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Reese’s Senior Bowl 2019: 10 NFL Draft prospects to watch

By John Mitchell

STILLWATER, OK - NOVEMBER 17: Quarterback Will Grier #7 of the West Virginia Mountaineers leaps into the end zone for a touchdown against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the fourth quarter on November 17, 2018 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Oklahoma State upset West Virginia 45-41. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
STILLWATER, OK - NOVEMBER 17: Quarterback Will Grier #7 of the West Virginia Mountaineers leaps into the end zone for a touchdown against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the fourth quarter on November 17, 2018 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Oklahoma State upset West Virginia 45-41. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /
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The 2019 Reese’s Senior Bowl gives the opportunity for prospects to make big impressions to onlooking scouts throughout the week. Here are 10 prospects to watch.

The Reese’s Senior Bowl is an annual collegiate All-Star game played in Mobile, Alabama that typically signals the beginning of draft season. While the East-West Shrine games and the NFLPA Bowl are notable events, the Senior Bowl is the coveted ticket for graduating seniors (and some select underclassmen) to look and improve their draft stock.

This season’s Senior Bowl has a loaded list of talent on both the North and South rosters. The storylines are aplenty as there are several prospects here that will be vying for first round consideration. A big week in Mobile could solidify first round standings for several elite prospects.

There’s also some unheralded prospects from small schools who will be looking to make names for themselves as they hope to hear their names called at all during the seven rounds of April’s NFL Draft.

There’s always plenty of risers and fallers during this week, with prospects who were considered potential first round picks falling down draft boards while others impress and move up considerably.

The game is the main course, but scouts will be in attendance at every practice, picking at prospects with a fine-tooth comb. A strong performance in the game is a nice cherry-on-top, but the sundae is made throughout the week of practice.

The North team will be coached by the Raiders coaching staff headlined by head coach Jon Gruden. The South team will be lead by the 49ers coaching staff headlined by head coach Kyle Shanahan. Both the Raiders and 49ers select in the top five of April’s draft, and while there probably isn’t a prospect here who will compete for such a lofty selection, there are plenty whom the teams could consider with later picks. Oakland holds three first round selections and have numerous holes to fill as Gruden attempts to rebuild the roster.

The Senior Bowl has seen plenty of notable prospects make names for themselves over the years. Philip Rivers parlayed an MVP performance in the 2004 game into a Top 5 selection in the draft. A little known running back out of Tulane named Matt Forte came out of nowhere in 2008 and ended up being a second round selection. He turned that into a productive 10-year career with the Bears and Jets.

Dak Prescott was MVP of the 2016 game where he showed he wasn’t just a product of Mississippi State’s system. He was ultimately picked in the fourth round, and he is now the starting QB for the Dallas Cowboys.

Opportunities are everywhere in Mobile this week for those who put the work in and impress scouts.

With so much talent on the rosters, I narrowed it down to ten prospects to keep an eye on this week at the Senior Bowl.

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