Dawgs By Nature
Many players displayed their talent for scouts and coaches
The Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama is in full swing and is a vital part of the Cleveland Browns NFL draft prep. Approximately 900 scouts and coaches from the NFL, CFL, and UFL are watching draft hopefuls while a record 1,100 full media are in attendance for the practice week.
The game will air live on Saturday, February 1 on NFL Network and NFL+ with kickoff at 2:30 pm (Eastern) at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of the University of South Alabama. Both networks will broadcast Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday practices from 10:30 am to 3:00 pm (Eastern) during the week.
The game has been a hotbed for future NFL superstars and Hall of Fame members such as Dan Marino, Joe Namath, Mean Joe Green, Walter Payton, Jerry Kramer, Sam Huff, Franco Harris, Bo Jackson, Brett Favre, Doak Walker, Michael Strahan, Clay Matthews, Cooper Cupp, and Philip Rivers, to name a few.
Former Browns head coach Paul Brown coached many of these games as he was able to get to know players on a personal note. This year’s contest will feature Cleveland special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone as the American roster’s head coach.
In last year’s game, 10 players were taken in the first round that participated. A grand total of 110 picks in the draft played in the game, which represents 43% of the entire draft process.
The 2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Puka Nacua, and Co-Winners of the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Byron Young and YaYa Diaby all played in the 2024 contest.
Each year, the game features six quarterbacks. Normally, half is well-known. But this year’s game is highlighted by numerous high-profile quarterbacks: Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard, Jaxson Dart from Ole Miss, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, and Jalen Milroe of Alabama.
Will Howard of Ohio State had accepted an invite but cancelled instead as did all the other Ohio State players. Players cancel all the time or get injured and leave, but it may be the first time an entire school’s players have opted out.
It just so happens that the Browns are in the market for a young quarterback this year. None of these signalcallers are projected as first-round picks, but from Rounds 2-4 all of them should hear their name called. Not all great quarterbacks are drafted in the first round such as Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Jalen Hurts, Russell Wilson, Dak Prescott, and Bart Starr, to name a few.
Several players were impressive in the opening practices while some not so much. Dawgs By Nature’s Barry Shuck is at the Reese’s Senior Bowl this week for practices and to talk to players.
One position group the Browns will definitely draft a player or two is the offensive line. This year’s offensive tackle class is very strong.
Here at the Senior Bowl, the talent is thick along the offensive line.
North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel (6’-6”,...
