2018 Senior Bowl Day 3 South: Marcus Davenport, Host of Small Schoolers Impress

On the final day and final practice of the Senior Bowl, it was teh small school players on the South rosters that showed up big.

Day 3 South roster "winners" included LSU's Darrel Williams, Oklahoma State's Marcell Ateman, Humbolt State's Alex Cappa, Georgia's Isaiah Wynn, UTSA's Marcus Davenport, and Southern's Danny Johnson.

Reports from Eric Galko, Christian Page, Derrik Klassen, Dan Matney, Filip Prus, and Parker Henry

Quarterbacks
-Richmond QB Kyle Lauletta was the best of the South bunch, now stacking together a few good practices showing off his quick stroke on his release. Lauletta was automatic on Fade routes and made some eyebrow raising throws with pace outside the numbers. Lauletta does make a habit of trusting his eyes too much and needs to show more anticipation for Outs and Comebacks. 

-Western Kentucky QB Mike White struggled handling some snaps from C Bradley Bozeman in warm ups. White has shown fluid feet this week and does well to generate torque from his lower body to deliver tight spirals with timing, especially on throws outside the numbers. White was conservative with his decision making in 11v11s and opted to check the ball down rather than challenge deep.

-Virginia’s Kurt Benkert looked good throwing against air but seemed to stall in 11v11s with his decision making. Benkert made a habit of holding on to the ball far too long, allowing UTSA DE Marcus Davenport 2 sacks and a forced fumble when Davenport ran into Benkert’s arm. Benkert continues to put a ton of arc on lofted deep passes, which is totally fine as long as he has a WR who can go up and make the contested catch.

-Troy QB Brandon Silvers was solid in all aspects with a decent arm and fine accuracy but has yet to exhibit any traits to separate himself. It also didn’t help that he didn’t get many reps in 11v11s towards the end of the practice.

Running Backs
-The only running back that really stood out in the South's practice was LSU's Darrel Williams. After playing second or third fiddle in the LSU offense the last three years, Williams has shown that his added versatility has made the difference in his NFL grade. He looked confident as a pass catcher and explosive as a team-drill runner, and leaves Mobile as one of the better running backs here. Conversely, San Diego State's Rashaad Penny struggled greatly as a pass catcher this week.

Receivers
-Marcell Ateman saved his best outing for last. The Oklahoma State wideout showed off tremendous body control and high-pointing ability. The best part of his day came on RZ throws when snagging passes out of the back of the endzone. He displayed appropriate hand technique when high-pointing. 

-Continuing to show that he is the best receiver here, James Washington put on a show of consistency once again. Washington looked comfortable on corner fade routes looking the ball in while shielding off the defender. Washington continues to win reps, not only with speed, but with physicality and overall ball skills.

-After an average first day and an improved Day 2, DJ Chark of LSU showed consistency in the final day of practice in Mobile. He connected on many corner fades and looked comfortable catching the ball on the run underneath. He is smooth when changing direction and has reliable hands, even in traffic. 

Offensive Lineman
-Humboldt State standout tackle Alex Cappa has put together a strong week but he displayed issues today vs. speed on the outside. He was beat by Shaquem Griffin on the outside in 1 on 1 pass rush drills and also gave up two pressures to Griffin in Tempo Drills, one when Griffin lowered the shoulder and bent the edge and another when Griffin utilized an inside move. Cappa has done a fantastic job all week and will likely rise on many boards after a strong week but there are still flaws to his game that cause some concern.

-Georgia’s Isaiah Wynn continues to build on a strong week and his performance could have him in position to sneak into the 1^st Round. A tackle in college, he has transitioned effortlessly to the inside and rarely lost a rep during Thursday’s session. He’s consistently shown impressive lateral agility and fantastic grip strength, as well as the ability to quickly recover and hold up vs. counter moves.

Defensive Lineman/Linebackers
-With his buzz building leading up to Senior Bowl week, UTSA’s Marcus Davenport put together what could be considered his best day in Mobile Thursday. He was used as a standup rusher on the edge for the most part, and he displayed serious first step quickness in team drills. He also has shown off his impressive upper body strength and threw a lineman to the ground in 1 on 1’s. In addition, he has shown the ability to generate push with his bull rush and had an impressive dip and rip move to generate pressure during the tempo period.

-Though he is technically classified as a linebacker, UCF’s Shaquem Griffin spent the day working with edge rushers and put on a fantastic display throughout the day. He was able to beat Alex Cappa every time they lined up against each other rushing the passer, and his explosiveness and first step coming off the edge make him a very intriguing prospect. While there are obvious concerns about him physically, he displayed fantastic quickness and was a presence in pass rush drills all day long. 

Defensive Backs
-Georgia State's Chandon Sullivan showed out in red zone sessions today. He regularly got into the hip pocket of receivers trying to work to the middle, and played aggressive on fade routes. Being as skinny as he is, taller receivers like Marcell Ateman had their way occasionally, but Sullivan looked like he belonged. 

-Southern's Danny Johnson was often tasked with playing against the top receivers on the South team, primarily the Oklahoma State duo. In doing so, Johnson held his own, seldom giving up space. Johnson shined in both 1-on-1s and in team drills, as well as in the red zone. Undersized he may be, but Johnson performed.