One of the best parts of going to the annual Reese’s Senior Bowl is learning a lot more about the more than 100 NFL draft prospects down in Mobile. Between interviewing many of them and seeing how they interact with teammates and coaches, we get to see a deeper picture of a player.
Oh yeah, they also play a lot of football during the week. The three days of practices help spotlight individual talents and specific skillsets for the prospects.
Not every player fits what this Lions regime is looking for. Coach Dan Campbell made it clear that potential Lions must clear some character, attitude and cultural fit standards if they are going to be considered.
Here are four players from the Senior Bowl week who improved their Detroit potential in my eyes with their skills on the practice fields, and they also seem to fit the Lions’ lofty personal standards.
Note–I’m leaving out Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell because he played his way out of being available anywhere close to the No. 29 pick. Dream another dream; that dream is over…
Isaiah Adams, OL, Illinois
Jan 30, 2024; Mobile, AL, USA; National offensive lineman Isaiah Adams of Illinois (78) battles National defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus of Oregon (97) during practice for the National team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports
Adams was not someone I had studied much entering the week. I was aware of him and had seen a few Illinois games, but my draft notes on the 6-foot-4, 313-pounder were scant. Here’s what I saw from Williams in Mobile that should appeal to the Lions:
- Strong, violent hands with consistently good initial placement
- Finishes hard without being dirty
- Pulls from left to right very well and loves to slam into second-level blocking targets
- Enough length and good enough feet and balance to handle pass protection at tackle
- Very active in interacting with coaches and teammates; Adams was consistently one of the first guys encouraging a linemate who lost a rep.
Adams has starting experience at left guard and right tackle at Illinois. He’s typically projected in the 5th-6th round range. The Lions happen to need a versatile reserve lineman with potential starting upside. This seems like a good year to need that type of player, and Adams–an Academic All-Conference performer–is a great candidate.
Javon Baker, WR, UCF
(Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
Baker was primarily a downfield threat in his two seasons at UCF after transferring from Alabama. So it was refreshing to see how well he ran shorter routes and worked in tighter spaces in the red zone drills.
His grit factor is very high for a wideout. Baker attacks press coverage with a physical style that lets him consistently control the release. The 6-foot-1, 208-pounder uses his frame well to present himself as a target and to win contested catches—not that he needed to do that much in Mobile because he was often wide open. That’s someone who has worked on his game and improved himself in training for the draft and the NFL.
Right now, Baker generally projects in the fourth or fifth rounds. If that range persists, it’s easy to see the Lions having some interest in a player who was once Jameson Williams’ understudy at Alabama.
Braden Fiske, DT, Florida State
(Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)
Fiske has been largely overshadowed by Seminoles teammate Jared Verse, a likely first-rounder at EDGE. While the 295-pound Fiske had some nice moments at Florida State, he proved capable of being a featured interior rusher all week in Mobile.
Fiske has the body type and penetrating game of an undersized rusher, but he also packs power. He largely dominated in 1-on-1 reps with his quickness and a long stride to slip past the power zone of interior blockers. He was very good against the run in team drills, able to stack and shed blocks well.
Fiske transferred to Florida State after playing several years at Western Michigan. He hasn’t lost the chip on his shoulder from playing at a lower level. The hyper-competitive Fiske should be on the Lions’ radar on Day 2.
Jarvis Brownlee, CB, Louisville
Former Louisville DB Jarvis Brownlee Jr. (19) intercepts a pass during the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024.
This one comes with a visual aid because it’s one rep where I excitedly pointed to Brownlee’s jam in a drill and said aloud,
“That’s what Aaron Glenn wants!”
Jarvis Brownlee Jr presses the WR to the ground in 7 on 7s lol pic.twitter.com/SDck9Ro48x
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) February 1, 2024
The Lions do indeed have a type at outside cornerback: slightly under six feet tall, fast feet, high football IQ, and strong run defense. Didn’t get to see Brownlee tackle in run defense, but he sure proved in Mobile that he checks the other boxes. A leaping INT in the actual Senior Bowl showed off the ball skills, something else Brownlee showed a lot in practices.