2015 Senior Bowl: Ameer Abdullah, Kevin White stand out

One of the biggest question marks coming into this one was the quarterback position in general. Very few people had anything positive to say about the quarterback play on display during Senior Bowl practices prior to the game. They were missing easy throws, throwing interceptions, dropping snaps and a whole lot more. As far as the actual game was concerned, there wasn’t a ton of that, but nobody really distinguished themselves either.

Petty looked solid throwing the ball for the most part, completing 9 of 13 passes for 123 yards, but he also threw an interception. Mannion tossed a touchdown and threw for 79 yards on the day.

Among the most prestigious of the college football all-star games, the Senior Bowl, kicks off on Saturday afternoon. Consisting of the top seniors from around the country, the game is a hotbed of NFL talent and features a slew of names you’ll be hearing called early in the 2015 draft.

One of those names is that of Bryce Petty, the Baylor quarterback thought to be one of the best passers among this year’s crop. A forgotten man behind the consensus top two signal callers, Heisman winners Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston, Petty is hoping to up his stock and push himself into the top two rounds. Also throwing the ball will be a pair of SEC quarterbacks -- Auburn’s Nick Marshall and Alabama’s Blake Sims -- looking to prove they have the arm talent and football smarts to make it at the next level.

The formal kickoff of draft season takes place with the Senior Bowl, the top college all-star game. Future top draft picks and more will be on display in Mobile, Ala., this Saturday.

Around since 1950, the Senior Bowl has long showcased the best college football players who have exhausted their eligibility. Although it has become customary in recent years for some of the top players (especially quarterbacks) to turn down invitations, the game still features a bevy of highly rated prospects, some of which could be selected in the top 10 of April’s NFL draft. Since 2007, the NFL Network has held the broadcast rights while sports apparel giant Under Armour and Reese’s are the game’s primary sponsors.

Update: Read our 2015 NFL Draft scouting reports for the top prospects.

It should be noted that this isn’t a complete indictment on these players – for good or bad. But watching practices offers a different perspective. For the players who struggled, it should force people go back and double check what they saw in games.

MOBILE, Ala. -- The third and final day of Senior Bowl practices was much quieter than the previous two days. A lot of NFL coaches and evaluators still came to Ladd-Peebles Stadium, but attendance was notably lower.

Those who left early missed another good showing from TCU cornerback Kevin White. Yes, there are two players in the 2015 NFL Draft named Kevin White. The other one, the West Virginia wide receiver version, turned down the Senior Bowl.

“It’s just one of those things you had to do,” Grant said. “It’s not really ‘man I need to do this,’ it’s ‘go ahead and do this’ because it’s for your life. I knew it was coming in the back of my head, so it wasn’t really hard.”

The Big Ten Network is airing Ohio State’s celebration on Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to noon. A packed house is expected and Ohio State’s band is even playing.

MOBILE, Ala. — La’el Collins could have easily skipped out on the Senior Bowl. It’s not abnormal for top players to turn down the invitation. Collins accepted the challenge and he’s showing why he’s a highly regarded player.

During Day 2 of the Senior Bowl South practices at Ladd Peebles Stadium, Collins showed off a complete game. In drills against defensive linemen, Collins used his power to stop Mississippi State’s Preston Smith with ease. On a screen drill, he pancaked Georgia linebacker Amarlo Herrera in space. On another he was lined up as a left guard – which some consider his best position in the NFL – and he looked good.

MOBILE, Ala. -- The Senior Bowl weigh-in, the strangest event on the sporting calendar, took place on Tuesday morning.

The process unfolds thusly: NFL evaluators and coaches of all types get together at an exhibit hall armed with pen and paper to jot down a player’s measurements. A player’s name is called out and they walk across a stage. For some, this is some type of anti-beauty pageant. They step in first to get their height measured. Then they walk over to a scale. Then their measurement is announced.

Senior Bowl week is here with all 32 NFL teams in attendance to check out more than 100 of the best college football players in the country. Here are the rosters: