This article is part of our Dynasty Strategy series.
Dynasty Draft Strategy: Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings From Senior Bowl 2025
This article contains preliminary fantasy scouting reports on 47* player from the 2024 Senior Bowl, which kicks off Saturday. The players' performances in the game itself are not as important as the narratives that develop during the in-week practices, but this list will hopefully tip off the most interesting players to monitor from this week and onward in the pre-draft process.
The players are grouped by position and then descending on projected round.
*A few of these guys (Will Howard, Cam Skattebo, Kalel Mullings, Savion Williams) dropped out after I wrote them up already, so I'm including them anyway. This guide addresses 43 players who are actually active for the Senior Bowl.
SENIOR BOWL QUARTERBACKS
Jalen Milroe, Alabama (6-2, 220)
Milroe is built to run with volume at the NFL level and should be effective on a per-carry basis as well, so with that there's some considerable amount of fantasy upside to keep in mind. What's less obvious is whether Milroe has adequate NFL passing potential, and if so what might be a fair timeline to expect him to reach starter-level viability.
Milroe's passing numbers in 2024 were regrettably poor, especially for the standards of any starting quarterback at Alabama going all the way back to someone like Greg McElroy 15 years ago. Milroe's 2023 season had much cleaner passing numbers – 23 touchdowns to six interceptions in 2023 versus 16 touchdowns to 11 interceptions in 2024 – but the regression is still concerning. Milroe's best game of the 2024 season was likely against Georgia, as it provides an instance of Milroe playing at his best (374 yards, two touchdowns and one interception passing, rushing for 117 yards and two touchdowns) against a quality defense.
If Milroe can carry production like that into the NFL then he would of course be a monster, but the pitch is undermined by other games such as Tennessee (5.5 YPA with one touchdown and two interceptions), Oklahoma (42.3 percent completed with three interceptions) and Michigan (50.0 percent completed at 6.0 YPA, one touchdown and one interception).
Projected round: 2-3
Dillon Gabriel, Oregon (5-11, 202)
Gabriel is the all-time FBS leader in passing touchdown (155) and total touchdowns (189), so he is both a highly-experienced and highly-productive college quarterback who was among the nation's best players in all of his six collegiate seasons, but therein lies one problem for Gabriel's NFL projection: he'll turn 25 in December of his rookie year.
The other problem is Gabriel is under six feet tall, and in tandem those concerns likely make him a mid-round pick despite his substantial accomplishments. It's impossible to avoid the suggestion that the Dolphins specifically pick Gabriel at some point, because he has a similar left-handed stance and inclination to lob downfield. Whoever gets Gabriel would probably need to accept that he won't threaten much through the middle of the field, but his mobility and downfield passing touch could make him a fit for a team that runs often and well.
Projected round: 4
Tyler Shough, Louisville (6-5, 224)
Shough will be a 26-year-old rookie but is a former high-ranking recruit who was once well on the track to getting on the NFL radar as a quarterback prospect before transfer and injury complicated his trajectory.
Between stops at Oregon, Texas Tech and Louisville there were a handful of games where Shough would look like a legitimate NFL quarterback prospect, boasting a notable combination of size, arm strength and athleticism, but his overall production was never as clean as you'd hope. The tools might be tempting to teams, but it's arguably concerning that Shough is evidently in need of further development even though he's around four years older than many starting rookie quarterbacks these days.
Projected round: 3-5
Jaxson Dart, Mississippi (6-2, 226)
Originally a USC recruit (though not a remarkable one by their standards), Dart played in seven games as a true freshman, impressively throwing for 1,353 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions (61.9 percent completed, 7.2 YPA) while backing up junior Kedon Slovis, who was a fairly hot commodity going into that year.
Dart transferred to Mississippi after that season and took over as starter, a role he would hold and thrive in for the next three years. Dart seems poised in the pocket and shows uncommonly good downfield touch accuracy at times, but I'm a little concerned that his trigger or/and processing has a bit of a lag because his completion rates were always a little lower than his accuracy would lead you to expect. Meanwhile, Dart probably won't be much of a runner at the NFL level and his arm seems modest if not weak in terms of throwing power, though he at least has a functional release.
