The first practices of the 2020 Senior Bowl, an invite-only showcase of the top upperclassmen in the country, are in the books.
With one session down for each team, NFL draft experts Todd McShay and Steve Muench break down how the best prospects fared on Day 1, which under-the-radar prospects are rising and more. Ten participants in last year's event ended up being 2019 first-round picks. Who might join them in 2020?
Tune in for coverage of the rest of the workouts on Wednesday and Thursday at 1:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU/ESPN App. The game is Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET on NFL Network.
McSHAY'S QUARTERBACK REPORT
Let's look at how the signal-callers did on Day 1 (rankings are from Scouts Inc.):
Justin Herbert, Oregon
Team: South | QB ranking: 3
Herbert is very clearly the most talented quarterback on the field, and that's going to work in his favor. The Senior Bowl is a great opportunity for him to stand out and firmly entrench himself as a first-rounder. On Tuesday, he looked natural with his footwork, showcased some athleticism and was consistently accurate. Throw in his 6-foot-6, 227-pound size and 10-inch hands, and you can see why scouts like his physical traits.
Jordan Love, Utah State
Team: North | QB ranking: 6
My early impression is that Love stands to benefit from this week as much as anyone else on the field. Some scouts still think he might have Round 1 potential, and he performed well in Day 1 workouts. He moves well, extending plays and effectively throwing on the run. And he certainly has a good arm and isn't afraid to use it. I'd like to see him work on consistency and protecting the football, though. He takes risks. But you can see the talent, and I'm excited to see how he performs the rest of the week.
Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma
Team: South | QB ranking: 9
Senior Bowl preview: 2020 NFL draft prospects you need to know
Hurts is smart, possesses a good arm and is super athletic. But he just has to be more accurate. His ball placement was very inconsistent Tuesday -- as it was during the season -- and frankly, it's a difficult area to improve. He ended his season with a 15-of-31 performance in the College Football Playoff semifinal, and he picked right up where he left off in his first Senior Bowl workout. I love the way he competes and battles, but that accuracy issue is going to hold him back.
Anthony Gordon, Washington State
Team: North | QB ranking: 8
I didn't see as many reps from Gordon as I would have liked on Tuesday, but he missed some throws and seemed to be playing a little fast at times. I do like his game, but he really needs to find a rhythm over the next few days. When he settles in, the Day 3 quarterback has some game.
Steven Montez, Colorado
Team: South | QB ranking: 13
Montez has a big arm. But while he can drive the ball vertically, he is often late on timing throws. Rather than anticipating, he wants to see his target open or facing him before throwing. That's an issue. He has good 6-foot-4, 240-pound size, but his feet looked slow during drills. And when going through his progressions, his feet aren't always tied to his eyes, leading to some off-balance throws.
Shea Patterson, Michigan
Team: North | QB ranking: 16
Patterson's 6-foot-1 size was pretty surprising to me (he is listed as 6-2 at Michigan). It's not the end-all, be-all, but it's worth noting. He went through some ups and downs on Tuesday, missing some easy throws. I'd like to see him tighten that up as the week goes on. He is a Day 3 guy at this point.
DAY 1 DRAFT RISERS
These are the under-the-radar prospects who had a strong day of practice Tuesday and whose college tape deserves closer inspection:
Devin Duvernay, WR, Texas
Team: South
Duvernay's top-end speed is decent, but it was his quickness in getting off the line and then transitioning upfield after the catch that really stood out all day long. He was consistently open and looked very natural making the catch and then turning and going. Duvernay is undersized at 5-foot-11, but make no mistake: He produces. He hauled in 106 balls for 1,386 yards and nine touchdowns this season. A likely midrounder in April, Duvernay was really fun to watch on Tuesday. -- McShay
2020 NFL draft coverage
What you need to know:
• First-round draft order: Picks 1-28 »
• McShay's 2020 NFL Mock Draft 1.0 »
• Kiper's Big Board » | McShay's Top 32 »
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• Full draft rankings from Scouts Inc. »
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Davon Hamilton, DT, Ohio State
Team: North
For a guy who came in at 327 pounds, Hamilton looked quick, carrying his weight well in practice. He got into blockers, driving them back and redefining the line of scrimmage. He particularly stood out in one-on-one drills both against the run and as a pass-rusher. While Hamilton definitely has some room to grow as a hand-fighter, you can see he has violent hands and good snap. He's someone to keep an eye on. -- Muench
Troy Pride Jr., CB, Notre Dame
Team: North
Plain and simple, no one could run past him all day. Pride has tremendous speed, and it was on full display in Mobile on Tuesday. I have him as a Day 2 guy right now, and he's someone to watch. -- McShay
Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina
Team: South
Kinlaw was unblockable Tuesday -- the most impressive defensive lineman I saw. He has length and quick hands, and he's really tough to stop coming through the middle. Kinlaw beat Clemson guard John Simpson clean at one point. We have him ranked No. 14 at Scouts Inc. right now, and he looked every bit the part of an early first-rounder. -- Muench
QUICK HITTERS
Here are some additional scouting notes on players who stood out on the practice field:
McShay:
I love the talent of Wisconsin outside linebacker Zack Baun. He measured at 6-foot-2, 240 pounds, and he is quicker than he is given credit for. Baun is a really instinctive player, and you could see it on Tuesday. I have him as an early Day 2 pick right now.
James Proche, a wide receiver out of SMU, stood out for me. He looked great catching punts, exuding natural ability and lots of confidence.
UCLA cornerback Darnay Holmes had a really good Tuesday workout. He is flying under the radar a bit after dealing with some injuries this season, but he has some serious wheels.
Georgia Southern cornerback Kindle Vildor was sticky in man-to-man coverage on Tuesday and tracks the vertical ball very well. Not many people knew him coming in, but he stands to make a name for himself this week. He had a big interception downfield and then another on a tipped ball.
Lamical Perine runs behind his shoulder pads. I saw it during the Orange Bowl, and I saw it again Tuesday at practice. He is a bit small, but the Florida running back has good forward lean and always finishes falling forward.
Muench:
South Carolina State's Alex Taylor and St. Johns (Minnesota)'s Ben Bartch went through some ups and downs on Day 1, but they also competed. For a couple of lesser-known, small-school guys, Tuesday was a good jumping-off point. I'm excited to see how these Day 3 value picks perform the rest of the week.
Temple center Matt Hennessy was steady Tuesday. He won't wow you with power and lacks natural ability, and he was beaten a few times. But he gets into position and is the definition of making the most of what you've got.
Penn State defensive tackle Robert Windsor is a candidate to rise this week. Despite being a little heavier than expected, he showed good quickness. I'm keeping a close eye on the midrounder right through the weekend.
Overall, I felt the defensive line got the better of the offensive side in the trenches Tuesday. I'd characterize the offensive line play as choppy, with too many offside jumps. Both team's units need to jell a bit this week and get in sync.
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