When it comes to coaching in the Senior Bowl while looking for a quarterback, the Bears’ turn came at the wrong time.
From the team’s perspective, everything turned out just fine as the Bears wound up getting Mitch Trubisky with the No. 2 pick last year. That was after sorting through an undistinguished crop of quarterbacks on the Senior Bowl rosters — third-round picks Davis Webb and C.J. Beathard, fourth-round pick Josh Dobbs and fifth-round pick Nathan Peterman.
For all the benefits the Bears figured they would get coaching in the 2017 Senior Bowl, they wound up with only one player from the game — guard Jordan Morgan, a fifth-round pick from Kutztown who spent his rookie season on injured reserve after shoulder surgery.
Quarterbacks will be the talk of the town — and the internet — this week as Wyoming’s Josh Allen, Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield, Washington State’s Luke Falk and Virginia’s Kurt Benkert are four names atop an interesting group. Some believe Allen could be a top-five pick, and Mayfield stands to potentially gain a ton participating this week. How does he operate under center? What type of impression does he leave on teams in private interviews?
It remains to be seen if the current crop of quarterbacks will have near the success the 2016 bunch did. Carson Wentz was the No. 2 pick that year, and Dak Prescott and Jacoby Brissett also played in that game.
The more buzz the quarterbacks create in practices that begin Tuesday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, the better for the Bears. They hold the No. 8 pick, and some wonder if three quarterbacks could go in the top six picks. That would push talented players at other positions down the board to the Bears.
The Browns (Nos. 1 and 4), Giants (No. 2), Broncos (No. 5) and Jets (No. 6) all have a pressing need at quarterback, and while some interesting names are on the horizon for free agency, there will be quarterbacks taken early as there are nearly every year.
Here are six names to keep in mind as the week gets going with weigh-ins and measurements Tuesday morning:
Marcus Davenport, DE, Texas-San Antonio, 6-foot-7, 255 pounds: Davenport looks like a small-school version of Jadeveon Clowney in that there’s an element of man among boys. An amazing athlete with great power, he doesn’t play with great technique, and that’s how he goes from knocking over blockers like they’re folding chairs to sticking to others like he’s attached by Velcro. His technique must be refined. He showed the ability to drop in coverage on occasion. Some team ought to fall in love with him.
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, DE, Oklahoma, 6-1, 240: There’s really not a comparable for 6-1, 240 coming off the edge in the NFL. The Lions listed 37-year-old Dwight Freeney at 6-1, 268 this season. When Freeney came out of Syracuse in 2002, he weighed 266. Everyone is curious to see how Okoronkwo looks because he was very productive in school with 17 sacks the last two seasons. He plays very hard and has quick-twitch ability off the line of scrimmage, but his lack of height and length might make him a situational rusher. He could have a big week because of his speed off the ball.
Shaquem Griffin, LB, Central Florida, 6-2, 229: Griffin dominated the Peach Bowl against Auburn and wasted little time before declaring the Golden Knights should be national champions during an introductory news conference Monday night. Griffin has the speed to play from sideline to sideline, he hits with good power and he plays with only one hand. His left hand was amputated when he was 4, but as he said an introductory press news conference Monday night, “it’s not a disability until you make it one.” Griffin’s movement skills should impress scouts this week.
M.J. Stewart, CB, North Carolina, 6-0, 205: Had four interceptions as a sophomore in 2015 when he was a second-team All-ACC pick. Didn’t have the same ball production the last two seasons, but he’s versatile and can slide inside and has the thickness to handle the slot. He’s really physical and projects as a potential mid-round prospect.
Levi Wallace, CB, Alabama, 6-0, 183: A former walk-on for the Crimson Tide, Wallace emerged as a big-time player this season. He’s a little thin but has good length and NFL teams like players who come from Alabama because they’re used to a lot of the concepts they will need at the next level. He can play zone and man and has fluid hips and a willingness to tackle. NFL teams are going to love a guy with the moxie to walk on for Nick Saban.
Allen Lazard, WR, Iowa State, 6-5, 222: One of the biggest recruits to ever choose the Cyclones, Lazard had a super productive college career, totaling 241 receptions, 3,360 yards and 26 touchdowns (17 the last two seasons), giving him a handful of school records. He’s a big body receiver but isn’t as athletic as someone like the Buccaneers’ Mike Evans (6-5, 231). There are questions about his game. Does he have long speed? Can he separate and get open? There’s no question he can body up NFL defensive backs and make plays, but you can’t get away with that down in and down out. Everyone wants to see how he moves.
Twitter @BradBiggs
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