Here at eDraft, we will have the Senior Bowl covered at length during the week. With boots on the ground in Mobile, a show live from practice and many article upcoming, you can expect us to be your one-stop shop for information on the biggest All-Star game college football has to offer.
This article will focus on one player at each position you need to keep an eye on during the week.
Jimmy Garoppolo, Quarterback, Eastern Illinois
This small-school product may have dominated at the East-West Shrine Classic this past weekend, but that was a tad skewed. Unlike in the past, the top talent that college football has to offer doesn't not take part in that annual event. In what is somewhat of a surprising situation, Garoppolo will be able to partake in both postseason events when he suits up for the South Team during practice and at the game.
At 6'2" and 222 pounds, Garoppolo has the ideal size scouts look for in a quarterback. While not exactly a burner, he does a tremendous job escaping pressure and finding open windows to throw the ball through. The interesting dynamic here is that he will be looking to find receivers such as Jordan Matthews and Cody Hoffman against what has to be considered weaker competition. Even if Garoppolo shows up big time on Saturday, some questions may still be raised about the level of competition he's going up against. This is what makes practices during the week all that much more important.
Charles Sims, Running Back, West Virginia
After transferring from Houston to West Virginia prior to his senior season, Sims quickly became the focal point of an offense that lost three key stars to the NFL in the 2013 draft. He recorded nearly 1,500 yards with 14 touchdowns and was the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.
As our own Blake Meek points out, Sims' strength is versatiltiy. He's one of the better receiving running backs in Mobile He also has plus vision, which is a huge indicator of success at the next level.
Sims will be trying his luck against some solid run-stuffing defensive tackles in the form of Will Sutton and Daniel McCullers of the South Team.
Jordan Matthews, Wide Receiver, Vanderbilt
Matthews is a borderline first-round pick at this early point in the scouting process. At 6'3" and 206 pounds and with exceptional hands, he reminds me a great deal of Michael Crabtree. He is elusive with the balls in his hands and already runs tight routes. Productivity isn't an issue, either. Matthews finished as the all-time SEC leader in receptions and receiving yards.
The Vandy product should shine against a questionable cornerback group that included small-school player Pierre Desir. In fact, that could be a really solid gauge for both players come Saturday. With that said, I want to see Matthews in practice during the week. It's important to see how he handles pro-style coaching in front of front office executives around the league. A solid performance here, and Matthews could be on the upswing heading to the scouting combine.
Arthur Lynch, Tight End, Georgia
Considered a better blocking tight end than a receiver, Lynch entered the 2013 season with expectations that he would round into a better all-around player.
Despite having senior quarterback Aaron Murray under center, Lynch didn't do a whole heck of a lot in the passing game. He recorded just 30 receptions for 459 yards in 12 games. At 6'5" and 254, Lynch has the build to cause tremendous mismatches.
He also boasts decent athleticism and plus hands. A solid performance during the week could make Lynch a real possibility as a Day 2 pick. The good news here for Lynch is that he will be going up against some solid defenders in Deone Bucannon, Ahmad Dixon, Jimmy Ward and linebacker Chris Borland. Here is your stage Mr. Lynch, now run with it.
Tyler Larsen, Center, Utah State
It's becoming increasingly evident that Utah State is doing a great job putting out solid NFL draft prospects...Bobby Wagner being the most successful at the highest level. Larsen, a four-year starter, has a chance to overtake Travis Swanson as the best center in the draft. He will need to put up a solid performance against a solid defensive tackle due that includes the aforementioned Sutton and McCullers. If he is able to hold his own, questions about Larsen's level of competition in college will go away.
Gabe Jackson, Guard, Mississippi State
Probably more to prove than any other interior offensive lineman in Mobile, Jackson has a chance to show that he can be an early second-round pick when all is said and done. Jackson needs to work on getting too high with his pad level, which can be an issue considering he is not the most athletic guard in the draft. At 340 pounds, the senior must also work on his quickness off the snap. The key matchup to watch in scrimmages will be Jackson going up against Aaron Donald, who is beyond dominating.
Billy Turner, Offensive Tackle, North Dakota State
Speaking of level of competition, Turner has an amazing opportunity to do what Eric Fisher did in Mobile last year. This means that he can prove skeptics wrong with a solid week against some of the best competition college football has to offer. A tremendous athlete with great technique, Turner could jump up the draft boards with a solid performance in practice against teammates Chris Smith, Dee Ford and Ed Stinson. He can take that to a whole new level during the game on Saturday when he lines up against Trent Murphy and Kareem Martin.