Top storylines going into Senior Bowl
TCU defensive end L.J. Collier made a name for himself at the Senior Bowl last year.
Collier wasn’t viewed by most as a first-round talent following his college career, but he laid the groundwork for that with a solid week of practices at the Senior Bowl. Eventually, he became a first-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks.
Could another TCU product play his way into the first-round at this year’s Senior Bowl? Jeff Gladney has pulled out of the all-star game with “sore knee,” but running back Darius Anderson is there.
Anderson will have a chance to show why he’s a home-run threat every time he touches the ball.
Beyond the TCU players, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been a staple at the all-star event for years. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott earned Senior Bowl MVP honors in 2016.
With the game to be played on Saturday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala., this week’s practices figure to be among the most heavily scouted by NFL teams. Here are some other major story lines heading into this year’s game:
TCU’s Jet
TCU running back Darius Anderson is nicknamed “The Jet,” and if you haven’t seen him one look at his highlights tell you why. Nobody will soon forget his 93-yard TD run against Ohio State in 2018.
Anderson led the Horned Frogs with 823 yards rushing this season. He also had 128 yards receiving and scored six touchdowns.
The most important thing for Anderson will be to show scouts he’s improved as a pass blocker and is an every-down back.
Eyes on the Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys have a new coach in Mike McCarthy and have plenty of holes to fill.
As our Clarence E. Hill Jr. said, among the many positions of interest for the Cowboys this off-season, defensive tackle, cornerback, safety, tight end, linebacker, wide receiver and offensive line are among them.
The Cowboys have drafted players who had standout Senior Bowls such as Dak Prescott in 2016 and right guard Zack Martin in 2014.
Eyes on the Longhorns
The University of Texas has a few wideouts who are looking to boost their stock this week in Collin Johnson and Devin Duvernay.
Johnson finished with 559 yards and three TDs in seven games this season, missing the final six regular-season games with a hamstring injury.
Duvernay, meanwhile, led the Big 12 with 1,386 yards receiving and nine touchdowns. He had 106 receptions on the season, 30 more than the conference’s next closest player, Iowa State’s Deshaunte Jones, who had 76.
QB watch
On the heels of winning the national championship, LSU’s Joe Burrow has pulled out of the Senior Bowl. But even though last season’s Heisman Trophy winner will not be participating, there will be interest in several other quarterbacks.
Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts will be a star throughout the week, returning to Alabama after having played in Tuscaloosa for three seasons. More importantly, Hurts must show he has the talent and skill to succeed at the next level.
After Hurts, the highest-touted QB prospects will be Oregon’s Justin Herbert and Utah State’s Jordan Love. Other notable quarterbacks include Washington State’s Anthony Gordon and Michigan’s Shea Patterson.
This story was originally published January 20, 2020 at 7:00 AM.
