Senior Bowl: Washington Should Be Watching These American Team Defenders

From national champs to small-school standouts, plenty of defensive talent for WFT to scout

Collegiate All-Star games are underway, and the biggest one of all is going down Feb. 5.

Even with a name change and plenty else to focus on, the Washington Football Team will have representation during the week's practices.

Just like we did for the National and American Team offenses, we're diving into the defensive rosters for the 2022 Reese's Senior Bowl.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

Every team wants to control the line of scrimmage. On defense, you do it with penetrating interior line play and setting the edge.

Among the list of 12 defensive linemen playing for the American Team, Florida State's Jermaine Johnson stands out with the highest stock entering the game.

Cameron Thomas (San Diego State), Devonte Wyatt (Georgia) and Kingsley Enagbare (South Carolina) are all solid Day 2 prospects who can work their way into Day 1 conversations at the NFL Draft with standout performances in Mobile. 

Washington Prospect to Watch: Josh Paschal, Kentucky

LINEBACKERS

As tight ends and running backs continue to take a bigger role in NFL passing games, versatile off-ball linebackers become more important every season. 

A pair of national champions from Georgia will be featured in the practices leading up to the game, as Quay Walker seeks to lock-in a Day 1 grade and Channing Tindall looks to prove he's no second-fiddle. 

LSU's Damone Clark's stock lands somewhere between his SEC counterparts and is another to keep an eye on.

Jojo Domann (Nebraska) is a linebacker/safety hybrid type looking to impress after his season ended with a head injury back in November.

Washington Prospect to Watch: Quay Walker, Georgia

Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Photo by John Rivera/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

DEFENSIVE BACKS

A solid cast in the defensive backfield for the American Team is led by Auburn's Roger McCreary, who has plenty of first-round buzz. 

Zyon McCollum (Sam Houston State) and Tariq Woolen (UTSA) are interesting to watch because of their height and length. McCollum and Woolen each stand 6-4.

If their size can become an advantage with smooth movement and solid ball skills, they'll jump off the field and onto the draft radars of several teams, just like Benjamin St-Juste (Minnesota) did last year for the Washington Football Team.

Meanwhile, Georgia Tech's Tariq Carpenter is the only defensive back listed specifically as a safety. Kentucky's Yusuf Corker's SI draft profile lists him as a free safety.

Washington Prospect to Watch: Tariq Woolen, UTSA

One-on-ones are easily one of the best parts of Senior Bowl practices and with some length in the American Team's defensive group that shouldn't change this year. 

Is there a gem in the group Washington can pick out for its 2022 NFL Draft board? Chances are there is, it's just a matter of finding the right one.