The Senior Bowl (and practice) is worth watching closely, especially the QBs

[MightyGiants]

South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler had the best practice of any of the American team's signal-callers. Once again, Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton showed off a powerful arm, but he was terribly inconsistent. Rattler threw some strikes, including a perfect deep out to college teammate Xavier Legette for a big gain in the team scrimmage. Rattler also took off on a nice run in the scrimmage. Additionally, there was an ugly play on which Rattler fumbled the ball, dropping it when he was about to throw a screen pass. There is no doubt that Rattler has a live arm, athleticism, and a gunslinger's mentality. However, he must improve his decision-making and ball security. Hence, Rattler is more of a mid-round backup for the 2024 NFL Draft.

https://walterfootball.com/seniorbowl2024practice4.php

[MightyGiants]

2) Rattler finding his groove.

South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer attended practice Wednesday to watch and support his former quarterback, Spencer Rattler, and wide receiver, Xavier Legette, as they competed to improve their draft stock.

Like most of the quarterbacks on Day 1, Rattler seemed to be getting his footing underneath him, but he might have been the best of the American Team QB crop. On Wednesday, Rattler appeared to take the biggest step forward of the four American Team quarterbacks, showing more decisiveness, better decision-making and good ball placement. He even hooked up with Legette on a corner route midway through practice, one of a few nice connections between the teammates. It has been a very solid start to the week for Rattler.

Beamer coached Rattler the past two seasons after he'd left Oklahoma, and it hasn't been the easiest path to get to this point. Rattler first lost his job at OU to Caleb Williams, and after an 8-5 season for the Gamecocks in 2022, things didn't go as smoothly in 2023 during a 5-7 campaign.

Still, Beamer said Rattler has reason to hold his head high for how he played this past season.

"I was proud of him this season," Beamer told me. "We had some struggles on offense. We had six season-ending injuries on the offensive line and started two true freshmen on the offensive line in the SEC.

"But you never heard him complain. He had every opportunity to, but he didn't, and I think that earned the respect of his teammates."

Beamer asked Rattler to cut down on his turnovers from 2022, and he did just that -- going from 12 INTs to eight (on the same number of pass attempts) and from eight fumbles to six.

"Our entire offense (in 2022), not just him, we had way too many turnovers," Beamer said. "He'll be the first to tell you some of those were on him. Being smarter with the football, I thought he did a really good job of that.

"And then off the field, just the leadership aspect was big. He's a two-time captain for us, voted by his teammates. Under those tough circumstances, he stepped up, and it meant a lot to our program."

https://www.nfl.com/news/2024-senior-bowl-day-2-standouts-quinyon-mitchell-earning-his-way-into-cb1-conversation?campaign=Twitter_atn

[MightyGiants]

https://x.com/TheDraftNetwork/status/1753124940520255584?s=20

[MightyGiants]

https://x.com/SiriusXMNFL/status/1753138123892990400?s=20

[MightyGiants]

Rattler keeps trending up


South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler had his best session of the week during the red zone 7-on-7s on Thursday. His most impressive throw came on a back-shoulder fade to Louisville receiver Jamari Thrash, resulting in a touchdown. Rattler fit the ball into a tight window for the completion. He is building on a strong Wednesday performance, flashing his strong arm and accuracy. I have Rattler -- who threw for 3,186 yards, 19 TDs and eight interceptions in 2023 -- in Round 4. -- Reid


Biggest takeaway of Thursday's early practice
We had waited all week for quarterbacks Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr. to look like top-40 draft picks and live up to their hype as potential NFL starters. Well, on Thursday, we got it from both of them.



Nix really stood out, as mentioned earlier, with really good ball placement and much better anticipation when tossing passes to receivers. Penix had arguably the throw of the day with a beautiful jump ball in the end zone to Central Florida's Javon Baker, and then another dart to Luke McCaffrey in the back of the end zone.



If you watched the morning practice today, Nix and Penix looked like real-deal NFL starters. I'm walking away believing both could be starting games next year in the pros. I have Nix in the Round 1 mix, and Penix is right behind him in the early parts of Day 2. -- Miller




Could Nix go in Round 1?
Could Nix go in Round 1?

Oregon quarterback Bo Nix has been sharper on Day 3, showcasing the soft touch and accuracy that allowed him to throw 45 touchdown passes to just three interceptions this season. An AFC area scout also told me that Nix was the best interview he had sat in all week.



