Senior Bowl 2012: Players Who Boosted Draft Stock After Strong Effort in Mobile

Some of 2012's top draft prospects put their talents on display for a slew of NFL scouts and media members in Saturday's Senior Bowl—the premier pre-draft exhibition game in the country.

It's a time when guys' draft stocks significantly rise or fall.  

While some players, like Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden, Texas A&M wideout Jeff Fuller and North Carolina receiver Dwight Jones, underwhelmed, a handful of players greatly improved what NFL scouting departments think of them. 

Let's take a look at three of these guys, who before this week, were relatively unknown guys. 

Isaiah Pead, RB, Cincinnati 

At 5'9'' and 193 pounds, Pead isn't a physically imposing back, but he makes up for his of size with a great burst, elite athleticism, speed and lateral agility. 

He finished the game with a Senior Bowl record 98 punt return yards and rushed for 31 yards on eight carries en route to MVP honors. 

If a team is looking for a change-of-pace, third-down back with an uncanny ability to break off big chunks of yardage and is willing to use him as their punt returner, Pead just may be their guy. 

He should be taken in Round 2 or Round 3. 

Gerrell Robinson, WR, Arizona State

This Sun Devils standout didn't receive a ton of notoriety this season due to Arizona State's somewhat disappointing 6-7 record. 

Robinson's no longer an overshadowed pass-catcher. 

He measured in at 6'3'' and 220 pounds—ideal for an outside possession receiver at the next level—and he demonstrated his impressive skill set on Saturday. 

He caught two passes for 64 yards and was surprisingly quick on his 41-yard catch-and-run touchdown. 

There's a chance he's also a second or third-round pick due to his size and deceptive athleticism. 

Bobby Wagner, LB, Utah State 

This Aggie linebacker was named the North's Most Outstanding Player after his seven-tackle, one-interception performance. 

He was obviously the most active linebacker on the North squad and made an impression on the game from the moment he stepped on the field. 

At 6'0'' and 240 pounds, the instinctual tackling-machine had a total of 147 stops, 11.5 tackles for loss and four interceptions during a solid 2011 campaign. 

After playing up to the high-profile competition, Wagner projects as a Round 2 or Round 3 4-3 outside linebacker in the NFL. 

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