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Five Things We Learned in Week One of the NFL Season

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The NFL season has officially begun, and football is back in full force with week one in the books. As it is every year, the first weekend back wasn’t without surprises and chaos causing turmoil among fanbases and analysts alike. With 17 more weeks of regular season football left ahead, there is still a lot to be determined with every team. However, we can look back at this week one and learn a little bit about each team after their first game that can help show us how their season may turn out. Here are five things that we learned from the NFL’s opening kickoff weekend.

What We Learned #1

Detroit’s Running Back Room Is More Of A Committee Than We Thought

Detroit picked up a huge win at Arrowhead in Kansas City Thursday night. Jared Goff had a turnover-free game, Amon-Ra St.Brown continued to show he is a budding star at the receiver position, and the defense held a Patrick Mahomes offense to 20 points. One interesting stat that had a lot of fantasy owners confused was the running back snap count total.

Jahmyr Gibbs, who the Lions took inside the top half of the first round in the 2023 NFL draft, was super explosive in his debut, but he only saw 19 of the 70 offensive snaps. Meanwhile, free agent acquisition David Montgomery, who came over from the Chicago Bears, saw 55 of those 70 offensive snaps in the season debut.

This could be simply because Dan Campbell and the Lions coaching staff want to slowly get Gibbs acclimated to the NFL and to the offense, but Detroit also clearly has great trust in the veteran Montgomery to run this offense effectively. Gibbs will become more involved as the season progresses, but for now the Lions could be leaning on Montgomery to take the bulk of the workload.

What We Learned #2:

Deshaun Watson Is Still Rusty

The main takeaway across this entire game is that the Cincinnati Bengals are in trouble. Joe Burrow and company played their worst game together as a group, and everything is falling apart. R-E-L-A-X as Aaron Rodgers would say, the Bengals are going to be fine.

The takeaway after this game should be concerning for Browns fans and their offense. In a 24-3 rainy weather game there were a lot of positives for Cleveland, many about their run game and their front seven. But the one concern should be about their quarterback play.

Deshaun Watson went 16-29 for 154 yards, albeit in the rain, but it was clear that he was struggling to make throws all afternoon. Watson had just a 40% completion percentage on non play-action throws and averaged just 2.5 yards on such completions on Sunday, both of which were the worst percentage on such throws among all quarterbacks (minus Aaron Rodgers) over the weekend.

We will see how Watson adjusts in a game where the climate and weather are more favorable — and the expectation is he plays better — but it is definitely something to take note of that Watson was visibly not the player we saw in Houston this past weekend.

What We Learned #3:

Tennessee Needs A New Quarterback

This game was ugly and not a fun one to watch. A game that featured a singular touchdown and EIGHT field goals was easily the least exciting game of the NFL’s opening weekend. If it was not on everybody’s minds before the season, it definitely is now; the Tennessee Titans don’t have a franchise quarterback on their roster.

Ryan Tannehill was a nice story a few seasons ago; leading Tennessee to the playoffs and playing solid football along the way after some rough seasons in Miami. However, the past two seasons were less than stellar for the veteran and already his 2023-2024 campaign is off to a very bad start. Completing less than 50% of his passes and throwing three interceptions, Tannehill struggled to make plays to get the Titans. in the end zone.

With Malik Willis and rookie Will Levis the other quarterbacks on the roster, it would not come as a shock if head coach Mike Vrabel turned to either of the two young men to take over as signal caller at some point during the season, simply to see what the Titans have on their roster. Even with Willis and Levis on the team, the team does not seem sold on either one after they both failed to compete for the starting job in the offseason.

Now, after Tannehill’s performance in week one it is clear as day the Titans do not have a long-term plan at the position.

What We Learned #4:

Miami Is Going To Throw It Around

Seems like an obvious statement right? After a 466-yard performance from Tua Tagovailoa and a 215-yard performance from Tyreek Hill, of course the takeaway is they’re going to throw the ball around. Tua looked like a completely different quarterback this weekend. He looked confident, motivated, and incredibly comfortable and poised, making plays both inside and outside the pocket.

