Kevin Norwood’s Stock Skyrockets with Big Senior Bowl Performance

It’s fair to say that I’ve never been shy with my feelings toward Kevin Norwood. He’s a consistent, undervalued, under appreciated, reliable, football player. All he does is show up in the big moments and make the big catch when his team absolutely needed him to do it. We saw it first in the 2012 BCS Title Game against a legendary LSU defense. We saw it 10 months later against LSU in Death Valley as he caught the three big time catches that set up the TJ Yeldon screen to Rally in Death Valley. We saw it when Bama was down 14-0 on the road against Texas A&M and he made a beautiful catch on a well thrown ball to score a Touchdown. We’ve seen it many times, and every time Norwood twisted and contorted his body for a big time catch I always wondered. “Why not him?”

So why not Kevin Norwood? He never got the hype, and maybe his numbers weren’t eye popping, but his play on the field was. Do people think he’s slow? We’re awaiting a 40, but he himself says he’s faster than a 4.6. And even if his speed was in question, Jerry Rice is the Greatest Wide Receiver of all time, and he wasn’t exactly a burner. He was an elite route runner with stellar hands and amazing body control. Kevin Norwood? Well coming out, he’s a really good route runner with elite hands and amazing body control. And no, I’m not claiming he’s the next Jerry Rice, because he isn’t, but why no love? His ceiling before the Senior Bowl was probably the fifth round. He was likely going to be drafted somewhere in the sixth or seventh but this week in practice and in the game itself, he did nothing but impress.

Norwood caught 4 balls for 53 yards and a TD, oh by the way that led EVERY WR IN THE GAME. He caught as many or more passes as every WR, more yards, and more TDs. As a matter of fact, he was the ONLY WR to catch a TD. All of this coming off of  a Senior season where he led the Crimson Tide in touchdown receptions with 7 and hauled in 38 catches for 568 yards.

Norwood’s TD catch was the Play of the Game in the Senior Bowl. He was named the South’s Most Outstanding Player, AND he was named the Senior Bowl Offensive MVP. His stock is shooting to the stars, but what may be more impressive is that after other players would make a player, Norwood was always coming over and congratulating them. Even if he was on the sideline, you’d see Norwood as one of the first guys there. If you paid close attention, you’d notice he stuck close to Head Coach Gus Bradley as well. All signs of a guy with his head on straight, and signs of a man who is an excellent leader.

His ceiling now? We’ll have to see his 40, but with a good enough 40 you can’t rule him out as an early 4th rounder. As Norwood’s stock skyrockets, I leave you with this. I have an acquaintance in the Denver Broncos’ scouting department, while brief, this was our conversation.

ABDIW: How much did Norwood help his stock this week?

Scout: Kevin Norwood?

ABDIW: Yes.

Scout: A TON. Lot of buzz going around about this kid. Will be a steal.

ABDIW: Where do you think he goes?

Scout: Do you mean which round?

ABDIW: Correct.

Scout: Depends on Combine/Pro Day. Sub 4.5? 3rd round is where I’d love him. Mid 4.5? 4th round is his ceiling.