Nix was shaky to start the week of practices, as he acclimated to new coaches and new wide receivers, but he's building momentum heading into the weekend. He was compared to Jared Goff by an AFC quarterbacks coach I spoke to this week, and a top-15 draft pick is not out of the question. -- Miller


https://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/draft2024/insider/story/_/id/39395071/senior-bowl-practice-updates-top-2024-nfl-draft-prospects-qbs-risers-buzz

[MightyGiants]

https://x.com/The33rdTeamFB/status/1753140931031941302?s=20

[MightyGiants]

 The coaches of the National team focused on red zone scrimmaging on Thursday and Oregon quarterback Bo Nix was superb in the condensed field. Throughout the practice Nix threw the ball extremely accurately with excellent ball placement. Nix got his practice started with a perfect strike lofting in a score to North Carolina wide receiver Tez Walker who got some separation from Penn State cornerback Kalen King along the back sideline of the end zone. Late in the practice he had a dart to the back of the end zone, and then dropped in a dime to USC wide receiver Brenden Rice who made a phenomenal catch despite excellent coverage from Notre Dame's Cam Hart. The throw by Nix and catch by Rice were perfect.

Throughout the red zone scrimmages Nix threw a serious of beautiful passes lofting his balls into tight windows in the back of the end zone and along with sideline. While Nix did not have an impressive practice on Wednesday, he was practically flawless to close out his practice week in Mobile.


 Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. stayed consistent with his performance from the week with some nice plays and missed throws. Penix had some overthrows in the red zone with bails sailed too high for his receivers. In the team scrimmage he also held the ball too long taking a coverage sack from Oregon defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus. Penix also fired some nice passes into tight windows showing his ability to put velocity behind his throws. At the pro level, Penix clearly needs development with his footwork and fundamentals to make him more consistently accurate. Penix looks like a day-two pick that has backup to starter potential if he develops well at the pro level.

https://walterfootball.com/seniorbowl2024practice5.php

[MightyGiants]

[MightyGiants]

I don't think he was at the senior bowl, so he probably heard this from someone at the Giants


https://x.com/GiantInsider/status/1753456218281054615?s=20

[MightyGiants]

ESPN's Jordan Reid, NFL draft analyst just reranked the QBs for ESPN+ (their pay service) post Senior Bowl.  I am assuming 1-3 are off the board for the Giants.  So here are the interesting targets.

4. J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 202 pounds
Class: Junior | Projected range: Round 1

Where he excels: The Wolverines placed more trust in McCarthy this past season and it paid dividends; he led them to their first national title since 1997. He completed 72.3% of his passes (sixth in the country) and was accurate to all levels of the field. His 88.2 Total QBR was third in the FBS. One of the more impressive parts of McCarthy's game is his efficiency on play-action, where he completed 76.3% of his passes (80 attempts) and took advantage of defenses selling out to stop the run.

I really like the ball placement that I saw on McCarthy's tape this season, too. He hardly ever forces his intended targets to work to haul in passes, putting throws within their body frames. He was off-target on only 8.1% of his throws this past season, finishing with 2,991 yards, 22 TD passes and 4 interceptions. And check out his third-down numbers: 67.1% completion percentage, 9.2 yards per attempt, 6 TD throws and zero picks.

Where he needs work: Lapses in decision-making plagued him in the past and he really needed to learn to live to see another day by throwing the ball out of bounds or hitting his checkdown to avoid bad turnovers. For the most part, he improved there. McCarthy threw three of his four interceptions in one game -- against Bowling Green in September.

The same questions we had about McCarthy going into the season still exist because of Michigan's run-heavy formula. How much more potential is there to uncover? McCarthy's usage in the Wolverines' system is why opinions are so mixed on his outlook at the next level.


Potential NFL team fit: Minnesota Vikings

5. Bo Nix, Oregon
Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 217 pounds
Class: Senior | Projected range: Late-Round 1/early-Day 2

Where he excels: Operating in an up-tempo hurry-up Oregon offense, Nix wins with a lot of pre-snap decisions. He forces defenses to come up and tackle in the underneath areas, making him the perfect passer for that offense, which aims to stretch defenses horizontally and pick certain spots to make throws downfield. Nix shows a high-level understanding of space reads and leverage, and he did a good job distributing the ball to the Ducks' playmakers. This past season, he threw for 4,508 yards with 45 touchdown passes and only 3 interceptions.

