Senior Bowl Practice Day 3: Insider's top risers from Mobile, Alabama feat. Nebraska's Ty Robinson
On the final day of the Senior Bowl padded practice, several players dropped out for a variety of reasons. Mike Green of Marshall and Shemar Stewart of Texas A&M were just two of the players who packed up and left town before Thursday’s practice. This opened the door for some late substitutions, many of whom made the most of their opportunity.
Top standouts from Senior Bowl's final practice day
Ty Robinson/DL/Nebraska
After two days of Senior Bowl practice with non-descript results, Robinson turned it up Thursday and could not be stopped, much like the past two seasons at Nebraska.
He’s an athletic big man with a terrific first step off the snap and a good amount of power, which allows Robinson to beat blockers in various ways. Fundamentally sound, he uses his hands well and always gets leverage on opponents. Robinson offers a good deal of scheme versatility and can line up in either a one or two-gap scheme. He leaves Mobile guaranteed to be a top-100 pick.
Bhayshul Tuten/RB/Virginia Tech
Tuten struggled most of the season with an ankle injury and is still just 90 percent healthy, but you wouldn’t know it by his play. He’s one of the most explosive running backs in Mobile and showed a terrific bust of speed and the ability to stretch runs.
Tuten runs low to the ground and picks his way through the traffic, displaying great vision. His ability to quickly cut back against the grain without losing momentum was impressive. In a draft deep at running back, Tuten will be a steal outside the top 75 selections. If he’s only 90 percent at present, wait until he’s 100 percent!
Junior Tafuna/DT/Utah
Tafuna was a menace all week but pulled it together on Thursday. He was quick, intense, and played with a fiery sometimes violent attitude. Tafuna’s first step off the snap made him tough to handle, and his ability to play with leverage and get underneath blockers gave opponents fits all practice long. Tafuna’s nonstop motor and cheerleading of teammates were infectious.
Jackson Slater/OL/Sacramento State
Despite being a small-school prospect, Slater showed up big during Senior Bowl practice. He lined up at both guard spots as well as center and excelled at all three.
He has a strong, NFL build and plays with great fundamentals and strength. Slater consistently handled larger, more talented opponents, a couple who are expected to be top-45 selections such as Deone Walker and Walter Nolen. He’s tough and smart, and the versatility he’s shown this week in Mobile will surely elevate Slater’s draft stock.
Clay Webb/OL/Jacksonville State
Webb was probably the biggest surprise of the week, as he dominated on almost every snap he lined up for. Another offensive lineman used at a variety of positions, Webb used great fundamentals as well as power to keep opponents away.
Like Slater, he faced off against the best defensive linemen on the field and won almost every time. Scouts graded Webb as a late-round prospect coming into the season, but that has changed in his favor.
Darius Alexander/DL/Toledo
Alexander showed flashes of skill throughout the week and then had his best practice on Thursday.
He’s an explosive three-technique lineman who plays with great leverage as well as pad level and easily moves about the field. The athleticism Alexander displayed was impressive and has many believing he has a large amount of upside.