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2025 Senior Bowl Fantasy Notes

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2025 Senior Bowl Fantasy Notes

NOTE: Brett Whitefield will provide daily practice updates live from Mobile. Each day will be added to the bottom of the column.

Senior Bowl week is here… and that means it’s officially DRAFT SEASON.

I’m flying to Mobile, Alabama for the 2025 Senior Bowl on Monday. I won’t be alone. Team personnel, big media outlets, independent podcasts, fantasy analysts, and even fans will be in the Yellowhammer State for what is now a flagship NFL Draft event.

If you have followed my Senior Bowl content the past few years, you would have been privy to some very early flag plants that either panned out to be in lock-step with the NFL or turned out to be insane draft values. This is big for the fantasy crowd here.

Allow me to toot my own horn. Last year, I name-dropped Ricky Pearsall, Xavier Legette, and Ladd McConkey. Before that, I was first in on guys like Puka Nacua, Rashee Rice (was the only person in the industry to mock him in R1), Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and Tank Dell.

I also came out of Senior Bowl week with top-50 grades on Terry McLaurin in 2019 and Michael Pittman Jr in 2020.

As usual, I will conduct evaluations and grade each prospect using my numeric scoring system. My scoring method creates a weighted score for each player that takes into account everything from classical traits and skills to production and intangibles.

This will be my ninth season implementing my scoring system, with a goal of 250 prospects scored before the draft and brought to you via the Fantasy Points Prospect Guide. Senior Bowl week is a big part of the process for me and can be an extraordinary tool for evaluating the next group of incoming rookies.

Check out my Senior Bowl video preview with Theo Gremminger on YouTube.

The Senior Bowl is a great way for us to get an additional look at over 100 of the nation's top senior players who are looking to make the jump to the NFL.

We want to add context and information, or further tell each player's story. Remember, each player deals with a unique set of circumstances that could hinder or enhance our view of them. We are using this week to get a better feel for what we think these players must show. This week very much matters.

What we cannot do, however, is use this week to rewrite history or replace what we have seen (or have not seen) from each guy throughout their collegiate careers. This cannot be stressed enough. We cannot throw out four years of lousy tape over several outstanding reps during practice, or vice versa.

For me, maximizing the effectiveness of Senior Bowl week and how it affects my evaluations comes down to understanding the purpose of these practices—it’s an “additional look.”

1) We get to see those players outside of their comfort zone. Players will be thrown to the wolves in just about every way imaginable, with new teammates, new coaching staffs, new playbooks and terminologies, and possibly new positions, plus in an unfamiliar venue — with the added pressure of knowing all 32 teams will be scrutinizing their every move. This is a great opportunity to see how these guys respond. It is not an easy week, especially for the quarterbacks. These guys are drinking from a firehose.

2) The level of competition and consistency with which the players will face it this week are massively upgraded — especially for the smaller-school prospects. These are the best college players in the country, and an overwhelming majority of them will be on NFL rosters come April. That is not true for their competition in-season, even at the juggernaut Power-4 schools. Seeing how they move and perform against a steady diet of superior competition really helps me solidify the translatability component of their traits moving over to the NFL.

3) Guys have the opportunity to display skills and traits that they didn’t get to during their college careers. Maybe they were miscast in a system and played out of position. Maybe the scheme or coaching was limiting. There will be guys participating this week who have a lot more to their game than we have ever seen.

Take this example.

Terry McLaurin was a participant in the 2019 Senior Bowl. McLaurin had a moderately productive senior season at Ohio State, notching more than 700 yards and 11 touchdowns in a super high-powered offense. However, most of his production that year came on simple crossing routes, go-balls, and schemed throws. He was rarely pressed and didn’t put a ton on tape that suggested he had any refined WR skills besides outstanding athletic ability.

And then… he shows up to Mobile and absolutely owns the week. He demolished his defensive back counterparts, routinely separating and getting off the line of scrimmage with wild efficiency, demonstrating remarkably crisp route running with an NFL-caliber release package.

Furthermore, when he wasn’t winning at the line of scrimmage, he was winning at the catch point. The man couldn’t be stopped. Senior Bowl week helped paint a clearer picture of what McLaurin would bring NFL teams. We learned something about him that week, and it didn’t replace “bad tape” — it filled the gaps for the things he couldn’t demonstrate while at Ohio State. I’ll be on the lookout for similar revelations this year.

Below are my skill player rankings heading into Senior Bowl week. This is not a ranking of all draft-eligible prospects, but merely those whom I will get to see in Mobile. I will also provide daily updates and write-ups after each practice this week.

Rankings

NOTE: Any player name with an asterisk means I have watched only five or fewer games on their tape coming into the week.

