The 2021 Senior Bowl just finished up last week! Let's see some of the prospects that have soaring stocks!
Here are a few of the top performers. They played well, not only in just the game, but the entire week of practice. Anyone can have a bad game, so it’s very important to watch how they practice as well. The more information you gather, the more knowledge you have about a player. The list of prospects below all performed at a high level. As a result, they are seeing their draft stock begin to soar.
Cameron Sample, DL, Tulane
One of our first soaring stocks is that of Cameron Sample from Tulane. The defensive MVP of the game put on a show. Sample showed high effort all week long. He stood out in team periods, consistently winning one on one matchups, and got pressure on the quarterback. Sample made a significant impact on the game as he recorded seven tackles, two solos, and 1.5 sacks. He made high effort, impact plays, that caught the attention of scouts and coaches. Sample was also named the top defensive lineman practice player of the week on the American team, as voted by the National team o-line group.
Ritchie Grant, S, UCF
It’s not always what you do in the game itself, but what you do during the entire Senior Bowl week. Ritchie Grant from UCF made a number of plays throughout the week, including a pair of interceptions against QB Jamie Newman. He wowed with his man coverage skills in one on one drills. He also displayed his versatility by playing at multiple positions in the secondary. Grant has been one of my favorite IDP devy prospects for a couple of years now and will be an impact player at the next level. A perfect example of his type of impact can be seen in the 2019 Gasparilla Bowl, particularly the first six minutes of the game.
Janarius Robinson, EDGE, Florida St
Another player on the soaring stock list is Janarius Robinson from Florida State. After a great performance during the Senior Bowl, he has seen his stock trend upwards. He measured in with good size, (6’5”/266 lbs) with a huge wingspan, (87”) and had a phenomenal performance in the game with 5 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Robinson is still somewhat raw, but he showed good power and athleticism. He will be a great project with tremendous upside if he lands with the right team that can develop him properly.
Elerson Smith, EDGE, Northern Iowa
Another small-school standout is Elerson Smith. He saw his draft stock rise after the week-long event. He also had one of the best series of the game in the first quarter, where he registered a QB hit (flagged for questionable late hit), chased down a run to prevent a first down, then did an excellent job of staying home and setting the edge for a tackle for a loss. Smith showed all week long that he possesses fluid pass rush moves and isn’t easily blocked by offensive tackles. A high motor guy that plays with control, a skill that will be highly coveted at the next level.
Baron Browning, LB, Ohio State
Baron Browning, a player with soaring stock from the Ohio St Buckeyes had one of the most impressive weeks. The off the ball linebacker saw his draft stock soar throughout the week. He consistently impressed both playing in the box and dropping in coverage. As an added bonus Browning showed some upside ability as a pass rusher. He measured in at a whopping 6’3”/240 lbs but showed good speed all week long for a player his size. Browning did well in the game, showing his ability to set the edge while displaying sound handwork and violent shedding abilities. He made two outstanding plays leading to TFLs. One was attacking downhill, filling through the hole, and the other was disrupting the play on the outside.
Bryan Mills, DB, North Carolina Central
Every year we see a small school prospect shine in this week-long event to end up with soaring stocks. This week that player was Bryan Mills of the DIV-II North Carolina Central Eagles. He had a terrific week of practice, but he was up and down on game day. On a number of plays, he flashed very good coverage skills, but in the 1st quarter, on back-to-back plays, he was flagged for defensive pass interference and then beaten easily on a slant for 15 yards. Despite that, there is a lot to like about Mills and his game. At 6’2”/180 lbs he has the ideal size for a cornerback and very good instincts, both of which are highly sought after.
Quinn Meinerz, IOL, Wisconsin-Whitewater
I know this is an IDP article but I feel compelled to start including some much-needed love for offensive lineman. Quinn Meinerz from Wisconsin-Whitewater is country strong, literally, as evidenced by some of the video clips that went viral during Senior Bowl week. It’s easy to see how physically gifted, strong, and intelligent Meinerz is as he dominated DIV-III and then consistently did the same this past week against Power 5 defenders. Meinerz suffered a hand injury during the week. He stayed on the coaching staff and doctors, to let him continue to play but was overruled. We can only imagine the show he would have put on. That competitiveness, with his other high-end traits, have him as one of the top soaring stocks
