National Football League

Iowa Football: Which Hawkeye Has Most To Gain In Senior Bowl?

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 12:50 p.m. ET

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Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

A look at which Hawkeye has the most to gain in the Senior Bowl on Saturday

The pre-draft process is underway. On Saturday, three Iowa football players will play in the Senior Bowl against other top prospects in this year’s NFL Draft.

Quarterback C.J. Beathard, cornerback Desmond King and defensive lineman Jaleel Johnson have all been practicing with the Chicago Bears’ coaching staff over the past couple of days in preparation for this game.

While it’s only an exhibition game, the Senior Bowl is the last chance for NFL scouts to see these players in-game action. There are still Pro Days, the NFL Combine and personal workouts for teams, but it’s hard to duplicate a game setting, especially when a game has many potential first and second round picks in it.

While the Senior Bowl won’t single-handedly determine where a player gets drafted, it can affect a player’s draft stock. For some, it gives scouts a chance to see some concerning areas of their game. For others, it’s nothing more than just another chance for the top teams in the draft to look at them to try to move into the top five or 10 in the draft.

For Iowa, the Senior Bowl could prove to be very beneficial as all three of their players are fighting to move up in the draft with no clear consensus of which round they’ll be picked in. That said, here’s who could benefit the most with a good Senior Bowl on Saturday.

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

3. Desmond King

There is debate about whether Desmond King is a cornerback or safety at the next level, but most NFL Scouts will agree that King can flat-out play.

According to CBS Sports, King is the fifth best defensive back in the draft and projected to go in the first or second round. The projection likely won’t change whether King has a good or bad game.

Teams have seen him play at a high-level for four years, as he racked up 14 interceptions in the past three seasons and won the Jim Thorpe Award in 2015 with a school record eight interceptions. Plus, he’s a proven threat in the return game.

King recorded the fastest speed at practice on Thursday, too.

Although, his quarterback competition isn’t the greatest in Tennessee’s Joshua Dobbs, California’s Davis Webb and Tiffin’s Antonio Pipkin. Although, the South team does have two standout wide receivers in Artavis Scott and Josh Reynolds from Clemson and Texas A&M, respectively.

Scouts will have an eye on King because he’s a good player, but a good or bad game won’t be the deciding factor of whether he gets drafted in the first round. It will come down to a mixture of the Senior Bowl, Pro Days and the NFL Combine, as NFL teams are anxiously waiting to see his measurables.

Mandatory Credit: Glenn Andrews-USA TODAY Sports

2. Jaleel Johnson

Jaleel Johnson’s play started to receive national attention at the end of the season, but he had a very good senior season with 56 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. It led to him being the 11th ranked defensive tackle, according to CBS Sports, in the draft with a third to fourth round projection.

Johnson has a huge chance to keep catching NFL scouts’ eyes who may have slept on him at the start of the season. Plus, middle rounds are hard to project because of trades and prospects being so close talent and potential wise, so a big game against some of the other top seniors in the draft could prove beneficial in the long run.

He’s already been impressing during workouts. With speeds of 18.5 and 19 mph, Johnson recorded the fastest speed in both practices for all defensive tackles. At 6-3, 309 pounds, it’s a testament to his athleticism, conditioning and explains why he was so successful against the run this season.

#Hawkeyes DT Jaleel Johnson (6’3, 309) recorded top speed in both practices for all DTs (18.5 & 19 mph) via @CatapultSports & @RosterWatch

— Reese's Senior Bowl (@seniorbowl) January 26, 2017

Aside from the great offensive line the South team has, they also feature a very mobile quarterback in Joshua Dobbs and three really good running backs in North Carolina State’s Matt Dayes, BYU’s Jamaal Williams and college football’s all-time leading rusher Donnel Pumphrey.

Johnson has a chance to be a breakout star on Saturday and move into the top 10 among defensive tackles.

Mandatory Credit: Glenn Andrews-USA TODAY Sports

1. C.J. Beathard

The last time we saw C.J. Beathard, Florida’s defense was chasing him around the field, he was hobbled and ended the Outback Bowl on the sideline with his helmet in his hand. Showing teams he’s healthy is important, especially considering the constant debate about where he’ll be picked.

C.J. Beathard is the 11th best quarterback in the draft and projected to be picked in the seventh round, per CBS Sports. That far from guarantees Beathard even being drafted, let alone a late round steal like Todd McShay said.

The good news is Beathard looks healthy, and there is already a clip of him connecting with Louisville receiver Jamari Staples for a touchdown over teammate Desmond King. It is a beautiful throw and catch, and Beathard will need more like that in the Senior Bowl.

Iowa QB CJ Beathard to Louisville WR Jamari Staples for a highlight reel TD here at the Senior Bowl pic.twitter.com/UpAZIbBETZ

— Joe Buscaglia (@JoeBuscaglia) January 25, 2017

After his role in the offense decreased as a senior, the pre-draft process is when Beathard will have to catch NFL teams’ eyes. Dobbs, CBS Sports’ 10th ranked quarterback, Webb, 7th, Sefo Liufau, 12th, and Nate Peterman, 6th, are also playing on Saturday.

It’s crazy to think one good exhibition game from Beathard would shoot him way up draft boards and ahead of five quarterbacks, but it’s not crazy to think it could push him in the top 10.

He has a chance to showcase his skill set compared to other top quarterbacks in the draft during a game he hopefully has more chances to throw in than when he played with Iowa.

When it comes down to it, a team will Desmond King in the first two rounds, Jaleel Johnson is as close to a lock as they come to be drafted this year, but the verdict is still out on C.J. Beathard. This is his final live game chance to prove he’s an NFL-caliber quarterback.