MOBILE, Ala. — For all but two NFL coaching staffs, the page has turned from the 2024 season to the 2025 offseason, and to the NFL Draft specifically. Though scouts already have done a lot of legwork on this class, the Senior Bowl is the first chance for most coaches to get eyes on these prospects.
At one point during Wednesday’s practice, I was standing on the sidelines within 5 feet of three NFL coaches: Kevin Stefanski, Mike Tomlin and Dave Canales. For the prospects at the Senior Bowl, the chance to make a lasting impression in front of these coaches is invaluable.
Here are the players from each position who maximized their opportunities in Mobile:
However, Shough was the most consistent of the group, which isn’t a major surprise. In my Senior Bowl preview, I highlighted Shough as an underrated candidate to be QB3 or QB4 in this class (behind Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders), and he didn’t do anything to hurt that projection. With his size, arm strength and mobility, he has the requisite physical traits and sees the field well to deliver the ball downfield. If the main criticism against him is that he is already 25, plenty of teams can live with that.
Runner-up would be Gabriel, who processes things at a high level to make quick, snap decisions. The Oregon quarterback also was the most impressive in group interview sessions, multiple scouts said. In which middle round will the Miami Dolphins draft the southpaw?
Milroe and Dart entered the week with plenty of hype, and scouts were hoping to see them play at a level that left no doubt they should be top-50 picks. That didn’t happen in Mobile, as both were inconsistent, at best.
Georgia’s Trevor Etienne and UCF’s RJ Harvey also caught the ball well during drills, and Miami’s Damien Martinez was impressive in pass protection, especially during Thursday’s practice.
Oregon’s Tez Johnson is speedy yet undersized, at just 155 pounds — but that didn’t matter much either in college or this week during practices, because defenders struggled to get hands on him or affect his catch point. His week looked very similar to Tank Dell’s from two years ago.
Utah State’s Jalen Royals missed the last two months of the 2024 season with a foot injury, but he returned to the field in Mobile and reminded NFL scouts why he’d been stamped as a potential top-75 pick in September. Washington State’s Kyle Williams — and his play speed — was a nice surprise. TCU’s Jack Bech made several highlight-reel catches downfield. And, according to a few scouts in attendance, Iowa State’s Jayden Higgins is the favorite to be the first Senior Bowl receiver drafted.
But I’m giving the edge here to Noel, the “other” Cyclones receiver. Already considered a likely Day 2 draft pick, he only cemented himself in the top 100 with his ability to separate and pull away. He doesn’t have ideal size (5 feet 9 3/4, 196 pounds), but he plays with supreme confidence in his hands.
And I wasn’t the only one who thought Noel was the most impressive at this position. When I asked Louisville’s Quincy Riley and a few other cornerbacks to name the toughest receiver they faced this week, they mentioned Noel first.
Arroyo (6-4 1/2, 251) is a fluid mover with the speed to create spacing from coverage and cleanly secure throws outside his frame. He is knocking on the door of the first round.
Everyone has seen the Mike Green bull rush that left Conerly on his back, but I was encouraged by the way Conerly responded. The former Oregon left tackle put that play behind him and got better on the next rep and in the next practice, performing his best during one-on-ones on Day 3. When he is late with his hands and exposes his chest, Conerly is in trouble; when on time, he stays square and can get himself out of some compromising situations.
On my midseason top 50 draft board in November, the North Dakota State left tackle made the cut as my top-ranked center — and he has only helped himself since then. I feel comfortable calling Zabel a top-40 lock, and a first-round landing spot isn’t out of the question.
I chuckle whenever I see someone caught up on Green’s size instead of focusing on the ways he wins. He is an easy first-round grade. The question is: How high will he go?
My three highest-ranked edge rushers in Mobile — Green, Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart and Boston College’s Donovan Ezeiruaku — all performed well. UCLA’s Femi Oladejo also deserves mention for looking, and then playing, the part. He is a stock-up prospect.
But it was Alexander who had the most consistently impressive week. It didn’t matter whether he lined up on the edge, over the B-gap or as a nose, he won with fluid body control and strong hands, using a club-rip on one rep and then a firm bull rush the next play.
Defensive linemen that are 6-3 5/8, 304 with 33-inch arms and this type of talent rarely fall out of the top 100 — and I’ll bet Alexander doesn’t, either.
After an up-and-down 2024 season, though, Bassa needed a strong week in Mobile to remind scouts of his talent — and he did that. The former safety plays fast and aggressive, which can backfire at times, but he has the natural fluidity to make quick recoveries. In an all-star game setting, NFL scouts and coaches pay close attention to how players move in space, and Bassa was terrific in that respect.
