The 2024 Senior Bowl will provide an opportunity for NFL draft prospects to prove themselves on the largest pre-draft stage. Tulane quarterback Michaell Pratt plans on taking full advantage. Pratt recently spoke exclusively with the Senior Bowl and Draft Network to discuss his motivation for accepting his invitation to compete in Mobile, Alabama.
Pratt also discussed what he's striving to prove to NFL general managers and scouts in attendance at the Senior Bowl, his NFL comparisons, how he self-scouts, and more. Let's get to know Pratt better ahead of his journey to the Senior Bowl.
JM: Where were you when you found out about your Senior Bowl invite and what was your initial reaction?
Michael Pratt: It was right after practice during the week. Coach announced my invite in front of the entire team. At that moment, Jim Nagy comes walking out the back with my mom (laughs). Being there with all my teammates and sharing that moment with them was awesome. It was a great experience.
JM: That sounds like a special moment. What motivated you to accept the Senior Bowl’s offer?
Michael Pratt: A lot of factors went into my decision. The feedback that I’ve received from some of my previous teammates definitely played a role. Tyjae Spears and Cam Sample are two guys that had great experiences at the Senior Bowl. They spoke so highly about the experience. It creates an opportunity for me to compete against the best of the best. I’m so excited to have that opportunity.
JM: Both Tyjae Spears and Cam Sample took advantage of their invite to increase their pre-draft stock. I foresee you doing the same. What are you hoping to prove to NFL general managers, coaching staffs, and scouts in attendance in Mobile?
Michael Pratt: The on-field portion that will allow me to compete at the highest level is a rare opportunity. It’s a chance for me to showcase my talent and what I can achieve on the field against some of the best defensive linemen and defensive backs in the nation.
I’m also going to meet some great people. I’m going to learn from NFL coaches. I’m going to listen to other college football experiences. I plan on showing everyone who Michael Pratt is first and foremost. What kind of football player I am will be highlighted out there on the field.
JM: How would you describe your skill set in your own words? Self-scout yourself.
Michael Pratt: I’d like to think I’m a pretty good football player. Some of my best traits and characteristics are how I elevate everybody else around me. I corral my teammates not just on game day, but throughout the course of the entire season. I’m always pushing everybody around me to be a better person and player. I try to leave a positive impact on my teammates. I think that’s important at the quarterback position. Getting the best from everyone around you ultimately helps me as well.
JM: And as a quarterback, how do you balance being aggressive with taking what the defense gives you?
Michael Pratt: There are limited opportunities to make big plays, especially at the NFL level. You have to take advantage of those opportunities when they present themselves. Like you said, there has to be balance. You also have to take what the defense gives you. Sometimes, you want to be aggressive by taking those downfield shots.
That’s part of being a quarterback and managing the game. You have to take what’s there without getting too greedy. When you’re doing that effectively, that balance will lead to those bigger opportunities. Being able to capitalize on your shot plays is really important as well.
JM: We can’t wait to watch you in Mobile. We’re all so excited to see you in person. If you had to give yourself an NFL comp, who would you choose and why?
Michael Pratt: I would probably say Drew Brees. He’s an extremely talented quarterback, but I think the leadership and the stuff that I’ve heard about him really resonates with me. One of our offensive line coaches [Dan Roushar] at Tulane was with the New Orleans Saints for a while.
Coach Roushar is always talking about Drew Brees. When we meet and go over stuff during practice throughout the week, he’ll reference Drew’s toughness. A few weeks ago, I had a little ankle thing that was slightly bothering me. I was rolling out of the pocket and eventually went back to the sideline. Coach Roushar looked at me and said, “Drew played a game with 14 broken ribs once and nobody even knew he had it.” We emphasize toughness at Tulane.
I took that to heart. As the quarterback, you have to be the toughest both mentally and physically. I’d like to compare my toughness to Drew Brees.
JM: Learning from the greats makes a lot of sense. What can you achieve at the Senior Bowl that you can’t at other pre-draft events?
Michael Pratt: I’m going to meet some amazing coaches while playing with, and against some of the best talent college football has to offer. I’ll be competing with the best of the best, but also playing with the best of the best. I’ll have some amazing receivers at my disposal that are gonna go make plays on the ball for me.
The speed of the game is gonna be special. It’s gonna be an NFL week of practice leading up to an NFL game. Having that on-field experience represents a huge opportunity. The lineup of coaches that are going to be working with us on the field is special, too. I’m gonna take that coaching while learning an NFL offense. The experience is truly rare. There’s going to be a lot of valuable experiences throughout the week.
JM: What’s on Michael Pratt’s pre-game playlist?
Michael Pratt: It varies (laughs). I love listening to music. I listen to just about anything you can think of. Pre-game, a little bit of country, some slower, feel-good stuff. As we get closer to the game, I might listen to some rap.
JM: At the end of the week, what does a successful Senior Bowl look like for Michael Pratt?
Michael Pratt: I’m going to create a ton of relationships in Mobile. I have to play well, of course. I’m going to learn a lot. That’s what I’m placing most emphasis on, the learning process of it all. I’m going to be a great listener because I’m gonna be around some amazing people. Like I said before, I’ve heard great stories from Tyjae Spears and Cam Sample.
A successful Senior Bowl means Michael Pratt soaked up all the knowledge.
