Front Office Insider: Cody Prewitt not only one helping himself at Senior Bowl
Ole Miss safety Cody Prewitt's stock is on the rise.
Prewitt followed up his interception in Tuesday's practice by showing great instincts and closing speed on Wednesday. He blew up an oncoming reverse, and Jaguars coaches ran onto the field to congratulate him.
Prewitt, who says he patterns his game after that of Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, is the No. 45 overall player on FOX Sports 1 NFL insider Joel Klatt's big board and has the potential to creep into the first round.
"I like to think I pick up on things really well, and it allows me to play really fast," Prewitt said after practice. "I take a lot of pride in my football IQ."
To add even more intrigue, the 6-foot-2, 212-pounder is at the Senior Bowl with his Ole Miss teammate, cornerback Senquez Golson.
Golson, who once turned down a $1.35 million signing bonus from the Boston Red Sox to instead play college football, has finally dedicated himself to the gridiron despite Ole Miss spring baseball gearing up.
"I'm really proud of him. He has come a long way, and honestly we have come a long way together," Prewitt said. "And to be sharing this experience together has been a real blessing for us."
Golson, of course, led the SEC with 10 interceptions and made a major impact for Ole Miss' defense this past season.
The duo is coming off a banner year, leading the Rebels to their first season finishing ranked since 2009.
Speaking of former teammates . . .
Another duo generating some buzz was the former Miami combination of wide receiver Phillip Dorsett and tight end Clive Walford.
Dorsett makes up for his 5-foot-9 frame with blazing speed and said after practice that's his 4.2 40-yard dash time is the fastest in school history. What's more, Dorsett showed off tremendous ability to go up and fight for the catch.
Walford uses his 6-foot-4 frame as an advantage to box out defenders and haul in passes. His sticky hands were apparent as he hauled in numerous throws on Wednesday. Furthermore, Walford could be making a case to be one of the first tight ends selected.
"We compete at everything," Dorsett said after practice. "That's something we do every day and can't turn that off."
Where to stand on Coates?
The main question surrounding former Auburn wide receiver Sammie Coates is his inconsistent hands.
The 6-foot-2, 213-pound target is gifted with rare speed and athleticism and has shown he's moving in the right direction this week.
"He's done a good job," Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley said. "I think that, as I've been around these guys and I watched some tape of these guys, what I like to see is rapid improvement. That's what I'm seeing from him."
Despite some questions about his ability to switch directions fluidly, Coates has a chance to be a potential game changer at the next level. In fact, Coates on Wednesday compared himself to Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones.
There's certainly a variety of opinions on Coates, but his draft stock ceiling could be higher than most expect.
Orchard's versatility on display
Utah defensive end Nate Orchard's combination of speed and power were evident in Wednesday morning's North team practice.
Orchard, who worked with the linebackers, displayed an ability to get to the quarterback during his senior season, racking up a school-record 18.5 sacks.
His athleticism and length were among the characteristics noticed, mentioned by one AFC scout. Orchard is an intriguing prospect because of his versatility to get to the quarterback and drop into coverage.
The Senior Bowl is designed for pass rushers to stand out. With offenses running basic plays and getting one another’s timing down, Orchard's explosive first step should be on display on Saturday.
FOX Sports 1 NFL draft analyst Joel Klatt has Orchard ranked 31st among all prospects and as his third-best defensive end.
Shelton builds on strong outing
There was more praise for Washington defensive tackle Danny Shelton on Wednesday.
Shelton has made the most of his time in Mobile so far and flashed a dominant ability to shed blocks and pursue the ballcarrier.
One scout I watched a portion of the practice with used the word "special" when referencing Shelton.
Some clubs were hoping to see how Shelton can handle double teams, so naturally the North team had defensive linemen work against two offensive linemen.
The 6-foot-2, 343-pound nose tackle was able to get underneath blockers and even split them consistently. With a solid Saturday performance, Shelton will be well on his way to making his case to be considered among the players at the top of the draft board.
FOX Sports 1's NFL insider Peter Schrager currently projects the Houston Texans selecting Shelton No. 16 overall.