The NFL draft is coming and mocks in 2014 are starting to come out as Senior Bowl practices and workouts are going down and Mel Kiper has been putting out his Big Board rankings and Top 10 picks with Johnny Manziel going to the Texans and now seniors get their chance to show off and one big name in AJ McCarron is not in Mobile for the game.
The Senior Bowl is a great way for less heralded players to get noticed and with NFL scouts and coaches working the players and watching the game, practices here could mean the difference between day one and day two of the draft and the difference between getting an NFL job and not getting picked at all in the draft in April. A player like Derek Carr is the perfect example of what the senior bowl can do, as he passed for over 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns, but since he is from Fresno State many question the numbers, but here he can show off his arm and his accuracy and that should get him moving up draft boards.
Jordan Matthews is a name that has been getting attention and with him going to Vanderbilt, he may not be as well regarded as someone like Sammy Watkins or even names like Mike Evans, Kelvin Benjamin and Allen Robinson, but if he performs well at the senior bowl he could jump over some of those names. Matthews is looked at as one of the better receivers in a deep draft at the position, but he did not get as much pub as the other receivers die to his size, but he has shown off that he is strong up front and can outmuscle cornerbacks so far in practice.
Logan Thomas from Virginia Tech is hoping to use the Senior Bowl like Carr to get into the top part of the quarterback conversation, as many are wondering who will be first to go behind the top trio of Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater and Blake Bortles. All those underclassmen are projected to go in the top 10 or at least in the first round, while others like Carr, David Fales and Thomas are looked at as later round picks. Last season only one name in EJ Manuel went in the first round and names like Geno Smith, Mike Glennon and Ryan Nassib were taken later on.
The Atlanta Falcons are keeping their options open and according to ESPN.com, some names they could be looking at includes Jake Matthews from Texas A&M as well as Greg Robinson or Anthony Barr from UCLA, who is considered to be one of the top picks this year. Jimmy Garoppolo from Eastern Illinois is a highly productive QB that had over 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns like Carr last season, but coming from EI, he won't get much publicity and now he is using the Senior Bowl to show off after a player went undrafted from his school and made it in Tony Romo. The senior bowl is intense and the players know the stakes now they must perform.
Here is a look at Kiper's updated Big Board and Top 10 from ESPN.com.
Texans, Johnny Manziel
St. Louis, Sammy Watkins
Jaguars, Blake Bortles
Browns, Jadeveon Clowney
Raiders, Jake Matthews
Falcons, Anthony Barr, lb
Bucs, Khalil Mack, lb
Minnesota, Teddy Bridgewater
Bills, Greg Robinson, ot
Lions, Justin Gilbert, cb
