2022 NFL draft update: 5 seniors who generated a buzz in Week 5

Each week during the season, On3 teams up with Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy to identify some senior 2022 NFL draft prospects generating buzz in the scouting world.

Here are five who fall into that category for Nagy and the Senior Bowl staff based on their play during Week 5.

Kentucky DE Josh Paschal

Week 5 stats: Seven tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one blocked field goal in a 20-13 upset of then-No. 10 Florida

Nagy breakdown: “One program that has quietly produced some good NFL talent in recent years is Kentucky. Mark Stoops and his staff have done a nice job developing players into prospects, and we expect that pipeline to the league to continue this year. Talented offensive tackle Darian Kinnard, a potential first-rounder next April, is our highest-graded UK player, but the Wildcats also have a number of defensive players who are climbing up the Senior Bowl board this fall, including Paschal, our Week 5 Defensive Player of the Week. In the upset of Florida, Paschal registered seven tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss on the stat sheet, but he was even more disruptive than that on tape. His blocked field goal was recovered and returned for a touchdown, leading to the decisive points in the 20-13 victory. There will be defensive line prospects with more ‘wow factor’ in this draft, but few are as dependable and productive on a weekly basis as Paschal. From a scouting perspective, Paschal is a versatile and instinctive player with quick hands and a slippery knack for getting into the backfield. Makeup-wise, he is a checks-all-the-boxes type that we expect to ascend through the draft process once NFL teams start spending time with him. UK linebackers DeAndre Square and Jacquez Jones and defensive tackle Marquan McCall all improved their stock in September as well.”

Chattanooga G Cole Strange

Week 5 stats: Started at guard in the Mocs’ 45-17 victory at Western Carolina

Nagy breakdown: “Transitioning off the Kentucky theme, one small-school player who got our attention playing against the Wildcats (in Week 3) was Strange. A four-year starter for the Mocs, Strange won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the top offensive lineman in the SoCon last year and he’s an ‘arrow up’ player for us after a strong showing earlier in the season against draftable prospects like Paschal and McCall. Aside from having NFL measurables (verified numbers of 6-foot-4⅜, 301 pounds and 33⅛-inch arms), what we like about Strange is his initial quickness, ability to roll his hips into contact and overall mobility. While he has mostly played guard in college, we think Strange has the tools to be a quality NFL center, and he would certainly take reps there if he ends up in Mobile.”

Liberty QB Malik Willis

Week 5 stats: 282 passing yards, 144 rushing yards, three TDs in a 36-12 victory over UAB

Nagy breakdown: “The Reese’s Senior Bowl scouting staff got our second live look of the season at Willis against UAB and he didn’t disappoint. I cannot recall a time when the main takeaway from quarterback game exposure was how physically strong a player was, but that was the case last Saturday in Birmingham. At this point, anyone that follows the NFL draft more than casually knows what Willis brings to the table when it comes to high-level arm strength and running ability. But what stood out most seeing him in person was how hard he is to get on the ground. In fact, there were a few scramble plays where Willis broke free from multiple defenders and left NFL scouts in the press box shaking their heads. Willis was not named our Senior Bowl Offensive Player of the Week, but he easily could have been after accounting for 431 yards of total offense and three touchdowns.”

Cincinnati WR Alec Pierce

Week 5 stats: Six catches, 144 yards in a 24-13 victory over then-No. 9 Notre Dame

Nagy breakdown: “Each week, we post a Senior Bowl ‘Stock Up’ prospect on social media, and this week it was Pierce, who posted career-highs with six catches for 144 yards in an impressive road win over Notre Dame. Pierce was on our radar all summer as a potential HWS (height/weight/speed) prospect, but there simply wasn’t much to go off from tape since he only had 17 catches as a junior. Thanks to our friends at Tracking Football, we know Pierce will probably test well in the spring, considering he was a 45-11 triple-jumper in high school. And at a verified 6-3⅛, he has the size/speed combination that the NFL covets. Against the Irish, Pierce made plays inside from the slot as well as vertically on the perimeter, so he’s showing scouts he can be effective in various roles. Maybe more than anything he’s done on offense, the fact that he’s already logged 74 career snaps as a gunner on the punt team will also help separate himself from an always-crowded pack at the wideout position in April.”

Boise State WR Khalil Shakir

Week 5 stats: Four catches, 70 yards, one TD in a 41-31 loss to Nevada

Nagy breakdown: “Another wide receiver elevating early on this season is Shakir, and it’s not just the Senior Bowl that feels this way. When comparing notes on ‘risers’ with NFL scouts, Shakir is a player whose name consistently comes up. While he has been a savvy, dependable and productive Mountain West player in the past, Shakir has left us wanting more when it comes to play strength-related areas of his game. We immediately noticed a sturdier player when we saw Shakir in a live game exposure in Week 1 at UCF, and his improved ability to play through contact has consistently shown up on tape as well. In addition to the added substance, Shakir looks quicker and more explosive thus far in 2021. Looks like another year in the weight room is paying off for the All-Mountain West first-teamer.”

A note from Nagy: We would like to send prayers out to Maryland wide receiver Dontay Demus, who suffered a season-ending knee injury last Friday night against Iowa. Demus was our No. 3-rated wide receiver at the time of the injury, and we wish him the best in his rehab and recovery.

The 2022 NFL draft will be April 28-30 in Las Vegas.

Jim Nagy has been the executive director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl, the nation’s premier college all-star game, since 2018 after 18 years as an NFL scout. For interesting feedback and information on senior NFL draft prospects throughout the year, follow Jim on Twitter. For information on the Senior Bowl, follow both Jim and the Reese’s Senior Bowl main account.