Paulsboro-born offensive lineman Julién Davenport has longest wingspan at Senior Bowl

MOBILE, Ala. - It's that time of the year in the NFL when measurables matter, so it's good to be Julién Davenport this week.

Davenport, an offensive tackle from Bucknell and Paulsboro High School, is one of the most intriguing offensive linemen at the Senior Bowl. He measured in at 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds, with 36-inch arms and an 87.5-inch wingspan that is the longest at the Senior Bowl. When projecting him as an offensive tackle, that size is an asset.

"It's going to take great technique, physical ability, the length that I have, the athleticism that I have, and great mind for the game," Davenport said.

What Davenport offers in size, he lacks in competition level. He was a four-year starter at Bucknell and was a FCS first-team all-American. He started all 44 games of his college career. But Bucknell is in the Patriot League and did not play FBS competition, so Davenport's performance this week will be especially important for his draft stock.

"A lot of people want to see me against the bigger-school guys," Davenport said. "These guys are some of the best players from their respective teams around the nation, so that'll clear some skepticism."

Davenport was a center on a successful Paulsboro basketball team, too. He received interest from schools for basketball, but he insisted that he wanted to play football. Davenport liked the defensive play in high school before settling in as an offensive lineman in college.

Even though Davenport grew up in Paulsboro, he admitted he was a Steelers fan - not an Eagles fan. His father rooted for the Cowboys, so the Eagles were out of the picture. But he was surrounded in school by Eagles fans.

The Eagles took two offensive linemen in the draft last season and have Dillon Gordon as a developmental tackle, but two years of draft neglect at the position leaves them still needing young linemen. Davenport's size will make him an intriguing prospect - now he must show that he can handle the jump in competition.

"Obviously, I got to here," Davenport said. "I knew coming to college, regardless where I'm at, I'm going to try to fulfill my dream. I knew I'd have some doubters along the road that, because you're from Bucknell, thinking maybe it wasn't happening. But that motivated me a little more to keep at it. And look where I am today."