MOBILE, Alabama -- Houston offensive tackle Josh Jones has submitted himself as a "best player at the Senior Bowl" candidate with two strong showings to begin the week of practices here, and on Wednesday he was downright dominant.
The 6-foot-7, 310-pound rock of a blocker effortlessly thwarted everything defensive linemen threw at him in one-on-one drills with a phenomenal display of knee bend, power in his upper half, and mirroring skills thanks to high-end athleticism.
It didn't matter if it was a speed rush to the outside, an inside counter, a bull rush, or a swipe move, Jones stymied everything all afternoon for the North squad.
In what is the best and most deep offensive tackle class, the experienced left tackle with room to add more weight to his tall frame has emerged as a first-round possibility, and he might even be in the running to be the second or third tackle off the board in April. He's that much of a prototype for his position and has been that much of a standout to start Senior Bowl week.
You can read more about Wednesday's session in Ryan Wilson's QB wrap-up.
A few other blockers who showed fantastic anchoring and mirroring ability Wednesday: LSU center Lloyd Cushenberry and Temple's Matt Hennessy. Both have done wonders for their stock thus far in Mobile, and don't be stunned when Cushenberry is considered the consensus top center in a few weeks. His teammate Damien Lewis, a late Senior Bowl add, is a mauler too.
On the other side of the ball, Oklahoma's Neville Gallimore was brutally disruptive on Wednesday after making an outstanding first impression the day before. Heck, I could've led this story with him, because he came into this week on the cusp of the first-round radar too.
A former 320-plus pound nose who ate blocks and two-gapped to mostly stop the run, Gallimore shed a bunch of weight in the offseason to get quicker, and boy did it ever pay off for him this season. He has a fantastic first step, hands that are both active and heavy, and dynamic athleticism to knife his way into the backfield with ease. Gallimore was not an easy assignment for anyone he faced today.
Both Ole Miss defensive tackles, Benito Jones and Josiah Coatney, have been disruptive, winning with a good first step, powerful hands and non-stop motors.
On the outside, Florida edge rusher Jonathan Greenard has floated through drills with ease on most occasions. His burst is elite, and he's very flexible in his hips and ankles, so he changes directions in a hurry and can bend the corner.
Michigan edge rusher/linebacker hybrid Josh Uche was a stud again, winning with his speed and bend around the corner then flashing his deadly inside move to win in one-on-ones and team drills. Utah's Bradlee Anae and Michigan State's Kenny Willekes, two technicians, fended off offensive tackles with succinct pass-rushing maneuvers.
For some offensive skill-position talent love, Baylor's Denzel Mims was a downfield monster Wednesday, creating instant separation with martial arts-like hand work at the line and suddenness and sustained speed down the field. He also reeled in a few passes in contested-catch situations. Ohio State's K.J. Hill was a route-running demon for the second-straight day too. He could have a Terry McLaurin-esque rise up draft boards after this week.
Javon Kinlaw was unblockable as per usual but he did leave his practice a little early after limping on a play in which he undressed an interior blocker. Hopefully the injury is minor, because Kinlaw is a blast to watch.
It's not easy for linebackers to stand out in a practice without tackling, but Appalachian State's Akeem Davis-Gaither was the most active player at that position on Wednesday, rapidly filling running lanes and tipping a pass in coverage.
Oh, and we need to talk about Kyle Dugger from Division II Lenoir Rhyne. Super athlete at 6-2 and 220 pounds with smooth hips, experience at safety who's showcased tremendous coverage ability -- I'm talking sticky man-to-man coverage -- and had a pick on an deep over route that allowed him to exhibited his fluidity and burst to the football. He also had a pass breakup late in practice deep down the field while covering towering tight end Stephen Sullivan.
And I'll wrap with Sullivan. While not very productive at LSU, he really popped today at a legit 6-5 and 242 pounds with long arms and a gliding style on the field. He stoned Greenard in a blitz-pickup drill -- which I was not expecting to see -- and made a handful of grabs with his arms fully extended after running away from linebackers down the field. Sullivan has definitely become a sleeper prospect to monitor.
