This is 2024 Senior Bowl Risers and Fallers from Day 2!
National Team
Risers
RB MarShawn Lloyd, USC
Heading into Mobile, MarShawn Lloyd needed to prove that he was more than just a two-down grinder. After Day 2, Lloyd can handle whatever workload an NFL team puts on his plate. He has made that perfectly clear. Lloyd is checking all the boxes at the Senior Bowl. Size…check. Aggressive running style…check. Asset in the passing game…check.
I currently have Lloyd inside my top ten at the running back position, but he has shown enough that the top 3 isn’t out of the question by rookie draft season.
WR Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky
Don’t say it. Don’t say it. Don’t SAY IT! Okay, I have to say it…Malachi Corley looks like Deebo Samuel. The two wide receivers are built similarly, and their playing styles share a lot of characteristics. He spent Day 2 making opposing defensive backs look silly. He was routinely getting open over the middle and on the outside. Everyone already knows that he will be able to create after the catch in the pros, but he is also proving that he can be a more complete weapon at the next level. He is currently my WR 13, but I am open to ranking him higher than that.
RB Dylan Laube, New Hampshire
Small school producers are the cornerstones of the Senior Bowl event. It gives these kids a chance to compete against better talent than their schedules possessed. Dylan Laube played at the University of New Hampshire, so it was important for him to stand out in Mobile. We are two days in, and Laube has been impressive.
The running back came in with the kind of size NFL scouts look for and has been highlighting his versatility running the ball and catching out of the backfield. He registered faster than 20 MPH in both practices, so we can put the slow Rex Burkhead comparisons to rest. Where he falls in the ranks are still up in the air, but he is a reason why everyone should gather seconds and thirds in Dynasty rookie drafts.
Fallers
WR Tez Walker, UNC
Next up in this edition of the 2024 Senior Bowl Risers and Fallers is Tez Walker. He has been falling down my ranks even before today because I just don’t see enough to get excited about. In Day 2, he didn’t give anyone much to be excited about. Walker hauled in a deep touchdown, but that touchdown didn’t tell the whole story. Most of his practice was filled with telegraphed routes and uncharacteristic drops. Who knows for sure, but it looked like he was suffering from some practice yips. Walker will not get much hype from me after Mobile. Expect him to settle into the mid-teens as we head to Indianapolis.
American Team
Risers
RB Michael Wiley, Arizona
Admittedly, I have not done a lot of background on Michael Wiley, but his consistency is noteworthy at the Senior Bowl. He came in with NFL size, and Cody Carpentier thinks he fits a similar mode to a Rachaad White. That means something coming from Cody. The Wildcat running back has looked smooth as a runner and as a pass catcher. There is a lot left of time left in the NFL Draft process for Wiley to make a bigger name for himself. As for now, he will make an appearance in my rookie RB rankings.
Overall, the American team had a far better practice in Day 2 than they had in Day 1, so they did not have any standout fallers. Cody Schrader has been solid but hasn’t distanced himself from any of the other backs on the American roster. Get Round 2 and Round 3 rookie picks because there will be a ton of running backs worth taking fliers on in those rounds. Jamari Thrash‘s route running has been crips and clean, but he has had issues hauling in the pass.
If he finishes strong, he will certainly be a riser. Jared Wiley has shown off his physicality but has looked clunky and robotic at times. If he can play loose and make some plays, then he could find his way into the top 5-7 of my tight end ranks.
