2022 Senior Bowl Game Recap: National Team Standouts

The National team was victorious over the American team in the Senior Bowl, which closed out a successful week

Jordan Pun | Feb 5, 2022

2022 Senior Bowl Game Recap: National Team Standouts /

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The New York Jets coaching staff prepared the National team well for their 20-10 win over the Detroit Lions-led American team in the Senior Bowl. There were numerous standouts who executed at a high level to generate game-altering plays that capped off their strong practices throughout the week and boosted their draft stock.

EDGE Boye Mafe, Minnesota

The best player in the game, Mafe was a consistent pain to block in pass protection. He displayed the eye-popping athleticism that landed him on Bruce Feldman's "Freak List" by beating tackles around the edge with his speed and finishing with two sacks, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble.

Absolute domination from @GopherFootball EDGE Boye Mafe at this year’s @seniorbowl!

Explodes off the snap, perfectly times a quick swipe, and surges into the pocket.#TheDraftStartsInMOBILE

https://t.co/N9K429Jp4w
— College Football Network (@CFN365) February 5, 2022

Furthermore, Mafe generated numerous pressures, forcing the American quarterbacks out of the pocket and one of his pressures led to a sack for teammate Perrion Winfrey.

Mafe pairs his get-off and bend with active hands that provides a promising profile as an impact pass rusher. He's solidified a top-100 ranking after having impressive tape and production to go along with his strong week in Mobile.

IDL Perrion Winfrey, Oklahoma

Speaking of the devil; that's what Winfrey was to the American team all week long and it continued in the game with a sack and three tackles for loss. Winfrey has ideal size and length for a 3-tech defensive tackle at 6-foot-3, 303 pounds and 35-inch arms.

Perrion Winfrey gets the sack, but @GopherFootball edge rusher Boye Mafe was the one who forced Sam Howell out of the pocket.

Mafe has been virtually unblockable so far in the @seniorbowl.#TheDraftStartsInMOBILE

https://t.co/qeQ5Tt5oZz
— College Football Network (@CFN365) February 5, 2022

Furthermore, his explosive first step and quick hands makes him able to feast on solo blocks in the run game, which allows him to disrupt running backs' lanes. Expect Winfrey to appear in first rounds of mock drafts after this impressive week.

What stood out apart from his play on the field was the energy he consistently brought. Whether it was hyping up teammates after they made a good play, making sure they keep their head up after a bad play, or being a certified hype man on the sideline, Winfrey brings energy every NFL team should want.

EDGE Jesse Luketa, Penn State

That's right, the National defensive line was the reason they won the game. Luketa made high-impact plays with his two sacks. He showcased great burst off the snap, the lower-body flexibility to corner and the closing speed to get to quarterbacks Sam Howell and Bailey Zappe before a throw was made.

Sam Howell strip sacked again. This time by Jesse Luketa. pic.twitter.com/RBmG0x67a8
— solvingfootball (@solvingfootball) February 5, 2022

Luketa was an impressive linebacker at Penn State, but might be an even better EDGE. Either way, his versatility is a huge plus and his tape already showed a strong run defender with potential in coverage. His improved pass-rush skills make him a complete player.

Jesse Luketa is going to be very good for a very long time.#PennState I #SeniorBowl I @OttawasVeryOwn pic.twitter.com/QnDxjMt4Qi
— Logan Reever (@loganreever) February 5, 2022

RB Rachaad White, Arizona State

The National team mainly got the job done on the ground and White led the way with 11 carries for 57 yards (4.7 average). He converted a key fourth-and-2 and also ripped off the longest run of the day.

📝🏈 Wow… Rachaad White is tearing it up right now at the @seniorbowl @AlamedaViews he is raising his stock👀 #SeniorBowl #NFL #NFLDraft @chaad_3

pic.twitter.com/PbqUh59Xhd
— Marissa Myers (@Marissa_M27) February 5, 2022

He had also been a winner in practices, consistently showing vision to find the best lane and some physical toughness to gain yards after contact. White is proving to be a solid bet for teams looking for a multi-purpose back on Day 3.

TE Jake Ferguson, Wisconsin

While White led the National team on the ground, Ferguson led them through the air. He finished a strong day with three catches for 62 yards and a pivotal touchdown.

Ferguson was known for his blocking at Wisconsin, but he was also a savvy route-runner who knew how to deceive defenses and find open spaces. He had two similar catches today where he started from the front side of what looked like a run, then slipped across the formation to leak towards the numbers for a wide-open grab off a play-action bootleg.

Dependability is the name of his game and NFL teams will love his all-around skillset. He could go late Day 2 or early Day 3 and bring a do-it-all mentality.

WR Christian Watson, North Dakota State

The final standout of the game, Watson continued to look like the best wide receiver for the National team. He's a strong wideout with great size at 6-foot-4, 211 pounds and soft hands that showed up during the rainy conditions on Day 2 and with a difficult grab that was destined for the dirt during the game.

Strong release by Christian Watson and then adjusts to the under thrown pass pic.twitter.com/cFty54zklP
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) February 5, 2022

Watson is the prospect who arguably raised his stock the most. Hailing from North Dakota State, a run-heavy program that dominates lower competition, there were fair questions about how Watson would respond to playing against the best upperclassmen in the nation.

He answered the bell and then some with how he displayed an all-around skillset and won with savvy releases, body control and play strength. He's now a strong bet to be picked on Day 2.

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