Linebacker Ben Boulware, Tight End O.J. Howard, and Quarterback Sefo Liufau
Senior Bowl week is upon us.
With a little under two weeks until Super Bowl LI in Houston, our attention now shifts to Mobile, Ala., where the 67th iteration of the Senior Bowl will take place Saturday at Ladd-Pebbles Stadium.
Practices for both the North and South squads begin Tuesday afternoon, so before the collective group of NFL hopefuls hit the field, let's take a look at five notable players who will be strapping the pads back on over the weekend.
Ben Boulware | Linebacker | Clemson
There was no better way for Boulware to finish his career as a Tiger than with a win in the National Championship over the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Not only did Boulware and the Tigers claim their second National Championship in program history with an exciting 35-31 win over Nick Saban and Co., but the athletic linebacker individually put quite the bow on his collegiate career, finishing the game with six tackles, two tackles for loss, and one pass defensed.
Oh yeah, and following the victory, he memorialized the moment with a very special tattoo.
Montravius Adams | Defensive Tackle | Auburn
After making 26 consecutive starts, Adams' college career came to an end Jan. 2 following a loss to the Oklahoma Sooners in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
Adams – who began his career as a true freshman for the Tigers in 2013 – was awarded All-America Second-Team Honors following his senior season, as well as All-SEC First Team accolades too.
In total, the defensive captain for Auburn finished his college career with 151 tackles and his name on a plethora of preseason watch lists.
Sefo Liufau | Quarterback | Colorado
One of the most surprising – in a good way – teams in college football last season were the Colorado Buffaloes, and key to the success that Mike MacIntyre's team found in 2016 was the play of Sefo Liufau.
En route to the Buffalos going 10-4 and earning a spot in the Pac-12 Championship Game, Liufau threw for 2,366 yards, and 11 touchdowns, and posted a career-high passer rating of 132.6.
During his senior campaign, Liufau also made sure to show off his wheels as well, becoming the second player in program history to throw for over 300 yards and rush for 100 in the same game.
His completion percentage of .628 also ranked 31st in FBS in 2016.
Stevie Tu'ikolovatu | Defensive Tackle | USC
After playing the first part of his career – earning his college degree in the process – at the University of Utah, Tu'ikolovatu transferred to USC prior to the start of the 2016 season.
The Salt Lake City-native was impressive during his lone season as a Trojan, appearing in 13 games with 12 starts, totaling 53 tackles, two tackles for loss, and 0.5 sacks.
Not only that, but Tu'ikolovatu also won the 2016 USC Defensive Lineman of the Year Award.
Not a bad effort for his first and only season in Cardinal and Gold.
O.J. Howard | Tight End | Alabama
Although Howard enjoyed a quality career in Tuscaloosa, the athletic tight end will likely forever be remembered for his impressive performance in the 2015 installment of the Clemson/Alabama National Championship Game.
The Crimson Tide won the game 45-40, and Howard was superb, hauling in five catches for 208 yards, and two touchdowns, en route to garnering MVP honors in the game.
While that one game understandably defined much of Howard's career at Alabama, Howard routinely put strong games on tape, and was named one of three finalists for the John Mackey Award, which is the award given to the nation's best tight end.
Additionally, Howard was an active participant in work off the field as well, as he also earned a spot on the SEC Community Service Team too.
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