Risers From 2026 Senior Bowl
- Zak Drapeau
- 3 hours ago
- 4 min read
by Zak Drapeau
Sportz Nation - 1/31/2026
Risers
Quarterbacks
Garrett Nussmeier
LSU
Nussmeier was one of the top QBs of the class heading into the season but has since moved down to about a 2nd round prospect after a mediocre and injured 2025 season.
Coming into the Senior Bowl, Nussmeier needed to show veteran-like leadership on the field and all-around leadership on the field and that's exactly what he did. Nussmeier was clearly the best QB of the group during practice and the game.
Running Backs
Jadyn Ott
Oklahoma
The Running Backs of this class didn't jump out at me but a few showcased legit 3rd down-RB skills and Jadyn Ott headlined that. He has been able to carry the rock in college despite some real injury concern, but his pass blocking at the Senior Bowl was a pleasant surprise and at only 202 pounds showed technique but more importantly his willingness to do the dirty work that will always help RBs make rosters from a Day 3 pick.
Mike Washington Jr
Arkansas
Ott was the most well-rounded of this group but Washington made the most impressive plays. Call him the home-run hitter with a .220 average, Washington had good pass blocking and more than good route running in the practices.
Wide Receivers
Tyren Montgomery
Nicholls State
Rarely but not totally uncommon is it that an FCS prospect turn head in the Senior Bowl but Tyren Montgomery from Division III's Nicholls State may have been the biggest story of the week.
He had a few concentration drops toward the end of the week but in large showed a REAL art for separation in his routes. Quick, twitchy and smart, Montgomery has a lot to learn when battling NFL-press corners but he looked like a legit prospect all week after being unheard of for most of the draft process.
Malachi Fields
Notre Dame
Montgomery was the best story of the week but Fields was easily the best at his position. Showcasing elite route running against press and in short-yardage situation while having more than a few flashes down the field, Fields solidified his standing atop the group all week.
Offensive Line
Max Iheanachor
OT Arizona State
Here's the thing, coming in to this week we knew the Defensive Line would dominate the Offensive line just based on how much more skilled the former was, so I was looking for any kind of consistency and dominant flashes this week from the Tackles and Guards.
No one on the boundary had more consistency than Iheanachor. Great body control and strength at point of contact, he wasn't perfect and got beat more than a few times by Zion Young and Romello Height but he battled and was rarely fooled by a quick move.
Jalen Farmer
OG Kentucky
Gennings Dunker
OG Iowa
Jake Slaughter
OC Florida
I'm grouping these 3 together because they all had moments of consistency and held their own without having what I would call a great week.
Dunker got beat on the boundary a few times but was much better at Guard where he projects to the league.
Slaughter showed the ability to get under bigger D-Tackles like we wanted to see and leadership in the actual Senior Bowl game.
Jalen Farmer may have been the best lineman period this week and looks to have extremely powerful hands while containing most of the D-Tackles he faced.
Defensive Line
Lee Hunter
DT Texas Tech
Caleb Banks
DT Florida
I'm going to group these guys in as well because they had reputations of freaky lineman before the week and accentuated it during the week.
Both men stand about 6'6" and 330 pounds and didn't do much to really break through the line with their rush moves but man did they look fast. Having great size for the DT position is great but when you have the lateral quickness these two showed, and also showed it from multiple positions in a 1,3 or 5-tech has easily boosted them into the first round with Banks potentially as high as a Top-10 pick.
Rayshaun Benny
DT Michigan
If Hunter and Banks flashed their freaky, size-speed combo, Benny flashed his ability to make plays. His length helped him with beautiful stunts and his athleticism showed in plugging gaps. A very strong 3 or 5-tech D-lineman whose length could even have him outside the Tackle in a pinch.
Edge Rushers
Derrick Moore
Edge Michigan
Ferocious. Derrick Moore has the physical tools of a First Round Edge talent and won battles each day of practice. After a productive college career, Moore was to be one of the best prospects to show up this week but really proved that he belongs in the discussion for Day 1.
Zion Young
Edge Missouri
Probably tied for the best of his group with Moore, Young just shocked Tackles at practice, evident with multiple bull rush knockdowns that were some of the best highlights of the week. Young also has impressive length to be able to overwhelm Tackles at the point of attack. He may not make the 1st Round in April because of average athleticism but he showed there's more than one way to skin a cat.
Cornerbacks
Chris Johnson
CB SDSU
There were a few Corners that showed up to Mobile ready to fight for the best Corner billing such as Daylen Everette and Davison Igbinosun, but once the proceedings started Chris Johnson pretty much ended that competition.
His ability to stick with even the best receivers of the week was very impressive but then his hands skills to attack the catch was better. To me, he's not a 1st round talent because of some speed issues I'll want to see him address in the Combine agility drills but there's no question he has the instincts and and footwork to compete in the NFL.
Safeties
Bud Clark
SAF TCU
The best ball skills of the week has to go to Bud Clark, intercepting multiple passes all week and clearly showing an eye for the football. Not quite at the "Center Fielder" role-skill of Xavier Watts from last year, Clark definitely helped his stock this week as one of the best of his style in his class.
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-Z.D. (@DrapeauZak on X)