With all three of the AFC’s top teams (Kansas City, Buffalo, and Cincinnati) from a year ago losing in various fashions, Miami looked like the new dominating offense in the AFC. This offense is going to move fast, they’re going to do a lot of creative route concepts, mixed personnel packages and stunts to get both Hill and Jaylen Waddle open in space and let them do what they do best: catch the ball in the open field and take off.

Tougher defensive matchups are ahead, but every team should be put on notice for what is happening in Miami.

What We Learned #5:

It Is Zach Wilson’s Team Once Again

The New York Jets got a huge win Monday Night in their season opener against the Buffalo Bills, causing four turnovers from Josh Allen and walking the game off in an electric way with a punt return touchdown in overtime. But the story of the evening is the biggest story in the NFL: Aaron Rodgers is out for the season with a torn Achilles.

Obviously, it’s devastating news for Jets fans and an organization who, for the first time in 25 years, had high expectations coming into the season because of the off-season acquisition of the man who formerly wore No.12. The fairytale would live just four plays before Jets fans and players hearts dropped as Rodgers would exit the game and the season with an injury.

So now we circle back to the former second overall pick, Zach Wilson, who once again will have to lead this Jets team. Coach Saleh has been very adamant that Wilson is the guy moving forward throughout the season. However adding a quarterback to give depth is not out of the question, especially a veteran who can mentor Wilson during the season with Rodgers now gone for the year.

Expectations for the Jets may have been altered slightly after the loss of their newly beloved QB, but Zach Wilson has the chance to completely change the trajectory of his career this season.

NFL Free Agency: Three Winners and Losers From the First Wave

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Photo Credit Bill Streicher/USA Today Sports

The first major part of free agency is now essentially over. At the time of this writing, it’s been nearly two weeks since free agency started, and most free agents have found their home for the next year. Of course, there are a ton of quality players who remain unsigned, but we’ve definitively passed the first checkpoint of free agency. With that complete, here are three winners and losers from the NFL free agency period up to this point.

Winner: Detroit Lions

Detroit has one of the youngest, most exciting rosters in the NFL. The Lions missed the playoffs last year by the skin of their teeth, despite an impressive 2022 campaign.

With money to spend, the Lions made a handful of moves. Detroit signed C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Emmanuel Moseley, and Cameron Sutton on the defensive side of the ball. Those three should dramatically improve a secondary that was torched for most of the 2022 season.

They lost Jonathan Williams, but replaced him with a more-than-capable David Montgomery. Losing Williams might hurt the locker room, but this young team is easily one of, if not the, biggest winners from the first wave of NFL free agency.

Loser: Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles are coming off a wildly successful year, but their roster has taken a bit of a hit during this free agency period.

The Eagles have lost a whopping seven starters to free agency this year. Javon Hargrave, T.J. Edwards, Kyzir White, C.J. Gardner Johnson, and Marcus Epps have left the defensive side of the ball. The offense has lost Miles Sanders and Isaac Seumalo. All this adds up to the Eagles being one of the big losers from the NFL free agency period thus far.

This isn’t exactly a surprise. Philadelphia had a laundry list of players hitting the market this offseason, without the funds to keep them all. Still, losing seven starters hurts, and this team will look very different come training camp.

Winner: Carolina Panthers

The Panthers have had a very interesting offseason. Carolina sent an envoy of assets to Chicago for the number one pick. They’ve recouped some of those in free agency as well.

Carolina did have to send away their star receiver, D.J. Moore, in order to get the first pick. However, they recovered some of that lost talent by signing Adam Thielen. Staying on the offense, the Panthers also picked up tight end Hayden Hurst, running back Miles Sanders, and wide receiver D.J. Chark. With these additions, whichever quarterback they take will have a lot of weapons around him.

Loser: Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders have undergone more change than most of the NFL as a whole during this offseason. They’ve rid themselves of Derek Carr and Darren Waller, with many fans wondering who the next player to go is.

Jimmy Garoppolo will be their quarterback in 2023, but his deal makes it so he can be cut after a year without too much dead money. It seems like Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler are aiming for a Patriots reunion, picking up Jakobi Meyers to pair with Garoppolo. The Raiders have made every move possible on offense, while mind-numbingly ignoring a defensive unit that, on paper, is easily one of the worst in the league.

