Senior Bowl 2024: Evaluating small-college prospects at NFL Draft all-star event, including two RB standouts
Many people view the Senior Bowl as the ultimate college all-star game, and many college football players hope to compete in it once their playing careers are over. With numerous scouts and personnel decision makers in attendance, it offers a fantastic opportunity for those prospective NFL Draft prospects to compare themselves to other elite draft prospects in front of every NFL organization.
The chance for the small-college prospect (FCS-NAIA) to present himself on the greatest stage of his career against probably the finest opposition of his career is what makes the all-star games both special and advantageous. Scouts and coaches can compare him one-on-one to have a fantastic understanding of his skill, size, and athletic ability.Although there aren’t as many small-college prospects this year due to various factors such as players transferring to FBS programs, utilizing the transfer portal, or choosing to remain in school for an additional year, there were still plenty of excellent players from the small-college ranks who traveled to Mobile, Alabama.
Here is a look at the performance of the five small-college prospects during the Senior Bowl’s week of padded workouts.
National Team Roster
Isaiah Davis, a running back for South Dakota State (6-foot, 220 pounds), was able to demonstrate the necessary quickness, agility, and burst against elite opponents during Senior Bowl workouts. His ability to consistently locate the crease in the line of scrimmage and his deft maneuvering in confined places to get extra yards truly amazed me. One of the key components of his game is his ability to hit the home run patiently, and I anticipate that he will demonstrate this in the real game.
Coming into the week, Laube (5-foot-9, 210 pounds) was highly anticipated and he mostly held his own. He was really good at a lot of things. And he was able to replicate in Mobile the one quality he frequently displayed on screen: his receiving prowess. Many in attendance were delighted by his skill as a route runner and the ease with which he caught the football. As a rookie, you could see him serving as an all-around offensive weapon for an NFL team.
CB Drew Willie, Virginia State
It’s never easy to make the transition from Division II to elite Power 5 athletes, but Drew (5-foot-11, 191 pounds)
