2018 Senior Bowl Explained

The 2018 Senior Bowl was an all-star college football exhibition game featuring players from the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season, and prospects for the 2018 draft of the professional National Football League (NFL). The game was the last of the 2017–18 bowl games and the final game of the 2017 FBS football season. It was sponsored by Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and was officially known as the Reese's Senior Bowl. The game was played on January 27, 2018, at 1:30 p.m. CST, at Ladd–Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama, between "North" and "South" teams; coverage of the event was provided by NFL Network.^[3]

Bowl organizers announced that, for the first time, RFID devices would be used to track players and footballs during practices and the game. The maker of the RFID devices, Zebra Sports Solutions, was also announced as a corporate sponsor of the game.^{[4] [5]}

Rosters

In late December 2017, bowl organizers announced that Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma would appear in the game; the most recent Heisman Trophy winner to play in the Senior Bowl was Tim Tebow in the 2010 game.^[6] Full rosters were announced on January 18, 2018. The head coaches were Vance Joseph of the Denver Broncos and Bill O' Brien of the Houston Texans, for the North and South teams, respectively.^[7]

North team

No.	Player<	-- would need to use 'sortname' for each player-->	Position	HT/WT	College	Notes
0		ILB	6'2/260
1		CB	6'1/194
2		S	6'2/202
3		QB	6'4/223		Did not play, in order to attend funeral of Tyler Hilinski.[8]
4		ILB	6'4/230
5		WR	6'1/205		Played in the 2018 East–West Shrine Game
6		QB	6'1/220
7		CB	6'2/186
8		WR	5'9/186
9		ILB	6'4/248
11		WR	6'3/188
13		QB	6'4/220		Replaced Mason Rudolph, who was injured[9]
14		CB	5'10/190
15		WR	6'3/210		Played in the 2018 East–West Shrine Game
15		K	5'10/178
16		WR	6'6/215
17		QB	6'5/233
19		P	6'1/211
20		CB	6'1/190
21		RB	5'11/228
22		CB	6'1/180
23		S	5'11/205
24		CB	5'10/208
25		RB	5'11/191
26		CB	6'0/185
27		RB	6'3/230
27		DT	6'2/312
28		S	6'2/218
31		DE	6'1/240
36		FB	6'2/247
39		S	6'0/200
48		LS	6'1/242
49		ILB	6'3/245
50		ILB	6'0/225
52		C	6'5/305
55		OLB	6'3/246
56		C	6'3/310
57		G	6'5/315
58		OLB	6'5/252
59		DE	6'4/265
61		G	6'5/314
65		OT	6'5/335
66		DT	6'4/295
70		OT	6'7/305
73		OT	6'5/320
76		G	6'3/340
78		OT	6'6/305
79		G	6'3/295
80		TE	6'6/257
81		TE	6'6/248
83		TE	6'4/240
84		WR	6'1/200
85		WR	6'5/222
88		TE	6'6/252
90		DE	6'6/275		Played in the 2018 East–West Shrine Game
91		DE	6'5/270
94		OLB	6'2/230
97		DT	6'5/300		Injured during practice; did not play[10]
98		DT	6'4/315

Source:^[11]
Luke Falk switched his uniform number from 4 to 3 in honor of Tyler Hilinski.^[12]

South team

No.	Player<	-- would need to use 'sortname' for each player-->	Position	HT/WT	College	Notes
3		S	6'2/210
4		WR	6'1/210
5		QB	6'3/215		Named game MVP[13]
5		CB	6'1/205
6		QB	6'4/215
7		WR	6'4/198
9		DE	6'4/288
10		P	6'6/204
11		DE	6'4/260
12		QB	6'3/219
13		WR	6'4/220
14		S	5'11/185
14		QB	6'4/225
15		FB	6'3/245
16		WR	6'3/205
18		OLB	6'1/223		Griffin was named Overall Practice Player of the Week[14]
19		S	6'0/214		Added due to injury of Dorian O'Daniel[15]
20		RB	5'11/220
21		S	6'1/209
22		CB	5'11/195
23		CB	6'0/200
24		CB	5'10/194
25		RB	5'9/195
26		CB	6'0/205
27		CB	6'2/200
28		WR	6'0/205
29		RB	6'1/229
30		ILB	6'2/225
38		K	6'4/223
38		OLB	6'3/230
39		CB	6'0/183
42		OLB	6'2/240
50		ILB	6'3/235
51		G	6'5/330
53		ILB	6'2/240		Injured during practice; did not play[16]
53		ILB	6'3/230		Added due to injury of Micah Kiser[17]
56		ILB	6'1/220		Injured during practice; did not play
68		OT	6'5/306
69		LS	6'3/267
70		G	6'6/320
71		OT	6'7/305
72		OT	6'7/309
73		C	6'4/305
75		C	6'5/314
77		G	6'2/302
78		OT	6'6/313
79		G	6'2/322
80		TE	6'5/248
81		TE	6'5/255		Injured during practice; did not play[18]
86		TE	6'5/255		Injured during practice; did not play[19]
86		TE	6'4/255		Added due to injury of Dallas Goedert[20]
88		TE	6'4/262
89		WR	6'2/205
90		DT	6'5/292
93		DE	6'7/255
94		DT	6'4/308
95		DT	6'0/305		Played in the 2018 East–West Shrine Game
99		DT	6'4/285