The Raiders are in NFL purgatory. They don’t know whether they want to contend or rebuild, and by not making a choice, they’ve made the worst choice possible.

Winner: Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons made a variety of key signings during this period. Atlanta is a team on the rise, and with some of their moves this offseason, they seem to be just a quarterback away from contention.

On defense, the Falcons were able to grab Jesse Bates and David Onyemata. On offense, they added Mack Hollins and Jonnu Smith. These two, with Drake London and Kyle Pitts will make for a dynamic receiving corps.

Atlanta just needs their quarterback now. Whether their franchise quarterback will come through the draft, a trade, or he’s already in house, one thing is for sure: The Falcons have set themselves up very well and are a clear winner of this year’s NFL free agency period so far.

Loser: Green Bay Packers

The Packers have found themselves in quite the pickle. Green Bay has had a bit of a stagnant free agency, but their hands are tied. The main reasons for this are a lack of cap space, and the whole Aaron Rodgers situation.

The Packers do have his predecessor in Jordan Love, but they’ve been put in a precarious situation. Until they agree with the Jets on compensation for a Rodgers trade, their lack of cap space prevents them from signing any new free agents.

After the Rodgers saga is over, the Packers might very well come out of this offseason in a better place. As of now though, their lack of ability to sign notable free agents makes them a loser up to this point in the NFL free agency period.

NFC North Preview: Off-season Recap and Predictions

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NFC North preview

The NFC North has been dominated by Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers for a while now. With big time players moving in-division, the NFC North could be close this year. Here’s a look at what each team did this offseason, and how I believe they will finish in this NFC North preview.

NFC North Preview

4. Chicago Bears

Key losses – RB Damien Williams, WR Jakeem Grant, P Pat O’Donnell, QB Nick Foles, WR Allen Robinson, DE Bilal Nichols, OG Alex Bars, QB Andy Dalton, OG James Daniels, CB Artie Burns, DE Akiem Hicks, OT Jason Peters, DE Khalil Mack

Key additions – HC Matt Eberflus, DT Justin Jones, DE Al-Quadin Muhammad, C Lucas Patrick, WR Byron Pringle, QB Trevor Siemian, OT Riley Reiff, OLB Nicolas Morrow, TE Ryan Griffin, WR N’Keal Harry, CB Kyler Gordon, S Jaquan Brisker, WR Velus Jones Jr.

Re-signed – S DeAndre Houston-Carson (1-year)

Extensions – LS Patrick Scales (1-year, $1.2 million)

After going 6-11 in the regular season, the Bears fired head coach Matt Nagy after four seasons. Matt Eberflus takes over after spending last season in Indianapolis as defensive coordinator. The rookie head coach will try to turn the franchise around with Justin Fields going into his second NFL season.

Fields came in looking like a rookie last season, and it didn’t help that Nagy was calling the plays, as they finished 24th in total offense. They ranked even worse in points, as they were 27th in the NFL. They didn’t do much in the offseason to fill those holes, either.

We’ll have to see if Justin Fields makes the leap in with a new coach, but the offensive line won’t help. They rank in the bottom five of the league in the NFL, and could be dead last. However, David Montgomery is back with Khalil Herbert in the backfield — but I don’t expect much from them.

The last part of the offense is the receiving corps, and it is easily the worst in the NFL. Darnell Mooney is still there and still has potential, but isn’t close to a #1 wideout. Behind him they have Equanimeous St. Brown, Byron Pringle, and Velus Jones Jr. Those three have combined for 37 receptions in a combined six seasons. They can still prove to be weapons on an NFL offense, but I don’t expect it.

With Khalil Mack gone, that leaves Robert Quinn and Roquan Smith as the leaders of this defense. Quinn leads a defensive line that is one of the worst in the league, and will most likely fall lower than their ranking of 23rd against the run last season. Smith will help that cause and newly acquired Nicholas Morrow will fill in nicely next to him. It’s an, at-best, average linebacker group in the NFL.

