Senior Bowl Players to Watch: Defense

As the NFL season winds down, the draft season heats up.

This year the draft process will be a bit different than in year’s past, given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. But the unofficial kickoff to draft season is upon us, the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

While this week usually gives teams a chance to see draft prospects up close over the course of a few days of practice, the circumstances of 2021 might mean the Senior Bowl takes on even more importance. With the NFL shelving the Scouting Combine, Senior Bowl Week is now the best chance for teams to get true face time with prospects before the draft, meaning those who have good weeks down in Mobile could truly improve their draft stock.

With that in mind, here are just some of the names I’ll be keeping a close eye on this week on the defensive side of the ball.

Levi Onwuzurike, DL, Washington

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The Senior Bowl is a huge opportunity for players who decided to opt-out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns, and that leads us to our first player to watch, Levi Onwuzurike from Washington. Onwuzurike has the size and frame to be a defensive end in a 3-4 scheme, but also has the experience to align as a defensive tackle in a 4-3 scheme. He combines that frame with some lateral movement skills as well as the ability to drop the anchor and set the point of attack against the run. Given that he opted out this season, the Senior Bowl is a chance for Onwuzurike to show that he has not lost a step given the time away from the field.

Marvin Wilson, DL, Florida State

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Coming into this season Florida State defensive tackle Marvin Wilson was viewed as perhaps the top prospect at his position. But a combination of injuries and standout play from other defensive tackles has seen Wilson slip down boards a bit. Wilson's season was cut short due to a knee injury that required minor surgery, but he should be ready to perform down in Mobile. When healthy, Wilson has the raw power to be a dominant run defender as well as the hand quickness to generate some pressure in the interior when rushing the passer. If he can put together a solid week, Wilson should move back up boards this spring.

Tarron Jackson, EDGE, Coastal Carolina

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Tarron Jackson is listed as a defensive lineman on the Senior Bowl website but is perhaps best viewed as an EDGE for NFL purposes. He has the ability to run the arc off the edge against tackles, and on film displays a solid array of pass-rushing moves such as swim moves or rip moves. Jackson splashed on the national stage with double-digit sacks in 2019, and he followed that up with 8.5 sacks in the following season. Those numbers led to a number of accolades for Jackson this year, as he was named an All-American by the Associated Press as well as ESPN, and he was named the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year. A solid week down in Mobile could put him right into Day Two range for the 2021 NFL Draft.

Shaka Toney, EDGE, Penn State

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The EDGE class for this year's Senior Bowl is rather deep, and it was difficult to leave names off of this list. Honestly, all of the players at this position who will be down in Mobile are worth keeping an eye on. We start with Shaka Toney from Penn State, whose combination of quickness and explosiveness made him a dangerous collegiate pass rusher. The question he will need to answer for the NFL is whether that quickness can be maintained if he adds weight to his frame. Right now Toney is listed at 6'3" 240, and if he puts on some pounds can he maintain that explosiveness? Otherwise you might hear that dreaded "tweener" description. But given that rushing the passer remains a need for almost every team, if you need that, he can help immediately.

Jonathan Cooper, EDGE, Ohio State

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During his time on campus Jonathan Cooper has been more of a rotational/complimentary type of player. In 2018 he became a full-time starter opposite Nick Bosa, and notched 25 total tackles and 2.5 sacks. He lost the bulk of the 2019 season due to a high-ankle sprain and ended up taking a medical redshirt. In the limited season he was able to play in 2020, Cooper flashed both the production and the traits that will make him an intriguing prospect this draft season. Cooper led the Buckeyes with 3.5 sacks, and was almost dominant in the National Semifinal game, helping Ohio State slow down Trevor Lawrence and the Clemson Tigers. Pay attention to how well he uses his hands in pass rushing drills down in Mobile.

Rashad Weaver, EDGE, Pittsburgh

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Pittsburgh Panthers pass rusher Rashad Weaver enjoyed a solid 2018 season, posting 47 tackles, 6.5 sacks and 14 tackles for a loss. Many expected the 2019 campaign to be a massive one for the defender, but a torn ACL in training camp cost him the entire year. Weaver came back for 2020 and came back in a big way. He tallied 7.5 sacks and 34 tackles this past season, en route to being named an All-American. He plays with incredible skill and technique off the edge, and if you are looking for teaching tape at the position he is your kind of player. The medical checks will be a big part of his week, but if he flashes in practice like he has shown on film, Weaver can leave Mobile assured of at least an early Day Two selection.

Hamilcar Rashed Jr., EDGE, Oregon State

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Oregon State pass rusher Hamilcar Rashed Jr. exploded onto the national stage in 2019, thanks to a monster season that saw him notch 14 sacks and 22.5 tackles for a loss. That production had him atop many watch lists entering the 2020 campaign. But he could not repeat those numbers in the Beavers' abbreviated season. Admist schedule changes and more, Rashed tallied just 15 tackles - two for a loss - and was held without a sack. His struggles opened the door to some questions about his play, and it slowly came out over the course of the season that he was dealing with multiple injuries. Mobile offers him a chance to show that he is more the player we saw in 2019, and not the player we saw this past season.

