Senior Bowl takeaways: Defensive linemen were dominant, running backs worth drafting, and QB class uncertainty

MOBILE, Ala. — There was a high level of competition between some of the top players in the 2025 NFL draft at the Senior Bowl last week. Texas Christian wide receiver Jack Bech ended the annual all-star game by scoring the winning touchdown on the final play to give the American team a 22-19 victory over the National team.

Although the game itself is part of a player’s evaluation, the practices hold more weight and give teams a sense of how draft prospects operate in a high-pressure, uncomfortable setting. They also show how prospects bounce back from adversity.

The Eagles built initial connections with Quinyon Mitchell, Tyler Steen, Sydney Brown, and Grant Calcaterra at the Senior Bowl in recent years, and in four of their last five drafts, they have selected two or more players who competed in the annual All-Star game.

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After gathering intel and observations from NFL personnel and agents, here’s what we learned from the Senior Bowl in regards to the draft process, and the questions that remain coming out of the week.

Seeing this group of interior defensive linemen and edge rushers up close gave credence to why both groups are highly regarded in this class. The top performers of the week were Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart, Marshall edge rusher Mike Green, Mississippi defensive lineman Walter Nolen, and Toledo defensive lineman Darius Alexander.

With Brandon Graham’s potential retirement looming and Milton Williams set to test free agency, the Eagles will be in the market to replenish their defensive line. Stewart and Green will likely be out of the Eagles’ range at the end of the first round, while Nolen’s stock varies. Alexander is a likely Day 2 pick.

Texas defensive lineman Barryn Sorrell and South Carolina’s T.J. Sanders are a few other Senior Bowl participants the Eagles could monitor. Sorrell is a stout run defender who looked smooth and has powerful hands as a pass rusher, while Sanders is an explosive interior linemen who causes havoc in the running game with his quickness to beat opposing linemen and also offers pass rushing upside.

If you’re looking for a true tackle in this class, there won’t be many in the first round, let alone the entire draft. Several players entered the week having played tackle in college: LSU’s Emery Jones, Arizona’s Jonah Savaiinaea, North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel, Purdue’s Marcus Mbow, Miami’s Jalen Rivers, and West Virginia’s Wyatt Milum. Coming out of the week, the majority of those players look as if they’ll make the transition to the interior at the NFL level.

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Getting experience at multiple offensive line spots throughout the week, though, should strengthen their projection for the draft, especially for Zabel, who looks like a future NFL center. The Eagles value players who can play multiple spots along an offensive line, so expect some interest to be shown toward that versatility. Rivers, Jones, and Savaiinaea should intrigue the Birds.

Missouri left tackle Armand Membou, a projected first-round pick, was slated to participate in practice, but an illness prevented him from competing. Even the top two offensive linemen in this class, LSU’s Will Campbell and Texas’ Kelvin Banks, have split projections at the NFL level.

The biggest winners of the week among offensive linemen at the Senior Bowl were Minnesota’s Aireontae Ersery, Oregon’s Josh Conerly, and North Carolina State’s Anthony Belton, because each proved he could hold his own at tackle against a deep defensive line group.

Kenneth Gainwell is set to be a free agent this summer. He was drafted as a slot receiver/running back hybrid out of Memphis, but Gainwell has become a reliable change-of-pace back whom the Eagles trust in third downs as a receiving back and in pass protection. If he decides to pursue opportunities elsewhere, drafting a running back on Day 2 or 3 of the draft could be a priority, even after the Eagles selected Will Shipley in the 2024 draft.

The Senior Bowl running backs showed diverse skill sets: Southern Methodist’s Brashard Smith and Syracuse’s LeQuint Allen offer major receiving upside out of the backfield; Miami’s Damien Martinez and Virginia Tech’s Bhayshul Tuten are powerful runners with excellent vision; while Georgia’s Trevor Etienne and Kansas’ Devin Neal are decisive runners with home run ability. Beyond the Senior Bowl, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton, and Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson all could be selected within the first two rounds of the draft.

Again, this is a talented running back class.

Going into the week, either Jalen Milroe or Jaxson Dart was expected to emerge as the third-best quarterback in the draft class. Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward are the consensus top two quarterbacks in the draft class, and though Sanders did not practice at the East-West Shrine Bowl at the request of the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, and New York Giants, according to reports, the quarterback play in Mobile this week did not change that outlook.

Dart, the former Ole Miss quarterback, got more comfortable after struggling on the first day of practice, but scouts remain concerned that Mississippi’s offensive scheme doesn’t translate well to the NFL level, and he is routinely late on timing throws over the middle of the field. Dart made some nice throws downfield later in the week and during the Senior Bowl game.

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Meanwhile, Alabama’s Milroe’s down-to-down accuracy and pocket presence continued to be spotty throughout the week. There were flashes of his undeniable arm talent, and his dual-threat running ability was displayed in a handful of drives during Saturday’s game, but he’s still far from a finished product. He has drawn comparison to Jalen Hurts (who competed in the 2020 Senior Bowl) coming out of college. Milroe and Hurts are both represented by Klutch Sports.

Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel didn’t do much to hurt nor help his stock. His leadership intangibles and vast experience at the college level, making starts at Central Florida, Oklahoma, and Oregon, will garner interest from teams as a backup.