2025 NFL Draft preview: Senior Bowl prospects

Senior Bowl week is when the next line of NFL draft prospects can show off their talent and thrive against the best of the best in college football.

The practices and reps the athletes are given during the first few days of the week are where prospects can catch the eyes of NFL scouts and general managers and set the tone for the rest of the week leading up to the final game.

Let’s look at some of the prospects who shined throughout the week during practices, including some unexpected risers as we head into the Senior Bowl game on Saturday.

1. Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State

Zabel played offensive tackle consistently at North Dakota State but shifted his focus to the interior at the Senior Bowl and displayed his elite versatility.

His Senior Bowl performance reminded me of former NDSU tackle and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard Cody Mauch, who boosted his stock at the Senior Bowl, which elevated him into the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

2. Mike Green, DE, Marshall

The Marshall defensive end came into this week with a lot of first-round hype but the one question people wanted answered was how great he was going to be against some of the best players in the best conferences in college football.

Let’s just say, Mike Green didn’t disappoint. He showed his speed but also the surprising power, and it was on full display when he absolutely bull-rushed through Oregon tackle Josh Conerly Jr. leaving Conerly on the ground.

3. Shemar Stewart, DE, Texas A&M

Another defensive lineman with first-round buzz, Stewart showed off his elite athletic traits. Stewart may not have the in-season production, but his athleticism was unmatched, showing dominant flashes on day two.

He was able to bring energy as his performance in team scrimmages truly stood out after he quickly beat LSU’s Emery Jones on a play to set the tone for the rest of practice.

4. Anthony Belton, OL, NC State

Belton was another under-the-radar offensive line prospect, who flashed his ability to use his large body to his advantage. Teams will fall in love with his measurables. With 36.5” arms, his arm length at 6-foot-5, 345 lbs fits what NFL teams usually look for.

His best practice rep was at tackle on day one where he neutralized Boston College edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku’s go-to spin move. He built even more confidence throughout the practices and showed off quality versatility when placed at guard as well.

5. Azareye’h Thomas, CB, Florida State

Thomas’ physicality in press-man coverage was different from any other corner at the Senior Bowl, and it is being compared similarly to the play style of Renardo Green, his former teammate, last Senior Bowl.

He has what Todd McShay calls “easy speed” where his movement out of breaks is smooth, which can cause problems for receivers who struggle with corners in their back pocket. Thomas has the size, speed, and confidence that could move him up NFL draft boards for teams that value feisty corners.

6. Darius Alexander, DT, Toledo

Alexander improved his draft stock immensely. He flashed great size, length, and athleticism for an interior defensive lineman, showing smoothness and explosiveness even when they placed him at the edge rusher position.

Toledo is one of the top Group of Five schools in producing impressive NFL talent over the years. Last draft cycle, they produced Quinyon Mitchell who performed well at the Senior Bowl and Alexander is just another example.

7. Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon

Although Johnson has many teams concerned about his size at 5-foot-9, 156 lbs, he is able to use his speed and route-running to create as much separation required to find openings within defenses. He showed it on tape but it proved paramount during all three days of Senior Bowl practices.

There will be teams that value and can benefit from adding a player like Johnson. He will be compared to the likes of Tank Dell, and Tutu Atwell who both went in the top three rounds of the draft.

8. Quincy Riley, CB, Louisville

Riley flew all over the field and was recorded as one of the fastest players at the Senior Bowl so far and during drills, he was able to showcase his ball skills and instincts when the ball was in the air.

Riley is known to be an aggressive corner and it shows through his work ethic. It was great to see his ability to mirror receivers through the entirety of their routes and recover when necessary.

9. Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State

Higgins started the week off slow with an underwhelming day one, however, he turned it on on Days 2 and 3, consistently using his smoothness at his elite 6-foot-4 size to create separation.

He’s great in contested catch situations, but he impressed most with his long speed to stretch the field this week.

Not to mention, Jaylin Noel, the second half of the great Iowa State wide receiver pairing, who also had a great week of practice and is more of the explosive slot separator in the short and intermediate field.

10. Olu Oladejo, DE, UCLA

Oladejo is a converted middle linebacker and has transitioned to defensive end rather seamlessly based on the performance he had during Senior Bowl practices.

Over this week's sample size, he’s a prospect who has shown great improvement and versatility.

With a developing player like Oladejo, a team will be able to draw up exotic blitz packages, which would put him in his most comfortable position to win with his quickness.

There are some other prospects who flashed their potential during Senior Bowl practices, but just missed the list. It felt like every position group was loaded with talent that shined in many different moments.

However, one of my key takeaways was how well the smaller school prospects helped their draft stock and performed against elevated competition. We’ll see how they will perform through the remainder of the draft process.

Owen Daszko is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email opd5073@psu.edu.