Record-breaking QB's stock plummets and other top takeaways from the second day of the Reese's Senior Bowl
MOBILE, Ala. — On Wednesday at Hancock Whitney Stadium, players practiced for the second day in preparation for Saturday's Reese's Senior Bowl.
Here are the main takeaways from practice for the game, which features many players who will be selected in the NFL Draft:
Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson looked like the best player on the field
From the moment practice began, it was evident Wilson was an above-average player. His day started off with several solid reps against quality cornerbacks in one-on-one drills. He continued to shine during more sophisticated drills as practice carried on, displaying explosiveness and break from his routes that were no match for defenders.
Wilson finished his day with a phenomenal one-handed catch on the sideline against Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, who is considered to be one of the best corners available.
Oregon quarterback Bo Nix's draft stock is plummeting
To open practice, Nix threw a deep ball that landed shockingly short of Wilson, the intended receiver. Following his early mishap, Nix did his best to sprinkle in some well-placed throws during 11-on-11 drills, but he had some inexplicable errors — like missing simple checkdown throws and short routes — that negated his positive plays.
Compared to the other quarterbacks on the field, Nix looked sluggish. He took a lot of time in dropping back and processing the field, which forced him to make rushed, short throws that resulted in little yardage gained.
Nix -- who set an NCAA record last season by completing 77.45% of his passes -- must rid himself of any jitters and play the game as he is used to. He threw 45 touchdown passes in 2023, so he has the capacity to be a stellar quarterback at the professional level.
UNC receiver Devontez Walker bounces back, but there is still plenty to go
Walker, who had many eyes on his play, had a terrible opening Senior Bowl practice. He started by losing his first couple of one-on-ones, but he eventually got into a rhythm and used his speed and agility to make nice plays -- with the exception of some unfortunate drops.
His continued improvement over the next few days will ensure that Walker will be in good standing among NFL teams. Walker will be an interesting name to follow in the upcoming practices and games.
Kentucky running back Ray Davis is phenomenal
Whether it was a full-extension, one-handed catch, a 70-yard touchdown or a devastating juke, Davis did it all on Wednesday. The 5-foot-8, 220-pounder caught the eyes of scouts.
An accurate draft comparison for Davis is the Atlanta Falcons' 2023 first-round pick Bijan Robinson. Both possess great power, explosiveness and balance. Davis still has holes in his game that Robinson did not have when entering the draft, but his ceiling is too high to escape the early rounds.
Davis' Day 2 showing means he has heightened expectations for the final few days. How he deals with the added pressure will be telling of his readiness for the NFL.
Georgia receiver Ladd McConkey was quieter than before, but still dominant
It was going to be difficult to top his opening performance, but McConkey did a solid job on the second day of practice. He continued to display his top-tier route-running skills and showed off his lateral quickness. His footwork will place him among the best receivers in the draft and surely as one of the top performers in Saturday's game.
Louisville CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr. had a day to remember
Brownlee Jr.'s work with one-on-one drills was fantastic. For the duration of practice, Brownlee shadowed receivers with near perfection. Off the ball, Brownlee was equally as dominant, and he displayed physicality that will be useful in jam-and-block situations against NFL receivers.
For teams looking to employ a solid, physical and shifty cornerback, Brownlee should be a serious name to consider.
South Carolina names rise while Georgia names slightly fall
South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler and receiver Xavier Legette complemented each other well on the second day of practice, and both of their names should be rising on draft boards. When they were in the same offensive group, which was common, Rattler's first read was almost always to Legette, who would use his large frame (6-foot-3, 230 pounds) and solid route-running to haul in a nice gain. Rattler also displayed his off-platform accuracy on some of his throws to Legette, which is a nice trait for a quarterback to have, especially in the current-day NFL, which places emphasis on mobile quarterbacks.
Other SEC duos did not have as pretty a practice, however. Georgia receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint and safety Javon Bullard struggled in one-on-one drills. Rosemy-Jacksaint had trouble getting separated, which resulted in a few ugly reps. Rosemy-Jacksaint made up for some of his mishaps with other one-on-one reps and solid work in an 11-on-11 drill, but there is certainly more left on the table for the 22-year-old.
Similarly, Bullard had some bad moments in one-on-ones — with one coming against his teammate, McConkey. Although there were some positives to take away for Bullard — like a nice incompletion forced on Texas A&M WR Ainias Smith — he had some ugly moments.
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