Another aspect of Riley’s week that was impressive was the way he coached up the other corners. When a player such as Darien Porter returned to the huddle, Riley pointed out different leverages and route tells to help him on his next rep. Riley’s combination of experience and quick-reaction skills will serve him well in the NFL.
Others who impressed: Western Kentucky’s Upton Stout, who’s small (5-8 1/4, 178) but stayed attached to receivers all week and made it difficult to complete passes; Florida State’s Azareye’h Thomas, who was already in the top-50 mix but made a case for the first round; UCF’s Mac McWilliams, a late addition to the Senior Bowl roster who left no doubt he belonged because of the way he covered during drills.
But Trader might have been the most consistent of the safeties in attendance. Slightly undersized, Trader (5-10 3/4, 196) stayed connected to tight ends in coverage and took coaching well throughout the week. The Maryland staff raves about his work ethic and mindset, and both were evident in Mobile.
At one point during Wednesday’s practice, I was standing on the sidelines within 5 feet of three NFL coaches: Kevin Stefanski, Mike Tomlin and Dave Canales. For the prospects at the Senior Bowl, the chance to make a lasting impression in front of these coaches is invaluable.
Here are the players from each position who maximized their opportunities in Mobile:
Quarterback: Tyler Shough, Louisville
If we’re being honest, none of the quarterbacks — Shough, Jalen Milroe, Jaxson Dart, Riley Leonard, Seth Henigan, Dillon Gabriel or Canadian prospect Taylor Elgersma — jumped out in a major way throughout the week. Based on an informal poll of scouts in attendance, no one disagreed.However, Shough was the most consistent of the group, which isn’t a major surprise. In my Senior Bowl preview, I highlighted Shough as an underrated candidate to be QB3 or QB4 in this class (behind Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders), and he didn’t do anything to hurt that projection. With his size, arm strength and mobility, he has the requisite physical traits and sees the field well to deliver the ball downfield. If the main criticism against him is that he is already 25, plenty of teams can live with that.
Runner-up would be Gabriel, who processes things at a high level to make quick, snap decisions. The Oregon quarterback also was the most impressive in group interview sessions, multiple scouts said. In which middle round will the Miami Dolphins draft the southpaw?
Milroe and Dart entered the week with plenty of hype, and scouts were hoping to see them play at a level that left no doubt they should be top-50 picks. That didn’t happen in Mobile, as both were inconsistent, at best.
Running back: Devin Neal, Kansas
It can be tough for running backs to truly impress during Senior Bowl practices, but Neal was consistent all week hitting holes on time and catching the football. Though he wasn’t a high-volume pass catcher at Kansas, he was reliable when targeted in Mobile, and his hand-eye coordination is terrific (not surprising considering Neal also played baseball for a bit at Kansas).Georgia’s Trevor Etienne and UCF’s RJ Harvey also caught the ball well during drills, and Miami’s Damien Martinez was impressive in pass protection, especially during Thursday’s practice.
Wide receiver: Jaylin Noel, Iowa State
There were several deserving options for top wide receiver this week.Oregon’s Tez Johnson is speedy yet undersized, at just 155 pounds — but that didn’t matter much either in college or this week during practices, because defenders struggled to get hands on him or affect his catch point. His week looked very similar to Tank Dell’s from two years ago.
Utah State’s Jalen Royals missed the last two months of the 2024 season with a foot injury, but he returned to the field in Mobile and reminded NFL scouts why he’d been stamped as a potential top-75 pick in September. Washington State’s Kyle Williams — and his play speed — was a nice surprise. TCU’s Jack Bech made several highlight-reel catches downfield. And, according to a few scouts in attendance, Iowa State’s Jayden Higgins is the favorite to be the first Senior Bowl receiver drafted.
But I’m giving the edge here to Noel, the “other” Cyclones receiver. Already considered a likely Day 2 draft pick, he only cemented himself in the top 100 with his ability to separate and pull away. He doesn’t have ideal size (5 feet 9 3/4, 196 pounds), but he plays with supreme confidence in his hands.
And I wasn’t the only one who thought Noel was the most impressive at this position. When I asked Louisville’s Quincy Riley and a few other cornerbacks to name the toughest receiver they faced this week, they mentioned Noel first.
Tight end: Elijah Arroyo, Miami
Entering Senior Bowl week, LSU’s Mason Taylor was my TE3 in this class, followed by Arroyo at TE4 — but the Miami product is closing that gap, based on how he performed in Mobile. Taylor also had a strong week, though, and both players deserve easy starter-level grades.Arroyo (6-4 1/2, 251) is a fluid mover with the speed to create spacing from coverage and cleanly secure throws outside his frame. He is knocking on the door of the first round.
