Senior Bowl Watch List

“The Draft Starts in Mobile” isn’t just great marketing - it’s the truth. The Senior Bowl continues to be the premier college football all-star game, in large part because it’s the first opportunity for a majority of NFL scouts to get to work with soon-to-be draftees on the field.

The Senior Bowl is also where draft stocks began to rise and fall. Here are ten prospects to keep an eye on ahead of this year’s game.

Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.

Penix’s draft momentum took a hit following a rough performance in the national championship game; however, he looked like a lottery selection during the Huskies’ semifinal victory over Texas a week earlier. Durability is the greatest concern for NFL teams evaluating Penix, who has endured four serious injuries during his collegiate career. A good week in Mobile could help Penix bounce back into consideration for a first-round selection.

Oregon QB Bo Nix

Nix is the most experienced passer in college football history with an FBS-record 61 combined starts at Auburn and Oregon. That much football should make Nix a fairly pro-ready pick; however, the 2024 Fiesta Bowl Offensive MVP and 2023 Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year isn’t viewed as a top-10 selection like his Oregon predecessor Justin Herbert yet.

South Dakota State RB Isaiah Davis

While unlikely to be drafted before Day 3, Davis was a workhorse for the two-time defending FCS national champion Jackrabbits. He finished his collegiate career with 4,548 yards and 50 touchdowns, with 3,000-plus yards coming over the last two seasons. A strong showing at the Senior Bowl would help prove that Davis belongs at the next level.

Georgia WR Ladd McConkey

A projected second-round pick, McConkey can make sure he doesn’t have to wait too long to hear his name called with a good week of practice in Mobile. Though undersized at 5-foot-11, McConkey gets great separation and should end up forging a nice career in the slot. 

Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton

At 6-foot-7, 328 pounds, Guyton will ace the eye test; however, with only 15 combined starts over four seasons at TCU and Oklahoma, a good week of practice will assure scouts that he’s worthy of a first-round grade.

Texas DT T’Vondre Sweat

Despite being the 2023 Outland Award winner and a unanimous First Team All-American, Sweat still projects as the second-best interior defense lineman from his own team, behind fellow Longhorn Draft hopeful Byron Murphy II. Sweat will have a chance to show why he won those awards with a quality week of practice against several of the top offensive linemen of the 2024 Draft class.

UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu

Arguably the most talented pass rusher in the Draft, Latu needs to prove he can set the edge and defend the run. But he has been the most accomplished sack artist in college football with 23.5 sacks to his name over the last two seasons. As long as scouts feel comfortable with his injury history, Latu projects as a mid-first-round pick.

Kentucky LB Trevin Wallace

Wallace may not appear on many mock drafts right now but expect him to shoot up boards after he tests off the charts at the Combine in February. A freak athlete who squats nearly 600 pounds and runs as fast as 22 miles per hour while weighing north of 240 pounds, Wallace is still learning to play the linebacker position. If he can figure it out, he could be a special talent.

Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell

There are a number of talented cornerbacks in the 2024 Draft class and Mitchell has an opportunity to rise to the top. He didn’t see a ton of looks in 2023 after recording five interceptions and a pair of pick-sixes in 2022, so in-person evaluation in Mobile may prove to be a big positive for the former Rocket. 

Miami S Kamren Kinchens

Safeties are chronically undervalued but a rangy one with great ball skills can make a big difference. Kinchens is a throwback to Miami’s “DB U” era, currently projecting as a second-day pick with room to move up with a good week of practice.