The final part of this team is the secondary. You’re probably thinking there has to be one good part of this team. Well… there’s not. The secondary is very young with two rookies starting. One of those players is Kyler Gordon, who will be opposite of Jaylon Johnson at cornerback. They can eventually both grow to be a great duo, but are too inexperienced and young right now. Jaquan Brisker is the other rookie starting at safety alongside Eddie Jackson, who is the oldest in the secondary.

Prediction

I expect another long season for Bears fans with a new regime. I have them going 3-14, and 1-5 against the NFC North. With Nagy now gone, they will be looking to rebuild the right way.

3. Detroit Lions

Key losses – OLB Jalen Reeves-Maybin, DE Trey Flowers, DT Nick Williams

Key additions – WR DJ Chark, CB Mike Hughes, LB Chris Board, ILB Jarrad Davis, OT Kendall Lamm, S Deshon Elliott, RB Justin Jackson, DE Aidan Hutchinson, WR Jameson Williams, DE Josh Paschal, S Kerby Joseph

Re-signed – FB Jason Cabinda (2-years), K Riley Patterson (1-year), LB Alex Anzalone (1-year), S Tracy Walker (3-years), C Evan Brown (1-year), OLB Charles Harris (2-years), WR Kalif Raymond (1-year)

The first season since 2008 without Matthew Stafford went about as you’d expect for the Detroit Lions. They finished 3-13-1, earning the first overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. They ended up drafting twice in the top ten and are looking to start moving in the right direction this year in head coach Dan Campbell’s second season.

They’re tied to Jared Goff for a little bit longer, after ranking 22nd in total offense last season. D’Andre Swift looked solid in his second season, averaging 4.1 yards per carry and will look to improve with a top five offensive line. It’s an offensive line that includes three first round picks that Detroit nailed.

Tight end features T.J. Hockenson, who hasn’t lived up to the hype yet, but has still been a quality starter. Amon-Ra St. Brown shined towards the end of last season, and now has some quality counterparts. DJ Chark comes over from Jacksonville and will help open up the field along with rookie Jameson Williams. However, Williams is still recovering from a torn ACL, but should be ready a few weeks into the season.

The defense ranked 29th last year, but is getting a big boost from #1 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson. He joins a defensive line that has potential, but will still be a bottom-ten unit in the league. They won’t be getting a lot of help from linebackers Alex Anzalone and Chris Board, either. Both players have been unable to prove to be quality starters in this league.

The secondary will still rank towards the bottom of the league, but it will be interesting to see if cornerback Amani Oruwariye can build off a good 2021. Jeff Okudah is still coming back from an Achilles injury, so Mike Hughes will be opposite Oruwariye. The safety tandem of Tracy Walker and DeShone Elliott is average, so I wouldn’t expect too much from this defense.

Prediction

I like the direction Dan Campbell is taking this team, but they need to put some wins up this year. I believe they will, finishing the season 7-10, and 1-5 against the rest of the NFC North.

2. Minnesota Vikings

Key losses – S Xavier Woods, OLB Anthony Barr, OLB Nick Vigil, TE Tyler Conklin, C Mason Cole

Key additions – HC Kevin O’Connell, OLB Za’Darius Smith, DT Harrison Phillips, ILB Jordan Hicks, OG Chris Reed, OG Jesse Davis, TE Johnny Mundt, S Lewis Cine, CB Andrew Booth Jr., OG Ed Ingram, LB Brian Asamoah

Re-signed – CB Patrick Peterson (1-year)

Extensions – QB Kirk Cousins (1-year, $35 million)

The Vikings missed the playoffs for the second straight season, going 8-9 and finishing second in the NFC North. They fired Mike Zimmer and decided to bring in Kevin O’Connell, former Rams offensive coordinator. O’Connell will look to lead the Vikings to the playoffs, and hopefully farther.

Last year’s offense ranked 12th in the NFL, but could take a jump this year. O’Connell is bringing a Super Bowl-quality playbook to help quarterback Kirk Cousins. Cousins is also getting help from amazing offensive weapons. Dalvin Cook is back to take the load off of Cousins’ plate, looking for his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season.

However, Cook is running behind a below-average offensive line. If Christian Darrisaw can improve off of a good 2021 as a rookie, this line can move to top 15 in the league. The receiving corps is loaded, with Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen starring. Tight end Irv Smith Jr. is looking to make a jump and open up the field for Jefferson and Thielen. It should be a top-10 offense this year with O’Connell at the helm.

