Last Saturday, the annual Senior Bowl game kicked off for its 75th-year anniversary. Each year, top NFL Draft prospects are invited to Mobile, allowing them to practice against top competition with scouts from every NFL team in attendance. With three days of practice being followed by a game, players have opportunities to not only improve their draft stock with impressive play, but also meet with representatives from NFL teams interested in selecting them next April.
Many prospects, such as Michigan's Roman Wilson, skyrocket up draft boards following impressive performances throughout the week. Others, with difficulties adapting to playing with an entirely new team, do the opposite.
Despite many of the top performers throughout the week opting out, here are my three biggest winners, and three biggest losers, from Saturday's Senior Bowl game.
UP: Chau Smith-Wade (CB, Washington State)
Smith-Wade was simply the most dominant player on the field Saturday afternoon. In the final two minutes of regulation, Smith-Wade intercepted two passes. The first came from Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III, which Smith-Wade returned 83-yards, weaving between defenders before finally being taken down just inches away from the end-zone.
Additionally, on the game's final play, Smith-Wade intercepted another pass on a last-second heave from Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt. His game-high two interceptions earned him the National Team Player of the Game trophy.
Following the game, National Team head coach and New York Jets defensive coordinator spoke on Smith-Wade's stellar performance, saying it was "[a] great week for him…Definitely made himself some money this week."
Earlier in the week, Smith-Wade also told me that he had met with the Patriots in Mobile. As to how that meeting went? The WSU cornerback said he met with Matt Groh, and that he "felt like it went pretty well. [The Patriots and himself] were talking about so much that [they] actually weren't able to finish what [the Patriots] had to ask [him]"
DOWN: Devontez Walker (WR, UNC)
One word sums up Saturday's game for Devontez Walker: drops. Walker finished the game with a team-high eight targets. Despite getting open, and being thrown to more three more times than anybody else on his team, Walker finished Saturday's game with a whopping 0 receptions for 0 yards.
Yes, you read that correctly. The star-wideout, who was targeted eight times in one game, finished with a goose-egg across his stat-sheet (except for in the "drops" category). Walker finished with an unofficial three drops, including one on the National team's first play from scrimmage.
UNC wide receiver Devontez Walker at the Senior Bowl. Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
On said play, Walker had a step on Auburn cornerback DJ James, and Bo Nix threw it 50-yards on a wire to Walker. Unfortunately, Walker was unable to haul in the catch, which seemed to be an everlasting theme throughout the day.
Walker, who was ranked 26th on Daniel Jeremiah's big-board, had a rough week in Mobile and ended Saturday off in the same manner.
UP: Spencer Rattler (QB, South Carolina)
Despite only playing two drives, Rattler was quite clearly the best quarterback on the field Saturday. Rattler completed all four of his passing attempts, totaling 65-yards and a touchdown.
That touchdown came on the first drive of the game, throwing a jump-ball dart perfectly to Georgia WR Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint. The 29-yard touchdown was the largest offensive play from scrimmage all game, and the American team's lone touchdown of the day.
After a strong week of practices, in which he was arguably performed better than any other quarterback in Mobile, Rattler continued his impressive week with a stellar in-game performance. Additionally, despite his team taking a 16-7 loss, Rattler took home the Senior Bowl MVP trophy.
A few days prior, Rattler told me that he has spoken with the Patriots "a few times". The Patriots could potentially select the former South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback on Day 2 of the NFL Draft if New England shies away from drafting a quarterback in round one.
DOWN: Joe Milton III (QB, Tennessee)
Milton, who told me he met with the Patriots last Tuesday night in Mobile, followed a solid week of practices with a poor in-game performance. Despite an efficient 69.2% completion percentage, Milton also finished the game with two interceptions.
The first came towards the beginning of the second quarter, where Milton rolled out of the pocket, seemingly looking to run into the open-lane. However, rather than taking the easy gain, Milton moved his eyes downfield into the end-zone, targeting Missouri RB Cody Schrader but being intercepted by Oregon's Evan Williams.
His second interception was a pass into triple-coverage, and was intercepted by Chau Smith-Wade. Milton overthrew Jha'Quan Jackson by about 10-yards, showcasing his inconsistencies in both decision-making and accuracy.
Another one of Milton's incompletions came on a checkdown to TCU RB Emani Bailey. Milton appeared to be looking downfield, attempted to direct traffic, before throwing it multiple yards away from Bailey's feet. After a few solid practices, Milton's game-day performance displayed some of the biggest concerns about his skill-set as a draft prospect.
UP: Emani Bailey (RB, TCU)
Bailey's first drive of the game was majestic. The first five plays of the game all got the ball into Bailey's hands. On this drive Bailey took four rushes for 21-yards, and added on a 14-yard reception.
Bailey finished with a game-high 53 rushing-yards on 10 attempts, while also tacking on 34 receiving-yards on four receptions. His 5.3 YPC was the most out of any running back on Saturday.
Bailey's 34 receiving-yards was also second-most of the game, with only Cody Schrader having more. Bailey set the tone immediately through the game's first plays, and finished towards the top in each major statistical category.
DOWN: Sam Hartman (QB, Notre Dame).
Hartman was quite possibly the worst player on the field Saturday. Playing for the National Team, Hartman was able to play for the large majority of the game, compared to the American Team who had to split playing-time between four quarterbacks.
With Bo Nix being the only other National quarterback playing Saturday, Hartman played all but the first two drives of the game. Ideally, this would allow the sixth-year senior to show off his talents, and crowd the stat sheet.
However, Hartman finished the game with an abysmal 28% completion percentage, while also throwing one interception and scoring zero touchdowns. Additionally, Hartman only threw for 69-yards, despite a game-high 25 passing attempts.
While Hartman did show a skillful ability to escape the pocket and gain yards on the ground his rushing ability is not game-changing, and his inefficiencies through the air ultimately led him to a poor in-game performance.