3 standout Senior Bowl stars to watch out for in 2022 NFL Draft

LendingTree Bowl - Liberty v Eastern Michigan
LendingTree Bowl - Liberty v Eastern Michigan

The Senior Bowl is similar to the Pro Bowl, as it consists of college football all-stars who have completed their college eligibility. It also serves to help showcase the top NFL Draft prospects.

The media and scouts gain an additional opportunity to see some of the best prospects in a live-game situation as teams start to build their draft boards.

There were easily a dozen or more college prospects who greatly helped their draft stock in the Senior Bowl and will be some of the highest-trending names leading up to the combine and draft. The National Team defeated the American Team 20-10 with Kenny Pickett and Desmond Ridder as the quarterbacks.

Pass-rushers Perrion Winfrey of Oklahoma and Boye Mafe of Minnesota each had two sacks. Quarterback Sam Howell from North Carolina had a miserable game, which will only further drop his stock into the second or third round.

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With many great performances all around, there are three players that stand out above the rest. These men will see their draft value trend upwards over the next few months and will be a gem for an NFL team within the first three rounds.

#1 - Malik Willis further cements himself as the likely first QB to be drafted in NFL Draft

Many scouts have been criticizing this year's draft class for its lack of any real quarterbacks ready to start at the pro level. Malik Willis was viewed as being flawed after coming from offenses like Auburn and Liberty, but he is proving it doesn't matter where you play in college.

Willis showed the most "big-play" ability in the Senior Bowl, despite some rocky reps in practice. His arm strength stands out above all else, and many NFL scouts are drawn to his impressive throwing ability.

Willis won't end up getting drafted as a top-10 talent, but a team in need of a quarterback could trade up into the #12-#15 range if Washington passes on him at #11.

#2 - RB Rachaad White could be a steal in the third round

of NFL Draft

Colorado v ASU - RB Rachaad White
Colorado v ASU - RB Rachaad White

Many scouts are praising Florida's Dameon Pierce and Missouri's Tyler Badie for being solid in the Senior Bowl, but Arizona State running back Rachaad White might have been the best tailback on the field this past weekend.

White possesses the patience and vision to be a great zone runner and his 6-foot-two, 210-pound frame makes him a bit of a power bruiser as well. He's not the fastest or strongest but makes up for it by being an elite pass-catcher out of the backfield.

Similar to Malik Willis, coming from a small market like Arizona State will make him irrelevant in the first two or three rounds. But his ability to run outside/inside zone could easily get him drafted early in the third round of the NFL Draft by a team that has been tracking him.

#3 - Baylor safety Jalen Pitre will be a second-round talent for the right team

Baylor hybrid safety Jalen Pitre - 2022 Prospect
Baylor hybrid safety Jalen Pitre - 2022 Prospect

Jalen Pitre entered the Senior Bowl as a very talented hybrid defender, but most analysts and scouts have struggled to pinpoint just how his skill set translates into the NFL.

He's a bit on the small side, but plays beyond his build. One ESPN analyst, former San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid, believes his former team will land Pitre at #61 and will be able to unlock his potential.

Pitre is being labeled a "heat-seeking missile" who can track down any play from the backfield. He's being compared to Jamal Adams and Tyrann Mathieu and showed in the Senior Bowl that he can cover tight ends and slot receivers, work the middle of the field with patience, and read the backfield and run well.

Pitre's instincts will make him a steal in Day 2 of the NFL Draft.

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Edited by Adam Dickson