Fred Warner makes a name for himself at Reese's Senior Bowl

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Fred Warner makes one of his Senior Bowl tackles (Brynn Anderson, AP)


Five years ago, BYU's Ezekiel Ansah impressed during Senior Bowl practices and dominated the game. That turn of events had a lot to do with him being the fifth pick overall in the 2013 NFL Draft.

This year, Fred Warner went into the Senior Bowl hoping he could get similar dividends. Judging by the game tape and expert analysis of his practice performance, he will be handsomely rewarded. Not top five, or even first round money, but he could possibly be taken in the second round.
Early reports were that the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets were showing interest in Warner. Later in the week, the Washington Redskins and San Francisco 49ers were thrown into the mix. Take that for what it's worth.

Warner started getting a lot of pub with his measurables. He came in at 6-foot-3 1/2 and 235 pounds, with 31 5/8 inch arms and 9 3/4 inch hands. Observers were very impressed with his physique, but one person there is saying he isn't really that tall.
By comparison, Kyle Van Noy measured 6-foot-3 1/4, 244 pounds, 9 1/2 inch hands, and 32 inch arms at the Senior Bowl in 2014.

Warner didn't waste time to start turning heads on the practice field. Draft analysts started singling him out on day one. By Wednesday, one analyst was adamant Warner wasn't getting enough press.

Emory Hunt, Jonah Tuls, the Downtown Rams, and others obliged.

During a Twitter Q&A on Thursday, Jon Ledyard brought up Warner twice. First as a good fit for the Steelers. Then he gushed about Warner's week overall.
DraftAnalyst.com provided a well organized summary of Warner's practice evaluation.


Warner clearly took the practices seriously, which led to him being Ledyard's fourth best prospect performer. However, Warner found time for a lighter moment or two. For example, catching up with former BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall.

Warner made sure he had his game face on when the actual game kicked off. He played 38 snaps, and made six tackles from the inside linebacker spot. His play did nothing to diminish the positive momentum he got from practice.
There was one scary moment for Warner. He got dinged up and hobbled off the field. However, he returned a short time later, and showed no signs that he was still affected by it.

The Editor appreciates all feedback. He can be reached via email at bluecougarfootball@gmail.com

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