The 2026 Panini Senior Bowl gets underway in two days with the first practice. The practice and game will all take place at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of the University of South Alabama. The Senior Bowl is the premier game on the All-Star game circuit. The game annually fields more than 90 players who will be drafted, with around 40 or more drafted over the first three rounds. And the 2026 Senior Bowl roster should be no different.
The game will kick off at 1:30 pm on Saturday, January 31st. It will be broadcast on NFL Network.
Today, I will preview the prospects on both sides of the ball, starting with the Offense. In each position, I will display the players in the game in the order of how I have them ranked.
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Editor’s note: These notes and rosters were listed earlier in the week, and several names may have either been late or removed.
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2026 SENIOR BOWL OFFENSE PREVIEW
2026 Senior Bowl Roster Preview: Defense
EDGE RUSHERS
| 1 | T.J. Parker | Clemson |
| 2 | Dani Dennis-Sutton | Penn State |
| 3 | LT Overton | Alabama |
| 4 | Zion Young | Missouri |
| 5 | Keyron Crawford | Auburn |
| 6 | Romello Height | Texas Tech |
| 7 | Gabe Jacas | Illinois |
| 8 | Derrick Moore | Michigan |
| 9 | Logan Fano | Utah |
| 10 | Vincent Anthony Jr. | Duke |
| 11 | Nadame Tucker | Western Michigan |
| 12 | Quintayvious Hutchins | Boston College |
| 13 | Jack Pyburn | LSU |
| 14 | Tyreak Sapp | Florida |
| 15 | Max Llewellyn | Iowa |
| 16 | Cian Slone | NC State |
Even with the defections we list below, this is still the top position group in Mobile. T.J. Parker (Clemson) did not have the year he wanted, but his 2024 tape was fantastic. I have long advocated for Dani Dennis-Sutton. He may never be a double-digit sack guy in the NFL. But I believe DDS will be a starting defensive end, with 7-8 sacks a year for a while.
L.T. Overton has been banged up for much of 2025, so he needs to prove it this week. Zion Young was overshadowed by his teammate Damon Wilson, but he was a good pass rusher in the SEC this year.
Keyron Crawford and Romello Height are both undersized but have tremendous pass-rush skills. Jacas, Moore, Fano, and Anthony all have a chance to solidify themselves as day two picks. The others are likely all day three picks, but Nadame Tucker is the most intriguing.
OTHER NOTES: The biggest dropouts from this game are easily Rueben Bain (Miami-FL) and David Bailey (Texas Tech). Those two represented the only shot of top ten picks coming from the Senior Bowl. Three other potential first-round pick edge rushers also dropped out of the game. Akheem Mesidor (Miami-FL), R Mason Thomas (Oklahoma), and Cashius Howell (Texas A&M) have also backed out for various reasons.
Nyjalik Kelly (UCF) was called up from the American Bowl.
DEFENSIVE LINE
| 1 | Caleb Banks | Florida |
| 2 | Lee Hunter | Texas Tech |
| 3 | Tim Keenan III | Alabama |
| 4 | Chris McClellan | Missouri |
| 5 | Zane Durant | Penn State |
| 6 | Nick Barrett | South Carolina |
| 7 | Gracen Halton | Oklahoma |
| 8 | Cameron Ball | Arkansas |
| 9 | Rayshaun Benny | Michigan |
| 10 | Deven Eastern | Minnesota |
| 11 | Jeffrey M’Ba | SMU |
| 12 | Bryson Eason | Tennessee |
If you watched Caleb Banks in 2024, you would have thought he for sure would be a top-15 pick. But injuries sapped him of nearly the entirety of ’25. A good week here could get Banks back into the conversation.
Lee Hunter has pass-rush skills in a nose tackle body. He is a tremendous run defender as well.
Speaking of mostly lost ’25 campaigns, Tim Keenan III missed a chunk of time this year as well. He is a better run defender than a pass rusher. That can also apply to Chris McClellan. Although I believe McClellan can elevate his standing this week.
The others are all likely day three picks, the best of which is Zane Durant.
