Winners from Day 1 in Mobile includes potential Rams target at linebacker

Oregon linebacker Jeffrey Bassa was a clear winner on day 1 of the Senior Bowl. Could he be a Rams target?

The Senior Bowl kicked off on Tuesday with day one of three practices before the game on Saturday. During the Les Snead era, the Los Angeles Rams have consistently targeted players in Mobile that are participating in the Senior Bowl, including Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. I will be spending the week in Mobile to get a closer look at some of the draft prospects. Here are the winners from day one.

LB Jeffrey Bassa, Oregon

There may not have been a player that impressed me more than linebacker Jeffrey Bassa from Oregon. He’s exactly what the Rams need at the linebacker position to pair with Omar Speights. The Oregon linebacker shined in coverage on Tuesday. He displayed good recovery speed and the ability to keep up with running backs and wide receivers down the field.

Coming into Mobile, Bassa said that he wanted to show that he can be a four-down linebacker. Bassa told me on Tuesday, “I want to show teams that I’m a true four-down linebacker…I can be a guy that can stop the run on first down, but then also be able to drop in pass on third down whether that’s me matched up on a running back, tight end, or running with a wide receiver in coverage.” He also has no issues playing on special teams.

Bassa did show a lot of good moments against the run as well. He was quick to the ball and navigating through traffic. He went out and accomplished what he set out to do. Bassa is a fit for what the Rams have looked for in a linebacker in the past. If they go linebacker in the third round, he could be an option.

OT Gray Zabel, North Dakota State

There are always some questions when it comes to FCS players coming to the Senior Bowl. While North Dakota State has been an offensive line pipeline in recent years, it’s always good to see how they perform against better competition. For Zabel, not only would he need to show that he could hold his own, but do so at several different positions.

Zabel started the day warming up at center as a sneak peek for what was to come. He played at center and right guard after playing at left tackle all of last season for the Bison. The North Dakota State offensive lineman more than held his own. An argument can be made that he was one of the best players on the field.

iDL Aeneas Peebles, Virginia Tech

Aeneas Peebles was a disruptor on the defensive line on Tuesday. A lot of his big plays came in team drills which you like to see. He’s someone that did a good job off the snap and splitting through the offensive line to get into the backfield.

The Virginia Tech defensive lineman is very explosive, but slightly undersized at just 6’0, 290-pounds. However, that didn’t stop him from making an impact in the run game with his speed. In an interview with Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Peebles said that he modeled his game after Aaron Donald. Peebles isn’t Donald, but that influence is clear given his speed off the line.

OT Josh Conerly Jr. Oregon

It’s tough to focus too much on offensive tackles given the uncertainty with Alaric Jackson. There is a chance that Jackson is brought back because the Rams don’t want a rookie left tackle protecting Matthew Stafford. That is more than a fair argument against taking one. At the same time, Conerly showed on Tuesday why he’s one of the top tackles in the draft class. He was physically dominant most of the day.

At this rate, Conerly may not even make it to the Rams at 26 for them to take. After the Senior Bowl and Combine, there is a good chance that he shoots up draft boards and lands in the top-20. Additionally, his fit with the Rams is a confusing one given the uncertainty of the tackle position, whether or not he’ll be there at 26, and if he is a scheme fit. Conerly told me that he sees himself as a best fit in outside zone. While the Rams do still run some outside zone, they are much more of a gap and inside zone team given that’s where their strength is at.

CB Upton Stout, Western Kentucky

The Rams need cornerbacks with size, but they have also typically drafted undersized players who play big. That is exactly how Stout plays and he showed it several times on Tuesday. Stout was selected to play in the “best of” section of practice where teams usually will go ‘best on best’ or select what they feel is a very good matchup. Stout played tight coverage on TCU’s Jack Bech and forced an incomplete pass.

Stout also made a few plays in 1-on-1s and had another pass breakup during team drills. While Stout may be undersized, he plays tight coverage and forces incompletions. It will be interesting to see how he performs the rest of the week.

OT Carson Vinson, Alabama A&M

Zabel may have gotten most of the attention as the FCS guy who came to play in Mobile. However, Carson Vinson from Alabama A&M showed out as well. If the Rams take a tackle, it makes a lot more sense for them to go the depth route. Vinson didn’t seem phased by the higher level of competition and more than held his own. He’s 6’6, 304 pounds and could be a really nice depth piece to have for teams to develop.

Vinson looks to set the tone with his physicality and that’s exactly what he did on Tuesday in Mobile. This is another player that I’m really excited to watch during the next two days of practices. He helped his case a lot on Tuesday.

WR Jaylin Noel, Iowa State

One of the plays of the day at wide receiver came from Jaylin Noel of Iowa State on the boundary. Noel made a great adjustment on the ball to the back shoulder and got both feet down in bounds to make the catch. He showed sharp routes to create consistent separation which the Rams will value.

Noel is only 5’11, but plays much bigger. At 200 pounds, he has the ability to out-muscle most defensive backs and he shows it. He’s a competitive player and due to his physicality, he is more than willing in the run game.

Quote of the Day

Today’s quote of the day comes from linebacker Jeffrey Bassa from Oregon. Again, Bassa was a player that impressed me throughout the day. However, it wasn’t just his play on the field. Bassa came out with a lot of energy. He immediately took on a leadership role and made sure players on that defense knew where they needed to be. That’s exactly what teams look for in a middle linebacker on a defense.

“I don’t get the nickname ‘jefe’ for no reason. That’s what a lot of my teammates call me back home. Some of the guys are already calling me ‘jefe’ out here. I take a lot of responsibility in that, just being the guy that everybody can depend on, making sure everything is getting rolling smoothly. With ‘jefe’ meaning ‘boss’ in Spanish and my last name being Bassa, it kind of flows together a little bit.”

It’s easy to fall in love with Bassa the player, but the person and intangibles also make him a likable player. This is someone that I’m going to be high on throughout the draft process. If he can continue to show that he won’t get overpowered in the run game, he’ll be a cornerstone piece of a defense.