Senior Bowl Day 2 Report: Who Shined In The Rain?

Some names double down on a strong start, while others make their first appearance as winners at the Senior Bowl

MOBILE, Ala. -- As we discussed in our day one recaps of the 2022 Senior Bowl, Day 2 is all about building on Day 1 success, or rebounding from early struggles. 

On the first day, Washington Football Team personnel were on hand to see how the festivities got started, and on Wednesday, it was the Washington Commanders looking for talent to break a two-year run of seven-win seasons under head coach Ron Rivera. 

Here are some of the standouts from Day 2:

DYLAN PARHAM, OL (MEMPHIS)

Dylan Parham
Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Dylan Parham
Photo by George Walker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

This is one young man who took a strong first-day performance and stacked another solid practice session on top of it. 

Add to those the fact he's really just scratching the surface of his talents as a lineman, and the upside is undeniable for NFL teams in search of young depth to develop.

Which is all of them. 

CHRISTIAN WATSON, WR (NORTH DAKOTA STATE)

Christian Watson
Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Christian Watson
Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

Weather can raise the difficulty level, and adds chips to the ante for prospects at the Senior Bowl. 

A lot of footballs found grass after slipping from the grasp of receivers on Wednesday thanks to consistent rain ... especially during the first practice session of the day. 

One receiver who consistently found ways to bring in passes despite the rain was Watson, a Day 1 standout for his fluid route running and ability to win against various defenders. 

His competitive spirit is obvious when watching him fight for the position against defensive backs, and his hands came through for him in a big way on Wednesday. 

Zero chance he's not on every team's board, at this point. 

MALIK WILLIS, QB (LIBERTY)

Malik Willis
Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

I was not as high on Willis after the first day as many were, but he improved on Day 2 inconsistency and I saw some good decision making and processing that I felt was lacking a bit to start the week. 

We know what Willis brings as an athlete, and we saw that as well on Wednesday. 

It was a strong reminder of why athletic quarterbacks are on the rise in the NFL, as he made big plays with his arm and legs, while others in the position were left relying on check-downs or throwing into tight coverages in bad weather. 

TYREKE SMITH, DL (OHIO STATE)

Tyreke Smith
Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images
Tyreke Smith
Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

Smith got some love on Day 1, ensuring I kept an eye out for him on Day 2. 

What I saw was speed, athleticism, and more than just a couple of moves. 

All things that make for a dangerous pass rusher with upside still to be reached. 

Qualities any defensive coordinator could find a way to incorporate into their unit. 

Solid performances by arguably the deepest Senior Bowl roster to date, and there's still one day of practice left before the two sides meet on Saturday to figure out which side is going to walk away with the bragging rights. 


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David Harrison
DAVID HARRISON

David Harrison has covered the NFL since 2015 as a digital content creator in both written and audio media. He is the host of Locked On Commanders and a graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. His previous career was as a Military Working Dog Handler for the United States Army. Contact David via email at david.w.harrison82@gmail.com or on Twitter @DHarrison82.