Offensive tackle: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
Here’s the thing about offensive tackles during Senior Bowl one-on-one drills: They all end up getting beat at some point (often multiple times). And that was especially true of this year’s group, which was tasked with facing a stacked defensive line class. There wasn’t one offensive tackle who truly impressed. When focusing on the positive reps, however, several handled themselves well — and Conerly is a good example of that.Everyone has seen the Mike Green bull rush that left Conerly on his back, but I was encouraged by the way Conerly responded. The former Oregon left tackle put that play behind him and got better on the next rep and in the next practice, performing his best during one-on-ones on Day 3. When he is late with his hands and exposes his chest, Conerly is in trouble; when on time, he stays square and can get himself out of some compromising situations.
Interior offensive line: Grey Zabel, North Dakota State
No other prospect in Mobile stacked more “wins” throughout the week than Zabel. He showed technique, play strength and quick feet to consistently work himself into position and control defenders.On my midseason top 50 draft board in November, the North Dakota State left tackle made the cut as my top-ranked center — and he has only helped himself since then. I feel comfortable calling Zabel a top-40 lock, and a first-round landing spot isn’t out of the question.
Edge rusher: Mike Green, Marshall
Anyone who follows my work knows how glowing my thoughts are on Green as a prospect. But — no bias here — he had the most flashes of a very flashy edge group in Mobile. That bull rush on Conerly got the most attention, but Green consistently made plays with bend, burst and violence.I chuckle whenever I see someone caught up on Green’s size instead of focusing on the ways he wins. He is an easy first-round grade. The question is: How high will he go?
My three highest-ranked edge rushers in Mobile — Green, Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart and Boston College’s Donovan Ezeiruaku — all performed well. UCLA’s Femi Oladejo also deserves mention for looking, and then playing, the part. He is a stock-up prospect.
Defensive tackle: Darius Alexander, Toledo
This year’s defensive line class is loaded, and it includes several likely early-rounders who were in Mobile: Ole Miss’ Walter Nolen, Kentucky’s Deone Walker and South Carolina’s T.J. Sanders.But it was Alexander who had the most consistently impressive week. It didn’t matter whether he lined up on the edge, over the B-gap or as a nose, he won with fluid body control and strong hands, using a club-rip on one rep and then a firm bull rush the next play.
Defensive linemen that are 6-3 5/8, 304 with 33-inch arms and this type of talent rarely fall out of the top 100 — and I’ll bet Alexander doesn’t, either.
Linebacker: Jeffrey Bassa, Oregon
Several linebackers did a nice job throughout the week. Georgia’s Smael Mondon Jr. was the loudest voice on the field and showed off his range during drills. Florida’s Shemar James flashed more than a few times, especially in one-on-one coverage against running backs.After an up-and-down 2024 season, though, Bassa needed a strong week in Mobile to remind scouts of his talent — and he did that. The former safety plays fast and aggressive, which can backfire at times, but he has the natural fluidity to make quick recoveries. In an all-star game setting, NFL scouts and coaches pay close attention to how players move in space, and Bassa was terrific in that respect.
Cornerback: Quincy Riley, Louisville
One-on-one drills are such a tough ask for cornerbacks — there’s no pass rush, no hook or post defender; there’s only green grass for the receiver. Yet, I was consistently impressed with this cornerback group in Mobile, especially Riley. The Louisville product consistently stayed in phase with receivers and did a great job turning his head or reading the eyes of the receiver to make plays on the ball.Another aspect of Riley’s week that was impressive was the way he coached up the other corners. When a player such as Darien Porter returned to the huddle, Riley pointed out different leverages and route tells to help him on his next rep. Riley’s combination of experience and quick-reaction skills will serve him well in the NFL.
Others who impressed: Western Kentucky’s Upton Stout, who’s small (5-8 1/4, 178) but stayed attached to receivers all week and made it difficult to complete passes; Florida State’s Azareye’h Thomas, who was already in the top-50 mix but made a case for the first round; UCF’s Mac McWilliams, a late addition to the Senior Bowl roster who left no doubt he belonged because of the way he covered during drills.
Safety: Dante Trader Jr., Maryland
I didn’t hear a lot of buzz from scouts about this safety group, as it was an up-and-down week for the position. Virginia’s Jonas Sanker had a few nice moments, especially on Day 3. Georgia’s Dan Jackson doesn’t know how to play other than fast and physical, and that showed during practices.But Trader might have been the most consistent of the safeties in attendance. Slightly undersized, Trader (5-10 3/4, 196) stayed connected to tight ends in coverage and took coaching well throughout the week. The Maryland staff raves about his work ethic and mindset, and both were evident in Mobile.
