Senior Bowl Winners: Garrett Nussmeier Leads a Wave of Draft Risers

Senior Bowl Takeaways That Will Reshape Rookie Draft Boards

Garrett Nussmeier and Mike Washington made themselves some money in Mobile. Nick Singleton? His draft stock might be in trouble.

The Senior Bowl perennially delivers one of the biggest shakeups of draft season. Standout performances pushed some players up draft boards (and soon up your rookie draft boards). 

Let’s dig into the big risers, fallers, and a few under-the-radar names to know for your rookie draft.

Arrow Up: Senior Bowl Risers to Know

These players helped themselves with a strong Senior Bowl week.

Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU

Nussmeier came into the Senior Bowl as the highest-rated QB, despite a volatile 2025 season that ended with just 1,927 yards, 12 TDs, and 5 INTs. His film showed inconsistency in arm strength and accuracy, a step back from 2024.

Nussmeier later explained why the season went so poorly. He played all of 2025 with a core injury and “couldn’t use [his] core,” after sustaining the injury during preseason practice.

During Senior Bowl week – with full rehab and training behind him – Nussmeier looked sharp. His arm strength remained consistent throughout the week, and he showcased strong accuracy in most 11-on-11 portions of practice. 

One benefit of the Senior Bowl is seeing QBs throw routes that weren’t staples of their college offenses. Nussmeier showed touch and placement on out routes, posts, and comebacks that rarely appeared on his 2025 film.

Nussmeier had a few miscues throwing to unfamiliar WRs, but they were rare. The game itself matters less than the practices, but earning Senior Bowl MVP honors certainly didn’t hurt the QB.

Overall, the strong week lends credibility to the injury explanation for his uneven 2025.

Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame

Fields came off a disappointing season at Notre Dame, finishing with a 36-630-5 line that fell well short of his production at Virginia in 2023 and 2024. His 6’4, 218-pound frame and large catch radius, however, remained evident on film.

Fields entered Senior Bowl week with a chance to establish himself as a top-100 pick, and he did exactly that. Bigger WRs sometimes struggle in one-on-ones if stiff hips limit their separation. Fields did not have that issue.

He combined loose hips and smooth movement with physicality throughout the week. One rep against Texas CB Malik Muhammad stood out. Fields used his length to maintain separation, then made a sharp cut on a comeback route for an easy completion as Muhammad fell trying to recover.

Fields also showed no hesitation laying out for deep passes and flashed strong ball tracking and reliable hands.

His excellent week likely cements Day 2 draft status.

Mike Washington, RB, Arkansas

Washington entered 2025 as a relative unknown but won Arkansas’ starting RB job, surprising with his success throughout the season. He rushed for 1,040 yards and 8 TDs on 167 carries, consistently breaking tackles and breaking long runs.

Washington measured 6’0.5 and 228 pounds at Senior Bowl weigh-in. He looked like a between-the-tackles RB capable of punishing defenses, and showed that capability in practice.

Washington looked shifty in 11-on-11s and consistently made the right cuts. His vision stood out as a downhill runner unafraid to lean into his strengths. He also flashed blocking success in the “Backs on ‘Backers” drills.

Washington then showed nimble feet and power during the game, breaking tackles and finishing runs through contact.

The most impressive part of his week may have been his receiving ability. Washington consistently beat LBs in coverage drills and showed clean catch technique. One rep against Arkansas LB Xavian Sorey ended with Washington blowing past Sorey for a long TD.

Washington’s week could push him into the draft’s top 150 amid a weak RB class.

Tanner Koziol, TE, Houston

Koziol entered Senior Bowl week as an afterthought, but his production suggested otherwise. After productive seasons at Ball State, he transferred to Houston and posted a 74-727-6 line.

Koziol measured 6’6.5 and 245 pounds, with 34.1-inch arms, the longest among Senior Bowl TEs. He used that length well throughout the week, showing solid blocking technique and fluid movement for his size.

LBs struggled to cover Koziol in practice. He consistently used his frame to shield defenders and finish catches. When coverage was tight, Koziol relied on his leaping ability to win at the catch point.

On one 11-on-11 rep, QB Cole Payton threw a ball high toward the corner of the end zone. Koziol elevated, high-pointed the pass, and secured an impressive TD.

At worst, Koziol profiles as a blocking TE with red-zone value. But he could develop into an NFL starter and productive fantasy contributor.

Ja’Kobi Lane, WR, USC

Lane entered the week as a potential Day 2 pick after steady production at USC. He scored 12 TDs in 2024, thriving on back-shoulder fades. In 2025, he posted a 49-745-4 receiving line while playing alongside Biletnikoff Award winner Makai Lemon.

Lane measured 6’4.1 and 196 pounds, with 32.6-inch arms, the shortest among WRs 6’3 or taller. Despite that, he consistently made contested catches and transitioned smoothly through routes.

Ball tracking remains Lane’s best trait. He excels at adjusting to off-target throws, and that showed again in Mobile.

