Some NFL scouts watch the tape of the actual Senior Bowl, and some scouts do not watch the game. Overall, this tape had a few noteworthy performances.
TCU wide receiver Jack Bech had a strong week of practice, and he played well on Saturday. Bech caught a few passes to move the chains before he went up high to haul in a 39-yard catch over a defender to set up a first-and-goal. If Jaxson Dart had not underthrown the ball, Bech could have had a long touchdown. But with Dart poorly locating the pass, Bech had to leap over a safety to get the completion. In the fourth quarter, Bech got wide-open for a short touchdown, but Memphis quarterback Seth Henigan never looked in Bech’s direction. But on the game’s final play, on a rollout, Henigan fired a pass a little low, and Bech went down to cradle it in for a short touchdown pass that won the game 22-19 for the American team. It was an incredible way for Bech to end the game with a walk-off winner. Bech could be a mid-round pick next April that turns into a contributing rotational receiver.
Arkansas defensive end Landon Jackson had a mixed week of practice, but he was outstanding in the Senior Bowl game and had the best performance of any player in the 2025 Senior Bowl. In the second quarter, Jackson had a nice play, getting off a block and firing from the back side of the play to chase down a running back for a loss of one. A bit later, Jackson had a good pass rush to chase Jaxson Dart out of the pocket. Just seconds later, Jackson shed a block and chased down Dart for a strip-sack. For the evaluators that place a value on this tape, it will definitely help Jackson as he looked fast, physical, and tenacious.
North Dakota State offensive tackle Grey Zabel had an excellent week of practice, but his Senior Bowl game was not impressive. On the game’s opening drive, Zabel was beaten on a few plays by LSU’s Sai’von Jones, with Jones getting a tackle for a loss. Shortly later, Jones had another sack firing past a block from Pitt tight end Gavin Bartholomew. In the third quarter, Jones fired past Texas Tech guard Caleb Rogers to start a sack for Ole Miss defensive end Princely Umanmielen. It was a superb rush from Jones, showing a serious bust into the backfield.
In the second half, Zabel moved to center and showed a nice ability to snap the ball and operate on the interior. For the NFL, Zabel could be a starting candidate at tackle, but he might be more dominant if he is kicked inside to center. Zabel was voted the best practice player by the NFL teams, so he really helped himself in Mobile.
Jones performed very well in the Senior Bowl game. During the week of practice, Jones flashed some good plays that mirrored his college career. Jones was not producing in a large and steady fashion, but he has upside and could be a late-developing player with a better pro career than he did in college.
The other defensive lineman who helped himself in the Senior Bowl game was UCLA’s Ola Oladejo. He had a sack after coming unblocked on one play, but he had another showing a serious interior speed rush. Oladejo finished with two sacks and a few tackles in a strong performance showing his speed at the point of attack. Oladejo is undersized for the NFL, so he could be a rotational player in the subpackage.
Miami tight end Elijah Arroyo had a tremendous week of practice in Mobile, and he looks like a first- or second-round pick, depending on his medical evaluation. In the first quarter, Arroyo used his big size to win a contested catch to haul in a two-point conversion. Arroyo showed that he is a receiving weapon with good quickness, athleticism, route running, and size all week. Arroyo helped himself, showing three-down starter ability and mismatch potential.
The Senior Bowl coaches split up the playing time differently this year, and Milroe did not play in the first half. He started the third quarter and had a solid opening possession with some short passes from the pocket to move the ball inside the 30. However, some protection breakdowns on the offensive line led to a few sacks and a field goal attempt. On ensuing possessions, Milroe missed some open receivers underneath while looking to go downfield, and the protection issues limited him. The week of practice in Mobile and the Senior Bowl game did help Milroe’s draft grade.
Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart was the best passing quarterback in Mobile, but it was by default, as he was not very impressive this week. In the second quarter, Dart should have had a long touchdown pass to Jack Bech, but Dart had poor placement on an underthrown pass. Bech made the play to make a leaping grab over a defender, and Dart rewarded his team with a short touchdown run a few plays later. Dart looks like a backup quality quarterback for the NFL.
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard had some nice completions in his limited opportunities. Leonard had a mixed week of practice, but he showed late-round potential to be a potential No. 3 quarterback for the NFL. Similary, Louisville’s Tyler Shough has a nice skill set with size and arm strength. Shough threw a bad interception on a pass way behind Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. Shough is also a potential No. 3 quarterback for a pro team.
The 2025 NFL Draft is loaded on the defensive line, and that probably will push some prospects lower in the draft. That could result in some nice value picks. One sleeper who had a good week of practice and a sack in the game was Minnesota’s Jah Joyner. Joyner clocked as one of the fastest defenders in Mobile, and he flashed some upside. He could be a sleeper who ends up being an excellent value pick in the mid-rounds or on day three.
