The offseason may be in full swing for all of the schools in college football, but for potential athletes looking to play in the NFL, the season marches on. The nation’s most talented seniors will be heading to Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama on Saturday to test their skills against greater competition and to raise their draft stock. The Reese’s Senior Bowl will feature intriguing players such as Baylor’s Bryce Petty and Alabama’s Blake Sims, as they and several other seniors attempt to play well in front of NFL scouts. All 32 teams will have representatives at the game, but the Titans and Jaguars coaching staffs will coach the two teams (North and South), therefore getting an opportunity to coach up potential draft picks.
Last year, QB Jimmy Garoppolo used a strong Senior Bowl showing to become a second round pick of the New England Patriots, and he’ll be backing up Tom Brady in the Super Bowl. While Super Bowl tickets will run you $1,975 just to get in the stadium, the average price for Senior Bowl tickets is currently $39.00 on the secondary market. The get-in price sits at a modest price of $34.00, which is a bargain for football fans to get a chance to watch the NFL’s new potential rookie stars such as West Virginia’s Kevin White and Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah.
The game is notorious for highlighting and bringing attention to under-the-radar players with low draft stock. Bills quarterback E.J. Manuel and Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder both won MVP honors in the game and went on to be drafted in the first round in the NFL draft, despite receiving little attention beforehand. Jimmy Graham was an unheard of basketball-player-turned tight end out of the University of Miami until suiting up in the game. Also, small-school players such as LaDainian Tomlinson (TCU) and Matt Forte (Tulane) received draft hype for their performances in the game.
A tradition in Mobile, the Senior Bowl has been played since 1950. Fans have watched NFL legends Dan Marino, Derrick Brooks, and countless other players get their start through this game. The low ticket price and intrigue to find the league’s new stars is more than enough of a reason for fans to come out to the Senior Bowl. The game will start at 4 p.m. EST.
