Joshua Dobbs left Tennessee as one of its most decorated players in school history. But that hasn't stopped the quarterback from turning into a sponge around Browns head coach Hue Jackson, who's coaching Dobbs and the rest of the Senior Bowl's South team quarterbacks this week.
"I've heard a lot of stories about Hue coming into the week," Dobbs told NFL Network, "so to be able to take firsthand coaching from him in the classroom and getting out onto the field — seeing his energy and passion for the game — it's definitely good."
Dobbs is one of three quarterbacks working with Jackson and Cleveland's coaching staff this week. He's joined by Cal's Davis Webb and Tiffin's Antonio Pipkin on the South roster while the Chicago Bears are mentoring Colorado's Sefo Liufau, Pittsburgh's Nate Peterman and the rest of the North roster.
"I thought it was a lot of good work by the guys, at first, a lot of balls didn't touch the ground then a couple did but I thought all of them had a good day," Jackson said.
"They had their moments. I thought Josh Dobbs did extremely well and I thought did Webb well I thought Antonio did some good things. I think they all have their strengths but again here's the first day and we're throwing a lot information at them. It's tough, it's a tough environment to be in but I thought they held their own day."
Dobbs, thought by some to be a late-round draft pick, enters the Senior Bowl as perhaps one of the more recognizable names on either roster. After all, he leaves Tennessee with a 23-12 record — the fifth-most wins by a Volunteers quarterback — and combined for 409 total yards of offense and three touchdowns against Nebraska in the Music City Bowl last month.
"He completes the ball, he's more athletic, and he has a good arm," Jackson said of Dobbs, who passed for 7,128 yards, the fifth-most in Tennessee history.
Dobbs particularly dazzled SEC opponents with his feet, setting school records for rushing yards, rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. But he impressed Jackson on Tuesday with his passing.
"He throws the ball extremely well," Jackson said. "I was a little surprised at how well he threw the ball."
And to be sure, the pair's still getting to know each other as the week in Mobile, Alabama, marches on.
"I'm just trying to draw as much knowledge as I can from him," Dobbs said.
