Ever since 2021 and the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, Reese’s Senior Bowl experience seemed to dwindle for fans, players, and media alike. While many players lost opportunities to go out and showcase their abilities for the final time before the draft, it also made it difficult for media and scouts to find the best available talent. As a result, the talent pool became very difficult to vet. While the game was exclusively opened to senior football players, the reality is that many of the nation’s top players were already highly touted as underclassmen, making it glaringly obvious that the best players were not participating in the Senior Bowl. 

For media personnel who want to see the best available talent one last time and fans who want to see their underclassman, All-American QB, it was in the Senior Bowl’s best interest to open up the invites to the underclassmen across the nation. With such a vast pool of new players being added, the competition will intensify come February. Media members will no longer be relegated to players opting out of the game, leaving Mobile early, and not participating in the final game.

The mindset that many top-projected players would not benefit from playing in the Senior Bowl is completely false. While the risk of injury plays a large role in many decisions to sit out, the likelihood of injury is always present even during pre-draft conditioning.

 With the competitive landscape of college football now, the opportunity to get more tape and live action in front of scouts is always a benefit. Within the NFL community, the Senior Bowl has a great reputation for allowing scouts to get a feel for the players that they are considering drafting. Since the teams are being coached by NFL staff, the players can get real experience working in an NFL organization. 

The Reese’s Senior Bowl will kickoff on Saturday, February 3rd, 2024 in Mobile, Alabama at 1pm. 

LeMarkus Bailey
-Writer/President

With the 2023 NFL Draft approaching, there are several players that are making waves despite being from a non-power 5 conference known as “Group of Five”. An example in this year’s class is none other than sleeper receiver, Tank Dell. Tank Dell has come on to the national scene after dominating college football in 2022. In his final year at Houston, he led all receivers in total yards and touchdowns.

The University of Houston has a rich history of producing talented football players who have gone on to have successful careers in the National Football League (NFL). Here is a look at some of the notable NFL players from the University of Houston.

Andre Ware

1. Andre Ware is one of the most successful players to come out of the University of Houston. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1989, and was selected by the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 1990 NFL Draft. Ware played for the Lions, Raiders, and Jaguars during his NFL career, and was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1990.

Case Keenum

2. Case Keenum played quarterback for the University of Houston from 2007-2011. He set numerous records during his college career, including passing yards (19,217), touchdowns (155), and completions (1,546). Keenum went undrafted in the 2012 NFL Draft, but was signed as a free agent by the Houston Texans. He has since played for several teams, including the Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, and Cleveland Browns.

David Klingler

3. David Klingler played quarterback for the University of Houston from 1988-1991. He set numerous records during his college career, including passing yards (9,430) and touchdowns (91). Klingler was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft, but struggled during his NFL career and only played in the league for four seasons.

Wilson Whitley

4, Wilson Whitley played defensive tackle for the University of Houston from 1978-1982. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 1983 NFL Draft, and played for the team for three seasons. Whitley's NFL career was cut short due to injuries, but he is remembered as one of the most dominant players in University of Houston history.

Since 2013, The University of Houston has produced 4 1st round draft picks including DJ Hayden, William Jackson III, Ed Oliver, and Damarion Williams. In 2022, Dell proved that he could be a part of that group.  Fast forward to April, with two days until the annual draft, Dell has slid up boards and is projected to go top 64 and put yet another Houston Cougar in the NFL.

Player Information:

Name: Adetomiwa Adebawore

School: Northwestern

Position: DL/DT

Jersey #: 99

Height/Weight: 6’2’’ 280 

Alignment/Scheme: Strong Side Defensive End, 3 Tech

Games Watched: Vs Duke, vs Miami(OH), vs Illinois, vs Maryland, vs Nebraska 

Major Factors: # Notes:

Grading Scale:       9 - Special  8 - All-Pro  7.5 - Pro Bowler  7 - Good Starter  6.5 - Avg. Starter  6 - Good Backup  5.5 - Role Player  5 - Developmental

Athletic Ability: 6.5 Adebawore is a tough, physical player that goes the extra mile each play to do his job. He isn’t athletically gifted, but he makes up for it in his assignments. Against longer, larger players, he typically can get absorbed. 

Strength & Explosion: 6.5 His stature is low to the ground compared to his matchups. At 280 lbs, he is the average weight for an NFL DE, but in the Big 10 against larger offensive lineman, he often would be at the disadvantage in straight pass rush. His strength is in run support on stunts. 

Competes: 7 Very competitive. Will chase down a play from the backside and work to get to the perimeter on screen game or outside run. 

Production: 5 5.0 sacks, 9.0 tackles for loss, and 38 total tackles in 2022. Led the team in sacks. 

Mental/Learning: 7 4 Year contributor at Northwestern that improved in every statistical category year to year. 

Injury History: ? Unknown

Player Summary:

Report: Adetomiwa Adebawore on paper is the prototype defensive end in the NFL, however, once you turn on the tape, you get more dimension in his game. Adebawore is not the traditional NFL pass rusher that can rush from a multitude of positions. Adebawore is a high-motor end that is extremely compact in his playstyle. Against larger Tackles, Adebawore is often at disadvantage due to his lack of relative length, but because of his low center of gravity, he can keep a constant push. Since he is compact and strong, he is also able to play from the interior as well. 

Strengths: His first step is elite and he uses his intensity to get on larger offensive lineman quickly. Laterally, Adebawore is solid and is able to turn his shoulders to get into gaps rather quickly. He uses his hands very well despite his arm length not being exceptional. He does not get pushed off the spot easily, but he does not command a double team from the inside either. I would categorize Adebawore as a true two-down defensive end because of his true run-support ability. Although he is able to rush the passer, his true strength is in the run game. 

Weakness: Size. At 6’2 and 280 lbs, Adebawore is not a speed rusher. Against NFL offensive tackles, he will likely get lost in a straight rush. He will benefit from movement and stunts. Contain is a concern with Adebawore because he does not change direction extremely well. On the edge, Adebawore does not change direction exceptionally well either, but he has a motor.  

Adebawore has the skill set of a player like Brandon Graham. He can develop into this type of player with development. If he can improve his pass rush tool belt, Adebawore will be a household name in the NFL. 

Pro Comparison: Brandon Graham

Round/Grade: 3rd-4th Round 

ITH Writer/COO

-By: LeMarkus Bailey