{"id":575392,"date":"2026-02-01T16:28:30","date_gmt":"2026-02-01T16:28:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/575392\/"},"modified":"2026-02-01T16:28:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-01T16:28:30","slug":"senior-bowl-winners-by-position-which-2026-nfl-draft-picks-impressed-scouts-this-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/575392\/","title":{"rendered":"Senior Bowl winners by position: Which 2026 NFL Draft picks impressed scouts this week?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor\u2019s note: This post was initially published ahead of the 2026 Senior Bowl game. It has been updated to reflect the outcome.<\/p>\n

MOBILE, Ala. \u2014 The Senior Bowl brings an eclectic group of people together to watch NFL prospects audition for the next level. At one point during this week\u2019s practice, I was on the sideline with Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer to my right, a Dallas Cowboys scout to my left and Philadelphia Eagles security chief \u201cBig Dom\u201d just behind me.<\/p>\n

Each of us likely had our attention focused on different players and positions, which is why this is such a valuable event for evaluating players.<\/p>\n

Choosing NFL Draft<\/a> \u201cwinners\u201d from Senior Bowl week isn\u2019t necessarily about who will be drafted first, but rather about who stood out the most (in a positive way) at each respective position. Some were tough choices; others were as obvious as me making a return trip to Meat Boss next time I\u2019m in Mobile.<\/p>\n

The American team won this year\u2019s game, 17-9, over the National team.<\/p>\n

Quarterback: Garrett Nussmeier, LSU<\/p>\n

This was one of the easier choices to make \u2014 Nussmeier was the most consistent of the group, while the other quarterbacks mostly underwhelmed. Scouts were looking forward to seeing a healthy Nussmeier in Mobile, and he didn\u2019t disappoint. The MVP of Saturday\u2019s game, Nussmeier completed 5 of 8 passes for 57 yards (plus an interception on a ball that went through the hands of intended receiver John Michael Gyllenborg) and ran for the game\u2019s opening TD.<\/p>\n

Playing in live game action for the first time in almost three months, Nussmeier quickly knocked off the rust and showed his NFL-quality arm and decision-making. His ball placement during one-on-one periods between wide receivers and cornerbacks was far more consistent than that of the other quarterbacks, and his anticipation jumped out during team drills. He performed with a level of command and poise that will serve him well in the NFL.<\/p>\n

Vanderbilt\u2019s Diego Pavia had some nice moments early, but he struggled with timing, especially on downfield throws. I don\u2019t think he moved the needle in either direction \u2014 what you thought of him coming into the week is how you likely feel about him now. North Dakota State\u2019s Cole Payton and Illinois\u2019 Luke Altmyer both started rough and showed some progress by the third day of the event. All three QBs are considered potential late-round draft picks.<\/p>\n

Arkansas\u2019 Taylen Green was a tad too eager to drop his eyes and run with the football during practice, but he uncorked some moon shots during the week that showed off his arm. He will be an interesting Day 3 (Rounds 4-7) developmental option for a team.<\/p>\n

Running back: Jadyn Ott, Oklahoma<\/p>\n

It can be tough for running backs to make statements during Senior Bowl practices, but pass-pro blocking drills pitting running backs against linebackers give scouts some of the best action all week. And that is where Ott impressed. Despite being only 202 pounds, he did a great job planting his anchor, leveraging his attack and keeping his hands inside the defender. Ott can ride the bull and live to tell about it.<\/p>\n

However, scouts aren\u2019t sure what to make of Ott\u2019s college career. After productive freshman and sophomore seasons at Cal, he battled injuries the last two years and barely saw the field for Oklahoma in 2025. A late invitation to the Senior Bowl presented an opportunity, and Ott took advantage of it. He capped the week by rushing for 42 yards and a touchdown to help the American team come out victorious.<\/p>\n

Arkansas\u2019 Mike Washington Jr. and Indiana\u2019s Kaelon Black also did a nice job blocking and catching the football.<\/p>\n

