked Penny on tape, but he just didn't seem to be dialed in and wasn't the same player I studied. He seemed like he fought the ball at times and missed some open holes. Again, it's only three days of practice, but I thought he'd clearly be the No. 1 back here, and that just wasn't the case.
Muench: Jalyn Holmes, DE, Ohio State. At 6-5, 279 pounds, Holmes has above average length (34 3/4-inch arms) and there's a lot to like about his versatility as he lines up on the outside and the inside. He flashed at times in Mobile but was inconsistent. There were a number of defensive linemen who helped themselves this week, including his college teammate Tyquan Lewis. Holmes is long, but he takes too long to get off blocks. He gave up too much ground at times. In addition, Holmes didn't stand out during one-on-ones, and he didn't show great burst off the edge or do a good enough job of winning with his hands.
Bowen: Da'Shawn Hand, DE, Alabama. At 6-4, 282 pounds, Hand could still come off the board as a Day 2 pick. The strength is there to win at the point of attack, and he can fit in multiple fronts at the pro level. But just like his tape at Alabama, Hand didn't produce many splash moments this week. In Mobile, I'm always looking for defensive lineman who can take over in one-on-one pass rush and provide periods of disruption during team drills. Speed off the rock, quick hands and technique -- go wreck the play. That was missing in Hand's Senior Bowl résumé.
Legwold: Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming. In talking to a few personnel evaluators after watching Allen work through three days of practices, it was clear he showed the traits and power arm that have him in the first-round conversation. And while Thursday was better for him, he'll exit Mobile after Saturday's game with people still trying to decide if his accuracy will really improve in the smaller throwing windows the NFL will offer. He missed several throws a player of his talent simply shouldn't.
