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2022 Reese's Senior Bowl Standouts: Nick's Picks

Nick Falato gives us his list of players who stood out in the 2022 Senior Bowl game.

Nick Falato

The National team (Jets) defeated the American Team (Lions) in the Reese's Senior Bowl 20-10.

The defense dominated the week of practice at the Reese's Senior Bowl, and it wasn't too much different during the game that culminated the event.

The game is much different than a normal affair. Assistant coaches act as head coaches for experience purposes, so Robert Saleh and Dan Campbell took reserve roles.

Secondly, every quarter has a two-minute warning, and there's a change of possession at the start of each quarter; this became noteworthy after the game's first touchdown that left four seconds on the clock in the first quarter.

Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett finished the game six of six for 89-yards to go along with this touchdown pass to Baylor running back Abram Smith:

Smith looked very good in space; he started his college career as a linebacker, and he had a solid overall week of practice but was very noticeable during the game.

I also loved what I saw from Arizona State running back Rachaad White. He's quick to diagnose and hits the hole with excellent burst. He almost scored a two-point conversion off a fumbled Desmond Ridder snap. Smith quickly scooped the ball up and almost scored.

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Pickett looked composed in the pocket, and the term "pro-ready" was being thrown around. He stayed within the structure of the offense, got to his check-downs when deeper passes were unavailable, and seemed comfortable.

Liberty quarterback Malik Willis also seemed comfortable. He had virtually no time left on the clock before the end of the first quarter, but speedy Memphis wide receiver Calvin Austin III drew a defensive pass interference call against Jim Thorpe winning Cincinnati cornerback Coby Bryant.

The penalty provided Willis a chance at a realistic touchdown pass, but the pocket collapsed, and Willis showed his impressive escapability while almost scoring a touchdown:

Willis used his impressive ability to extend plays and create yardage off structure. North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell showed the same throughout the game.

The defense rarely contained the quarterback's ability to rush. Howell picked up a rushing touchdown and frequently found good chunks of yardage with his legs while evading sacks-- one specifically from Cincinnati EDGE Myjai Sanders.

Howell had a few solid passes. He hit Austin III on a nice pass over the middle of the field, but the speedster couldn't hang onto the ball. Howell also connected with South Alabama WR Jalen Tolbert along the sidelines (there are no reviews in the game, but Tolbert didn't get both feet down).

Howell was sacked a few different times. One was on a pivotal 3rd & 2 where Oklahoma defensive lineman Perrion Winfrey sacked him--Winfrey was dominant from start to finish, and he deservedly won Senior Bowl MVP. 

Another defender who had a great game was Penn State's Jesse Luketa, who strip sacked Sam Howell to end a drive and force a field goal that was sent Scott Norwood's direction (wide right).

Both Winfrey and Luketa were all over the place. Winfrey had a huge tackle at the goal line to prevent a touchdown, and he also added another sack, while Luketa had two sacks as well; the Penn State pass rusher sacked Western Kentucky QB Bailey Zappe in pursuit after winning the edge. On the next play, Zappe was sacked by UCONN's Travis Jones was sacked, a player who consistently won in practice all week.

Minnesota pass rusher Boye Mafe also had a sack and was in the backfield for much of the game. The clutch defensive performances from the National team helped the Jets coaching staff secure the victory.

Myjai Sanders and Ohio State's Tyreke Smith each had a sack to force a punt on the game's first drive against Malik Willis. Smith's sack was on second down, and a facemask penalty was missed.

The long and physical pass rusher out of Western Kentucky, DeAngelo Malone, had a sack after defeating a Charlie Kolar blocking attempt from the tight end position for the American team's defense.

Although the game was out of reach, Zappe attempted to lead a touchdown drive with less than a minute left. He hit Austin III deep on fourth down to set up a deep touchdown shot that was wide open, but Zappe underthrew the ball, and Baylor safety J.T. Woods intercepted the pass to seal a victory.

That pass wasn't the only one that was very underthrown. National team quarterback Carson Strong out of Nevada underthrew an open receiver; Tennessee defensive back Alontae Taylor intercepted the pass:

Quarterback Desmond Ridder performed well under center and had a lot of success off the play-action pass while moving. He connected for two touchdowns - one to Colorado State TE Trey McBride and the other to TE Jake Ferguson (Wisconsin).

Ridder also had a beautiful touch pass to Nevada WR Romeo Doubs:

The tweet could still be accurate--that may have been the best throw of the game from any quarterback.

Punt returner, wide receiver, and Jersey native Bo Melton showed his slipperiness in space while also showing some contact balance as a punt returner. The quickness and juice he provides can be used in the right offense but will be an asset on special teams. 

And yes, he returned a punt out of the end zone -- it's an all-star game, and it's about showcasing talents, not fundamental football principles in that context.

Speaking of special teams, punter Jordan Stout out of Penn State hit bombs all day. He placed the ball into the deep corner a few times with directional control. I came away impressed with his leg power and accuracy. The Giants could be in the punter market with Riley Dixon's future uncertain (possibly cap casualty).

The game wasn't full of offensive production like we've seen in years past, but it showcased talented future NFL players on both sides of the football. 

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Nick Falato
NICK FALATO

Nick Falato is co-host of the Big Blue Banter podcast. In addition to Giants Country, his work has appeared on SB Nation.

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