Wide receiver: Malachi Fields, Notre Dame<\/p>\n

Not only did Fields have the play of the week<\/a>, but he was also the most impressive receiver during practices. He frequently gained a step of separation using his short-area quickness and route-running skills. He also showed ownership at the catch point. Fields proved he could win vertically or when stemming at the top of routes.<\/p>\n

Fields entered the week as the favorite to be the first Senior Bowl receiver drafted and did nothing to hurt those chances. He led the American team in receiving Saturday (two catches for 20 yards).<\/p>\n

There were several runners-up at this position. Missouri\u2019s Kevin Coleman frequently found space and seemingly caught everything thrown his way, regardless of the placement. He is a savvy, athletic pass catcher who will find a role in the NFL.<\/p>\n

Baylor\u2019s Josh Cameron did a great job downfield and when finishing grabs through contact. He knows how to use his 225-pound frame, and his focus doesn\u2019t wane in traffic. Georgia State\u2019s Ted Hurst made several highlight-reel grabs, warranting the immense intrigue in his game from scouts.<\/p>\n

Division III standout Tyren Montgomery from John Carroll had a few drops on the final day of practice, but he turned heads throughout the week<\/a>. He was the biggest \u201cwinner\u201d of all the non-FBS prospects.<\/p>\n

Tight end: Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M<\/p>\n

In his six college seasons (five at Nebraska plus the 2025 season with the Aggies), Boerkircher never topped 200 receiving yards. However, that is more an indictment of the offenses he played for than of him. At 6 foot 5 and almost 247 pounds, Boerkircher snapped off routes all week and did a great job catching the ball through contact. His success as a pass catcher this week, combined with his blocking highlights from last season, means he will be a popular mid-round target.<\/p>\n

I also want to shout out Houston\u2019s Tanner Koziol, who uses his size (6-6 1\/2 with 34 1\/8-inch arms) to his advantage. He did a nice job throughout the week, culminating with a Y flag route run to perfection from snug (slot) alignment during red-zone team drills for a touchdown.<\/p>\n

Offensive tackle: Max Iheanachor, Arizona State<\/p>\n

Many of the offensive tackles struggled, but Iheanachor was the most consistent of the group in one-on-ones, showing off his big-man balance and body quickness \u2014 especially impressive for a 325-pounder. He sometimes showed his youth, primarily in his undisciplined hands, which let rushers get into his chest or across his face when he mistimed his punch. But that was to be expected, considering his inexperience.<\/p>\n

Iheanachor made my top 50 in August<\/a> before the season, and even though he will require a patient NFL coaching staff (and maybe even a \u201credshirt\u201d year), he has a chance to get into the second round.<\/p>\n

Interior offensive line: Jalen Farmer, Kentucky<\/p>\n

Like the offensive tackle position, this group collectively struggled throughout the week. However, Farmer grabbed my eye more than a few times. The Florida transfer moves well for his size (6-5, 322, almost 35-inch arms) and can halt power when he drops anchor. He\u2019s interesting.<\/p>\n

Florida center Jake Slaughter had his share of wins during practices, too, and you could see his veteran recovery skills even when he was caught in a compromised position. I also thought Miami center James Brockermeyer turned heads and helped himself.<\/p>\n

A pair of college tackles, Iowa\u2019s Gennings Dunker and Washington\u2019s Carver Willis, flashed when lined up on the interior, which is where they\u2019re projected to be in the NFL.<\/p>\n

Edge rusher: Zion Young, Missouri<\/p>\n

This was a competitive category \u2014 and a loaded group.<\/p>\n

Michigan\u2019s Derrick Moore had wins each day of practice, showing off his physicality and quickness. Clemson\u2019s T.J. Parker did a terrific job leveraging his rush to overwhelm blockers, especially with his patented long-arm move. Western Michigan\u2019s Nadame Tucker brought the most juice of the group and showed why he will earn an NFL paycheck as a designated pass rusher. Illinois\u2019 Gabe Jacas, Auburn\u2019s Keyron Crawford and Texas Tech\u2019s Romello Height also had multiple impressive reps.<\/p>\n

