National Football League

2017 Senior Bowl: 5 players to watch

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 1:17 a.m. ET

Fansided, John Buhler/Fansided

The 2017 Reese’s Senior Bowl will be on Saturday, Jan. 28 in Mobile. Here are the five players to keep an eye on in this college football all-star game.

On Saturday, Jan. 28, the 2017 Reese’s Senior Bowl will be underway at Ladd Peebles Stadium in Mobile. This glorified exhibition between a collection of college football’s finest players has been an annual tradition in South Alabama since the early 1950s.

The Senior Bowl is a great opportunity for mid-level prospects to improve their NFL Draft stock. It is also mutually beneficial for two NFL franchises annually. Two teams get the privilege to get a leg up on scouting all these players before they enter the NFL Draft.

This year, the Chicago Bears and the Cleveland Browns will get to coach the two squads in the Senior Bowl. John Fox’s Bears staff will coach the North team. Hue Jackson’s Browns staff will coach the South team.

With a ton of talent on display in Mobile, it will be hard to keep track of who’s performing well. To keep things simple, here are five players to watch in the 2017 Reese’s Senior Bowl on Saturday.

Nathan Peterman

Quarterback, Pittsburgh Panthers

While there are possibly as many as four quarterbacks going in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, not one of them is a senior. That being said, there are a handful of senior quarterbacks that will impact NFL rosters in the mid-to-late round of the 2017 NFL Draft. One of those guys is Pittsburgh Panthers senior signal caller Nathan Peterman.

Peterman had a strong last two years of college ball playing for Pat Narduzzi’s Pittsburgh program. He initially went to Pittsburgh to reconnect with offensive coordinator Jim Chaney, who recruited him to the Tennessee Volunteers in 2012. Chaney left for the Georgia Bulldogs in 2016, but Peterman still flourished quarterbacking the Panthers.

As a senior, Peterman led the highest scoring offense in Pittsburgh history. He completed 60.5 percent of his passes for 2,855 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. Peterman proved his Tennessee doubters wrong, emerging as one of the better pocket passers in the ACC as an upperclassman.

Being able to complete over 60 percent of his passes helps Peterman project as an NFL backup. He seems to have a thirst for knowledge at the position. Since both the Bears and Browns need help at quarterback, maybe either team will target him in the middle of the 2017 NFL Draft to aid in their search for a franchise quarterback?

Oct 8, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Colorado Buffaloes defensive back Chidobe Awuzie (4) during a NCAA football game against the USC Trojans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. USC defeated Colorado 21-17. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Chidobe Awuzie

Cornerback, Colorado Buffaloes

The 2016 Colorado Buffaloes had a surprisingly strong season in the Pac-12. Colorado went 10-4 under head coach Mike McIntyre and won the Pac-12 South division crown. Part of what made the Buffaloes so strong in 2016 was the great play of its secondary. One player from that group that was a notable standout was senior Chidobe Awuzie.

Awuzie is the one player from that Colorado secondary that will be a major commodity in NFL defenses. His Buffaloes were elite in pass defense. That’s very impressive given the pass-heavy tendencies of most Pac-12 offenses. Awuzie is both fast and physical. He can play in multiple personnel packages on Sundays.

2017 projects to be a draft class chock full of great defensive back talent. Awuzie isn’t going to go in the first round, but could be as a high as a late second-round pick, likely a third-round selection. At 6’0, 205 pounds, Awuzie has the size to play press man coverage in nickel situations for an NFL defense.

He has great ball-hawking abilities and would be an absolute steal for whichever NFL team takes him in the second or third round. Awuzie will play on the North team coached by Fox. Given that Fox is a defensive-minded coach, don’t be surprised if Awuzie winds up with the Bears in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Jan 2, 2017; Pasadena, CA, USA; USC Trojans offensive tackle Zach Banner (73) reacts during the 103rd Rose Bowl against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Rose Bowl. USC defeated Penn State 52-49 in the highest scoring game in Rose Bowl history. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Zach Banner

Offensive Tackle, USC Trojans

At 6’9, 360 pounds, there may not be a more physically imposing specimen entering the 2017 NFL Draft than USC Trojans senior offensive tackle Zach Banner. Banner is the son of former NFL Pro Bowler Lincoln Kennedy and could be a star offensive lineman in the NFL in his own right.

Banner projects as a solid swing tackle at the next level, as he played both left and right tackle at USC for Clay Helton. In theory, Banner could kick inside and play either guard spot just to get his massive frame on the field as a first or second-year NFL player.

The speed, size, and strength Banner possesses ensures that he will be off the board sooner rather than later. Some draft boards have him as a first-round pick, but no worse than a third-round pick.

Banner won’t go high enough to the Browns at No. 1 or the Bears at No. 3. However, don’t be shocked if either Fox or Jackson use their second-round pick on him should he escape the first round. His week of practice as the Senior Bowl could have Banner skyrocketing up NFL Draft boards. He will play for Fox’s North team on Saturday.

Dec 3, 2016; Bowling Green, KY, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers offensive lineman Forrest Lamp (76) celebrates his teams victory following the CUSA championship game against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium. Western Kentucky won 58-44. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

Forrest Lamp

Offensive Guard, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Along with the NFL Scouting Combine, the Senior Bowl is a great opportunity for mid-major stars to show what they have against superior competition heading into the draft. One player that will have everybody turning their heads in Mobile on Saturday is Western Kentucky Hilltoppers redshirt senior guard Forrest Lamp.

Lamp along with Indiana’s Dan Feeney, who will also be playing in this game, project as the first two offensive guards to be drafted in the 2017 NFL Draft. At Western Kentucky, Lamp thrived in pass protection in Jeff Brohm’s aerial assault. Western Kentucky won the Conference USA Championship in Lamp’s final season in Bowling Green.

With the way that the NFL’s current collective bargaining agreement has drastically hurt offensive line development, scouting the position group has been even more crucial. Lamp is one of the few players whose skill set appropriately translates coming out of a spread offense.

He has been on the scouting radar for most teams since the start of the 2016 season. Lamp will be taken at latest in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Since he will be playing for Jackson’s South team, don’t be surprised if Lamp winds up with the Browns to help transform their offensive line. If this kid can learn a thing from Joe Thomas in Cleveland, look out!

Oct 21, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego State Aztecs running back Donnel Pumphrey (19) runs for a second quarter touchdown against the San Jose State Spartans at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Donnel Pumphrey

Running Back, San Diego State Aztecs

You know it when you see it. There is something different about San Diego State Aztecs star senior running back Donnel Pumphrey. He was a Heisman contender during his final year of college ball as the greatest runner in college football history.

Pumphrey drew favorable comparisons to former Aztec great Marshall Faulk. In his final college game, Pumphrey became the all-time leading rusher in college football history with 6,290 career yards. In 13 games for the 2016 Aztec, Pumphrey rushed for 2,018 yards on 330 attempts and 16 touchdowns.

This helped Pumphrey be a first-team All-American his senior season. One can argue that Pumphrey has already punched his ticket to the College Football Hall of Fame. Though he took a ton of free carries in college, he projects as a steal in the fourth or fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

While his NFL career may not be a long one, Pumphrey can at least be a productive member of a running back tandem in his first five years in the NFL. For where he is slotted, Pumphrey will be a great pick for one of 32 NFL teams. He will play for Jackson’s South team. There is a great chance Pumphrey is the MVP of the 2017 Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile on Saturday.