Which Small School Players Have Stood Out at the Senior Bowl?
The Senior Bowl is a major piece of the puzzle in draft season that holds a good bit of weight for these NFL teams. The week in Mobile is important for every player involved, but especially for the small school guys.
For many of these players, this is the only chance that NFL teams have to see them against NFL talent. We have seen this event propel numerous small school players in the past, with players such as Kyle Dugger, Jeremy Chinn, Quinn Meinerz, and even All-Pro Darius Leonard seeing their stock soar after the event.
With there being quite a few small school players at the event this year, I wanted to highlight a couple that have stood out to me on practice film.
Cole Strange, IOL, Chattanooga
One of the more pleasant surprises of the week has been interior offensive lineman Cole Strange. Lining up at center, he has been far from perfect on all of his reps. He has been driven back on quite a few snaps and has shown that he needs a bit more work prior to playing in the NFL.
Where he has stood out to me has been his ability to bounce back and recover. He plays an aggressive style on the interior, constantly jumping bigger defenders. Even after the plays that he has been beat, he continues to go after these bigger school players across from him.
I've also been very impressed by his hands all week. He does a great job of striking and replacing when defenders are trying to break free. If he can continue to build on all these positives, and test well at the Combine, he should continue to see his stock rise in this process.
Matt Waletzko, OT, North Dakota
Matt Waletzko is the perfect example of a player that certainly looks the part. After measuring in at 6'6" 310 pounds (with 35" arms), he just needed to have a good week to see his stock soar. While it wasn't perfect by any means, much like Strange's above, he showed some really promising signs.
He is a smooth athlete for his size and looked comfortable setting against these top FBS athletes. He had some outstanding battles with Minnesota's Boye Mafe all week, and even got the best of the Big Ten pass rusher on a few occasions.
Waletzko is a ball of clay when it comes to being a NFL prospect, but he showcased enough this week to show that he can play in the league. He just needs some more development and time to excel at the next level.
Ja'Tyre Carter, IOL, Southern
The other two offensive linemen on this list were firmly on my radar coming into the week. Carter, however, was a player that I was not familiar with whatsoever. He was so impressive on the first day of practice that I had to go back and look over the roster just to see who he was.
I was extremely impressed with the pop in Carter's hands this week. For a somewhat smaller player, he was simply rocking opposing defensive linemen. He also showcased some outstanding athleticism and footwork on the interior.
He may need some time to develop at the next level, but I came away very impressed with how this small schooler played this week.
Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State
One of the biggest winners of the week, regardless of school, was North Dakota State's Christian Watson. An absolute superstar at the FCS level, Watson carried on his high level of play to one of the biggest stages of the year.
He showcased why he could be special at the next level all week. He has an outstanding blend of size (6'4") and athleticism that allows him to win in multiple ways. He looked like the smoothest receiver on the field throughout the practices.
If he can refine some areas of his game and play a little more physical, he can be a legit weapon at the next level.
Gregory Junior, CB, Ouachita Baptist
The player from the smallest school in attendance showed out in a big way this week. Gregory Junior, from little Ouachita Baptist, looked every bit like he belonged throughout the entire week.
He took the fight to these big school receivers in press coverage and his footwork down the field was phenomenal. He was quick with very little wasted movement on his reps.
There is obviously still a long way to go for the small schooler to make it in the NFL, but this week was an A+ performance for a player that was looking to make a name for himself.
Follow Zach on Twitter @ZachHicks2.