Source:^[21]

Game summary

Scoring summary

Source:
Note: special playing rules detailed here.
Senior Bowl rules require teams to attempt 2-point conversions during the 2nd quarter.^[22]

Statistics

Statistics	North	South
First Downs	19	19
Rushes-yards	36-147	30-115
Passing yards	253	425
Passes, Comp-Att-Int	20-39-1	21-36-1
Return yards	86	39
Punts-average	7-41.6	6-48.7
Fumbles-lost	2-2	1-0
Penalties-yards	2-15	2-10
Time of Possession	31:17	28:43

Source:^[23]

Further reading

• News: Luke Falk honoring late teammate Tyler Hilinski at Senior Bowl . Sam . Cooper . . January 20, 2018.
• Web site: 2018 draft: 7 prospects who helped themselves in Senior Bowl . Daniel . Jeremiah . . January 27, 2018.
• News: Senior Bowl 2018: Baker Mayfield to play little, if at all, agent says . Alex . Marvez . . January 23, 2018.
• Web site: 2018 NFL Draft Prospects Who Will Dominate the Senior Bowl . Sean . Tomlinson . . January 19, 2018.

External links

• 2018 Reese's Senior Bowl Full Game Replay via YouTube

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2018 Senior Bowl odds: North vs. South picks from college football insider . . January 25, 2018 . January 27, 2018.
2. Web site: Prospective NFL officials to be evaluated at the Reese’s Senior Bowl . Rich . Madrid . footballzebras.com . January 26, 2018 . January 27, 2018.
3. Web site: The Reese's Senior Bowl . seniorbowl.com . December 7, 2017.
4. Web site: ZEBRA tracking devices will be used at the Senior Bowl . Jennifer Lee . Chan . ninersnation.com . January 18, 2018 . January 21, 2018.
5. Web site: Corporate and Media Partners . seniorbowl.com . January 21, 2018.
6. Heisman Trophy winner Mayfield accepts invite . seniorbowl.com . December 28, 2017 . January 3, 2018.
7. News: Browns Coaching Staff Won’t Coach At Senior Bowl, Texans And Broncos Will . Daryl . Ruiter . cleveland.cbslocal.com . January 3, 2018 . January 3, 2018.
8. News: Luke Falk pulls out of Senior Bowl . CougCenter Staff . cougcenter.com . January 26, 2018 . January 26, 2018.
9. News: Report: Okla. State QB Mason Rudolph out of Senior Bowl with foot injury . buffalonews.com . January 18, 2018 . January 21, 2018.
10. News: FHSU's Shepherd injured at Senior Bowl practice . . January 24, 2018 . January 26, 2018.
11. Web site: North Team . seniorbowl.com . January 18, 2018 . January 18, 2018.
12. News: Luke Falk to don number of Washington State teammate Tyler Hilinski at Senior Bowl . Mike . Triplett . . January 24, 2018 . January 24, 2018.
13. 957385965697368065. nflnetwork. FINAL from Mobile: Western Kentucky's Mike White stole the show early. Then Richmond's QB Kyle Lauletta tossed 3 t… . 27 January 2018.
14. 956707135861215233. seniorbowl. Congrats to @Shaquemgriffin from @UCF_Football, our @alabamapower Overall Practice Player of the Week #SeniorBowl… . 26 January 2018.
15. Web site: Fairhope's Nate Andrews joins Senior Bowl roster in time for final full practice . Mark . Inabinett . al.com . January 25, 2018 . January 28, 2018.
16. News: UVA's Kiser leaves Senior Bowl early; Bronco Mendenhall visits Mobile . Mike . Barber . richmond.com . January 25, 2018 . January 27, 2018.
17. News: Vanderbilt's Oren Burks gets (very) late Senior Bowl call . Alex Martin . Smith . seccountry.com . January 26, 2018 . January 27, 2018.
18. News: Hamstring injury sidelines UMass TE Adam Breneman at Senior Bowl . Matt . Vautour . gazettenet.com . January 24, 2018 . January 26, 2018.
19. News: Dallas Goedert: Out for Senior Bowl with hamstring injury . RotoWire Staff . . January 24, 2018 . January 26, 2018.
20. Web site: Former Tight End Deon Yelder Added to Senior Bowl Roster . wkusports.com . January 24, 2018 . January 26, 2018.
21. Web site: South Team . seniorbowl.com . January 18, 2018 . January 18, 2018.
22. Web site: Playing Rules . seniorbowl.com . January 27, 2018.
23. Web site: Reese's Senior Bowl . . January 27, 2018 . January 27, 2018.