But I\u2019m giving the edge to Young, who made his presence known in both one-on-ones and team drills. Though he won\u2019t stand out with his cornering speed, his violence at the point of attack and rangy presence consistently popped. Young had a silky cross-chop that created a rush lane to the quarterback during the team period, and it will stick with me.<\/p>\n

Defensive tackle: Rayshaun Benny, Michigan<\/p>\n

It was hard not to go with Florida\u2019s Caleb Banks here. He got better with each practice and will be in the mix to be the first defensive tackle drafted because of his rare size and ability.<\/p>\n

However, Benny was consistently impactful each day, showing both quickness and power to defeat blocks in different ways. More specifically, his ability to run through gaps and his long arms will help him make an impact right away in the NFL.<\/p>\n

This was another crowded field. Oklahoma\u2019s Gracen Halton, Arkansas\u2019 Cameron Ball, South Carolina\u2019s Nick Barrett, Missouri\u2019s Chris McClellan, Florida State\u2019s Darrell Jackson and Texas Tech\u2019s Lee Hunter also deserve to be mentioned.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Pittsburgh linebacker Kyle Louis likely played his way up draft boards. (Vasha Hunt \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

Linebacker: Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh<\/p>\n

Senior Bowl practices are set up well to accentuate Louis\u2019 strengths as a player, and he didn\u2019t disappoint. He has a nose for the ball and the speed to drive on plays to be disruptive. Aside from his athleticism and anticipation, everyone in the stadium felt the energy he brought on every rep.<\/p>\n

My major questions are about his size (224 pounds) and his ability to take on blocks and work through contact in the NFL, the latter of which we don\u2019t see in practice reps. But he did answer some of my other questions about his coverage. He didn\u2019t have many man-coverage reps on his Pitt film, but he looked comfortable during drills, mirroring and making athletic adjustments to make plays. I lost count of the number of pass breakups he had throughout the week.<\/p>\n

This was yet another deep group. Just like at Texas Tech, Jacob Rodriguez was a tractor beam to the football and constantly made plays on the ball. Arkansas\u2019 Xavian Sorey and Oregon\u2019s Bryce Boettcher helped themselves, as well.<\/p>\n

Cornerback: Chris Johnson, San Diego State<\/p>\n

I\u2019m trying to separate any bias because Johnson was one of my favorite players entering Senior Bowl week. Still, he earned this spot with his ability to connect himself to routes and establish leverage to make plays on the ball. Although I don\u2019t think he has elite speed, he was plenty fast enough during drills, showing burst to recover deep and the fluidity to settle and redirect with routes.<\/p>\n

Duke\u2019s Chandler Rivers (5-9, 185) is undersized, but his compete skills are a joy to watch. Ohio State\u2019s Davison Igbinosun won\u2019t be for everyone because of his handsy play style, but he has the length and speed that will speak directly to several teams.<\/p>\n

Safety: Bud Clark, TCU<\/p>\n

Clark consistently showed off his range during practices. He picked off multiple passes, including an interception during the team period on Day 3 that felt like an exclamation point on his week. He first came on my radar with his pick six against Michigan in the 2022 College Football Playoff, and those playmaking instincts were still on display in Mobile.<\/p>\n

Kansas State\u2019s VJ Payne and Penn State\u2019s Zakee Wheatley also deserve honorable mentions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Editor\u2019s note: This post was initially published ahead of the 2026 Senior Bowl game. It has been updated…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":575393,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[7,5486,6,12,9],"class_list":{"0":"post-575392","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nba-draft","8":"tag-basketball","9":"tag-college-football","10":"tag-nba","11":"tag-nba-draft","12":"tag-nfl"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/115996322766786831","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/575392","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=575392"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/575392\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/575393"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=575392"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=575392"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=575392"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}