2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl: American Team Day 2 Practice Notes
We did as best as we could yesterday. Thanks for being a noob, Jim Nagy! Criminal to just not have the first day of practices on TV. This wasn’t an issue before you took over… That said, we have day two practice notes coming in hot for the National team at the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl. Everything you need to know from the day of practice, I got you. If I don’t, we have two people on the field at the event to use as an additional resource. Sooooo let’s get to it.
Side note: Let’s have a chat about that stinker of a broadcast by ESPN that I teased in the National Team post. They spent at least 30 minutes talking about Bryce Young vs. Justin Fields. Two guys that never played in the Senior Bowl. Add another 30 minutes of looking at rankings and the draft order. Add another good chunk of time where the coaches are mic’ed up and you’re missing practice time. Add in the part where they’re not walking us through anything that’s going on during the drills. It’s hard enough to spot guys during team drills. It’s another when there’s no replay and or breakdown. Terrible product. It got worse as the day went along so this post will be shorter than the last one. The only person that has ever done these practices correctly continues to be Mike Mayock. We saw how bad he was at his job when given the opportunity. Keep in mind, that’s the bar.
^ Too long, didn’t read; I’m going to have to use some of Garrett’s notes again because the ESPN coverage was TRASH.
Additional side note. Apparently, the practices are available on NFL Network. You just have to pay extra for it now. What a joke! Still good information here in this five minute clip. Just keep in mind this is for the National team which we went over already.
Quarterbacks:
Todd McShay says the Shepard quarterback Tyson Bagent was great yesterday. Garrett disagrees. “Couldn’t disagree more” were his words, in fact. Today I saw not great. Dropped a snap under center. Looks like he has some zip but what else is really here? Looked like he had trouble processing the speed of the game in practice.
Max Duggan was struggling to get the plays out early in practice. Not sure it means anything but making a note of it. He later totally dirted a ball on a five yard route with no coverage. He actually might have looked terrible. The pure accuracy was off. Plenty of throws just not in the ballpark. Later in the team drills, Duggan started picking things up and completed darts all over the field. Inconsistent but not unimpressive. Speeding up the tempo of the offense helped him a ton.
Don’t have much on Clayton Tune. He’s kinda just there. Looks like any normal bottom tier Senior Bowl quarterback. During the two minute drill, he didn’t move the ball a yard.
Running Backs:
I think I might end up falling for Tyjae Spears. His cuts are different type of cuts. Like his feet. Looks like he’s going to power through arm tackles. The balance stands out. Those stops and starts are something. When it’s there he has the juice. In the 9 on 7 Spears blasted every single one for a banger. The whole drill looked different with him in the backfield. Confident catching the ball too.
Kenny McIntosh is going to win in the passing game. Showed that off quite well. Maybe it’s just me at this point but I have no concerns that he about his run between the tackle ability at this point so I’m going to stop bringing it up. Did have a bad fumble on one that I’ll mention.
Chris Rodriguez = fat turd. Hard pass. I can’t wait to see his 40 time.
Maybe I’m the only one on the Eric Gray island but he can play. Looks good cutting. I trust him do to the right thing.
Wide Receivers:
Princeton’s Andrei Ivosivas continues to not have the ability to get open to save his life. Totally dropped the ball too on the final play of the day.
Tight Ends:
I’m eating a nibble of cheese on the Luke Musgrave stock. Has to be confidence here that he will be able to block. Looks good just going forward and running in general. Duggan was feeding him in the two minute drill.
Bad drop by the Miami tight end Will Mallory. Didn’t blow me away in any aspect.
Offensive Line:
O’Cyrus Torrence is a house. People mover in those run drills. I mean smashing people in the run game. Was a huge difference between when he was on the field compared to off. The one on one drills? Total tank. Didn’t see a loss.
Wanya Morris stuffed Derick Hall in a pass rushing drill. Hall has been great during the week so a huge rep.
How about Richard Gouriage playing tackle? That’s a development. Thought he did awesome too. Talking about a guy that now maybe can play everywhere?
Minnesota’s John Michael Schmitz looks tough. Won more than his fair share of reps and finishes. Has power.
Warren McClendon split reps against Ali Gaye. Not sure Gaye has the power to win that match up the majority of the time.
Both Bama guys did well (Steen and Ekiyor). No surprise there.
Defensive Line:
Bad knee bender is what I have written on Oklahoma’s Jalen Redman. Shoots straight up. Got face planted and then won a rep. Not in here.
Bit disappointed in DJ Dale. Had a chance to go up against Steve Avila and got stone walled. He may end up being a lower end Bama guy.
Tennessee’s Byron Young. I figured out my comp for him – Carl Lawson. I am taking no further questions at this time. Am allowed to change at a future date. What’s the 10 yard split going to be here and what are the array of pass rushing moves? TBD.
Linebackers:
Eku Leota really bad in the pass rushing department.
Will McDonald looks like a bat out of hell. Serious speed off the edge.
One linebacker was going nuts but one was all over the place. Total hair on fire. I’m talking about Marte Mapu of Sacramento State. Just keep and eye out here. There was a play he had no business being in it chased a guy down and forced a fumble. Totally blew up a play in the backfield on a run stuffing a runner to the ground. Tipping balls in coverage. ALL over the place.
Cornerbacks:
Tyrique Stevenson looks like he hurt his knee going up for a pick that he defended beautifully. Hopefully, he’s okay for the rest of the week.
