No defensive lineman on the National team at the Senior Bowl has had a better week than former Ohio State defensive tackle Mike Hall.
Following a vote by the offensive linemen who went up against him during this week’s Senior Bowl practices, Hall was named Friday as the top practice performer among defensive linemen on his squad.
Ohio State's Michael Hall Jr. was named top DL on the National team in a vote from OL teammates at practice player-of-the-week awards ceremony today at 2024 Reeses Senior Bowl. #TheDraftStartsInMOBILE pic.twitter.com/wD2jFbEqWo
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) February 2, 2024
Hall quickly made waves during the National team’s first practice on Tuesday when he got the best of former Michigan left guard Trevor Keegan on multiple pass-rushing reps.
The quickness of #OhioState DL Michael Hall was a problem for blockers today in 1-on-1s. He's a really disruptive 280 pounds. pic.twitter.com/jtpKtkoN1Y
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) January 30, 2024
Mike Hall BULLYING a UM lineman pic.twitter.com/p3QwplQY77
— Bucks in the South (@SouthernBuck13) January 30, 2024
Hall continued to draw praise during the National team’s second practice on Wednesday, when ESPN’s Jordan Reid identified Hall as one of the day’s top performers.
One of the few underclassmen taking advantage of the new rule that allows juniors to participate in the Senior Bowl, Ohio State defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. wasted little time in making his presence felt. He flashed on Day 1, but he really stood out on the second day. Hall is a bit undersized at 6-foot-3 and 280 pounds, and he had only 1.5 sacks this season, but his quickness hasn’t been matched by interior blockers. He popped in the one-on-one and team portions of practice, and his first step helps him win quickly. Hall was primarily seen as a third-round pick coming in, and he's only rising.
Following the final practices of the week on Thursday, Hall drew more praise from ESPN’s Matt Miller, who identified Hall as one of the five draft prospects who boosted their stock the most during Senior Bowl practices.
If you squinted during practices this week and looked at No. 51 for the National team, you might have had flashbacks to when Aaron Donald was at the Senior Bowl in 2014. Hall is a smaller defensive tackle at 6-foot-2 and 280 pounds, but his burst off the line is stunning. He routinely beat blockers off the ball and was a blur through the gaps. Hall’s lack of size will hold him back on certain team boards, but as a penetrator, he had no peer at the Senior Bowl. I have a Round 3 grade on him, but that will vary for teams that value a gap-splitting pass-rusher (20 pressures in 2023) who may have to leave the field on running downs.
Hall will look to continue impressing NFL scouts when he and fellow Ohio State product Josh Proctor suit up for the National team’s defense in Saturday’s Senior Bowl, which kicks off at 1 p.m. and will be televised on NFL Network.
Proctor and Hall are two of three Buckeyes participating in pre-draft all-star games this week. Former Ohio State linebacker Steele Chambers played in the East-West Shrine Bowl on Thursday, recording one tackle for the West squad, which won 26-11.