Quarterback
RankPlayerSchoolStock Day 1Stock Day 2Stock Day 3
1Jaxson DartOle MissUP
2Dillon GabrielOregon
4Jalen MilroeAlabamaDOWN
5Riley LeonardNotre DameDOWN
6Tyler ShoughLouisville
7Seth Hennigan*Memphis
8Taylor Elgersma*LaurierUP
Running Back
RankPlayerSchoolStock Day 1Stock Day 2Stock Day 3
1Damien MartinezMiamiUP
2Devin NealKansasDOWN
3LeQuint AllenSyracuseUP
4Woody MarksUSC
5Ollie Gordon IIOklahoma StateUP
6RJ HarveyUCFUP
7Jarquez HunterAuburn
8Trevor EtienneGeorgiaDOWN
9Breshard SmithSMUUP
10Donovan EdwardsMichigan
11Bhayshul Tuten*Virginia Tech
12Marcus Yarns*DelawareUP
Wide Receiver
RankPlayerSchoolStock Day 1Stock Day 2Stock Day 3
1Tez JohnsonOregonUP
2Xavier RestrepoMiamiDOWN
3Jack BechTCUUP
4Jayden HigginsIowa State
5Tai FeltonMarylandUP
6Jaylin NoelIowa StateUP
7Jalen RoyalsUtah StateDOWN
8Pat BryantIllinois
9Chimere DikeFlorida
10Jaylin LaneVirginia Tech
11Bru McCoyTennessee
12Kyle WilliamsWashington State
13Da’Quan FeltonVirginia TechUP
14Arian Smith*GeorgiaDOWN
15Issac TeSlaa*ArkansasDOWN
16Jamaal Pritchett*South AlabamaDOWN
Tight End
RankPlayerSchoolStock Day 1Stock Day 2Stock Day 3
1Harold Fannin JrBowling GreenDOWN
2Elijah ArroyoMiamiUP
3Mason TaylorLSUUP
4Terrance FergusonOregon
5Gavin BartholomewPittsburgh
6Jackson HawesGeorgia Tech
7Jake BriningstoolClemsonDOWN
8Thomas Fidone*NebraskaUP
9Moliki Matavao*UCLA
10CJ Dippre*Alabama

“My Guys” Pre-Senior Bowl

Elic Ayomanor (WR, Stanford) — In a receiver class that doesn’t have a ton of clear-cut studs, we are starving for that #2 guy to emerge. I think it’s Ayomanor. “Same-School Faux Pas” aside, he reminds me of a significantly better athlete version of Michael Wilson. If you want the rosiest possible outcome, I see some Nico Collins to him. His body composition is that of a true X-WR. He has superior route running chops to anyone in the class and has the best tape getting off press, as well. Combine all that with really nice body control and ball-tracking skills, and he profiles as a do-it-all alpha at best. I am fascinated to see how he looks in the 1v1 drills this week and if the route running polish translates to easy wins and separation.

Jaxson Dart (QB, Ole Miss) — I will likely be the highest person you know on Dart — it will be a surprise if he is not my QB2 in the class behind Shadeur Sanders. From an in-the-pocket standpoint, you are getting much of what Jayden Daniels brings to the table — with potentially an even better arm. Dart has the goods to dominate the intermediate and deep parts of the field and has a mouth-watering reel of dimes pushing the ball downfield. He also has some sneaky athleticism in his game, and while he won’t give you Daniels’ level of production with his legs, I think he is “Bo Nix plus” in that regard, which isn’t nothing. Dart also has that IT factor, and there is a long history of QBs coming to Mobile and winning over the hearts and minds of the league (I think of Josh Allen, Justin Herbert, and Jalen Hurts). Just last, year we saw teams fall in love with Nix and Michael Penix Jr. I would bet on Dart being that guy this year.

Damien Martinez (RB, Miami) — The first thing I would like to say about Martinez is I see shades of Stephen Jackson in his game — guys his size are not supposed to move like that. Martinez’s jump cut at 235 pounds is show-stopping. He is difficult to tackle in the open field, and also has plus burst and good vision. He has the traits to be a high-level starter in the NFL, and in my mind has been buried in the discussion of this loaded RB class. Mobile is the exact right place for him to show off and start building some buzz for himself — especially come game day, when he gets to put on the pads and hit.

Devin Neal (RB, Kansas) — The Kansas football season was so disappointing after starting the season in the top 25. But Neal was one of few bright spots for the Jayhawks. He has game-breaking burst and speed that pairs with a solid frame (listed at 215 pounds). His chops in the pass game are scary as well. He is a refined route runner who teleports at the break and confuses linebackers. He should absolutely put on a show this week in the 1v1 passing drills. If you imagine an RB archetype spectrum from Tyjae Spears to Alvin Kamara, Neal is somewhere on it, which is exciting if you like every-down slashers who can be passing-game weapons.

Savion Williams (WR, TCU) — With all due respect to the TCU coaching staff, I need a federal investigation launched into why this guy had only 60 catches for just over 600 yards receiving. Allow me to plant my flag: Williams has 1st-round potential written all over him. Despite the overall lack of production, Williams’ tape shows a guy who lacks nothing in the way of WR skills. He has Megatron size at 6’5”, 230. He has start/stop ability that resembles Julio Jones, which makes him a nightmare to stop with any type of man/match coverage. He showcases high-level route-running IQ, freaky ball skills, and a DAWG mentality. With his lack of production, age, and the scheme he comes from all working against him, he will undoubtedly receive the “raw” label, but I see a guy with a veteran’s approach to the position. If he has more refined skills than TCU allowed him to show — which I believe he does — Mobile will host Williams’ coming-out party.

