Senior Bowl Daily Notebook: Khalil Shakir Making Cooper Kupp-Like Rise Up Boards

For a good portion of the United States, Mother Nature isn't being the least bit cooperative Thursday. That includes at practices for the 2022 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama—after wind and rain during practice Wednesday, Thursday's sessions were moved indoors.

It offered this year's top quarterback prospects a chance to throw in better conditions than the day before. For the top wide receiver prospects, it offered a chance to run routes with better footing. And for coaches and players alike, it offered an opportunity to stay dry.

Dry is good.

As should be expected, better conditions resulted in better practices for both the American and National squads. This isn't to say that there weren't players who fared well in Wednesday's muck—and many of those same players shone again Thursday. But there were also players who scuffled a bit in the rain but were able to rebound.

Here are some observations from Thursday's practices, beginning with a Group of Five wide receiver who is looking to pull a Cooper Kupp by using a great Senior Bowl as a predraft springboard.

In 2021, we watched a small-school wide receiver who is neither exceptionally big nor blazingly fast dominate the NFL.

Now, comparing Boise State wide receiver Khalil Shakir to Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams is unfair bordering on ludicrous. But just as Kupp shot up draft boards after tearing up the field in Mobile in 2017, Shakir has been the most impressive wide receiver in National team practices this week.

Just as Kupp was at Eastern Washington, Shakir was highly productive at Boise State in 2021—the 6'0", 193-pounder hauled in 77 passes for 1,117 yards and seven scores. And as Ian Cummings wrote for Pro Football Network, Shakir displays an impressive ability to go get the ball for a player his size:

"Chief among Shakir's operational strengths is his work at the catch point. At the catch, Shakir shows off absurd instincts. The Boise State WR can track the ball and make challenging adjustments with little strain. He's able to control and contort his body with rare, natural comfort in the air. And his near-elite coordination ties it all together. Shakir actively guides the ball in with his hands and positions himself to maximize his reach. He can make acrobatic catches even amidst contact."

With that said, it has been Shakir's explosiveness off the line of scrimmage that has opened eyes in Mobile—he has beaten defenders off the line with ease, including three touchdowns in red-zone drills Thursday.

Heading into the 2022 Senior Bowl, the prevailing opinion was that this wasn't an especially strong class at the NFL's most important position.

Sadly, the Senior Bowl practices haven't alleviated those concerns.

Still, some quarterbacks helped themselves. In terrible weather Wednesday, Liberty's Malik Willis demonstrated the ability to power throws through the elements. Pitt's Kenny Pickett (he of the much-scrutinized double-jointed hands) rebounded from a shaky outing Wednesday with a better throwing session Thursday. Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder and North Carolina's Sam Howell have both shown flashes of plus accuracy.

But each quarterback in Mobile also has major concerns that weren't allayed in practices. Willis (the likely leader to be the first signal-caller drafted) has yet to demonstrate he can consistently make accurate throws from the pocket. Pickett's shaky session in the rain only amplified the worries about his hand size. Ridder is a limited arm talent. Howell struggled at times in 2021, and his footwork is all over the place.

None of that means there won't be multiple signal-callers drafted in Round 1 in April. Or that one or more of these young quarterbacks won't go on to have an excellent professional career. But there's no Trevor Lawrence or Baker Mayfield in this class. There certainly doesn't appear to be a Joe Burrow or Josh Allen.

NFL teams heading into the 2022 draft with a glaring need at quarterback have a major problem. Because if this week's practices are any indication, none of the players at the position at the Senior Bowl are anywhere close to a lock to fill that need.

To say that tight end isn't a big part of the offense at Ohio State is an understatement—especially in a 2021 season when the team sported three 900-plus-yard receivers.

However, despite catching just 26 passes for 309 yards and three scores for the Buckeyes in 2021, Jeremy Ruckert was considered by some a top-five prospect at the position, and Kyle Crabbs of the Draft Network wrote that the 6'5", 250-pounder has the potential to be a difference-maker.

"I think that Ruckert is a plus athlete for the position, or at least he plays like one," Crabbs wrote. "And with more freeing roles available to him in other offenses other than an OSU one that traditionally treats tight ends like afterthoughts, I think the ceiling is there for Ruckert to be a much better pro player than he is a college receiver."

Ruckert had been doing a good job of reinforcing that notion in Mobile—Dalton Miller of Pro Football Network singled Ruckert out as a standout on the practice field.

"If you want an all-around tight end in the 2022 NFL Draft that won't break the draft capital bank but will prove to be a better pro than college player, look no further than Jeremy Ruckert. The Ohio State product showed off his mitts (Wednesday) in individual drills all the way through the team period. Athletic testing isn't always important, but it's proven to be recently at tight end. If Ruckert tests well, he should have a shot at sneaking into the top 100."

Unfortunately, Ruckert won't have an opportunity to continue to improve his stock at the Senior Bowl. Per Brian Bosarge of Draft Countdown, Ruckert's week in Mobile has ended because of a foot injury.

Tight ends who have played wide receiver are becoming more and more popular in today's NFL, in no small part because of the dominance of Darren Waller of the Las Vegas Raiders.

Coastal Carolina's Isaiah Likely is just such a player, and as Bryant McFadden wrote for CBS Sports, Likely was one of a number of tight ends who rampaged across college football this past season: "Likely showed why he'll have a bright future in the NFL by utilizing speed and athleticism to run by defenders, a skill set that led to double-digit TDs. Likely will probably blow up between now and April's NFL draft. Likely is a poor man's Kyle Pitts, which is a compliment."