Projected round: 4-6
Seth Henigan, Memphis (6-3, 213)
Henigan is not a big quarterback and doesn't seem especially toolsy, but he likely has some amount of innate quarterback ability given that he was a four-year starter who generally played well each of those four seasons.
Henigan is both one of the most experienced quarterbacks and one of the younger quarterbacks (22 in March) in the 2025 draft class, but his upside might still be limited due to unremarkable arm strength. Henigan seems poised and alert in the pocket and shows the ability to make smooth downfield touch passes, but tight-window throws might be a challenge for him.
Projected round: 5-7
Riley Leonard, Notre Dame (6-3, 210)
Leonard is a good college quarterback who played with the grit necessary to maximize his rushing utility with volume, but he doesn't really look like an NFL quarterback, perhaps not even a backup. With a hunched build and unimpressive throwing talent, Leonard made up the difference at the college level by rushing up the middle over and over, but that sort of game plan doesn't play in the NFL.
Projected round: 6-UDFA
Will Howard, Ohio State (6-4, 235) [NOT ATTENDING]
Howard played one highly productive season at Ohio State after starting the prior four years at Kansas State. The Kansas State production was not perfectly clean – far from it – but Howard never had much help there either. Howard's leading pass target in 2023 was Ben Sinnott, which can be understood as a bad sign without being at all backhanded to Sinnott. Teams just don't generally build their offense around the tight end, no matter how good they are, unless the receivers aren't competitive in comparison.
Howard also might have had his development disrupted by rotating with the likes of Skylar Thompson and Adrian Martinez in his first three years, but in any case Howard's prospect pitch probably has less to do with his Kansas State tape and more to do with his production at Ohio State, where he went nuts for 4,010 yards, 35 touchdown and 10 interceptions (73.0 percent completed, 9.5 YPA). I think he has a shot at the first round, but admittedly at 24 years old this upcoming September it is possible that Howard's improved production was just the result of his age and the Ohio State system. The frame, arm and athleticism just aren't that common otherwise.
Projected round: 1-3
SENIOR BOWL RUNNING BACKS
RJ Harvey, UCF (5-8, 207)
Harvey isn't big and might not be especially fast but his short-area athleticism is great, and his running instincts seem excellent. Harvey's ability to stop, start, and break down to avoid contact are all memorable, and his contact balance is just absurd. Harvey was a extremely productive player at UCF, running for 3,792 yards and 43 touchdowns (6.5 YPC), and his pass-catching ability seems just fine too.
Projected round: 2-3
Woody Marks, USC (5-10, 215)
Marks is probably the fastest running back of this group and he saw a ton of pass-catching reps due to playing three years in a Mike Leach offense at Mississippi State, where he played four years before transferring to USC in 2024. Marks plays with plenty of motor and doesn't show any flinch, but his application still might be clunky at times because his processing and instincts as a runner don't seem to serve him well. The defense will pay every time it leaves him an opening, but he also might not find it as long as it isn't obvious.
I'd also take the liberty of saying that, while Marks is highly experienced as a receiver I don't think he's a natural pass catcher as much as a player who was in an offense that forced the usage. Marks' theme is eerily similar to that of MarShawn Lloyd from the 2024 draft – a high-ranking recruit who transferred to USC for one year and is likely more toolsy than skilled.
Both Lloyd and Marks are fast backs who play with tons of motor, but their from-scrimmage returns are worse than what you'd project for a player with their athleticism. That sometimes indicates a processing lag or some situational movement limitation.
Projected round: 3-4
Devin Neal, Kansas (5-11, 220)
Neal doesn't seem overly explosive or fast on tape but steadiness is a recurring theme with him. Maybe he won't grade highly in any one area, but Neal's skill set is well-rounded and he has the build, lean and mindset to play as a workhorse back if necessary.
