2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl: American Day 1 Winners, Losers
For the second year in a row, Vendetta Sports Media has boots on the ground in Mobile, Ala., at the Reese’s Senior Bowl. It is a one-man operation here in Mobile, and I will do my best to bring you as much information as I can from the sidelines of Hancock Whitney Stadium. Trey will be releasing his notes immediately following each practice, which you can find today’s American team notes here.
My coverage from the Senior Bowl will be to discuss a few big winners from each day, along with the losers of the day as well. Day one for the American side wasn’t great. The offense never seemed to really push the ball a whole lot down the field (more on that later), but it might be because the defense did a really good job today. Let’s discuss.
Winner: SEC Defenders
Where do we begin? The SEC guys looked really good today. Auburn has three defensive backs alone here this week, and all three shined in different ways. SAF Jaylin Simpson, I believe, stood out the most of the three. The biggest winners on the DL are LSU’s Jordan Jefferson and Texas A&M’s McKinnley Jackson. Both guys had their way with the guards matched up over and over again.
I want to give a shout to Missouri’s Kris Abrams-Draine as well. I think he had a really solid day today. He really performed in 1-on-1 and, in the team drill, he had at least two PBU’s that I saw.
Loser: Xavier Legette
I didn’t really know what to make of South Carolina’s Xavier Legette coming into the Senior Bowl, but after a rough showing on day one, I have some concerns. Maybe it was the quarterback play and the plan for the practice (again, more later), but I counted at least six targets that he did not come down with today. Short-armed a few catches and saw a bad drop in 7-on-7s as well.
Winner: Joe Milton
Is it crazy to say Tennessee’s Joe Milton had the best practice out of any of the seven QBs at the Senior Bowl today? Milton had some major concerns about accuracy coming into the week, but he showed some really nice touch on throws, specifically to the boundaries but also showed anticipation in the middle of the field. He needs to have a good showing in Mobile, and so far so good.
Loser: Ladd McConkey Doubters
Sorry, but if you were one of the folks who were out about Ladd McConkey, day one of Senior Bowl practices should put that idea to rest (I got my hand up on that one as well). All McConkey did today was show he has some of the best footwork and routes among the receivers in the class as a whole, especially in Mobile.
If you are looking for a receiver to step up and establish themselves on this American team, it’s McConkey. He wasn’t terribly high on my receiver rankings going into the week, but I might have to re-adjust some things after today. McConkey is going to be a really fun watch this week and will likely see his draft stock go up.
Winner: Tyler Guyton
Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton gave a really good performance today. You knew going into the week that Guyton has the tools you want out of a tackle, but needed to see more. Well, if the rest of the week is going to be like today, Guyton is earning himself some money. Mean, not violent, hands, sits really well and clean footwork–all things you want out the gate and can build from there.
Loser: QB Evaluators
Joe Milton did have a good day today, don’t get me wrong. But there was next to nothing to go off of most of the day. The script of plays was a joke for the quarterbacks–on both sides really–so they weren’t able to show much. I may have seen eight plays where the ball was thrown 15-plus yards down the field. Instead, we were treated to screens, check-downs and five-yard outs. When you have Milton and South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler on the team for the Senior Bowl, let them eat a little. Very disappointed.
Honorable Mentions:
The left side of my body got COOKED today. Pencil me as a loser today for not remembering to bring sunscreen. Rookie mistake.
I was in line for almost an hour just to get my credentials this morning at the stadium. One window open the majority of the time. Get up to the window, they don’t have roster sheets printed. Do with that information as you will, but we will file this situation under loser as well.
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