MOBILE, Ala. — Most of the hay is in the barn at this point in the 2026 NFL Draft scouting process. The tape is king and accounts for a large majority of prospect’s evaluation, but pre-draft all-star games still can move the needle, especially for small-school players or prospects with something specific to prove.
Another factor to keep in mind: The Senior Bowl, which opens practice Tuesday, will be the first exposure to these prospects for many NFL coaches just now turning their attention to the draft class. It will also be the final time we see these players competing in pads and helmets before the testing part of the scouting process.
The Senior Bowl itself is slated for Saturday, Jan. 31, but all the work will be done during the week on the practice field and in the interview rooms.
Here are 5 key storylines I’ll be watching closely:
Garrett Nussmeier resuscitation tour starts in Mobile
There is almost always at least one first-round-quality quarterback at the Senior Bowl, and sometimes even a few. Last year, Jaxson Dart and Tyler Shough were in attendance. The year before, it was Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr.
That really isn’t the case with the 2026 class. The top quarterback in attendance will be LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, who was considered a potential first-rounder in August before things went sideways during his senior season. The LSU offense couldn’t block or run the ball and the wide receivers struggled to find consistency. Nussmeier is far from blameless, although injuries clearly affected him all season.
Nussmeier is just over 6 feet tall and 200 pounds, but the ball explodes off his hand to allow him to make any throw he wants. He is very smooth in his operation and shows full command of the offense, which isn’t surprising considering he is the son of an NFL coach. Senior Bowl week will be the healthiest Nussmeier has been in a long time, and scouts will be eager to see him throw.
Nuss to Brown for the TOUCHDOWN @Garrettnuss13 ➡️ @BarionBrown
📺 SEC Network pic.twitter.com/bYOL4gs2ef
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) September 21, 2025
Prospects ready to introduce themselves on national stage
It is hard to be “underrated” at the Senior Bowl — if a prospect garners an invite, the NFL obviously thinks highly of them. But a large percentage of these players are new names to NFL fans just now turning the page from the season to the draft process. The Senior Bowl is a stage to make a big impression.
One of the best cornerbacks in the 2026 draft class, Tennessee’s Colton Hood, can move from “probably” to “definitely” a first-round pick during practices. I’ve talked to a handful of SEC wide receivers, including Georgia’s Colbie Young and Dillon Bell, who have cited Hood as the best corner they faced in 2025.
Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks started the season No. 19 on my first top-50 board in August. But a foot injury sidelined the 6-foot-6, 330-pound lineman for most of the Gators’ season. Banks worked his tail off to return for the final two games and trained specifically so he could compete in the Senior Bowl. It won’t be surprising if his draft stock is a rocket ship throughout the week.
With all due respect, there weren’t many reasons to study Georgia State tape the last two seasons, especially considering the program went 1-11 in 2025. But wide receiver Ted Hurst is worth the watch and will become a more well-known name this week. He gets vertical push to create explosive plays and tracks the ball well down the field. He could become this year’s Michael Wilson and turn himself into a Day 2 pick.
Three other personal favorites I think will shine and generate buzz this week: San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson, LSU safety A.J. Haulcy and Iowa guard Beau Stephens.
Rich pass-rush group ready to show off
There’s no Myles Garrett or even Abdul Carter in this class, but the list of draftable edge rushers (especially in the top 100) is a long one. Unfortunately, the top guys such as Texas Tech’s David Bailey and Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor are no longer participating in the Senior Bowl. The roster remains rich at the position, though.
Illinois’ Gabe Jacas, who led the Big Ten with 11.0 sacks during the regular season, finished No. 2 in school history in career sacks and will be a popular target for teams on Day 2. He is both quick and violent as a pass rusher and credits his wrestling background for his skilled handwork.
Missouri’s Zion Young is a little rigid and doesn’t have elite cornering speed, but he is long, strong and determined as a pass rusher. He uses his heavy hands to open pathways to the pocket, but scouts want to see him stack more quick wins in one-on-ones.
Michigan’s Derrick Moore, Penn State’s Dani Dennis-Sutton, Alabama’s LT Overton, Texas Tech’s Romello Height and Auburn’s Keyron Crawford are among the other potential early-round pass rushers in Mobile.
Who survives offensive tackle pressure cooker?
It’s challenging for offensive tackles to hold up on an island under the heat lamp of one-on-ones during practice, and that’ll be especially true against this year’s pass-rush group.
However, this is a tremendous opportunity for the Senior Bowl offensive tackles to create some buzz with the way they battle against this group of rushers. Everyone expects the pass rushers to feast, so the offensive tackles don’t have to dominate — they just need to survive and stack a few wins. That would be enough for NFL teams to take notice.
Boston College left tackle Jude Bowry has top-100 tools, although consistency hasn’t always been there (his Clemson and Louisville tapes from this past season were rough). He missed some time midseason with a hip flexor, so scouts are eager to see him at full health in Mobile. He is a twitchy big man with the ease of movement to match up against edge speed.
Florida’s Austin Barber and Arizona State’s Max Iheanachor are two other offensive tackles looking to prove themselves worthy of a top-75 pick.
Small school, big talent
NFL Draft all-star games are most beneficial for the non-FBS prospects who can help answer “small school” concerns against top-level talent. Division III guard Ali Marpet turned himself into a second-round pick on his performance in Mobile. Last season, North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel was flirting with the top 50 ahead of the Senior Bowl, then cemented himself in the first round by playing at a high level all week during practice.
There’s another North Dakota State prospect heading to Mobile this week: Cole Payton, who waited his turn at quarterback and put himself on the NFL radar with his play in 2025. He is a good-sized lefty passer who sprays the ball at times but also will sling it all over the place — it’s no mystery why I wrote down “Michael Penix” in my notes while watching his tape.
Stephen F. Austin cornerback Charles Demmings is a fast, physical cover man who likes to mix things up with receivers. He loves to disrupt routes, and I’m eager to see him do exactly that in one-on-ones during practice.
A little bit of a surprise invite, Dartmouth’s Delby Lemieux played left tackle but will move inside to center at the next level. He has the foot quickness to hold up against better competition, but does he have the strength and recovery skills?
