Senior Bowl week bold predictions: Breakout stars, deepest position group and one school to watch
A week of practices lead up to Saturday's game in Mobile, Alabama
By
Josh Edwards
•
3 min read
There are two NFL teams still contending for the Super Bowl: the Patriots and the Seahawks. Every other team has turned its attention to building for next season, and that process continues this week at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.
Last year's draft class was thought to be lacking blue-chip talent, but the rookie group ended up being one of the most impactful in recent years.
Although this year's class is viewed as similarly weak at the top, that doesn't mean teams won't be able to find contributors. For example, Saints quarterback Tyler Shough, Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr., Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart and others participated in last year's Senior Bowl.
With practices kicking off Tuesday, here are some bold predictions for this week:
Note: ⭐️ represents each player's 247Sports star rating as a high school recruit.
Caleb Banks and Ja'Kobi Lane steal the show
Banks was limited to just two games due to a broken foot, but he was considered a potential first-round pick coming into the season.
It's a similar situation to Deone Walker, who was taken in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft and had a promising rookie year for the Bills.
Both are towering human beings. Walker, like Banks, was regarded as a likely first-round pick prior to his final season and then spent that year playing through injury in Lexington. Walker may be a cautionary tale that ultimately benefits Banks.
Lane's teammate, Makai Lemon, has overshadowed him at times, but Lane produced 49 receptions for 745 yards and four touchdowns in his third season out of high school.
Lane stands tall amid a shorter collection of Senior Bowl wide receivers and is also the highest-rated of the bunch. The Trojan should be able to assert himself as the top-50 selection many believe he is.
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Boston College's quartet makes plenty of noise
Boston College will send four players to Mobile: wide receiver Lewis Bond, offensive tackle Jude Bowry, offensive guard Logan Taylor and edge rusher Quintayvious Hutchins. Each has a skill set that could put him among this week's standouts.
Bond has a knack for getting open, particularly against zone coverage. Defenses often struggle to communicate in college all-star settings, so Bond could capitalize by finding gaps. He posted 88 receptions for 993 yards and one touchdown this season.
Bowry and Taylor are also high-floor performers. Bowry could put himself into top-50 consideration with a strong week. A year ago, college football teams targeted him as a transfer portal addition. Boston College has quietly produced a handful of pro offensive linemen recently, including Ozzy Trapilo, Drew Kendall, Christian Mahogany, Zion Johnson and Chris Lindstrom.
Hutchins will bring some juice off the edge. He is a bit undersized but has a motor that constantly runs hot. The offensive tackles in attendance skew larger and could be more susceptible to quickness.
Tight ends surprise with more depth than expected
The 2026 tight end class may pale in comparison to 2025 at the top, but several players offer complementary skill sets that could help teams fill out their rooms.
Texas A&M's Nate Boerkircher stands out as one of the best blockers in the class, and teams will recognize the value in that role after what Jackson Hawes accomplished with the Bills this season. NC State's Justin Joly is more of the move, pass-catching type.
Beyond those players, multiple others offer immediate depth and potentially more: Wyoming's John Michael Gyllenborg, SMU's Matthew Hibner, Stanford's Sam Roush, Alabama's Josh Cuevas and others.
Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq and Ohio State's Max Klare rank as the top options at the position in this draft class, but they will not compete in Mobile.
Cornerbacks take over, giving receivers little room to breathe
Overall, the talent at cornerback is greater than its offensive counterpart. Tennessee's Colton Hood stands as the cream of the crop and a potential first-round pick, but several others should hear their names called in the top 100, including Texas' Malik Muhammad, Duke's Chandler Rivers, San Diego State's Chris Johnson and Iowa's TJ Hall.
The wide receiver group may find some success against zone coverage, but the concern will be separation against man coverage. Small-school prospects like John Carroll's Tyren Montgomery and Stephen F. Austin's Charles Demmings have an opportunity to assert themselves.
The 2026 NFL Draft will take place April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. More draft coverage is available at CBS Sports, including weekly mock drafts and regular looks at eligible prospects.
