Day 1 Senior Bowl Takeaways: Steelers, Mike Tomlin Keep Close Eye on Lineman (+)

MOBILE, Ala — Not everything in Mobile is easy for college players, but the Senior Bowl provides them a unique opportunity to improve their draft stock prior to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. So, on the first day of practice, who stood out in a big way for coaches?

Julius Brents Shines

I questioned just how fast Julius Brents actually was before coming to the Senior Bowl, but if Tuesday is any indication, he probably will not have to worry much about that. Brents was the only cornerback who did not lose a single rep the entire day in one-on-one coverage, a rarity for an event so catered to the offensive players. Yet, that wasn’t the most impressive part of Brents’ drill sessions.

In fact, it was his press coverage in those one-on-one situations that makes him climb up the list of intriguing players right away. As it stands, Brents is going to rise as a legitimate 6-foot-3 with 33 5/8-inch arms, he has rare physical traits. If he keeps it up, he could shoot up draft boards.