The defensive side of the ball struggled last season, finishing 30th in the NFL. They got some help up front with edge rusher Za’Darius Smith and defensive tackle Harrison Phillips. It’s now a top-15 defensive line in the league. Jordan Hicks and Eric Kendricks help create a top ten linebacker corps in the league and will look to fill the lanes.

The secondary is slightly above average after adding two players in this year’s draft. Lewis Cline is one of them who could start along side Harrison Smith to create a nice safety tandem. The cornerbacks feature Patrick Peterson, who is aging, and Cameron Dantzler, who looks to shine this season. It is a much-improved secondary looking to be a top-15 group in the league.

Prediction

I believe the Vikings did well this offseason and will make it back to the playoffs this season. I have them finishing 10-7 after going 4-2 in the division. Expect a monster season from Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson.

1. Green Bay Packers

Key losses – C Lucas Patrick, P Corey Bojorquez, OT Billy Turner, WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, OLB Za’Darius Smith, CB Chandon Sullivan, ILB Oren Burks, WR Davante Adams

Key additions – P Pat O’Donnell, DE Jarran Reed, WR Sammy Watkins, LB Quay Walker, DL Devonte Wyatt, WR Christian Watson, WR Romeo Doubs, OL Sean Rhyan

Re-signed – CB Rasul Douglas (3-years), Robert Tonyan Jr. (1-year), LB De’Vondre Campbell (5-years)

Extensions – CB Jaire Alexander (4-years, $84 million), QB Aaron Rodgers (3-years, $150 million), LB Preston Smith (4-years, $52 million)

The Packers ran away with the NFC North last year and earned the #1 seed in the NFC all-together. They finished 13-4, before losing in the divisional round to the San Francisco 49ers. They traded away superstar wideout Davante Adams, so we’ll see if quarterback Aaron Rodgers can win his third straight MVP without him.

The offense ranked tenth last year, and is now without its top target from a year ago. Rookie wide receivers Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson will have to step up to carry the load. Tight end Robert Tonyan is looking to shine again after a breakout season with 11 touchdowns, and could help Rodgers make the passing game top ten.

Rodgers will be protected by a top-tier offensive line. There is a minor worry at tackl,e with Elgton Jenkins still working back from an ACL tear. The running back room is phenomenal with AJ Dillon being the bruiser, and Aaron Jones being a quality dual-threat back. This offense will be scary as long as they have #12 under center.

The defense was phenomenal last season, as they ranked ninth in total defense. They lost Za’Darius Smith to the Vikings, but still bring in a great front seven. The defensive line ranks in my top five, while the linebacker unit is in the top ten. De’Vondre Campbell leads the linebackers, alongside rookie Quay Walker. The defensive line includes superstar Kenny Clark, who gets help from pass rusher Rashan Gary.

The secondary could be the biggest strength of this team. With superstar Jaire Alexander, they have lockdown ability along with a top-flight safety tandem in Darnell Savage and Adrian Amos. This defense should be elite this season, as they don’t have a major weakness.

Prediction

The Packers have the back-to-back MVP, so I don’t expect them to lose this division. I have them finishing 12-5, and 6-0 against the NFC North. Expect a superstar to emerge on that offense.

Atlanta Falcons cornerback AJ Terrell and Detroit Lions offense

Atlanta Falcons Rebuild: This Team is Similar to the 2021 Lions

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The rebuild for the Atlanta Falcons in Flowery Branch has reached new levels of optimism. Even I have succumbed to looking at this season through training camp goggles. But deep below the surface of A.J. Terrell pass breakups and Feliepe Franks truck sticks is a reality that has not changed: this is still a rebuilding roster.

They are taking proper steps towards competency in the NFC, but there’s still much to do before they’re ready to take that next step. But, when you mix the current quarterback situation with the insane strength of schedule (10th in the league), this step in the rebuild will not be measured in wins and losses.

The Falcons have been preaching competitiveness for the better part of this off-season, a very similar focus made by a team last season that most pundits feel is moving in the right direction: The Detroit Lions.

