The Senior Bowl is a place where you can establish quick-draw, early opinions that can always change. It's a starting point for a long draft season.
Some takes bake in the oven for a little while, others form a little faster. Then there's the impression Miami WR Xavier Restrepo made on me Tuesday at Hancock Whitney Stadium. One route run, I was all in.
It came 1-on-1 against USC's Jaylin Smith, who didn't really have a chance. The WR used quick feet off the line and crossed the DB, forcing him to bail. Then without losing the slightest bit of balance he broke off a comeback route to the sideline for a clean completion that would've been a ho-hum first down. But y'all, star careers are built on ho-hum first downs. I want more ho-hum first downs in my life, and so do the Saints.
It's a skillset that reminds me of Amon-Ra St. Brown, the Lions slot machine that they stole in the 4th round of the 2021 draft. He's only gone on to catch 430 passes for 4,851 yards and 33 touchdowns in his 66 games since. Restrepo has a similar build. He's only 5-9 but has a strong lower half with a low center of gravity. Quick feet and never too far over his skis. Mike Detillier would go with the Chargers star rookie Ladd McConkey comp, which also works. I've heard Giants speedster Wan'Dale Robinson, which is probably a more reasonable height to reach for. By all accounts he's also a high-character, gym-rat type player. Those are the types of things you'll always hear, but it's a lot harder to fake in these type of environments.
The next time Restrepo and Smith matched up, the DB fouled almost immediately. He wasn't getting beaten that way again.
It wasn't all perfect. There were some missteps as the QBs and WRs get used to each other in Mobile. But I'm sold after Day 1, we'll see where things go from here.
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Tough day for the star QBs
There are recognizable names at QB, but only two true potential stars to watch: Alabama's Jalen Milroe and Ole Miss's Jackson Dart. I wouldn't say either put too much shine on their names on Day 1.
I'll start by saying that I make sure to never overreact to passing efficiency early on at the Senior Bowl. QB-WR chemistry is a real thing, and there's absolutely none of it at this point. If that does't look better by Thursday you'll have real concerns.
Even by those standard's Milroe's day was tough to sell. He missed his first eight throws in 1-on-1s, and a lot of times that can include a drop or two, a good defensive play. No, these were misses where, in most cases, the receiver couldn't get a hand on them. It's troubling because accuracy is the biggest question for him heading into the scouting process and he did nothing to allay that. It also isn't promising that it's measurement season, and if Milroe was an NFL starter, he'd have the smallest hands of any starting QB at 8-3/4 inches. That doesn't mean everything, but it does start to paint a picture of what might be the cause of his accuracy and fumbling issues at Alabama.
He did have some nice connections, particularly to LSU TE Mason Taylor, later in the day. Hopefully he can settle in like Dart did throughout the day. It's also worth noting that Milroe's athleticism is his biggest selling point and if you put him in a throwing contest it's easy to forget what truly sets him apart. I'll keep an eye as the week goes.
As far as Dart, the arm talent is clear. He seems like the QB in this draft class that could have the biggest variation in terms of where he is now (hovering in the 2nd/3rd round range) and where he could end up. If you watched Milroe and Dart side-by-side on the day, it was clear which one has true NFL arm talent.
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The best tackle?
I won't declare anyone the best at anything at this point in the offseason, but Oregon's Josh Conerly is certainly one of the highest-profile line prospects in Mobile this week.
He won't blow you away with his size at 6-4, 315 pounds, but he's athletic, confident and honestly a little bit mean (and I mean that in a good way). He took on the challenge at the end of the day with the losing group earning pushups and absolutely ground UCLA's Olu Oladejo into the dirt.
There's a lot to like, but a lot to work on. When I asked him what he wanted to show, he was blunt: "That I'm the best tackle in the draft."
Will Campbell might have something to say about that, but let's see what you've got, big fella.
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THREE STARS
I mentioned Restrepo above so I won't bring him up again, but there were a few standout players worth mentioning. I'lll pick three players to note here each day.
Also, keep in mind, if there seems like a trend toward offensive players, that's where my eyes go on Day 1. I'll typically spend a lot more time on defense for Day 2, then fill in the gaps on Day 3. Just saying.
Jack Bech, WR, TCU
You'll recognize the name as the former LSU Tiger who transferred away when the Ed Orgeron era ended. He's only gotten better, and he runs through people like a train. Seriously, the kid is strong, and I'm starting to understand why Mike Detillier comps him to Puka Nacua. The only thing holding him back was missed throws by the quarterbacks. His stock will only rise the more people see what he's capable of.
Elijah Arroyo, TE, Miami
At the risk of talking too much about Miami players, I'm starting to understand why Cam Ward had such a dynamic season throwing the ball. He had studs catching it. Arroyo is currently settling as a mid-round prospect, but he's got a skillset that will catch attention. He was flat-out embarrassing defenders on Tuesday. No one covered him. At 6-4, 251 you kind of have to be an elite receiver to make it as an NFL tight end, but that's what he can be. Just saying, the last pass-first TE the Saints drafted out of Miami did pretty well.
Dorian Strong, CB, Va. Tech
OK, so it's not all offense after all (someone had to be covering these receivers). One defensive player who stood out to me on Day 1 was Dorian Strong out of Virginia Tech. He's a little light at this point (6-1, 179) but I can work with that. He's got the length I need and he plays the position physically. He plastered on receivers today and when I looked up at the end he clocked in the third fastest speed of the day (21.36 mph). I don't know if the Saints will be shifting their goals at all with a new head coach/defense, but if they stick with the man/cover principles, he's a guy I'd take a long look at.