I had the privilege of scouting the Hula Bowl for Steelers Fury again and I was able to watch all of the practices and the game. Due to the NFLPA bowl not running this year, I feel fairly confident saying that there will be more players called up to more premier showcase games and will have players drafted/signed than any of the previous years of this game. Being one person it’s impossible to see every player and every drill but I did my best to see every competition drill I could rotating each day. I’ve written write-ups for the biggest standouts and listed some guys who also flashed.
David White Jr. – WR – Western Carolina
– There were many impressive WRs throughout the week but David White Jr. was probably the biggest standout. He has size, speed, hands, route running, and physicality. The most impressive trait to me was his ability to release quickly and efficiently to create separation early on. That allowed him to create even more separation on his breaking routes or to just gap the DB with his speed on runaways. He’s not afraid of contact at the catch point and showcased strong hands. Given the right opportunity White can be an impact rookie who can be trusted with almost any role.
Levelle Bailey – LB – Fresno State
– Bailey was easily the most impressive coverage player on the field. Backs on backers is notoriously slanted towards RBs and he flashed every day with PBUs and INTs. The stats prove that it’s not a fluke as he had 3 game ending plays in coverage this year and any team that has deficiencies in coverage will be sure to take a long look at Bailey. At worst you get a dime coverage backer and special teamer and at best you get an every down backer who can run sideline to sideline and is comfortable in man and zone.
Mason Pline – TE – Furman
– Pline got some buzz in the FCS quarterfinals for a heroic 4th down touchdown catch over a DBs head but he has an extremely interesting profile since he was a former Ferris State basketball player. He showcased the classic basketball > tight end traits such as straight-line speed and vertical explosion but he also demonstrated impressive wiggle and route running for a player his size. Pline boosted his stock in almost every drill he did and followed the footsteps of former Furman TE Ryan Miller as a hula bowl riser.
Carter Bradley – QB – South Alabama
– Son of Gus Bradley, Carter Bradley plays like he has a NFL defensive coordinator as a dad. Bradley showcased good touch throughout the entire week of practice and the game. The best feature of his (which could only be displayed in full during the actual game) was his ability to make quick decisions and stay on schedule. NFL offensive coordinators have been over performing with accurate, quick decision makers and Carter Bradley could be the next of that archetype to have success at the next level.
Emani Bailey – RB – TCU
– Of all the running backs at the Hula Bowl, Bailey probably had the most impressive build. He’s listed at 5’7 but is a stout 202 pounds. Bailey looked explosive during the practices but was able to show off his angry running style during the game. I wasn’t able to catch many of the backs on backers pass pro drills so him getting an invite to the Shrine game or Senior bowl would help answer questions about if he can be a legitimate third down back as early as his rookie year.
Jalen Coker – WR – Holy Cross
– Coker was an immediate stand out just watching him warm up. He has a solid athletic frame and simply moved differently from many of the other WRs in his group. He has a second gear he can hit on runaway routes and displayed great body control on jump balls and sinking his hips on breaks. Coker also had a number of difficult catches and proved his hands can be trusted. Coker profiles as an excellent supporting WR in a strong group since he does the little things right and has no obvious flaws. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he was called up to a bigger showcase game after the Hula bowl.
Gunner Britton – RT – Auburn
– Britton definitely looked the part but sometimes you wonder how guys who look as good as Britton does end up at a “third-tier” showcase game. Britton proved that he was more than just a big frame and was excellent in 1v1s and in team periods. Britton was listed as a LG on the hula bowl roster but played left and right tackle in college and looked just fine at right tackle throughout the week. There are areas of Britton’s technique to clean up such as his hand placement and weight balance, but those are fixable issue with a good coach
Duke Clemens – C – UCLA
– Clemens is a bit light (listed at 285 at the hula bowl weigh-ins) but didn’t display any of the issues that you’d expect from a lighter center. His anchor was extremely consistent and he used fast hands to consistently make the first meaningful contact. Because he’s undersized he’s going to need an impressive combine performance but if he tests well look for Clemens to rise leading up to the draft.