"He's been able to reinvent himself because it's an easier offense ... and they're loaded on the perimeter," said an NFC area scout.

On tape, there wasn't a more efficient passer in college football than Nix in 2023. He led the country in completion rate by almost 4% (77.4%) and threw multiple touchdown passes in all 14 games, surpassing Kellen Moore for the longest streak by an FBS player in the past 20 seasons. Nix keeps plays alive, too, with the scrambling ability to escape and gain positive yards when his initial reads aren't available. He had six rushing TDs in 2023.

At the Senior Bowl, his accuracy and decisiveness appeared in spots throughout practices. He wastes little time making decisions and getting the ball out.

Where he needs work: Nix's limitations are apparent on the more challenging downfield passes. While he's surgical in the underneath areas, he's hesitant to push the ball to the intermediate-to-deep spots. His 6.3 air yards per pass attempt ranked 120th in the country.

Scouts wanted to see how Nix could operate outside the Oregon scheme at the Senior Bowl, but it remains relatively unanswered. He was uneven throughout the week in ball placement and driving the ball.

Potential NFL team fit: Denver Broncos

6. Michael Penix Jr., Washington
Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 213 pounds
Class: Redshirt senior | Projected range: Early Day 2

Where he excels: The left-hander became the first player in program history to have at least 400 passing yards in three straight games to start the season, and he finished with 4,903 passing yards (most in the country), 36 TD throws and 11 interceptions over 15 games, with the team's lone loss coming against Michigan in the National Championship Game.

The Washington offense thrives on deep shots and with an FBS-leading 46 completions on passes of 20-plus yards, Penix has an explosive arm and a quick release. He is most comfortable playing within the framework of the offense and is at his best inside the pocket.

That arm strength was on full display at the Senior Bowl. The ball just exploded out out of his hand and he drove it to the outer portions of the field with ease.

Where he needs work: The biggest question raised about Penix will be his injury history -- two torn ACLs in his right knee and multiple injuries to his nonthrowing shoulder -- though he played in at least 13 games in both 2022 and 2023. A lot of evaluators saw him as a Day 3 player coming into the season but acknowledge that he will keep climbing draft boards as he distances himself from those injury concerns.

Outside of durability, scouts wanted to see how well Penix played when defenses knocked him off his initial launch point in the pocket. We saw those issues bubble up in the title game. He can easily scan the field and make throws from a clean pocket, but there are still questions about how he handles pressure. In 15 games, Penix was hit on 21.5% of his dropbacks (11th-least in the nation) and sacked 11 times. But when he gets outside the pocket, he completed 38.5% of his throws, 114th in the country.

Penix had a prime opportunity to impress scouts at the Senior Bowl, but it ended up being a week of highs and lows -- he didn't do much to change prior opinions. Yes, the arm strength immediately stood out, but his accuracy was inconsistent.


Potential NFL team fit: Las Vegas Raiders


7. Spencer Rattler, South Carolina
Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 217 pounds
Class: Senior | Projected range: Early Day 3

Where he excels: Rattler was among the best QBs in the SEC despite the team's 5-7 record. Watch the tape from his season-opening performance against North Carolina. Yes, he was sacked nine times, but he finished that game 30-of-39 (76.9%) for 353 passing yards. Then he had a strong first half on the road against top-ranked Georgia two weeks later, going 16-of-18 for 152 yards and a touchdown pass to help the Gamecocks to a 14-3 halftime lead. (One of the best teams in the country eventually came back, though.)

When Rattler is protected, he has excelled. He looked like a more decisive and consistent player this past season. With B-level arm strength to drive the ball, his confidence and comfort in the South Carolina scheme put him back on the draft radar. Rattler finished with 3,186 yards, 19 touchdown throws and 8 interceptions.

Among the Senior Bowl quarterbacks, Rattler probably had the most to gain. And after an underwhelming first day that included a bad interception, he rebounded and showcased a natural throwing motion and a live arm. The ball consistently came out on time. I still view him as an early-Day 3 prospect, but he's the most likely post-Round 3 passer to outplay his draft slot.

