Minnesota Vikings draft notes: 2017 Senior Bowl practice, day two
By Jordan Reid
- An early morning addition prior to day-two was Air Force receiver Jalen Robinette. He got right into the swing of the Senior Bowl festivities. Not shying away from the competition, he threw himself right into the fire. Even though it was his first day of practice, Robinette didn’t shy away from the opposition. Just like his body frame, he played big on multiple occasions, showing off his tremendous catch radius and ball skills.
- Cooper Kupp continued to distance himself from the competition as he showed that his route-running is very advanced. His steps are quick, his ability to re-direct is sharp and his hands are very good. Kupp is quickly making critics forget his “small school” label. There are whispers that he is starting to enter himself into the first-round conversation.
- East Carolina wide receiver Zay Jones put together another impressive day. The NCAA all-time leader in receptions (399) showed exactly why he was such. He showed clean routes, reliable hands and plenty of explosiveness throughout the second day of practice.
- Although not talked about a lot by many to this point, Florida International tight end Jonnu Smith stood out. He routinely created separation on his routes, while also showing good technique in pass protection. In a loaded tight end class, the ability to consistently block might be what separates the bunch.
- Michael Roberts got off to another hot start as the second day of practice began. He somewhat leveled off during the back-stretch of practice though. Dropping a pass during the team session and missing a block.
- Syracuse wide receiver Amba Etta-Tawo struggled catching the ball today. He had multiple concentration drops throughout the practice. He did not have this problem during day-one.
- Despite his small size (5-foot-7, 175 pounds) Louisiana Tech shifty slot receiver Trent Taylor stood out in the two-point conversion portion of practice. He wins on his routes with quickness, and at times Taylor seemed like a blur to defenders.
- Michigan wide receiver Amara Darboh continues to quietly put together a solid week of practices. His compact and muscular build has translated to the field, as he has continuously made contested catches.
- Grambling wide receiver Chad WIlliams made a nice catch in double coverage as he continued to build off his strong first day, demonstrating his ability to catch in traffic.
- LSU wide receiver Travin Dural’s competitiveness stood out. He drew an offensive pass interference call, but his edge and violence that he plays with was evident in his route-running.
- With Alabama tight end O.J. Howard receiving most of the buzz from day-one, Mississippi tight end Evan Engram created some momentum as scouts project him to be best suited as an H-Back in the NFL. He caught the ball well during day-two.