Senior Bowl week is one of the most vital ingredients to the NFL Draft evaluation process. That is why every team sends a panel of coaches, scouts, and front office personnel to Mobile for a few days. Over 100 players from the 2025 Draft pool do more than practice and compete among each other. There are interviews with clubs, interactions with coaches and new teammates in a fixed environment, and new assignments put in front of them. A huge reason why both Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix were first round picks last April derived from their all-around presence and performance at last year’s Senior Bowl week. Here are five players from each side of the ball that have the most to gain.
Offense
The local kids always receive some extra attention in Mobile. Milroe will have most if not all eyes on him because, as I said in August, he is the one quarterback in this lackluster class with a credible electric trait. There is a “special” to his talent when he tucks and runs. There are running quarterbacks, then there are guys in the Milroe tier. Think Mike Vick, Lamar Jackson, and Jayden Daniels. If he has just a solid week throwing the football, his name is going to be thrown into most if not all first-round discussions.
Ayomanor is going to win over everybody in interviews (like he did with me HERE). He is going to test out as one of the biggest and strongest receivers in the class. The lone question left? Can he get open consistently and all over the route tree? The one on one’s could be a make or break for the Canadian that has one of the best plays on tape of all these guys against Travis Hunter in 2023.
We are approaching a potentially record-setting tight end group. We may see ten-plus at the position taken in the first three rounds (there were three a year ago). While Tyler Warren is in a league of his own and could be a top ten pick, that number two spot is up for grabs more than people think. Taylor (son of Hall of Fame defensive end Jayson Taylor) is one of the most balanced players in the group when it comes to skillset. He is an excellent blocker on the move, and he catches everything. He was Garrett Nussmeier’s top target on third/fourth down and he is a real difference maker in the running game.
1,000+ snaps at right tackle. 900+ snaps at right guard. 300+ snaps at left tackle. Savaiinaea has played all over the line and that is music to a coach’s ear when looking at day two/early day three prospects along the line. Senior Bowl week is a great opportunity for this kind of offensive lineman that can show credible versatility. Savaiinaea is not the best or most fluid athlete, but he is a hard guy to move and his footwork in pass protection leads to at least some hope for inside-outside projection.
If you had to give a consensus number three quarterback in this class to a guy,my gut says Dart would be the answer. While there are holes in his game, holes you would rather not see from a guy with 41 career starts, the predominant feeling that comes from his tape is that he can do it all at a high-enough level to project as a starter. As we have seen in recent drafts, if a team believes in your ability to win games under center with your arm and legs, you can be in the round one discussion. Dart may be the best thrower and the best against pressure among these Senior Bowl quarterbacks. Keep that in mind when looking at how some have catapulted themselves from this week in the past.
Defense
There is a similar taste to the Quinyon Mitchell (cornerback from Toledo) situation from a year ago. Green has had some first-round chatter surrounding his name and while the staff at Ourlads is not quite there yet, a good day or two in Mobile can go a long way. He has a couple boxes checked with an exclamation mark next to it, but I can count on one hand how many times he beat a future pro in college.
Much has been made about both the alignment versatility and rare combination of physical traits Walker brings to the table. He will be the biggest player on the field in all likelihood but the drop in production and overall quality of his tape that we saw in 2024 from 2023 is fresh in the minds of evaluators. His one on one’s will be a massive opportunity to prove he can not only win, but be dominant.
There may not be a player in this entire class that burst on to the scene quite like the former walk-on Schwesinger did in 2024. Prior to the season he just 101 defensive snaps on tape. After? He was an All-American and a Butkus Award Finalist. The quick trigger and ability to beat blockers to a point on a week-to-week basis was as impressive as any defender the country. If he can pass the coverage tests, this is a darkhorse top 45 pick.
Bowman’s weigh in could mean as much to some teams as his tape. He will be off the charts-small, but this could be the playmaker of the secondary in this draft class. His play speed can hide some of his shortcomings. For teams to really get behind him and look past the tackling and size issues, Bowman needs to prove he will make plays in deep coverage. He will get a shot against a few quality passers and targets that are much bigger than him.
There is a strong chance Thomas can leave Mobile as the top defensive back in this game. His best tape in press coverage is better than almost every corner in this entire class. We never saw the consistency but part of that was situational and not to be held against him. Thomas’ movement traits and hand work are special; he simply needs to prove he can feel and anticipate routes.