Where he needs work: The South Carolina offensive line struggled to find continuity, leaving Rattler pressured at a high rate (38.5% of dropbacks, 26th-most in the FBS) and taking 40 sacks (fourth-most in the FBS). And while he completed 54.1% of his passes under pressure (eighth best), he missed opportunities to get the ball out quicker by simply hitting hot reads or built-in routes to avoid incoming pressure.

Potential NFL team fit: New York Giants

8. Michael Pratt, Tulane
Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 220 pounds
Class: Senior | Projected range: Early Day 3

Where he excels: After Pratt helped Tulane to a huge Cotton Bowl win over USC last January, scouts were buzzing about him coming into the 2023 season. He was nearly flawless in the opener, going 14-of-15 for 294 passing yards and four touchdown passes against South Alabama. But he suffered a left knee injury in the fourth quarter that sidelined him for two games, returning against Nicholls in Week 4 but missing a good matchup against Ole Miss, which was costly. He closed his season with 2,406 yards, 22 TD throws and five interceptions over 11 games before opting out of Tulane's Military Bowl game.

The program's leader in career touchdown passes (90), Pratt has shown slightly above-average arm strength and seems to always be in control. His three-level accuracy and comfort in executing NFL concepts will be key components of his evaluation.

At the Senior Bowl, Pratt's accuracy and ability to layer the ball were consistent throughout the week. We also saw a smooth and fluid throwing motion.

Where he needs work: Pratt isn't able to escape when things around him begin to crumble, which means he has to improve in picking up those pressure points when reading the defensive structure.

Potential NFL team fit: Atlanta Falcons

https://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/draft2024/insider/story/_/id/38496853/ranking-top-2024-nfl-draft-quarterbacks-hot-board-team-fits

[Ed Vette]

https://x.com/jimnagy_sb/status/1753507232724000819?

[bamagiantfan]

Supposedly Carter Bradley has turned some heads. Not much expected of him and the scouts are all there to see the other guys. He's a 3rd day draft pick but apparently the Raiders and other teams have liked what they have seen enough to have some conversations with him. Everyone is trying to find the next Brock Purdy.

https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2024/1/31/24057471/raiders-nfl-draft-senior-bowl-quarterback-carter-bradley

[DaveBrown74]

I've never been a big believer in Rattler as much of a pro prospect, but I'm willing to reconsider my view. I will be keeping a close eye on him.

[MightyGiants]

https://x.com/JimNagy_SB/status/1753507423229296818?s=20

[MightyGiants]

NOTE-  Penix declined to play in the actual SB game


* South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler was voted the game MVP for his work on the opening drive of the game. Rattler lofted in a pretty touchdown to Georgia's Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint for a score from about 30 yards. It was a terrific throw by Rattler to loft the ball into a tight window over Virginia cornerback Willie Drew. Rattler completed 4-of-4 passes for 65 yards and a touchdown.

Rattler has a strong arm and plus athleticism, and he is capable of making some highlight reel plays. However, he is short and must improve his decision making and ball security for the NFL. As a result he is more of a mid-round backup in the 2024 NFL Draft but Rattler possesses the physical tools to be a pro starter.

* Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton did not have an impressive week of practice and that carried over into the Senior Bowl game. In the second quarter Milton lofted a pass deep downfield but Oregon safety Evan Williams covered a ton of ground to dive in front of Cody Schrader for an interception. Smith-Wade had the second interception of Milton late in the fourth quarter. Milton is a mid-round backup and developmental project.

* Another quarterback who struggled was Notre Dame's Sam Hartman. He had a throw-away pass that he was lucky to not have ruled a fumble, and shortly later Hartman fumbled a snap that he was fortunate to recover. In the second quarter Hartman was picked off by Louisville cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr., as he made a superb adjustment and catch to snatch the pass. Hartman received a lot of playing time, but struggled to move the ball. Hartman looks like a day-three prospect to compete for a third string spot.

* Oregon quarterback Bo Nix is the favorite to be the first player drafted from either Senior Bowl team, and like Rattler, Nix did not play very much. On his second possession Nix made some precision passes to move the ball in the short to intermediate part of the field before throwing a short touchdown pass on third-and-goal to Minnesota tight end Berwyn Spann-Ford. Nix threw some accurate passes in the short to intermediate part of the field. While Nix does not have a cannon for an arm, he is an accurate and intelligent passer. Senior Bowl helped to verify that he could be a pro starter.

https://walterfootball.com/seniorbowl2024recap.php