Jabril Cox, LB, LSU

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Jabril Cox felt he had something to prove. Despite leading the North Dakota State Bison to an FCS National Championship in 2019, the linebacker felt that some might look at him as an afterthought when it came to the NFL draft. So he decided to transfer, enrolling at LSU and in the toughest conference in all of college football, to demonstrate that he belonged at the highest levels. Cox proved that this season. Despite the Tigers' poor season, Cox was one of the lone bright spots. He notched 58 tackles, three interceptions (including an impressive Pick-Six - note the change-of-direction skills on this play and how Cox moves his hips) and was named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award. With a good performance at the Senior Bowl, Cox will show that he truly does belong at the next level.

Tuf Borland, LB, Ohio State

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Right now, this is the lasting image many have of Ohio State linebacker Tuf Borland. Trying to chase down DeVonta Smith when asked to by a coverage scheme that left him isolated against the Heisman Trophy winner. Mobile gives him a chance to put that image in the rear-view mirror and remind NFL teams why he is a solid prospect at the next level. One of three linebackers from Ohio State making the Senior Bowl (Justin Hilliard and Baron Browning are the others) Borland stands out because his long career for the Buckeyes and the questions he'll need to answer. Right now Borland looks like more of a two-down, between the tackles thumper at the position, something that is becoming more of a dinosaur in the modern NFL. The image of him trying in vain to chase down Smith does not help. If he can show athleticism and sideline-to-sideline ability this week - something that has eluded him a bit in the past - he'll leave Mobile in a much better position.

Derrick Barnes, LB, Purdue

Here comes another of the dreaded "tweener" types. During his collegiate career at Purdue linebacker Derrick Barnes has been used as both an off-ball linebacker and an EDGE defender. In 2019 he was used more as a pass rusher and that saw a breakout season develop, as he notched 7.5 sacks. This season he was used as more of a traditional linebacker, and even in limited action he failed to record a sack. The Senior Bowl gives him a chance to show what he can do best at the next level. Is he athletic enough to win consistently on the edge, making him valuable as a pass rusher? Is he instinctive enough to be a force in an off-ball role in the NFL? He'll need to answer these questions one way or another, and Mobile gives him a chance to do just that before NFL eyes.

Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina

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I wrote prior to the season that Chazz Surratt was perhaps one of my favorite storylines entering the 2020 college campaign. Surratt was recruited as a quarterback and as a redshirt freshman in 2017 he made seven starts for the Tar Heels, throwing for 1,342 yards and eight touchdowns. But he appeared in just one game at quarterback in 2018, and after that season he switched to linebacker. In 2019, his first season as a ‘backer? He was named a First-Team All-ACC selection and was a runner-up for ACC Defensive Player of the Year. His 115 tackles led the team and were second in the conference. With an abbreviated schedule Surratt could not top those 2019 numbers, but he came close. Where he had 6.5 sacks in the 2019 season, Surratt posted six in just 11 games. He also tallied 91 tackles, falling shy of the number posted a year ago. His athleticism and movement skills might make him the model linebacker for today's NFL.

Bryan Mills, CB, North Carolina Central

Cornerbacks with length remain coveted in the NFL, and if that sounds like something you are looking for then Bryan Mills from North Carolina Central might be your kind of player. Mills checks in at 6'2", but his movement skills and change-of-direction ability are ideal for an NFL CB. He also has good ability at the catch point, as evidenced by his 13 pass breakups and five interceptions from 2019. Scouts will want to see Mills tested against better competition, and the Senior Bowl gives him the chance to show what he can do matched up with some of the best receivers in the class. His frame might raise some questions as well (Mills is listed at 170) and there is room to add some bulk but will that sacrifice his movement ability?

Robert Rochelle, CB, Central Arkansas

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Every summer Bruce Feldman with The Athletic puts together his "Freak List," identifying some of the most athletic players to watch in the upcoming college football season. This year, Central Arkansas defensive back Robert Rochelle was one of the names listed. Why?

Rochelle did not match his 2019 production this past season, recording just three pass breakups and zero interceptions, but you cannot teach athleticism. If his play in Mobile remains freakish, he'll be in position for a Day Two pick.

Joshuah Bledsoe, S, Washington

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If the NFL is truly moving towards position-less defense, as seems to be the trend, then Missouri safety Joshuah Bledsoe could be in prime position to take advantage of that shift. Missouri used him both as a deep safety, as a player in the slot and even sometimes on the edge. His best film is when he's down in the box, either helping against the run or working in the underneath zones. He has the athleticism to function in a deep safety role and even as the post player in single-high schemes, but he is at his best when he's allowed to work in the slot or near the line of scrimmage. Given the need to use sub packages in the modern NFL, Bledsoe might be coming out of school at just the right time. The Senior Bowl gives him a chance to showcase his flexibility and how he could be a critical component in any modern NFL defense.

Hamsah Nasirildeen, S, Florida State

Another safety who looks the part of the modern hybrid defender is Hamsah Nasirildeen from Florida State. The Seminoles used him all over the field, aligning him as a single-high safety, a two-deep safety, a slot defender and down near the line of scrimmage. His combination of size and athletic ability make him super functional in all of those roles, as you can see him get to the sideline from a post-safety alignment on one play, force the run from the slot on a second play, and run with a seam route on the third. A leg injury suffered late in the 2019 campaign had Nasirildeen on the shelf to start the 2020 season, but he returned to the field late in the year and managed to pick up right where he left off, securing ACC Defensive Back of the Week honors for his performance against Duke, where he notched an interception in just his second game of the season. His versatility and athleticism should make him a highly-coveted player on Day Two.