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Senior Bowl director singles out 2 QBs from Manning Passing Academy

By Bryan Perez

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 10: Jake Bentley #19 of the South Carolina Gamecocks rushes for yardage during the game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 10: Jake Bentley #19 of the South Carolina Gamecocks rushes for yardage during the game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /
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Two senior quarterbacks stood out at the Manning Passing Academy in the eyes of Senior Bowl executive director, Jim Nagy.

When the executive director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl offers an opinion about a 2020 NFL draft prospect, it would make a ton of sense to pay attention. Fortunately for draft fans, Jim Nagy is an active Twitter user and contributes quite a bit to the draft conversation on social media.

Nagy’s been especially active (and helpful) this summer. He’s been posting images of the Senior Bowl’s evolving big board of candidates for the 2020 game, including small-school standouts worth keeping an eye on.

Nagy offered some more draft insight Monday when he singled out two quarterbacks for their impressive performance at the Manning Passing Academy, an event that serves as a table-setter for the quarterback narrative in the upcoming season.

“Biggest surprise of Manning Passing Academy was Mississipi State QB Tommy Stevens,” Nagy tweeted. “Scouts talk about how guys “spin it” and Stevens spun it as well as anyone at the camp. We knew he was big and athletic but he has a live arm.”

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Stevens was joined by South Carolina’s Jake Bentley, who also caught Nagy’s eye.

“Walked away from Manning Passing Academy last Friday night impressed with @GamecockFB QB Jake Bentley—and that was before he won “Air It Out” competition,” he wrote. “Ball was coming out quicker and cleaner than past years.”

Stevens, a graduate transfer from Penn State, barely played during his time as a Nittany Lion. He sat behind Trace McSorley, who’s currently vying for a roster spot with the Baltimore Ravens.

Stevens completed 24-of-41 passes for four touchdowns during his limited action in Happy Valley.

Bentley, on the other hand, enters the 2019 season with a wealth of experience. He’s completed 610-of-972 passes for 7,385 yards with 54 touchdowns and 30 interceptions over his three years on campus. He has a chance to break out in 2019 and after his performance at the Manning Passing Academy will obviously be on Nagy and the Senior Bowl’s radar.

Next. 2020 NFL Draft Scouting Reports. dark

The 2020 NFL Draft will be top-heavy at quarterback with Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama) and Justin Herbert (Oregon) vying for potentially the No. 1 overall pick, and Jake Fromm (Georgia) likely the third passer in the pecking order as a firm Day-2 prospect.

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