8 Prospects Flying Up 2026 NFL Draft Boards After Senior Bowl Week

Competition brings out the best in athletes, which is the exact premise behind the Senior Bowl practice week and drives evaluations by NFL personnel.

"The same thing every scout and coach is looking for here," Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said about the experience, per Simone Eli of PIX11 News. "Competitors welcome it. This is their opportunity to go out and show that. It's one of those limited opportunities. Not everyone gets to do it. You don't have to do it. You get to do it."

A prospect's performance in Mobile, Ala., can't hurt him in the traditional sense. Yes, the hope is to excel against top competition. At the same time, every evaluator understands the inherent limitations of a practice week basically being thrown together on the fly with little-to-no familiarity among the coaches or teammates.

The No. 1 aspect everyone in the NFL wants to see is an an individual going out and competing to the best of their ability regardless of circumstances. Mistakes will be made. Bad reps happen. But a prospect stepping onto that field, trying his hardest, taking to what's being taught and improving every day sends a positive message to everyone around the league.

A select few tend to stand out from the rest. They showed up, competed at a high level and provided a specific reason why they deserve to be viewed far more favorably after three padded practices—whether it's a once-highly regarded prospect reminding everyone of his ability, a talented individual finally putting it all together or a lesser-known option making a name for himself. All three options can be found among the eight selected as improving their stock the most through this year's practices.

QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

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Garrett Nussmeier was viewed as a potential first-round pick entering the 2025 campaign, which turned into a disaster for the LSU Tigers and their quarterback.

From the outside looking in, Nussmeier disappointed before finally being benched. Although, he had been dealing with an oblique injury for some time.

"I couldn't use my core," Nussmeier said during an interview on ESPN's Off The Bench. "I've been having to just go back from the ground up and retrain myself, get back to finishing throws and rotating through the ball."

Despite admitting that he he was "game-time decision" coming into Senior Bowl week after finally getting a good handle on his rehab about a month ago, Nussmeier began to show some of the things in Mobile that originally made him look like a top prospect.

"I'm getting there. I made a lot of progress, getting better," the quarterback told reporters. "Hopefully be close to 100 percent soon. ...

"It was just a rare deal. It was a really weird deal and something that unfortunately I went through. I felt like I was in the best shape I'd ever been in before the season. I felt like I was strong in the right way and throwing the ball better than ever."

Considering his situation, seeing him compete and then operating the offense better than any of the other quarterbacks at the Senior Bowl despite not being all the way back from injury, Nussmeier should garner quite a few points within the scouting community. His eyes were in the right place, knew where to go with the ball and even made a few good throws while on the move.

The 2026 quarterback class is searching for someone, anyone, to assume the role as QB2 behind Fernando Mendoza, who is the overwhelming favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick. A fully healthy Nussmeier coming off a solid Senior Bowl week, with the potential to piece together a strong predraft cycle, has as much opportunity to assume that role as anyone.

WR Malachi Fields, Notre Dame

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Physically, Malachi Fields is everything an NFL team wants in an X-receiver. He's big, long, physical and athletic. However, he never quite dominated during his time with either the Virginia Cavaliers or Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He helped change the narrative against all-star competition at the Senior Bowl.

"I wanted to dominate against the best in the country," Fields said during an interview on NFL Network. "We're all in this one spot right here coming down and competing every day. ... I wanted to build confidence in myself and those around me to elevate the whole group."

He added, "Definitely working on that every day. I feel I do a pretty good job of creating that separation. There are things you can definitely do better, especially when your [at the Senior Bowl] against the best."

At 6'4" and 214 pounds, Fields always had a knack for going up and getting the ball. In Mobile, he did more, specifically becoming a consistent target thanks to running a full route tree and making himself available to his quarterback. The fact he presented the potential to become a No. 1 target at the professional level, instead of purely serving as a vertical threat, may push him into the first round conversation.

WR Tyren Montgomery, John Carroll

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No prospect had more on the line during Senior Bowl week than wide receiver Tyren Montgomery, whose unique story garnered significant national attention but his play warranted further discussion.

Montgomery was the only Division III player in attendance—which is a difficult journey unto itself. Small-school products have far more to prove upon facing elite competition for the first time.

In Montgomery's case, he didn't play high school football, originally attended LSU as a basketball player, went home after one semester because the pandemic hit and to help his ailing mother, used competitive flag football as a gateway to the gridiron, lasted one season at Nicholls State and found his way to John Carroll, where he set new program records in catches for a single season and career receiving yardage.

"Being the only DIII guy here, I feel like I have a lot to prove," Montgomery told reporters. "And just being a late bloomer in the game of football, I just wanted to show the scouts and show everybody that I belong here.

"Lot of nerves, lot of adrenaline this week—I'm not gonna lie. But I feel like my football IQ has developed. I still have a lot to work on, no doubt. But I've come a long way. I've put on weight. I've worked on my speed. I always thought I could do it, but now I feel like my football IQ shows it."

Montgomery didn't look out of place at all. Aside from a couple drops during Thursday's practice, the late bloomer looked explosive, both in short areas and down the field. The athleticism and fluid movements that once led him onto the basketball court appeared regularly when working against talented defensive backs.

The small-school standout went from a relative unknown to someone absolutely worth drafting.

C Samuel Hecht, Kansas State

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The NFL has an offensive line problem. Quality depth is lacking around the league. A squad can be quickly exposed with one or two injuries up front. Thusly, quality blockers prepared for the professional game tend to be highly regarded throughout the draft process.

