The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)

Senior Bowl, draft class loaded with transfers

Quarterbac­ks Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix became Heisman finalists after heading to other schools. Cody Schrader went from Division II to Southeaste­rn Conference stardom.

They’re far from alone at the Senior Bowl, where a number of NFL prospects transferre­d at least once to enhance their situation and/or draft stock. That includes five of the seven quarterbac­ks on the roster.

None have more experience mastering new offenses than Nix, who became a star passer and potential first-round NFL draft pick after transferri­ng from Auburn to Oregon.

“With five offenses in five years, five different play callers, I’ve been around the block,” Nix said ahead of the Feb. 3 game. “I’ve been able to learn from a lot of different people.

“I think just along the way, I picked up a lot from each individual and grew each time and got a lot of experience.”

Penix had each of his four seasons at Indiana cut short by injuries: torn ACLs in 2018 and 2020 and shoulder injuries in 2019 and 2021.

He led the nation in passing in both of his seasons at Washington. Penix guided the Huskies to the national championsh­ip game and finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting behind another transfer quarterbac­k, LSU’s Jayden Daniels, and one spot ahead of NIx.

In the process, Penix elevated his draft stock to a potential first- or second-rounder.

“All he’s been through has prepared him mentally for this type of scenario,” former Washington coach Kalen DeBoer, who left for Alabama after the championsh­ip game, said Jan. 31. “The pressure is the pressure, but he has the confidence that he’s going to be just fine if he just does what he’s capable of each and every day.”

Penix agreed that he grew from those experience­s.

“It was tough at times, but I do feel like it all prepared me and built me into the player and person I am today,” Penix said. “Being through that much adversity, especially at such a young age, it taught me a lot.

“It taught me patience. It taught me how much I loved the game.”

While some players transferre­d for better NIL or playing time opportunit­ies, Schrader wanted to prove he could play bigtime college football. He did that and more.

The 5-foot-8, 207-pound Schrader went from Division II Truman State to Missouri walk-on to All-American running back to NFL prospect. Having

not received any Division I scholarshi­p offers out of high school, Schrader proved he can play in the SEC.

Now, he’s trying to do the same with the NFL.

“That’s why these opportunit­ies mean so much to me, because I know that I’ve earned it,” said Schrader, who ran for 1,627 yards and 14 touchdowns last season.

The Senior Bowl roster is full of players who have played for multiple schools, with their own reasons and stories. That doesn’t even include UCLA defensive end Laiatu Latu, who landed with the Bruins after a neck injury left him medically retired for two seasons at Washington.