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Roman Wilson and Other 2024 Senior Bowl Winners

Winners and Losers from the Senior Bowl

Maybe you already heard about Roman Wilson's big week or the QB struggles in Mobile. But there's more you need to know ...

Care to hear about the RB from Troy who racked up college football's second-most rushing yards in 2023 -- yet still looks like a sleeper?

Or how 'bout an intriguing FCS wideout even I didn't know before last week?

Let's run through the most noteworthy Senior Bowl performances and how they'll impact your dynasty rookie drafts ...

Risers

Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan

Wilson immediately proved to be the most explosive receiver at the Senior Bowl, regularly beating DBs in coverage.

The 5’10, 186-pounder also made it clear in interviews that he’s just as sharp mentally as he is at shaking defenders.

Michigan's run-heavy offense limited Wilson's production, but his career-best final season included catching 50% of the team's TD passes.

Keep Wilson in mind as a rookie-draft target. You should even consider him late in current best ball tournament drafting.

Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia

Like Wilson, McConkey's not a physically imposing (5’11, 187 pounds). But he routinely displayed some of the strongest footwork and route-running skills of any WR.

McConkey's consistent ability to separate from DBs in drills suggests he could be a difference-making slot WR in the NFL.

I wouldn't be shocked to see him go among the top 50 picks in the NFL Draft. Here's hoping his Senior Bowl buzz doesn't push his rookie-draft ADP too high.

Marshawn Lloyd, RB, USC

There’s no tackling during Senior Bowl practice, so you can't judge a RB’s ability to play through contact.

The drills do, however, allow backs to show off in areas such as initial burst, pass-catching, and agility.

Lloyd stood out and earned my vote as the best back. His defensive teammates agreed, voting Lloyd the top RB of the week.

Lloyd's Skills Downplay His Limited Stats

He only recorded 34 catches across three college seasons, but Lloyd’s route running out of the backfield and ability to haul in passes shone through consistently in Senior Bowl drills.

The 5’9 back also regularly shook defenders before would-be contact and displayed strong acceleration. We'll see about his 40 time, but Lloyd gets to top speed quickly.

In a relatively weak RB class, he might be one of the few guys with a shot at workhorse usage.

Fallers

Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington and Bo Nix, QB, Oregon

QB play was not strong at the Senior Bowl. But the event might have been especially important for these first-round hopefuls.

Neither did much to help his stock.

Penix had some nice moments but frequently struggled in the pocket and folded under pressure. These are the same issues that pop up frequently in his film and were on display in the national title game.

Nix Confirms His Limitations

Nix did fine with short-area throws, matching his college performance. Among 44 QBs with at least 400 dropbacks in 2023, Nix ranked third lowest in average depth of target (6.8).

I wanted to see more diversity in Nix’s skill set but never got it.

Nix didn’t often get his feet under him when stepping into throws, which led to bouts of inaccuracy further downfield and questionable decision-making.

It seems he'll need to land in a West Coast offense that stretches horizontally.

Ultimately, neither Nix nor Penix looked ready to play right away in the NFL.

Devontez Walker, WR, North Carolina

Walker's limited college production made the Senior Bowl vital for his draft stock.

He consistently flashed speed through three practice sessions, blowing past defenders at times and getting open more later in the week.

But Walker showed little else and dropped the ball a lot -- whether tightly covered or open.

He’s raw. I felt similarly about South Carolina WR Xavier Legette, but he flashed much more often than Walker did and sports greater athleticism.

I won't be recommending Walker in your rookie draft and worry he'll be one-dimensional in the pros.

Get to Know These Guys

Kimani Vidal, RB, Troy

Vidal and Kentucky’s Ray Davis grabbed my attention throughout the week.

Davis is big but flashed with some very impressive catches in drills. He looks capable of leading an NFL committee.

Vidal was particularly intriguing, especially after measuring just 5'7.5.

He showed quick burst and acceleration, and was strong as both a route runner and pass-catcher throughout the week.

And what Vidal lacks in height, he absolutely makes up for in mass (215 pounds). His build reminds me of Maurice Jones-Drew's.

I can see Vidal ending up with a decent complementary role in the NFL. He’s no more than a later-round dart throw, but it’s a throw I’ll be willing to take often in rookie drafts.

Ryan Flournoy, WR, Southeast Missouri State

Honestly, I had no idea who Flournoy was before the Senior Bowl -- or that there was even a school called Southeast Missouri State.

But in every practice, this FCS wideout showed he could hang.

Flournoy showed nice speed, made some tight-window catches, and found impressive ways to leverage coverage and get open against FBS-level DBs.

He also took part in punt-return drills and looked good tracking the ball. Special teams might be his best bet at making an NFL roster in 2024.

Flournoy Sounds Ready to Work on Improving

As a WR, Flournoy will need some refinement with his footwork. And making the jump from the Ohio Valley Conference to the NFL won’t be easy.

The good news: He knows that.

Flournoy -- the only player I spent time talking to -- practiced with an underdog mentality all week. He stuck around after practices to catch more passes and put in extra side work with coaches.

He may only fetch Day 3 capital and start as a depth piece, but Flournoy has potential to develop into something worthwhile for your dynasty roster.

Michael Pratt, QB, Tulane

Pratt was the only QB in Mobile who consistently delivered the ball with no egregious errors.

He showed sound mechanics and stepped up to make nice throws from the pocket in every practice session.

Pratt put nice zip on his passes and was reasonably accurate on both short and deep throws. If he can sharpen that accuracy, Pratt might eventually compete for a starting role.

Spencer Rattler Has the Tools ... And Issues

South Carolina's Spencer Rattler might have had the best "tools of any QB I saw. But there were far too many times he held onto the ball too long and/or made bone-headed decisions.

Rattler's perhaps the exact opposite of Pratt in that regard.

Who Has the Tools to Help YOU Win?

Are you making deals and prepping for the rookie draft in your longtime dynasty league? Or maybe you're starting up a brand new one? Whatever your situation, we've got a suite of tools to help you succeed in dynasty for the long term. Learn more in this short video.