2026 Senior Bowl Preview

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Only one more NFL game separates us from a long offseason. As sad as losing our Sunday plans will be, there’s still plenty for football fans to look forward to following the Super Bowl. Several teams have yet to hire head coaches, free agency opens in early March, and this week brings dynasty managers their first look at incoming rookies at the Panini Senior Bowl.

Mobile, Alabama, marks the first stop on the road to the NFL Draft. Several of the top collegiate athletes from around the country have been hand-selected for the showcase event and will have all week at practice to impress NFL coaches in drills, practice sessions, and interviews. A great showing in Mobile can put a player on the map, and I’ll be there in person to give firsthand accounts of what goes down at each practice here at FTN throughout the week.

Together, let’s explore key names that dynasty managers should be aware of. Mind you, these are not full scouting reports; we’ll have considerably more information to go off of with athletic testing at the NFL Combine, and FTN will have plenty of stellar scouting reports as time unfolds. This exercise will provide a basic overview, notable traits and thoughts on what this week could mean for the players in question.

2026 Senior Bowl Preview

Quarterbacks

Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

Football courses through Nussmeier’s veins. New Orleans Saints fans will know his father, Doug, as a backup QB in the 90s and as the team’s current offensive coordinator under head coach Kellen Moore. Garrett certainly possesses many of the traits of a successful signal-caller at the pro level, but he also has one significant red flag: we don’t know how healthy he is.

The 2024 version of Nussmeier that ranked fifth in the nation in passing yards (4,052) with 29 touchdowns is probably a Day 2 pick at worst. Not every throw is placed gracefully, but with proper time to set, it’s easy to see a base-level starter with quality pocket maneuverability. Most teams could feel good about Nussmeier running a rudimentary offense, but a chronic knee tendinitis issue and a torn abdominal muscle suffered in August didn’t show that player in 2025.

Nussmeier needs to look healthy in practice and deliver positive medicals to have a shot here. He’s had since early November to take time away from the field and prepare, but it’s anyone’s guess as of now which version of him will be in Mobile. Worst-case scenario, do y’all remember Carson Strong? Former Nevada quarterback with similar concerns due to a bad knee who wound up as a UDFA with the Eagles? Scary, but genuinely possible outcome.

Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt

In the grand scheme of things, Pavia being in this position is remarkable. After receiving nary a DI offer out of high school, our short king began his collegiate career at New Mexico Military Institute. The generously listed six-foot dynamo won the NJCAA title in 2021 and had the opportunity to ply his craft further at New Mexico State before following head coach Jerry Kill to Vanderbilt. The journey alone deserves mad props. Still, it’s difficult to project an NFL starter.

While he ultimately delivers more strikes than balls with his passes and brings a strong element of escapability and speed as a scooter on the ground, Pavia being six feet tall is something I’ll have to see for myself to believe. Quarterbacks of this size have a hard time in the NFL, even if you’re the Heisman Trophy runner-up and 2025 SEC Offensive Player of the Year. Dude’s small!
If Pavia can come out in practice and show an ability to make good reads without rolling around to get it done, then perhaps we’ll have something to talk about as a late-Day 2 pick. Some teams may also be curious about his decision to go rogue on social media following losing out on the Heisman, but that’s an off-field concern and something Pavia is more than aware of as a guaranteed team interview question. Won’t give him too much guff about it, personally.

Others to Watch

  • Luke Altmyer, Illinois
  • Taylen Green, Arkansas
  • Cole Payton, North Dakota State
  • Sawyer Robertson, Baylor

Running Backs

Jonah Coleman, Washington

Look, don’t worry about his height — Coleman’s listing at 5-foot-9 is irrelevant. The Stockton, Calif., native is an absolute unit of a man who’s built like a compact refrigerator. While 2025 didn’t yield the same quality of ground production as 2024, Coleman still led the Big 10 conference with 17 total touchdowns and hauled in 31 passes as a receiver out of the backfield.

Those looking for a back in that bruising, bowling ball mold will like what he brings to the table. Any tacklers who look to knock Coleman off his block with one hit must answer for strong contact balance and powerful drive that takes plays further than the average runner. While Coleman certainly isn’t slow, seeing just how fast he is will be an area of focus for me. Leaving Mobile with a Round 2 or 3 grade on Coleman wouldn’t be a shock. Real three-down potential.

Kaytron Allen/Nick Singleton, Penn State

Any big-time college fans certainly know this dynamic duo. Both productive since their freshman seasons in 2022, Allen and Singleton will look to cement their statuses as perhaps the favorites at the position at the Senior Bowl. In terms of play, however, their common link is a uniform.

