MOBILE, Ala. — It’s been a bit of a strange Senior Bowl week, to be frank.
Wednesday’s practices were moved to the indoor facility at the University of South Alabama because of inclement weather, and while it was the right decision for the players’ well-being, it left the media unable to watch what happened because the size of the facility wouldn’t allow that. Even NFL teams were limited to sending only two scouts per team for space limitations.
So when Missouri quarterback Drew Lock strolled into the Mobile Convention Center after his North Team’s practice session had ended, he was given a simple request.
Can you take us, throw by throw, through how your afternoon went?
It was made in jest, and Lock knew it. But he also provided a pretty decent summary of how practice went.
“It went well today, and 7-on-7 went really well,” Lock said. “We got into team [work], and it went well as we talked about first-day-to-second-day adjustments. We were more confident about the reps we were going to run.”
And did Lock keep the ball off the ground, something he failed to do once in Tuesday’s practice?
“We tried to do that as best we could,” Lock said. “There was a little mishap on a handoff, but it was a lot better.
“Big difference one day to the next. Being able to be confident in the huddle and say the play out loud and say it to where everyone around you felt like they knew what they were doing.”
According to a pool report of the practice, all of the North Team quarterbacks — which also included Duke’s Daniel Jones, Penn State’s Trace McSorley and NC State’s Ryan Finley — looked sharp until Jones threw two late picks. Prior to that, per the report, “Jones looked the best of the four until his interceptions.” Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has had a close eye on all four quarterbacks all week and name-checked Lock on Tuesday when asked how his squad’s passers were faring.
“I am impressed with all four quarterbacks, honestly,” Gruden told the pool reporter. “They have some ability, they have some football aptitude and they [have] got some charisma, so guys really like playing for them.”
What helped Lock feel a bit more well-adjusted was the fact that his father and head coach were in town. Andy Lock, who played offensive line at Mizzou in the 1980s, made the trip down Tuesday afternoon. But Drew ratted out Dad’s plans for the day once it was clear that watching his son practice was out of the picture.
“I think he’s in Pensacola right now,” Lock spilled. “I think he’s trying to roll the dice and check out some houses. But that’s low-key. My mom would probably kill him.”
Missouri head coach Barry Odom also was in town to support Lock.
“It was good to see a familiar face,” he said. “Always good to see a fellow Missourian out here.”
They were able to spend a little time talking about Lock’s job interviews with NFL teams this week. Lock clammed up when asked which teams he met with, not sure of what he could or couldn’t say, likely at agent Tom Condon’s behest.
Reports have suggested that two teams — the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins — have done a lot of early work on Lock, which has included high-level meetings with those team’s celebrity former quarterbacks, John Elway and Dan Marino. Although Marino merely serves the Dolphins in more of an advisory role, Elway has the power to make Lock a Bronco (they pick 10th overall in Round 1), and it’s a combination that’s gained quite a bit of steam.
Sources also have indicated that the Washington Redskins are a team that has done its share of work on Lock, as have the Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants and, interestingly, the New Orleans Saints. The other teams of that group all pick in the top half of Round 1, but the Saints do not currently have a first-round pick (their first selection is No. 62 overall) after a Draft Day trade a year ago that landed them pass rusher Marcus Davenport.
Lock’s schedule down here has been hectic. He said he had maybe “ten minutes in my room to myself at the hotel” on a manic Tuesday in between media obligations, practice and then meetings with teams. Those meetings ran all the way to 12:30 a.m. Tuesday morning before he was able to crash and get ready for Wednesday. But based on what he said about his day Wednesday — and based on scant reports of his performance that was broadcast on TV of it — it didn’t appear to affect him in a negative way.
Lock appears ready to put on a show — both for the rest of his time here through Saturday’s Senior Bowl game and also at every other stop along the way through the draft process. He reiterated what he said Tuesday, that he plans to throw at the combine, and said Wednesday that he was “almost 100 percent sure” he was going to throw at Mizzou’s pro day in March “unless something wild happens.”
Prior to arriving in Mobile, Lock had been working out in California with former QB coach (and former NFL QB) Jordan Palmer. Together, he and Lock will formulate a script of throws for NFL scouts.
“We’ll have a good script for that,” Lock said. “J.P. has put together plenty of them to where I feel like it’ll be a little of everything. We’ll hit a slant probably right at the beginning of the pro day, but we’re not going to get boring and make it all conventional throws.
“It’ll showcase some stuff, and it will be clean and crisp.”
But before that happens, there’s still plenty of Senior Bowl prep to worry about. Lock’s final practice of note this week will be Thursday, and even if it operates at close to walkthrough pace with the player wearing shells, it’s still be another chance to keep building on what so far as been a successful week.
“Each day is getting better,” Lock said. “It’s been fun, and I’m glad I came.”
