Stock Up: Five Prospects Who Shined at the Senior Bowl
Kevin looks at five prospects who performed well at the Senior Bowl.
Choosing NFL Draft “winners” from Senior Bowl week isn’t about projecting who will hear their name called first in April. It’s about identifying which prospects helped themselves the most by standing out, positively, against NFL-caliber competition in a controlled, evaluative setting. The margins are thin, the talent pool is deep, and separating yourself for even a few practices can matter. That’s what makes narrowing this list down to five such a challenge. Plenty of players flashed, several helped answer lingering questions, and a handful forced scouts to go back to the tape with fresh eyes.
This list isn’t meant to suggest these prospects are now locked-in first-round picks, or that one strong week overrides an entire college career. The Senior Bowl is just one step in a long, winding draft process that still includes the Combine, pro days, medical checks, interviews, and months of team-specific evaluations. But it is an important step and for these five prospects, it was a meaningful one. They left Mobile with momentum, generated real buzz among evaluators, and ensured their names were part of the conversation as the draft process officially shifts into its next phase.
Quarterback: Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
This was one of the easier selections from Senior Bowl week. While much of the quarterback group struggled to separate, Nussmeier stood out as the most consistent passer on the field. Scouts were eager to see him healthy and back in live action after nearly three months away, and he delivered across the board.
Nussmeier showed NFL-level arm talent, timing, and decision-making throughout the week, particularly during one-on-one and team periods where his ball placement and anticipation were clearly ahead of his peers. He operated with confidence, command, and poise—traits evaluators look for when projecting quarterbacks to the next level.
That performance carried over into Saturday’s game. Starting for the American Team, Nussmeier earned MVP honors after leading touchdown drives on the team’s first two possessions. He finished 5-of-8 for 57 yards, added a rushing touchdown, and threw a two-point conversion. His lone interception came on a ball that went through the hands of tight end John Michael Gyllenborg, one of several drops by his receivers.
Nussmeier isn’t viewed as a first-round quarterback, but in a class searching for clarity, he reminded scouts he belongs firmly in the Day 2 conversation. His strong week of practice, steady improvement throughout the event, and well-received interviews helped reestablish momentum heading into the next phase of the draft process.
Running Back: Jaydn Ott, Oklahoma
Running backs don’t always have many chances to stand out during Senior Bowl week, but Ott made the most of the opportunities he was given, especially in pass protection, where scouts pay close attention. Despite weighing just over 200 pounds, Ott consistently anchored against linebackers, kept his hands inside, and showed he can absorb contact and hold his ground. That ability to “ride the bull” matters at the next level.
Ott’s collegiate résumé has been difficult to evaluate. After productive freshman and sophomore seasons at Cal, injuries derailed his final two years, and he saw limited usage at Oklahoma in 2025. His late Senior Bowl invitation felt like a last chance to reset the narrative and he took advantage.
Ott quietly put together a strong week of practices and capped it off with an efficient game performance, rushing for 42 yards and a touchdown on eight carries for the American Team. That total exceeded his output in all but one game during the 2025 season and served as a reminder of the player he once was: a 1,300-yard rusher with functional athleticism and three-down traits.
This week didn’t erase the concerns tied to injuries and limited recent production, but it did help revive Ott’s draft stock. He didn’t forget how to play football in Norman, and teams left Mobile viewing him as a viable Day 2 option with a skill set that still translates.
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Wide Receiver: Malachi Fields, Notre Dame
Fields didn’t just flash at the Senior Bowl, he consistently looked like the best receiver on the field. He had arguably the play of the week with a diving catch 50 yards downfield, but his impact went far beyond one highlight. Throughout practices, Fields routinely created separation with sharp route-running, short-area quickness, and excellent pacing at the top of routes. He won vertically, on comebacks, and in contested situations.
Entering the week, Fields was already viewed by many scouts as the favorite to be the first wide receiver selected from this Senior Bowl group, and nothing in Mobile changed that perception. Despite some pre-week concern over his sub-9-inch hand measurement, Fields had zero drop issues during practices and consistently showed strong hands and ownership at the catch point.
At 6-foot-4, 218 pounds, Fields checks every box physically for an NFL “X” receiver, but what stood out most was how polished he looked for a player of his size. His body control, route precision, and ability to decelerate and re-accelerate separated him from other big-bodied receivers in attendance. He finished the game leading the American Team in receiving (two catches for 20 yards), further reinforcing a strong week.
Fields entered the Senior Bowl as a mid-round projection, but his performance in Mobile may have pushed him into early Day 2 consideration. He didn’t just validate his production, he elevated his profile.