On one rep against Ohio State CB Davison Igbinosun, Lane ran a streak and created separation with his long stride. As Igbinosun chased, Lane slowed slightly, kept the ball in front of him, and secured the catch just before the defender could react.

That level of savvy, paired with smooth movement, should keep Lane in Day 2 consideration.

Draft Stock Slips: Senior Bowl Fallers

These players didn't help their draft stocks in Mobile.

Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State

The worst part of the pre-draft process is when injuries lower a player’s stock. That struck when Singleton broke his right foot during Senior Bowl practices.

Singleton still boasts a strong predraft profile. Despite teammate Kaytron Allen – who was also in Mobile – outproducing him each season, Singleton finished his Penn State career with 622 carries for 3,461 yards and 45 TDs, averaging 5.6 yards per rush.

He weighed in at 6’0 and 221 pounds. Even at that size, Singleton was expected to run in the 4.3s and test well at the NFL Combine. He will not get that opportunity now.

During Thursday’s final padded practice, Singleton broke the fifth metatarsal in his right foot. The injury should not affect his availability for training camp, but it does end his on-field predraft work.

Singleton could still sneak into Day 2, but strong workout numbers would have helped.

Diego Pavia, QB, Vanderbilt

Pavia finished as the Heisman Trophy runner-up behind Fernando Mendoza, largely due to his rushing production. He ran for 862 yards and 10 TDs on 167 carries. Questions remained about his arm strength and size.

Those size concerns proved correct at weigh-ins. Pavia measured under 5’10 and 198 pounds, slightly shorter than Kyler Murray and Bryce Young, two prospects who entered the league with far more upside (evident in each going first overall).

On the field, Pavia was average. He flashed a few sharp throws in 11-on-11s, but his footwork and overall technique proved inconsistent.

A small QB who remains a technical project faces long odds to be drafted.

Senior Bowl Sleepers Worth Tracking

Here are some emerging names that could make a fantasy impact in the league.

Tyren Montgomery, WR, John Carroll

Don’t let the Division III label scare you off. Montgomery may be the next small-school fantasy gem.

Montgomery did not play high school football. He walked onto LSU’s basketball team in 2019, left after failing to crack the rotation, and turned to football. That path included flag football, COVID delays, and a stop at Nicholls State before finally landing at John Carroll.

Once there, he dominated. In 2025, Montgomery posted a 119-1,575-17 receiving line. His speed and athleticism earned a Senior Bowl invite.

Most small-school players need time to adjust in Mobile. Montgomery didn’t. He stood out from Day 1.

He was one of the sharpest route runners on the field, with feet that moved at a different pace than many Power Five WRs. In one-on-ones, his quick-twitch ability consistently left DBs trailing.

Montgomery has already turned 24 and will be one of the older WR prospects in the class. If he impresses at the Combine, though, he could sneak into the top 100.

Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State

Hurst began his career at Valdosta State before transferring to Georgia State in 2024. He immediately became the No. 1 WR, posted a 56-961-9 initial receiving line , and then followed it with 71-1,004-6 in 2025.

He made an immediate impression in Mobile.

Hurst consistently won with both physicality and speed. Against press coverage, he shed contact and created space. When CBs played off, he burned them vertically and showcased strong ball tracking and high-point ability.

One standout rep against Arkansas CB Julian Neal saw Hurst blow past the 202-pound defender on a streak, track the ball, leap over him, and secure a one-handed TD. It was a Drake London-type play.

Hurst recorded the second-fastest GPS speed of Senior Bowl practices at 20.33 mph while weighing 207 pounds at just over 6’3. Only Barion Brown proved faster at 20.35 mph, at a much smaller 5’11, 176 pounds.

Competition level was the main concern entering the week. Hurst answered it by dominating SEC-caliber CBs. He’s now firmly in top-100 contention.

Sam Roush, TE, Stanford

Roush spent all four college seasons at Stanford and posted his best year in 2025: 49 catches, 545 yards, and 2 TDs. He entered Senior Bowl week as a late-round prospect known more for blocking than receiving.

That perception changed in Mobile.

Roush measured 6’5.6 and was the tallest TE on the roster, yet he emerged as the sharpest route runner in the group. In one-on-ones, he consistently created separation and dominated LBs in coverage.

Roush paired that with strong blocking in 11-on-11s and several impressive red-zone catches.

He moved from the fringe of draft consideration to an early Day 3 projection and could develop into a Jake Ferguson type at the next level.

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Shane Hallam, Writer

Shane has over 20 years of experience creating content and playing every fantasy football format, including redraft, dynasty, devy, C2C, IDP, CFF, and more. He is a multi-year winner of $500 dynasty leagues on the FFPC and a King's Classic Champion. Shane utilizes deep film and scheme study to enhance his fantasy performance. He led the industry in 2024 preseason Kicker Rankings and ranked second in preseason QB Rankings. He also ranked eighth in preseason IDP rankings.