McFadden was spot-on about Likely's chances of tearing up the predraft process. Per Bryan Perez of the Draft Network, Likely has already worked his way into the conversation to be the first tight end drafted after he routinely left defenders in the dust.

"Likely's displayed the kind of juice and twitch that the premier pass-catching tight ends showcase on a weekly basis," he said. "He's routinely left defenders playing catch-up in coverage."

Whether it has been speed, agility, hands or the ability to go up and get the football in the red zone, Likely has consistently shone in just about every area.

And in doing so, he has demonstrated the ability to be an immediate NFL contributor.

From an injury perspective, it had been a pretty clean week in Mobile to date. Unfortunately, that started to change on Thursday.

While locked up in a one-on-one drill with (ironically) Michigan guard Andrew Stueber, Ohio State defensive tackle Haskell Garrett went to the ground hard and immediately grabbed his shoulder/collarbone before being helped to the locker room.

It was a terrible development for the 6'1", 298-pound Garrett. Garrett was an All-American for the Buckeyes in 2020 and paced Ohio State with seven sacks in 2021, but nagging injuries affected his play down the stretch.

Per Pro Football Network, Gaskett said before heading to the Senior Bowl that he realized the importance of the week.

“I know how special it is and what comes with it and to truly be recognized as an elite athlete in this sport and to bring that not only to my family but to our people, our Polynesian culture, truly is a blessing and an honor,” Garrett said.

Given the variance of opinions on Garrett (from a top-five interior line prospect to barely inside the top-10), the pre-draft performance is that much more important for Garrett—potentially the difference between being drafted in the third round or the fifth.

Luckily, Garrett appears to have avoided significant injury, tweeting later Thursday that he will be on the field Saturday.

Garrett might have had a rough day on the practice field, but another interior lineman continued to tear things up—and potentially climb draft boards.

It can be argued that there hasn't been a more dominant defensive player on either team in practices this week than Oklahoma defensive lineman Perrion Winfrey. After Wednesday's rainy practices, Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia raved about the havoc that Winfrey wrought:

"For me, the player of the day came from the National team and the early practice. Oklahoma DT Perrion Winfrey was unstoppable on Wednesday to the point where I really began to feel bad for the opposing offensive linemen. Winfrey (6-3, 303) spent most of his day in the backfield and giving the OL fits. After the first couple days in Mobile, Winfrey will be sliding up draft boards. He crushed it in 1-on-1 drills but also just ruined team drills he was so disruptive."

Practices might have been moved inside Thursday, but that didn't stop Winfrey from blowing up plays. As former NFL defensive lineman Leger Douzable wrote, Winfrey continued to display impressive power and explosiveness.

"Love Perrion Winfrey energy and he's shown some good pass rush ability," Douzable tweeted. "Wins here with a bull rush, on the previous rep won with a counter club. Stock is definitely rising."

In fact, there probably isn't a defender on the National roster whose stock has risen more the past few days.

In Wednesday's Senior Bowl notebook, Bleacher Report's Maurice Moton noted that Northern Iowa offensive tackle Trevor Penning was generating some first-round buzz—in part because he was showing off a mean streak when it came to finishing off blocks.

"Penning kept his name in Day 1 discussions with several highlight moments Wednesday," Moton wrote. "He showed relentless motor, practiced with unmatched intensity and drove multiple defenders into the ground. Penning routinely locked horns with defenders and didn't stop until he won the down."

The lineman wasn't one grain less salty Thursday.

Penning blocked defenders like a bouncer trying to throw an unruly patron out of a nightclub. He got into multiple dustups with defensive players, including after he planted Ohio State's Tyreke Smith firmly on his backside.

Those two will not be exchanging Christmas cards.

While speaking on ESPN's telecast after practice, Penning said he's simply getting into playing his game.

"I think I came in here and played my game," he said. "The mauler mentality really came out today. The first few days were just getting back into football, but today I got out there and really started to feel like myself again."

There is more than one team picking at the back of the first round who could use some mean on the offensive line.

Looking at you, Cincinnati.

Despite the fact that he gained over 1,300 yards on the ground last year and helped guide Alabama to a berth in the national championship game, Alabama running back Brian Robinson Jr. won't be the first running back drafted. Or the third. CBS Sports ranks the 6'1", 226-pounder ninth at the position, behind the likes of Ohio State's Master Teague III and Rachaad White of Arizona State.

According to Chris Pflum of Big Blue View, the biggest knock on Robinson is his lack of prowess in pass protection.

"Robinson Jr.'s projection in the NFL depends entirely on his pass protection. If he is able to make improvements to his pass protection and become a more reliable pass protector, he has the skills to be a starting running back for a team that uses a down-hill rushing attack. His efficiency behind the line of scrimmage, vision, contact balance, power, and explosion should make him a good runner in a variety of in-game situations. Robinson has the potential to be a 'bellcow' back in the right scheme and a thorn in the side of the league's run defenses."

If Thursday's practice session was any indication, he's been working on that.

In a one-on-one pass-protection drill against a quality linebacker in Georgia's Channing Tindall and sporting a full head of steam, Robinson didn't just pick up the blitz.

He blasted it.

It was one of the most talked-about plays of either of Thursday's practice sessions.

And absolutely the most fun to watch.