Mikey Victor – CB – Alabama State
– It’s rare for a CB to have an “off the bus” look to him but Mikey Victor has it. I love the blend of traits he has especially with the direction the NFL is going. He’s a talented athlete with an excellent frame for a CB. His long arms in addition to his speed and jumping ability allow him to play the catch point and cover ground in deep zones extremely well. His size and physicality make me trust him coming down hill to tackle in the run game and in shallow zones. If he tests well, especially in the 40 he could be a big time riser and he has all the tools to be a solid modern NFL CB.
Je’Quan Burton – WR – FAU
– Burton was a late week call-up who impressed at the CGS all-star game and he had limited practice time to show what he could do but he was probably the biggest standout at the Hula Bowl game. Burton has coverage breaking speed and that opens up the entire underneath for him. He has strong hands and catches out in front of him and can run away from defenders after the catch. Burton has all the traits to be a weapon in the return game and profiles as a slot WR in the NFL.
Michael Furtney – G – Wisconsin
– I’m not sure if I saw Furtney go backwards a single time all week, and that’s impressive considering there were multiple heavy-handed lineman lined up against him. Furtney has heavy hands in the run and when he punches there is typically significant movement. I only saw Furtney play guard so teams might take other later round players over him for positional versatility but I wouldn’t rule him out of being able to play center, I personally just didn’t catch him there when watching.
Jackson Mitchell – LB – UCONN
– Mitchell may not be the NFLs new coveted hybrid backer who can run with WRs in coverage but he does just about everything else as good as you could want it. Old school downhill LBs go later and later each year but Mitchell has a decent chance at bucking the trend. He showed a nose for the football and even if he isn’t a WR stopper he has great short area quickness and made some nice plays in the flats and hooks. He used his hands and body well to shed blocks from climbing offensive lineman and he should be able to cut his teeth on special teams early on.
James Ester – DT – Northern Illinois
– Interior pass rushers have become one of the more coveted positions in the NFL and Ester fills that role perfectly. Not only does he have numerous moves that he is comfortable going to but he also has a knack for getting his hands up to swat passes. Against the run he consistently created knockback and was a yard or two in the backfield most plays. This play style lends itself better to more aggressive one gap defenses than those who ask their lineman to two gap but Ester is also capable of anchoring down and holding down two gaps.
Hayden Hatten – WR – Idaho
– Hatten does a lot of things well but something that jumped out to me is that every time there was a line he was the first guy up. Hatten showed good feel finding the soft spots of the zone all week and it popped multiple times in the game. He’s got a thick build and will break arm tackle after the catch. There are always tons of talented WRs competing for a roster spot but grinders tend to find their way onto the field.
AJ Woods – DB – Pitt
– Woods bounced around at outside and inside CB and plays the position with a level of physicality that you’ll want from a slot in the NFL. Woods had multiple PBUs and an impressive INT in team scrimmages during the week. He also has the profile for a multiple unit special teamer and I expect him to test well based on how he moved.
Messiah Swinson – TE – Arizona State
– Swinson didn’t see much action other than blocking the game but all week in practice he showcased his strong hands and body control. He made numerous contested catches with defenders hanging all over him. He was listed at 6’7 260 and with good testing he could be a major climber.
Players who also impresed:
– Tyler Owens – S – Texas Tech
– Joshua Cephus – WR – UTSA
– George Holani – RB – Boise State
– Tyrone Tracy – RB – Purdue
– Xavier Johnson – WR – Ohio State
– Austin Jones – RB – USC
– PJ Jules – DB – Southern Illinois
– Isaac Rex – TE – BYU
– Jaden Davis – CB – Miami
– Judge Culpepper – DT – Toledo
– AJ Simon – Edge – Albany
– Ryan Rekhow – P – BYU
– Isaiah Stalbird – LB – SDSU
– Jeshaun Jones – WR – Maryland
– Andre Carter – DT – Indiana
– Tre’Mon Morris-Brash – DT – UCF