2023 Senior Bowl Risers & Fallers: Nathaniel “Tank” Dell

The competitive fires were on display at Senior Bowl all week. Players were giving it their all with dreams of the NFL Draft swirling in their heads. Thor Nystrom, Derek Brown, Crissy Froyd and Mike Maher were on-site in Mobile, AL to cover all of the practices, press conferences and interviews. Here are some final takeaways about WR Nathaniel “Tank” Dell.

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Senior Bowl Faller: Houston WR Nathaniel “Tank” Dell

The Senior Bowl is an event that doesn’t cater as well to all positions. Linebacker and safety are two where it is harder to get a read on prospect performance. The way that practices are set up also helps certain types of players more than others.

Dell has one of those skillsets that we thought would shine at the Senior Bowl. And boy did it.

Evaluators look forward to the one-on-one drills on the field in Mobile probably more than any other singular thing during the week. We didn’t see one player in college capable of defending Dell in space – it turns out we didn’t see one of those in Mobile, either.

For two days, Dell destroyed just about every corner with the audacity to line up across from him in the one-on-one drills. Dell’s movement skills are utterly unique – he can change directions as easily as you or I breathe.

Dell’s movement skills really need to be seen in person to be fully appreciated. Between the route-running chops and cheat-code agility, it’s impossible to stay with Dell in single coverage. Indeed, Dell’s natural separation skills made him an unfair assignment in practices.

By Wednesday, things had gotten comical. Corners lit up by Dell the day before had a new strategy. They started grabbing his jersey during route breaks in an effort to keep Dell within arm’s length – the new strategy was taking a penalty to move to the next rep.

Dell’s slight frame means he’s going to get jammed at the line in the NFL. Dell did have a hard time getting clean releases on Kansas State CB Julius Brents on Tuesday. Then again, so did everybody else.

Here’s the truth: If you don’t stymie Dell off the line, you’re in a world of trouble. You’re not staying with him downfield without a fistful of jersey. It just is what it is.

Dell pulled out of the event in advance of Thursday’s final practice session. He believed he had shown all he needed to show during Days 1-2. No argument here. He’ll be a Round 2 player on my board.

Similar in size to Tutu Atwell, Dell is not the same player. At Louisville, Atwell was a two-trick utility pony. Atwell either caught a screen and tried to create, or he was running a fly route. Defenses weren’t scared of Atwell in the intermediate sector.

Dell is not as straight-line fast, but he is far more skilled, and the objectively superior route-runner. In 2021, Dell posted a PFF receiving grade of 90+ at all four receiving depths. Last season, the only one he failed to do so was behind the line of scrimmage. In two-of-Atwell’s-three seasons on campus, he posted a 90+ grade at only one-of-four depths. The other season, his best, he did it in three-of-four.

Even at his size, Dell comes to the NFL as a proven killer at every sector of the collegiate field. And Dell’s jumbo production was no fluke. Over the last two seasons, against four P5 opponents and Cincy’s 2021 CFP team – all five went to bowls – Dell had 39 catches for 582 yards and three TD.

Keep in mind: Dell was the one man on Houston’s offense that defenses came into the game with a mandate to stop. They couldn’t. Even at Dell’s size, I don’t see a scenario where he drops out of Day 2. He is simply too skilled.