Comparing the 2021 Detroit Lions and the 2022 Atlanta Falcons

Both teams have not seen a .500 record since 2017. They also both recently let go of their long-time franchise quarterbacks, thus causing uncertainty at the position. Finally, both teams have recently brought in a new head coach to give them an identity.

To add to the similarities, three players highlight the similarities of their respective situations. Three heroes of their rebuilds, if you will.

The Unlikely Hero

For Detroit, the unlikely hero last season was wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. The fourth-round pick out of USC came into the league as a surprisingly complete receiver. He needed his time to get acclimated to the speed of the NFL, and for St. Brown, it took only 11 games. St. Brown’s final six games of his rookie campaign ended with 51 receptions on 67 targets and 560 yards, which accounted for about 60% of his production receiving for the year.

For Atlanta, expect that unlikely hero to be rookie running back Tyler Allgeier. The Falcons were 30th in yards per attempt last season and 31st in total rushing yards. They also did not get much push from the offensive line as they were 29th in yards before contact.

The offensive line has remained about the same, unfortunately. However, mobile quarterbacks Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder open up another aspect of the offense — the run/pass option that Ryan Tannehill ran so well when Arthur Smith was in Tennessee. And with Tannehill came a running back that got better as the game progressed with his physicality.

This is not implying that Allgeier is Derrick Henry; nobody will ever be Derrick Henry. But Allgeier can alleviate some of the carries from Cordarrelle Patterson, allowing him to be more of an offensive weapon than a traditional running back. He will have to beat out Damien Williams, the free agent from Kansas City that shined in Super Bowl LIV. But make no mistake, Allgeier has been brought here to be the feature back for years to come for the Falcons, and it starts with this year.

The Antihero

The comparisons between the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons don’t stop with the unlikely hero. Both teams have an antihero to deal with despite their shortcomings as players. In Detroit, the antihero was quarterback Jared Goff.

The Los Angeles Rams traded Jared Goff in the offseason going into the 2021 season. Goff didn’t have that X-factor to take Sean McVay’s offense to the next level. He doesn’t add anything to the offense past what is on the play-call sheet. But he did keep the ball out of harm’s way, was 12th in completion percentage, and the bottom quarter in interceptions — but dead last in intended air yards per pass attempt. With Goff, you take the good with the bad.

Atlanta will have to do the same with Deion Jones this season. Jones’ production had been steadily declining since his foot injury in 2018. In the Atlanta defense, Deion Jones was known for his coverage ability. However, starting with 2019, his quarterback rating when targeted has been 92.3, 114.0, and 115.5, according to Pro Football Reference.

However, he does still have the speed to go sideline-to-sideline. He was hurt last year, which could explain his hesitancy to seek out contact. Since the Falcons couldn’t trade Jones this offseason, they are ultimately stuck with the seventh-year linebacker. Let’s hope that he can resemble his former self.

The Superhero

Finally, we have the superhero. The most vital hero of the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons rebuilds. For Detroit, the war hero is D’Andre Swift. Don’t let last year’s performance fool you about Swift; he is still the same dawg that came out in 2019. His workload dipped due to a lingering injury, but he has some durability concerns. They stem mainly from him having to shoulder so much of the load offensively.

But all of that is about to change. The Lions have outfitted themselves with D.J. Chark, St. Brown, and rookie Jameson Williams to ease the carry load. The Lions are doing what they can to elongate the career of their feature back. 

For the Falcons, their superhero is none other than the unicorn himself, Kyle Pitts. He ran out of gas and pulled his hamstring with how much of the offense he had to shoulder last season. The only two players that were legitimate threats on the Falcons offense in 2021 were Cordarrelle Patterson and Pitts, which is insane to think about when you see that Pitts only registered one touchdown the entire season.

Defensive coordinators keyed in on Pitts and forced them to go to any other option in that barren offense. But, just like Swift, the Falcons decided to outfit the rest of the offense around Pitts. Drake London, Bryan Edwards, and Auden Tate to the passing game and Allgeier and Damien Williams to a physical running game as a complement. Making Pitts the focal point of this offense and allowing him to be the superhero of the team should make for an exciting brand of Falcons football in 2022.