Harold Fannin Jr. (TE, Bowling Green) — Evaluating the tape of small school guys can be tough. On one hand, you really want them to destroy their competition. On the other hand, when they do, sometimes you are left with more questions than answers. Well, from the box score, Fannin put together the greatest collegiate TE season of all time — 117 catches, 1555 yards, and 10 scores. And on tape, you see why. Both small schools and power-conference teams could not stop him. Fannin is an F-type tight end who can move all over the formation and take advantage of plus matchups. He will run by most LBs, route up most safeties, and body up most CBs. These Senior Bowl practices — like his game against Penn State — will be another window into how his skills translate against superior competition. I cannot wait to watch him in the route-running drills. (As an aside, he was a solid blocker despite his smaller size, which coaches will love.)

Day 1 Practice Notes

Quarterbacks

Taylor Elgersma (QB, Laurier) — Coming into the week, I didn’t know a thing about Elgersma, so the bar was pretty low. Today I was impressed with the Canadian product’s combo of size and arm strength. He looks and throws like an NFL QB. I will be looking to see if he can clean up some timing and accuracy issues as the week goes on.

Jaxson Dart (QB, Ole Miss) — Dart put even more distance between him and the rest of the QBs with his performance today. On the field, he was as expected, but I was mostly impressed by his presence as a leader and command of the team — he was constantly reminding him teammates to huddle up and to get into drills quickly. He also had the throw of the day on a play-action rollout against the grain, where he had to flip the hips and deliver a strike outside the numbers. He made an NFL throw look easy.

Jalen Milroe (QB, Alabama) — I will start with this: Milroe looks like a dude. He is rocked up and has muscles coming out of everywhere. It sounds corny, but I kind of like guys with evidence to suggest they are hard workers, which also matches his personality. With that said, today was not a great day for Jalen on the field. I don’t think he completed a pass until his 11th or 12th throw of the day. He has a big opportunity in the next two days to turn some heads, though.

Wide Receivers

Jaylin Noel (WR, Iowa State) — He was the biggest surprise for me in the early practice at WR. He showed off easy separation skills as a route runner and also won some vertical routes lined up outside. He even snagged a back shoulder ball for a TD in 7-on-7. Noel looks like the total package at WR.

Tez Johnson (WR, Oregon) — The downside here is that Tez weighed in at only 156 pounds, and that by itself will be disqualifying for some teams. I am not sure it mattered, though, as he won in every shape or form in 1v1s, 7-on-7, and team period. He even got a rep against one of the largest corners in the draft, Western Michigan’s Bilhal Kone, who pressed him at the LOS. Tez completely eluded him, snapping off a nasty in-breaking route to cross his face, winning with huge separation. Sindarin Elf.

Jack Bech (WR, TCU) — Bech was the most consistent route runner of the day. He looked twitchier in person than I expected him to and even showed off some linear explosiveness running some vertical routes. He has massive inside/out versatility and brings an edge that coaches will love

Xavier Restrepo (WR, Miami) — Restrepo was probably my biggest disappointment of the day. There weren’t a lot of clear wins with him in any portion of the drills or team period. It really felt like the staff was challenging him and putting him in situations to win vertically from the outside and also have to work to clear press. He did not excel in these situations. Restrepo still has plenty of time to bounce back this week, but his play today, combined with measuring just 5’9”, is throwing some water on the idea of him being a versatile move piece in the NFL. Time will tell.

Running Backs:

LeQuint Allen (RB, Syracuse) — “Kerryon Johnson 2.0” — my nickname for him — weighed in at 207 pounds. That in of itself is a huge win as Allen has the skills and playstyle to be a true every down back in the NFL. Syracuse listed him at just 195.

Brashad Smith (RB, SMU) — I guess it shouldn’t be surprising that the former WR looked awesome in today's pass-catching drills. He demonstrated fluid, juiced-up route running and confident hands throughout the whole day.

Tight Ends

Xavier Arroyo (TE, Miami) — Arroyo stole the show today. He was by far the biggest riser of the day. I am not sure he lost a single rep as a route runner in 1v1s, 7-on-7, or team period. He has the exact build and athletic profile of recent breakout NFL TEs like Brock Bowers, Sam LaPorta, Trey McBride, and Evan Engram. He is solidifying himself as a top-50 pick.

Thomas Fidone II (TE, Nebraska) — I had limited exposure to Fidone coming into the week and was blown away at his size, length, and hands to go with some legitimate long speed. He showed off easy separation skills on the vertical plane and also crushed on some deep crossers. I also had the chance to talk with him after practice, and the vibes checked out. He’s a former big-time recruit whose career was derailed by injuries and has a unique chance to insert himself into this loaded TE class.

Brett Whitefield is an experienced professional in football analytics, with more than a decade in the business. He has held several key positions with some of the top companies in the industry, including as a process manager at Pro Football Focus (PFF), where he spent more than seven years. Brett has also worked with and consulted for multiple NFL teams and Power-5 NCAA football programs.