2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl: Draft risers, fallers after practices

• Marshall edge defender Mike Green is a powerhouse: Green displayed some of the best individual repetitions of any defensive lineman in Mobile, including an explosive bull rush during one-on-ones.

• Jalen Milroe’s stock drops after shaky Senior Bowl practices: He struggled with his footwork, timing and accuracy for most of the week before finishing on a relatively positive note in the second half of Thursday’s session.

Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

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Reese’s Senior Bowl practices have concluded after three competitive sessions between many of the best 2025 NFL Draft prospects. Several players improved their draft stock, while others couldn’t quite make the statement they were hoping for. Here is a breakdown of some risers and fallers from Senior Bowl practice week.

Other Senior Bowl Reading:

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Risers

OL Grey Zabel, North Dakota State

PFF Big Board Rank: 41

After mostly playing tackle during his five years at North Dakota State, Zabel appears destined to play on the interior in the NFL. He took snaps at center and both guard spots this week and could not have performed better against a talented defensive line group.

Zabel’s athleticism as a former tackle serves him well when he moves laterally and climbs to the second level in the run game. His form in pass protection was fantastic, as well, especially in the one-on-one drills. The latter skill is supported by his play at North Dakota State, where he earned an 86.5 PFF pass-blocking grade when playing either guard or center in his career. He may have catapulted himself into a top-40 selection with his play this week.

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WR Jack Bech, TCU

PFF Big Board Rank: 56

Bech was easily the best wide receiver on the American team all week. He showed excellent route-running ability, made several contested catches and displayed a willingness to compete in the run game.

Bech’s performance was consistent with his breakout season at TCU this year. He tallied his first 1,000-yard season and an 83.1 PFF receiving grade while dropping just one pass all year. His well-rounded skill set should give him one of the highest floors of any receiver in the class. Don’t be surprised if Bech is a top-50 selection come draft weekend.

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EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M

PFF Big Board Rank: 20

At 6-foot-5 and 281 pounds, Stewart went to the Senior Bowl as an intriguing prospect with a prototypical build. He stood out at Texas A&M this season with an 88.2 PFF run-defense grade but left something to be desired as a pass-rusher.

He left no doubt about his pass-rush ability in Mobile, though. He was PFF’s highest-graded player at any position across the first two practices. He dominated one-on-ones with his power and length. He showed nice bend during a team period Wednesday, beating Emery Jones Jr. on one occasion to generate a strip sack of Seth Henigan. Stewart was arguably the best player in Mobile this week and may have locked up a first-round selection in the process.

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EDGE Mike Green, Marshall

PFF Big Board Rank: 11

Green finished 2024 as the nation’s highest-graded edge defender, but he needed to pass one last test at the Senior Bowl to solidify his potential first-round status. He did so with flying colors.

Green had some of the best individual repetitions of any defensive lineman in Mobile, including an explosive bull rush during one-on-ones that put Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr. on his back. He also turned in several nice showings in run defense during team drills. Green was rising up draft boards in anticipation of the Senior Bowl. After dominating the Sun Belt for multiple seasons, he proved he could do the same against the best offensive linemen in the country.

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TE Mason Taylor, LSU

PFF Big Board Rank: 117

Taylor has as much athletic potential as any tight end in this draft. He displayed that talent at times in Baton Rouge but couldn’t find enough consistency to produce at an elite level. He showed off a bit of that massive potential during the Senior Bowl.

Improved route running and contested-catch ability were on display for Taylor as he proved himself to be one of the top prospects at the position. His footwork was sharp in and out of his route breaks. He also showed adequate work as a blocker during team drills, which will bode well for his versatility in the NFL. Taylor put himself in a good position to be one of the first three tight ends selected in the 2025 NFL Draft.

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Fallers

QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama

PFF Big Board Rank: 68

Milroe was bound to be highly scrutinized in Mobile, considering his high-variance style of play and elite athleticism. He needed to show improvement in his footwork, timing and accuracy to give himself a chance to be taken early in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Unfortunately, Milroe struggled in those aspects for most of the week before finishing on a relatively positive note in the second half of Thursday’s session. He was a bit late on many of his throws and struggled with consistent ball placement. Milroe’s lack of success in a controlled environment doesn’t bode well for his chances of being selected in the first two rounds.

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OL Wyatt Milum, West Virginia

PFF Big Board Rank: 37

Milum was one of several offensive linemen whose NFL position was a question mark coming into the Senior Bowl. That was due, in part, to his relatively short arms, raising doubt about his ability to fend off edge defenders with NFL-caliber length.

Those concerns were proven legitimate, as Milum struggled at tackle during pass-blocking drills. By the end of the week, he found himself locked into snaps at guard, where he showed some athleticism in the run game but couldn’t quell the concerns about his pass blocking. If he is a guard moving forward, he has likely fallen out of first-round consideration after his performance this week.

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TE Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green

PFF Big Board Rank: 70

After a record-breaking season at Bowling Green, Fannin went to Mobile as one of the biggest wild cards at the tight end position. Unfortunately, he lagged a bit behind several other prospects and was unable to dominate at that same level.

Fannin wasn’t explosive out of his route breaks and didn’t consistently separate from man coverage. He couldn’t quite excel as a blocker, either, which could be the expectation for a 238-pounder. By the end of the week, he was taking repetitions at fullback with the hopes of expanding his versatility. Considering his lack of size and the lesser level of competition he played at Bowling Green, Fannin needed to dominate as a receiver. He didn’t quite accomplish that mission.

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DI Deone Walker, Kentucky

PFF Big Board Rank: 74

Walker’s athleticism at 340 pounds was supposed to give him a chance to dominate this week and potentially push him into first-round consideration in April. His lack of technique didn’t quite match up with his imposing frame.

Walker’s primary issue is his pad level coming out of his stance. He needs to play with better leverage at 6-foot-7. That was evident during pass-rush reps, when he was stonewalled by North Carolina’s Willie Lampkin, who falls 9 inches and 70 pounds short of Walker. He may flash his athletic talent at the NFL Combine, but Walker’s play on the field looks more like a mid-to-late Day 2 pick.

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EDGE Princely Umanmielen, Ole Miss

PFF Big Board Rank: 39

Umanmielen was a borderline first-round prospect coming into the Senior Bowl after three years of dominant pass-rush production in the SEC. His performance this week raised more questions than answers about his draft stock.

Umanmielen was essentially a non-factor as a pass-rusher in practice. He repeatedly lost his footing and couldn’t find a way to get around opposing tackles like he did during the season. Even in the one-on-one pass-rush drills — which are usually advantageous to rushers of his talent level — Umanmielen didn’t find much success. For the moment, he looks more likely to be a Day 2 pick than a first-rounder.