OTHER NOTES: Based on information we have gathered, Domonique Orange (Iowa State) appears to be out of the Senior Bowl game.
LINEBACKERS
| 1 | Jacob Rodriguez | Texas Tech |
| 2 | Jack Kelly | BYU |
| 3 | Kyle Louis | Pittsburgh |
| 4 | Kaleb Elarms-Orr | TCU |
| 5 | Keyshaun Elliott | Arizona State |
| 6 | Kendal Daniels | Oklahoma |
| 7 | Xavian Sorey Jr. | Arkansas |
| 8 | Bryce Boettcher | Oregon |
| 9 | Owen Heinecke | Oklahoma |
| 10 | Scooby Williams | Texas A&M |
The best player in this group is easily Jacob Rodriguez. Rodriguez won the Bednarik, Butkus, Nagurski, and Lombardi Awards this year. He also finished fifth in the Heisman trophy voting.
The player with the most upside is likely Kyle Louis. The player with the most intrigue for me is Xavian Sorey Jr.
OTHER NOTES: Both Alabama linebackers who accepted invites to the game, Deontae Lawson and Justin Jefferson, will miss the week due to reported injuries.
CORNERBACKS
| 1 | Malik Muhammad | Texas |
| 2 | Jalon Kilgore | South Carolina |
| 3 | Colton Hood | Tennessee |
| 4 | Chris Johnson | San Diego State |
| 5 | Keionte Scott | Miami (FL) |
| 6 | Tacario Davis | Washington |
| 7 | Will Lee III | Texas A&M |
| 8 | Daylen Everette | Georgia |
| 9 | Davison Igbinosun | Ohio State |
| 10 | Chandler Rivers | Duke |
| 11 | Hezekiah Masses | Cal |
| 12 | Ephesians Prysock | Washington |
| 13 | Julian Neal | Arkansas |
| 14 | Thaddeus Dixon | North Carolina |
| 15 | Collin Wright | Stanford |
| 16 | Charles Demmings | Stephen F. Austin |
| 17 | Jalen McMurray | Tennessee |
| 18 | TJ Hall | Iowa |
The cornerback group is probably the second-best overall group in the game. With two borderline first-rounders, Malik Muhammad and Jalon Kilgore. Kilgore is most likely going to be a nickel or a free safety. I would expect him to get work at all three spots this week.
Two other corners in this game have also picked up some first-round buzz: Colton Hood and Chris Johnson.
Four others that should be selected on day two: Keionte Scott, Tacario Davis, Will Lee III, and Daylen Everette.
OTHER NOTES: Indiana’s D’Angelo Ponds, who accepted an invite earlier in the week, pulled out from the game nearly as fast. Treydan Stukes (Arizona) and Devin Moore (Florida) will also miss the game.
SAFETIES
| 1 | A.J. Haulcy | LSU |
| 2 | Kamari Ramsey | Southern Cal |
| 3 | Michael Taaffe | Texas |
| 4 | Genesis Smith | Arizona |
| 5 | Zakee Wheatley | Penn State |
| 6 | VJ Payne | Kansas State |
| 7 | Bud Clark | TCU |
| 8 | DeShon Singleton | Nebraska |
| 9 | Jakobe Thomas | Miami (FL) |
The safety group will be good in Mobile as well. It lacks top of the draft talent, but several day two targets. I am a big fan of A.J. Haulcy. Kamari Ramsey and Genesis Smith are both rangy safeties who will immediately help defenses. Michael Taafe is a missile on the backend.
The player I want to see more of this week is VJ Payne.
OTHER NOTES: Arguably the top safety that accepted an invitation to the game, Emmanuel McNeill-Warren (Toledo), has backed out of playing this week. Jalen Stroman (Notre Dame) and Skyler Thomas (Oregon State) were both called up from the American Bowl. Wydett Williams (Ole Miss) was also added.
SPECIALISTS
| K | Will Ferrin | BYU |
| K | Drew Stephens | Iowa |
| P | Brett Thorson | Georgia |
| P | Ryan Eckley | Michigan State |
| LS | Beau Gardner | Georgia |
| LS | Luke Basso | Oregon |