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The annual trek to Mobile, Alabama, for the Reese's Senior Bowl is always a great stop on the road to the NFL Draft. It is one of the few last bastions of old-school tradition that we still have in the sport. The city of Mobile and the Senior Bowl are a perfect blend of small-town America and college football, which is a big reason why many of us fell in love with the sport to begin with. 

Every year we see the immense presence of the NFL -- from coaches, scouts, executives, general managers and media from across the country. We also see the intense nature of the practices and the pressure the participants are under, considering this is essentially a job interview for their dream job of playing in the NFL.

For the small-school prospect, these games are not only a chance for them to improve their draft stock and show that they belong on the same field as some of their Power 4/FBS counterparts, but also a chance for them to put on for their conference, team and subdivision to show everyone that the world is bigger than the P4 and that there's pro talent to be found everywhere. 

If you are a small-college player who made it to the Senior Bowl, it means you've done an outstanding job as a collegian and will be getting the stage to prove why you were one of the few chosen. 

Here is a look at how the small-college prospects performed during the week ahead of the 76th edition of the game.

American Team

RB Marcus Yarns

  • Height: 5-foot-10
  • Weight: 189 pounds
  • School: Delaware

Marcus Yarns was a running back I was familiar with coming into the week having been the color analyst for his game against Monmouth. In that game he lined up out wide, caught a quick screen pass and raced 86 yards for a touchdown. What was on display here in Mobile was both his receiving skills and terrific acceleration. I thought his ability in the passing game is what stood out mostly during the week. Yarns has the ability to impact the game in all three aspects: running, receiving and in the return game.

OL Jackson Slater

Slater had an impressive showing during the 1-on-1s at the Senior Bowl. The aspect that stood out the most was the consistency of both his footwork and hand placement. He always had an answer and a counter for every move the defensive lineman tried to throw his way. Both really carried over to the team periods as well.

OL Carson Vinson

If you were to poll folks who were in attendance about which offensive lineman made the biggest impression on them, I'd be willing to bet that some would say Carson Vinson. His case is a great example of why non-conference scheduling is important for small-school prospects, because A&M had a couple of games against FBS/P4 opponents, most recently Auburn. Those experiences sort of helped Vinson come into this week battle-tested and ready for the competition he was going to see on a down-to-down basis. Leaving the week, I don't think there will be any questions or concerns about him being able to handle the jump from the FCS to the NFL, nor about his ability to remain at tackle in the pros.

CB Melvin Smith

  • Height: 5-foot-10
  • Weight: 185 pounds
  • School: Southern Arkansas

We spotlighted Smith very early in the season in The Hunt Report, so it was great to see him compete in Mobile. Instantly I took note of how patient he was as a corner. Too often guys at that position, especially in this setting, get anxious and jumpy in coverage. That wasn't the case for Smith, who was able to show good mirror-and-match skills and an ability to fluidly turn and run with receivers. Smith checked the athleticism and recovery speed boxes this week, which is exactly what you want to see from a Division II corner who is looking to make the jump in competition levels.

National Team

QB Taylor Elgersma

  • Height: 6-foot-4
  • Weight: 213 pounds
  • School: Wilfrid Laurier

We've been tracking Elgersma since May on The Hunt Report, and he's had himself a fantastic month of football here in the states. Elgersma has participated in both the College Gridiron Showcase and Tropical Bowl Scrimmage in the past two weeks, earning him the invite to the Senior Bowl. What caught everyone's eye was the velocity and pure arm strength he throws with. Having that ability, plus the benefit of already competing in the American game for two weeks, helped him get off to a good start to the week. We saw him work through some of the technical things like footwork in his drops, getting under center and throwing on the move, all things that he hadn't really done a lot of at the USports level. That's going to be part of his transition and getting acclimated to the smaller field and quicker game here in the states. But overall, I thought he really elevated himself here in Mobile. We'll see if that translates to a high round pick in the CFL Draft or a Day 3 selection in the NFL Draft.

OL Grey Zabel

To me, Zabel had the best week out of any offensive lineman at the Senior Bowl. What makes his week even more impressive was the fact that he is fresh off a 16-game, national championship season that ended Jan. 6, and he still came out here and competed at a high level. And just so you know, I am not blowing smoke; here's what stood out to me from the first practice of the week.

This wasn't just a one-day wonder, either; he consistently held his own in 1-on-1s and during team periods. It is conceivable to see his name called high in Round 2 or even creep up into Day 1. It was that type of week for the former Bison star.

EDGE David Walker

Many were surprised at the measurements of Walker this week, but I was not one of them. In fact, it makes what he was doing on film consistently at Central Arkansas stand out even more! Despite being a shorter than normal edge defender, his size didn't stop him from being dominant at UCA, nor did it stop him from having an excellent week here in Mobile. We've seen guys like Walker before; as a matter of fact, one might play in the Super Bowl in Brandon Graham. With the way he got off the ball and was able to convert speed-to-power, look for Walker to have a lengthy career on Sundays.

S Keondre Jackson

Jackson built upon a strong showing at the Hula Bowl by having another solid week in Mobile. He's got good ball awareness, which seems to lead him always around the ball and in a great position to make a play on it, either in the run game or in coverage. I like how quickly he gets from point A to point B in that regard, showcasing the requisite closing speed to be an effective pro. It's been a great January for Jackson.