FAB 3. PASS RUSHERS RISE IN MOBILE
The Senior Bowl has helped put several somewhat obscure pass rushers on the map with NFL fans and increase their draft stock among NFL scouts and general managers.

Missouri defensive tackle Ziggy Hood went from being a Day 2 pick to Pittsburgh’s first-rounder in 2009 thanks to an impressive effort at the Senior Bowl.

BYU’s athletic defensive end Ziggy Ansah had a breakthrough performance in Mobile, Ala. in 2013 and became Detroit’s first-round pick at No. 5.

In 2014, Pittsburgh’s undersized defensive tackle Aaron Donald entered the Senior Bowl as a second-round pick and emerged as a first-rounder after a dominant week. The Rams would take Donald with the 13th overall selection.

EKU DE Noah Spence – Photo by: Eric Dellaratta/PR

Last year it was Tampa Bay defensive end Noah Spence’s turn. Spence, who began his college career at a high profile Ohio State but finished up at FCS school Eastern Kentucky after being expelled from the Buckeyes program due to ecstasy usage, needed the exposure of the Senior Bowl to boost his draft stock last year. Spence’s dominant play created a buzz and led to him being a high second-round selection.

“Man, that week was a blessing for me and my family,” Spence said. “I was able to go out there and showcase myself against the best in the country. The Senior Bowl was a great tool for me. Everybody in the NFL is there, and if you can’t do it in front of everybody … I don’t know. If you can’t get up for that then maybe you don’t belong in the NFL.”

Spence’s pass rushing skills were on display all week and he proved that he could compete against upper level competition rather than just the FCS teams he played at during his lone season with the Colonels.

“The Senior Bowl can raise your profile because everything is televised,” Spence said. “Everything you do is going to be on TV, so you better step it up. It was one of the biggest weeks of my life for real.”

This year the Senior Bowl has helped several young pass rushers rise from obscurity to prominence, but none more than Villanova defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon. The 6-foot-7, 280-pound chisled end has the size to play in either a 3-4 or a 4-3, although he is likely more comfortable as a 4-3 edge rusher.

Kpassagnon was featured in PewterReport.com’s initial 2017 Bucs’ 7-Round Mock Draft as a sixth-round pick, but that was probably too low. Yet he was a Day 3 prospect that has likely worked his way up to the third – and perhaps the late second – round with a sensational week in Mobile. Kpassagnon had 22 sacks, 37.5 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and an interception at Villanova, showing improvement each year.

Villanova DE Tanoh Kpassagnon – Photo by: Getty Images

Kpassagnon was impressive in one-on-one drills, showing great pad level and leverage for such a tall player, and being able to work around offensive tackles with his long arms. While not the quickest player off the snap, Kpassagnon wins with his length and strength.

Ohio’s Tarell Basham is another Day 3 prospect that has made the push into Day 2 with a terrific showing at the Senior Bowl. Basham isn’t as physically imposing at just under 6-foot-4, 259 pounds, but he’s had a great week. The MAC Defensive Player of the Year with 29.5 career sacks, including 11.5 during his senior season. Basham didn’t just rack up sacks against MAC competition, either. He’s notched quarterback captures against Louisville, Kansas and Tennessee in his illustrious career.

Basham was invited to the Senior Bowl to play outside linebacker to show 3-4 teams he could also be a pass-rushing outside linebacker. Basham’s athleticism was on display as he also dropped in coverage. Although his future appears to be with a 4-3 team, his willingness to switch positions for the college all-star game earned him points with scouts and he only helped himself.

Despite drafting Spence last year and signing veteran Robert Ayers, Jr. in free agency, Licht said the Bucs would continue to look for pass rushers as Tampa Bay has recorded 38 sacks for the past two years in a row, but has been unable to crack 40. The Bucs have also failed to have a double-digit pass rusher since Simeon Rice last accomplished that feat in 2016.

Ohio DE Tarell Basham – Photo courtesy of Ohio

“Jacquies Smith’s injury isn’t talked about enough,” said Bucs general manager Jason Licht, noting that the Bucs were without their second-leading sacker in 2014-15 for the entire season after tearing his ACL in Week 1. “His rehab’s gone well. We’ll see how it goes and continue to see how it goes. I hope Jacquies Smith can help us. We’re always looking for pass rushers, you can’t have too many. I hate to sound cliché but you can’t have too many.

“We’ll have to see how Howard Johnson’s rehab goes, too. I think if Ayers would have been healthy at the beginning part of the year, he would have the chance to be a double-digit [sack] guy. It would have helped us. It could equate to wins so we definitely missed him when he was out. He came in and I’m very, very happy with Robert Ayers and what he’s done for us. But we are looking for more pass rushers.”

Both Kpassagnon and Basham interviewed with the Buccaneers in Mobile. Keep an eye on these two emerging stars in the Senior Bowl game on Saturday, January 28 at 2:30 p.m. ET, which will be televised on NFL Network.