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USATSI

The Senior Bowl remains the gold standard of post-college all-star games. More than 100 players spent the week in Mobile, Alabama, flashing their talent in hopes of landing with an NFL team in April's draft.

For some, it was simply about getting on the radar.

For others, it was about boosting draft stock and becoming a top-100 pick, a top-50 pick or, in the case of a small handful of players, a first-rounder.

You'll see and hear about plenty of defensive players who stood out all week. That only reinforces the reality that the 2026 draft class looks strong on the defensive side of the ball and thin on offense. NFL decision-makers are grappling with that imbalance and will continue to do so all the way through the draft.

In other words, if your team needs offensive help, don't expect the draft to solve every need.

Based solely on the three days of practice leading up to Saturday's Senior Bowl, here are the singular standouts at every position, starting with the defense.

Note: Draft projections are courtesy of CBS Sports NFL Draft analyst Ryan Wilson.

DT: Lee Hunter 

Draft projection: Round 1

There were a bunch of good defensive tackles, but Hunter made an impact every practice as both a run stopper and a pass rusher. 

At 6-foot-3 and 320 pounds, he's a fluid mover with enormous girth and big-time strength. Not many people like him on the planet.

EDGE: Max Llewellyn

Draft projection: Round 4

Llewellyn didn't make a spectacular splash play like Nadame Tucker, or come into the Senior Bowl with a sky-high pedigree like T.J. Parker.

But the 6-foot-5, 255-pound edge rusher was consistently disruptive. NFL scouts will love his size and his ability to stop the run.

LB Kyle Louis

Draft projection: Round 3/4

With all due respect to Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez, Louis put together multiple great days. During Thursday's practice, Louis knocked away a pass at the catch point, stripped another ball before a receiver could secure it, and nearly picked off a pre-determined post route.

The 6-foot, 224-pound linebacker flashed speed closing on the ball and showed strong vision, seeking out ball carriers before they got through the line of scrimmage.

I don't know when he'll get drafted, but he'll be a steal when he does.

CB: Colton Hood 

Draft projection: Round 1

Hood practiced for two days and, aside from a hiccup against Tyren Montgomery in one-on-one drills, looked exactly like the player evaluators expected: a 6-foot, 188-pound corner who is big for his position, fast and sticky with long limbs.

S: Bud Clark

Draft projection: Round 3/4

Maybe a little leaner than scouts would like at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, Clark showed up and made plays every day. 

He proved he can read and anticipate a quarterback's decisions, with the best example coming when he read Sawyer Robertson's movements, chased down a deep ball and caught it before going out of bounds.

From the backyard to the big stage: The moment isn't too big for Tyren Montgomery at the Senior Bowl
Ryan Wilson
From the backyard to the big stage: The moment isn't too big for Tyren Montgomery at the Senior Bowl

QB: Cole Payton, North Dakota State

Draft projection: Round 7/UDFA

While Luke Altmyer and Diego Pavia operated their offenses well, and Taylen Green offers tantalizing upside, I thought Payton strung together the best three days of practice of any quarterback there.

The 6-foot-2, 229-pound passer threw with accuracy and anticipation, and he made -- or tried to make -- several off-schedule plays while avoiding pressure. Payton only ran a bit, choosing to show off his arm more than his legs this week after a dynamic 2025 season with the Bison.

Is he NFL-ready? No, but no one at the Senior Bowl was. At minimum, Payton should be on the radar for teams looking for a toolsy passer with a solid foundation to build from.

RB: Mike Washington Jr.

Draft projection: Round 4

No other running back showed the instant acceleration Washington had, as he topped out at 21.02 miles per hour, the fastest among the RBs. And no other back combined power, vision, hands and pass-protection potential the way the 6-foot, 228-pound Washington did. 

It'll be interesting to see where he stacks up among the running backs who weren't in Mobile, because he has top-five-in-the-class potential.

WR: Malachi Fields

Draft projection: Round 3

The Senior Bowl featured several talented receivers, including Josh Cameron, Tyren Montgomery and Ted Hurst, but Fields looked like the most complete of the bunch.

At 6-foot-4, he was also among the tallest, showing off his high-point ability almost every day. He doesn't have flashy speed, which you expect from a bigger receiver, but he runs good routes and displayed the nuance to separate just enough before reeling in receptions.

TE: Tanner Koziol

Draft projection: Round 5

The tight ends didn't stand out much, but Koziol made the play of the day on Thursday and showed some good cuts and physicality on Wednesday. The 6-foot-6, 245-pound tight end won't win many races, but he'll come down with plenty of touchdowns.

IOL: Jake Slaughter

Draft projection: Round 3/4

Slaughter looks like an NFL-ready interior lineman. The 6-foot-4, 305-pound blocker handled business all week, rarely losing in drills or in 11-on-11 work.

OT: Max Iheanachor

Draft projection: Round 1/2

I'm not sure Iheanachor got beat even once all week. At 6-foot-6 and 325 pounds, he pairs quick, coordinated hands and feet with one of the biggest bodies at practice. Best of all, he's young and still has room to get better. I suspect he goes in Round 1.