Allen, the program’s all-time career rushing yards leader (4,180), is more of a gap runner that an offense will work between the tackles. The ability to handle sizable workloads (200-plus carries in back-to-back seasons) helped the 23-year-old earn first-team All-American honors in 2025 despite Penn State’s remarkable collapse and a subpar interior offensive line.

Singleton is more of a complementary piece with solid pass-catching chops, as highlighted by 102 career receptions. Athletic testing is also likely to be kind to the 22-year-old, though he’ll need to show greater vision and patience as a runner to have a shot at being a hefty volume threat in the NFL. Many analysts will have one as a favorite over the other, but honestly, both will be exciting to watch throughout the week.

Jadyn Ott, Oklahoma

Much like with Garrett Nussmeier, which version of Ott teams see in Mobile is a massive question mark. After a stellar true freshman campaign at Cal with 46 receptions and over 1,200 scrimmage yards, the former three-star recruit led the now-defunct PAC-12 in carries (245) and rushing yards (1,315) en route to first-team all-conference honors. The kid cooked, folks.

Ott became a personal favorite with solid receiving skills and quality acceleration. Unfortunately, that burst and good vibes faded quickly due to a nasty Grade 3 high ankle sprain and knee injury sustained in the 2024 opener against UC Davis. Never again did Ott look like a productive back, especially after being a late transfer to Oklahoma in 2025 with no winter practices and a shoulder injury that led to missed time in the fall. Frankly, his time in Norman was a nightmare.

Seeing anything positive from the 23-year-old will be considered a victory, but Ott is fighting a steep uphill battle after being years removed from showcasing a promising skill set. His inclusion in this preview exercise is more hopeful than anticipatory for success, to be honest.

Others to Watch

  • Kaelon Black, Indiana
  • Rahsul Faison, South Carolina
  • Seth McGowan, Kentucky
  • Jamarion ‘Jam’ Miller, Alabama
  • Le’Veon Moss, Texas A&M
  • Adam Randall, Clemson
  • J’Mari Taylor, Virginia
  • Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas

Wide Receivers

Kevin ‘KC’ Concepcion, Texas A&M

On return skills alone, Concepcion is set up to be a high-end contributor to an NFL team. The former NC State transfer won the Paul Hornung Award in 2025 as the nation’s top “two-way” player as a receiver and punt specialist. Thankfully, he’s also an incredibly talented pass-catcher with versatility to win as a slot receiver or on perimeter routes.

Concepcion’s ultimate tool is the ability to beat multiple coverages. You put him in against man, zone or in a tight press against a corner? This dude’s coming away with separation and gettin’ things done. For Concepcion not to eventually be a first-round pick would be a genuine surprise. Selfishly, I hope he does juuust well enough to slide into Pittsburgh territory.

Elijah Sarratt, Indiana

Sarratt is one of many players to follow Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti from the Sun Belt at James Madison University. After earning first-team all-conference honors in 2023, the Virginia native posted a respectable 53-957-8 receiving line as a junior in the Big 10, but this past season on the national stage secured his Senior Bowl invite.

The reigning national leader in receiving touchdowns (15), Sarratt is a wideout who can win at multiple levels of the field through separation at the top of his routes. Will he dominate early or gain space through pure athleticism? Not always, but winning late creates the room necessary to secure balls for nice gains. Whatever team lands his services will be thrilled with him as a possession guy.

Others to Watch

  • Aaron Anderson, LSU
  • Vinny Anthony II, Wisconsin
  • Lewis Bond, Boston College
  • Romello Brinson, SMU
  • Josh Cameron, Baylor
  • Kevin Coleman Jr., Missouri
  • Caleb Douglas, Texas Tech
  • Malachi Fields, Notre Dame
  • Jordan Hudson, SMU
  • Ted Hurst, Georgia State
  • Caullin Lacy, Louisville
  • Ja’Kobi Lane, USC
  • Brenen Thompson, Mississippi State
  • Harrison Wallace III, Ole Miss
  • Reggie Virgil, Texas Tech

Tight Ends

Names to Watch

  • Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M
  • Josh Cuevas, Alabama
  • John Michael Gyllenborg, Wyoming
  • Matthew Hibner, SMU
  • Justin Joly, N.C. State
  • Tanner Koziol, Houston
  • DJ Rogers, TCU
  • Sam Roush, Stanford
  • Dan Villari, Syracuse

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