Senior Bowl

Senior Bowl Watchlist: American

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senior bowl watchlist
Photo Credit: Getty Images Don Juan Moore

This is the first Senior Bowl watchlist by the Around the Block scouting department. By this time next week, over 100 prospects will be in Mobile, Alabama for the Senior Bowl. The Senior Bowl is the most prestigious collegiate all-star game for draft prospects.

They will practice with NFL coaching staffs during the week then play in a game on Saturday, February 5th. The Senior Bowl provides a fantastic opportunity for prospects from diverse backgrounds to prove themselves on a level playing field.

This year, the Detroit Lions and the New York Jets will be coaching up the players. The scouting department for Around the Block put together a watchlist of players from each Senior Bowl team, the American and the National. This Senior Bowl watchlist will preview the players on the American team, coached by the Detroit Lions.

Quarterback – Malik Willis, Liberty

The American team roster probably has the more diverse group of quarterbacks. Among the ATB staff, however, there was near consensus that Malik Willis is the most intriguing of the trio. Willis began his career at Auburn but elected to transfer when true freshman Bo Nix won the starting job.

He had two great seasons at Liberty but still has a lot of room to grow as a passer. The Senior Bowl provides a great opportunity for quarterbacks at lower-level schools to prove they can run an NFL offense. 

Offense – D’Vonte Price, Florida International

D’Vonte Price is a pretty deep sleeper in a running back class chock full of talent. Price is a bigger back that does everything pretty well. On an FIU squad devoid of NFL talent, he consistently performed above his expectations. Price started this season off strong but faded down the stretch due to injury. He’ll be playing alongside three SEC running backs on the American squad so if he can keep up with them, he could significantly improve his draft stock. 

SMU Trio (Reggie Roberson, Danny Gray, Grant Calcaterra)

This is a bit of a cop-out but all three names were mentioned among the staff. Roberson was a hot name a few years ago. However, season-ending injuries in consecutive seasons forced him back to school. But in his absence, Danny Gray stepped up to become the Mustangs’ leading receiver the last two seasons. Additionally, Grant Calcaterra came out of retirement after a stellar but short career with Oklahoma to earn several All-AAC honors. 

Offensive Line – Max Mitchell, Louisiana

Over the past few seasons, the Ragin’ Cajuns have been one of the best running teams in college football. One of the biggest reasons for their success is their offensive line. Two former Louisiana linemen are starting in the NFL right now (Robert Hunt, Dolphins; Kevin Dotson, Steelers).

The next player in their lineage is Max Mitchell. Mitchell earned the highest Offense and Run Blocking grades among all tackles in college football, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s started at both tackle spots and even played guard at times. If he can hold up in 1-on-1s and continue his dominance in the game, he could solidify himself as a top-100 pick.  

Defensive Line – Kingsley Enagbare, South Carolina

At the end of this process, Kingsley Enagbare could be the highest drafted player on the American squad (quarterbacks excluded). Despite having a relatively down year in terms of sacks in 2021, Enagbare consistently put pressure on the quarterback. He will have ample opportunity to display his skills in the individual drills, typically where the defensive linemen can shine the most. If he puts together a good week of practice in Mobile, he could cement himself as a first-round pick. 

Linebackers – Quay Walker, Georgia

At 6’4” and 240 pounds, Quay Walker is among the most imposing and physically terrifying prospects. He’s an extremely versatile defensive chess piece that can fill a variety of roles. In the modern NFL that requires linebackers to do so much, Walker is the prototypical linebacker for a new age of football. Thanks to his incredible physical gifts, he should be able to excel during practices and demonstrate that he is worthy of being selected in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft. 

Defensive Backs – Tariq Woolen, UTSA

Even with the Legion of Boom long disbanded, the age of the tall, long cornerback is far from over. Tariq Woolen, listed at 6’4” and 205 pounds, is among the biggest cornerbacks in recent memory. He’s actually a converted wide receiver and has only been playing defense for about two years.

Woolen is still far from a finished product as a cornerback but getting coaching from an NFL staff should help him fix some of those issues. He needs to show he can stick with receivers off the line of scrimmage and stay in phase down the field.