The 2026 Panini Senior Bowl will provide an opportunity for NFL draft prospects to showcase themselves on the largest pre-draft stage. Wyoming tight end John Michael Gyllenborg plans on taking full advantage. Gyllenborg recently spoke exclusively with the Senior Bowl and Draft Network to discuss his motivation for accepting his invitation to compete in Mobile, Alabama.
Gyllenborg also discussed what he’s striving to prove to NFL general managers and scouts in attendance at the Senior Bowl, his favorite routes to run, how he’d write his own scouting report, and more. Let’s get to know Gyllenborg better ahead of his journey to the Panini Senior Bowl.
JM: Where were you when you found out about your Senior Bowl invite, and what was your initial reaction?
John Michael Gyllenborg: I was at home when I actually got a call from [Senior Bowl director of football operations] Jack [Gilmore]. He’s with the Senior Bowl. Jack bluntly delivered the news that I was being extended an invite.
I was truly floored. It’s an honor to be invited. It’s going to be here before we know it. I’ll be suiting up for that first Senior Bowl practice any day now. It’s certainly a blessing and an honor. My family was so excited when I delivered the news to them. There was a lot of excitement in my household.
JM: It doesn’t sound like it took much convincing, but what motivated you to accept the Senior Bowl’s offer?
John Michael Gyllenborg: Everybody knows the Senior Bowl is a huge showcase. It’s the first official step in the pre-draft process. It comes before the NFL Combine or anything like that. Especially for me, coming from a non-Power-4 school, it represents an incredible opportunity for me to showcase my skills and talents alongside the best prospects in the nation. I’m ready to be on that bigger stage, to compete against some very talented players.
I’m ready to be in front of GMs and coaches. Accepting the invite was a no-brainer. I knew right away that I wanted to go. I know I have a little bit of an injury history that I want to address by participating in something like the Senior Bowl.
Once the invitation was extended to me, I was like, heck yeah, let’s go. I’m ready to roll. It’s a great opportunity for me.
JM: Building on that, what are you hoping to prove to NFL general managers, coaching staffs, and scouts in attendance in Mobile?
John Michael Gyllenborg: I just wanna prove that I can play ball. Just because I went to Wyoming, a non-Power 4 program, that doesn’t mean anything. I’m ready to roll. I want to prove that I’m on the same level as these other prospects. I don’t need time to catch up or anything like that.
I’m extremely confident in my abilities as a receiving tight end. I can come in and do anything they ask me to do at the next level. I’m confident in the work I’m putting in right now. Whenever I get to the Senior Bowl and eventually my NFL team, I’ll be able to keep executing at a high level.
I’m ready to move around and show everybody what I can do. I’m also excited to talk with the scouts. I’m a high-character guy who loves football. I want that to shine through during my interviews.
I’m a competitor. I want my teammates to succeed.
JM: That’s a terrific answer. How would you write your own scouting report? Self-scout yourself for us. What are your standout traits and abilities at tight end?
John Michael Gyllenborg: It’s probably pretty obvious on film, but I’m certainly more comfortable being split out as a receiving option at this point in time. I’ve made a bigger impact in the passing game.
If I was writing my own scouting report, I’d write that I excel in the passing game as a tight end. I’ve made a lot of plays vertically. I can run any route; I’m comfortable with the route tree.
I’m still developing in the run game, certainly. I have the traits to develop into a complete tight end. Run game, pass protection, pass catching. I wanna do it all. I’m developing in those other areas, but I have the tools to do what an every-down tight end needs to do in the NFL.
JM: You’ve been dynamic in the passing game, as you said. I’m curious, do you have a favorite route to run?
John Michael Gyllenborg: Honestly, anything deep (laughs). I love stretching the field. Unfortunately, I had an issue with my hamstring this past season, so I couldn’t do as much as I would have liked to vertically.
We were a bit more limited in what we could do with my game this past season, but anytime a deep route is called, I don’t care if it was a corner route, a seam, a go ball, an over route, a deep over, whatever it might be, I love attacking defenses and defenders in man coverage deep.
I just love winning deep. I would probably take a corner or a seam route.
JM: You’re so much fun to watch on tape. If you had to compare yourself to a current NFL tight end, who would you choose and why? Is there anyone in particular you try to study and learn from?
John Michael Gyllenborg: I was born and raised in Kansas City. The default answer is Travis Kelce (laughs). Everything he brings to the position, everything that the Chiefs offense allowed him to do, it’s just inspirational to watch.
Travis Kelce plays the game with a high football IQ. He finds open areas and is always on the same page with Patrick Mahomes. It’s special to watch. It’s a big reason why I’m always trying to get better mentally.
Travis Kelce, that’s way above the level of any young tight end [mentally]. I understand that, but that’s the level I wanna reach mentally. It’s hard to compare my game to his, of course. He’s so smart and earned the right to do so many things for that offense.
If I had to compare my game to someone, maybe somebody like T.J. Hockenson. He’s pretty dynamic in the passing game. He’s a no-nonsense guy.
JM: We’ve appreciated your time today. At the end of the week, what does a successful Senior Bowl look like for John Michael Gyllenborg?
John Michael Gyllenborg: I’m going to the Senior Bowl to put my best foot forward. I’m excited to compete with the talent in attendance. I think I’m going to surprise a lot of the coaches and GMs with how dynamic I can be in the passing game.