Mobile, Alabama
The Panini Senior Bowl is the premier college football All-Star game and the next step along the way in the NFL Draft process for this 2026 class. I was fortunate to attend practices all week long in Mobile. This was my final stop in the All-Star game circuit after attending the Shrine and Hula Bowls. Although the winter storms prohibited some players from attending, it was a great week of competition, one during which many players helped boost their draft stock.
Here are my standouts for the week:
Quarterback:
Cole Payton
- Height: 6’2”
- Weight: 229
- School: North Dakota State
The Quarterback play at the Senior Bowl wasn’t the greatest, but the southpaw Payton came out spinning it early and often. I liked his aggressive nature, he wasn’t afraid to try and fit the ball into a tight window. He struggled a bit as the week went on with accuracy, but it came out that he has been recovering from a broken thumb on his throwing hand, so that may have factored in. Another aspect of Payton’s game is his ability to run and scramble; he showed very good mobility. He played pretty well in the Senior Bowl game itself, capping off a very successful week.
Honorable Mention:
- Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Running Back
Mike Washington Jr.
- Height: 6’0”
- Weight: 228
- School: Arkansas
I had read about Washington Jr. leading up to the Senior Bowl, but had never had a chance to see him play. He was arguably the best player at the event. I was actually pretty blown away by his all-around abilities as a runner. He ran with speed, physicality & power, showed cutback ability, and was a more than capable receiver. I left thinking Washington has the ability to be a star at the next level.
Kaytron Allen
- Height: 5’11”
- Weight: 220
- School: Penn State
Allen broke off some of the longest runs of the week, something he isn’t exactly known for, so it was a pleasant surprise. He looked like a very solid back and even showed good hands on check-downs, another area not considered a strength of his. He pretty much did what he was supposed to do as one of the more highly rated backs in this class.
Honorable Mention:
- Kaelon Black, Indiana
- Nick Singleton, Penn State
Wide Receiver
Malachi Fields
- Height: 6’4”
- Weight: 218
- School: Notre Dame
Fields put on a show from the moment he stepped on the field in Mobile. He’s a big target, but he moves so well in and out of his breaks. He separated and won consistently in 1-on-1’s and was reliable in contested catch situations. He had the highlight catch of the week, laying out on a 50+ yard bomb, to the delight of everyone in attendance. I also liked that he was competitive in drills and made a point to win almost everyone I watched vs his fellow receivers.
Tyren Montgomery
- Height: 5’11”
- Weight: 190
- School: John Carroll
Montgomery was the story of the week, coming in from a D3 school, John Carroll University. Nobody expected to see what they saw, and that was one of the best receivers at the Senior Bowl. He was incredible, blowing scouts away with his ability to beat Power 5 Corners. He showed speed, ability to track the ball, and incredible athleticism on jump balls. He’s a converted basketball player, new to the position, but his football IQ showed up both on the field and in interviews. He earned his way to be drafted, and he may end up going a lot higher than people think!
Honorable Mention:
- Kevin Coleman, Missouri
- Ted Hurst, Georgia State
- Reggie Virgil, Texas Tech
Tight End
Sam Roush
- Height: 6’5”
- Weight: 259
- School: Stanford
The Tight End group was another position that underwhelmed as a whole, but Roush stood out as much as any with his ability to get open and made quite a few plays. He showed good RAC ability and was a safety outlet for his QBs. You did see one of his achilles heals pop up a few times with some concentration drops. All-and-all a very good week for the Stanford product.
Honorable Mention
- Justin Joly, NC State
- Tanner Koziol, Houston
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