Wide Receiver: Kevin Coleman Jr., Missouri
Coleman was another wide receiver who helped himself significantly in Mobile, continuing a well-traveled collegiate career that spanned four schools in four seasons. After stops at Jackson State, Louisville, and Mississippi State, Coleman finished at Missouri, where he remained productive despite a shifting offensive role.
His best statistical season came in 2024 at Mississippi State (74 receptions, 932 yards, six touchdowns), but he followed that with a solid 2025 campaign at Missouri, posting 66 catches for 732 yards. At 5-foot-11, 174 pounds, Coleman entered the week needing to prove he could separate and survive against NFL-caliber defensive backs and he did exactly that.
Coleman consistently impressed during practices with his quickness off the line, sharp route breaks, and ability to create space against press and man coverage. He held his own against future NFL defensive backs, including Ohio State’s Davison Igbinosun, winning reps in one-on-one drills and finding the end zone in team periods. His route-running and tempo drew steady attention from evaluators throughout the week.
Coleman may never be a prototypical outside receiver, but he showed enough polish, competitiveness, and separation ability to project as a role-specific contributor at the next level. Senior Bowl week helped solidify him as a legitimate draftable receiver rather than just a camp body.
Running Back: Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas
Washington’s production at Arkansas flew somewhat under the radar amid the Razorbacks’ broader struggles, but his Senior Bowl performance ensured scouts left Mobile with a clearer picture of what he brings to the table. In 2025, Washington rushed for 1,070 yards at 6.4 yards per carry, added 226 receiving yards, and scored nine total touchdowns, strong numbers against SEC competition.
A late-career breakout after stops at Buffalo and New Mexico State, Washington arrived in Mobile as a relatively unknown name nationally. That changed quickly. At 6-foot, 228 pounds, he looks the part of a classic downhill power back, and his play style matched the frame. Washington runs decisively, presses the hole with patience, and finishes runs with authority. He doesn’t waste movement behind the line and consistently punishes defenders at the second level.
That physical, no-nonsense approach translated well throughout the week. Washington showed he can handle contact, operate in traffic, and contribute as a reliable early-down option. While he isn’t likely to be a featured receiving weapon, he proved capable in pass protection and functional enough as a checkdown option.
Washington’s five-year college résumé gives teams a clear understanding of his strengths and limitations. He’s unlikely to be a featured back, but he profiles as an intriguing Day 3 selection who can carve out a role in a rotation, especially for teams looking for toughness and reliability between the tackles.
The Other Side of Senior Bowl Week: Nick Singleton, Penn State
Not every Senior Bowl storyline is about momentum gained. For Singleton, the week in Mobile became a reminder of how fragile the draft process can be.
Singleton suffered a broken fifth metatarsal in his right foot during practice and is expected to undergo surgery at Andrews Sports Medicine in Birmingham. While he plans to attend the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, he won’t be able to participate in on-field workouts, a significant setback for a player who badly needed a clean, healthy offseason to reset his evaluation.
It’s been a difficult year for the former Penn State star. Singleton previously underwent thumb surgery last January, and his 2025 season never fully matched expectations. After entering the year viewed by some as a potential late first-round pick, his role diminished down the stretch with the emergence of Kaytron Allen, and his production dipped to career lows: 549 rushing yards on 123 carries, though he still found the end zone 13 times and added 24 receptions for 219 yards.
The résumé still matters. Singleton leaves Penn State as the program’s all-time leader in all-purpose yards (5,586) and touchdowns (55), and he ranks fourth in career rushing yards. The talent hasn’t disappeared. But draft evaluation is about timing as much as ability, and this offseason was supposed to be his chance to remind teams who he was before the injuries and usage questions crept in.
Missing both Senior Bowl reps and Combine workouts is a major blow. What once looked like an early Day 2 projection now carries real Day 3 uncertainty, with teams forced to rely heavily on past tape and medical evaluations rather than fresh data points.
It’s an unfortunate turn for a former five-star prospect who needed momentum, not another pause. For Singleton now, the focus shifts to recovery, interviews, and hoping teams are willing to bet on the upside that once made him one of the most explosive backs in college football.
Final Thoughts
Senior Bowl week once again proved how quickly draft narratives can shift. For some prospects, a strong showing in Mobile created momentum and sparked new conversations among scouts. For others, like Nick Singleton, the process served as a reminder that timing and health matter just as much as talent. None of this is final, there are still months to go before draft weekend but for better or worse, the Senior Bowl marked a meaningful first step in shaping how teams view this class moving forward.