Kansas State's Samuel Hecht was the most consistent day-to-day performer among all of the offensive linemen in Mobile. Hecht started 25 straight contests for the Wildcats before his collegiate career came to a close. His performance at the Senior Bowl reflected what was seen on tape.

"Hecht is a thickly built, sturdy, and alert presence at the pivot who won't overwhelm or wow in space but has solid play strength and clear eyes to hold ground, sort movement, and keep the offense on schedule," B/R scout Brandon Thorn wrote. "Hecht's mediocre power and recovery skills cap his ceiling, but his consistency on tape this year signals a high floor swing interior backup who can earn a starting job during his rookie contract."

The first-team All-Big 12 selection (by the coaches) isn't the biggest or strongest pivot. He's not going to dominate at the point of attack or completely wall off the interior as a pass protector. At the same time, Hecht understands leverage, angles and assignments. He does those things at a high level, which creates a future opportunity to earn a starting spot on an NFL roster.

DL Caleb Banks, Florida

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Caleb Banks was the highest graded Senior Bowl attendee entering the 2025 campaign. Some sources had him as a potential top-15 prospect and understandably so considering his rare combination of size and movement skills. Injuries held Banks back this past season, and he never became the dominant force many hoped. However, that version started to show up during Senior Bowl practices.

The 22-year-old prospect required foot surgery this past season, which severely limited his participation. He never had the opportunity to realize his full potential.

"Banks makes a person second-guess what they're seeing on film because of how quick and athletic he is for his size," B/R scout Matt Holder wrote. "The 6'6", 330-pound defensive lineman has plenty of tools to develop into a well-rounded interior defender in the NFL.

"Due to a foot injury, Banks played in three games during the 2025 season. As a result, his pre-draft evaluation shifts to the previous year's tape, which shows raw technique that will require fine-tuning at the next level."

Both the head-turning explosiveness and raw technique showed up during the all-star practices. When Banks fires off the ball low and hard, he's nearly impossible to block. He's quick and powerful, with the ability to walk offensive linemen into the backfield or beat them clean. When the interior defender plays too high, he can be easily moved off the ball.

Fortunately for him, Banks showed far more positives than negatives throughout Senior Bowl festivities, which helped reclaim some of his previous status.

Edge Derrick Moore, Michigan

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This year's defensive line group headlined the majority of practices, with Michigan's Derrick Moore leading the way. Other edge-rushers definitely helped themselves throughout the practices and into the actual game, but Moore set the tone for the week with his physical play.

Moore's bull-rush against 6'9", 340-pound offensive tackle Markel Bell became the biggest talking point from Tuesday's practices. Later that day, Moore drove a tight end directly into a running on a simple inside run to shut that play down as well.

Flash plays don't make a good week, though. They certainly help. It's consistency through every practice that draws attention within NFL buildings. Moore combined consistent effort and power, while displaying a few other pass-rush moves, to make sure he found himself around the ball regularly.

The first-team All-Big Ten selection went the traditional route compared to many of his peers. Moore committed to a program, stayed with it for four years, improved with each passing season and played his best as a senior captain. He set career-highs in 2025 with 10.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and two forced fumbles. His success carried over to the Senior Bowl, where the Michigan product did more than enough to stand out even among a stacked position group.

Edge Gabe Jacas, Illinois

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Gabe Jacas was a persistent presence in the backfield throughout Senior Bowl practices. He looked far more explosive and difficult to handle than he previously did at Illinois.

According to NFL Network coverage, Jacas dropped 10 pounds coming off the 2025 campaign, which showed up with improved quickness. It's an interesting point to note, because that's not where Jacas previously won as a pass-rusher.

"He wins primarily by turning speed to power and has the movement skills to beat offensive tackles across their faces as an inside counter," Holder wrote in the defensive lineman's scouting report.

Yet the 21-year-old prospect regularly beat offensive tackles to their spot and gained the edge in Mobile. With an ability to turn speed-to-power and threaten with an inside counter, his pass-rush repertoire is now becoming fully realized. As a result, his stock should skyrocket due to the value in a quality edge defender capable of making life miserable on opposing quarterbacks. Jacas certainly did so during his Senior Bowl experience.

While Moore and Jacas garnered attention here, multiple other edge-rushers also performed well, which creates an exciting setup for NFL front offices to address a premium position in this year's draft class.

LB Owen Heinicke, Oklahoma

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Owen Heinicke wasn't even a starter to open the 2025 campaign, but NFL scouts certainly knew his name coming out of Senior Bowl week.

Heinicke originally attended Ohio State and played lacrosse. He left to enroll at Oklahoma and walked onto the football program. His uncle, Cory, played on the Sooners' 2000 national championship team. The younger Heinicke eventually worked his way into the starting lineup and earned second-team All-SEC recognition.

"He's been a great, great leader," Oklahoma head coach Brett Venables told reporters. "The more he's played, the better he's gotten. Very humble, hard-working guy… He's one of those players by how he shows up every day with his attitude and his mindset. He makes everybody around him better. He helps connect the team. He's one of the glue guys for the entire locker room."

Heinecke was outstanding against the run through the all-star practices. He showed a quick trigger and constantly found himself around the ball. Considering his limited playing time yet not being overwhelmed by the situation at all, the linebacker's ceiling is sky-high once he becomes a full-time professional.

As a prospect totally off of radars to start the process then showing himself to be a possible future starter, Heinecke helped himself as much as any other prospect from a Power Four program.