Neal's plus pass-catching ability should give him the chance to contribute off the bench for most offenses even if he can't claim a starting role, so it's easy to imagine this guy playing meaningful NFL snaps early in his career. If Neal tests surprisingly well at the Combine then at that point I'm not sure what the criticism of him would be.
Projected round: 3-5
Damien Martinez, Miami (FL) (5-11, 226)
Martinez is one of the bigger running backs in the draft but despite registering over 225 pounds he has some of the most explosive rushing production in the class on a per-carry basis. It's puzzling, then, that neither Oregon State (where he initially played two years) nor Miami used Martinez as a workhorse back despite clearly having the frame to do so and clearly otherwise giving his teams reason to give him more carries.
Martinez is a bit upright and doesn't play with quite as much violence as you might expect at that weight, but he also just moves in general like someone lighter than himself. Martinez might be comparable to someone like Gus Edwards, but testing could prove important in determining whether Martinez's big-play ability can translate to the NFL level.
Projected round: 3-5
Ollie Gordon, Oklahoma State (6-1, 233)
Gordon went into 2024 viewed as a candidate to establish himself as the RB1, but what happened from there was a disaster. Gordon produced 1,732 yards (6.1 YPC) and 21 touchdowns in 2023, only to finish last year with 880 yards (4.6 YPC) and 13 touchdowns. It wasn't a truly bad 2024 for Gordon by normal standards, but the dropoff was enough to clarify that while Gordon might yet prove to be a viable NFL starter he does not project for the same upside he might have a year ago.
If Gordon's slightly tall build isn't a concern then he should otherwise be on a fine track to push for a starting NFL role at some point, however. Gordon runs with standout power but not at the expense of his balance, so he has real shiftiness despite his somewhat upright build. Suddenness doesn't really seem like a theme with Gordon – he might need a little space to build up speed – but there is enough tape demonstrating the damage Gordon can do when he does have that build-up room.
While it's not ideal that Gordon might be subjected to the same script, fellow former Oklahoma State back Chuba Hubbard went from a 2,000-yard rusher as a sophomore to a junior disappointment that fell to the fourth round, and things obviously turned out okay for him.
Projected round: 3-5
Trevor Etienne, Georgia (5-9, 202)
Etienne isn't as good of a prospect as his older brother but he's still a quality NFL prospect in his own right, and one with a solid chance of emerging as a viable starter at the next level. He would probably be ideally used in a rotation with his tasks trending toward in-space functions, not unlike Travis, but the big-play ability isn't quite the same because Trevor is smaller and probably slower. It leaves the younger Etienne with a comparison perhaps along the lines of Gio Bernard.
Projected round: 4-5
Jarquez Hunter, Auburn (5-9, 212)
Hunter isn't heavy and he isn't a notoriously powerful runner, but his power grade is at least adequate and his combination of physical strength and speed appears somewhat uncommon. Hunter was in my opinion a better player at Auburn than Tank Bigsby, who went in the third round of the 2023 draft. Hunter was certainly the more efficient player, turning 539 carries into 3,371 yards and 25 touchdowns (6.3 YPC).
Hunter's limitations are probably that his vision seems mediocre at best, and despite his physical strength and determination he probably doesn't have the best instincts when it comes to keeping his feet moving through traffic. I don't have a read on Hunter's pass-blocking ability but it might be fair to say in the meantime he's better as a pass catcher than as a pass blocker, though Hunter's strength and motor gives him a shot to develop as a pass blocker
Projected round: 4-6
Donovan Edwards, Michigan (5-11, 215)
Edwards will have some place in the NFL but his exact application is a little difficult to anticipate. He seems to be athletic enough – a sub 4.5 40 wouldn't be shocking – but his production had a tendency to go cold for stretches of time that are difficult to explain without the implication of some sort of processing lag, or some sort of occasional movement limitation.
Edwards has uncommon gadget potential due to standout downfield receiving ability, and he's a good enough passer that he might warrant Wildcat quarterback consideration. Edwards is such a good downfield receiver I almost wonder if he should just switch to wideout.
Projected round: 4-6
LeQuint Allen, Syracuse (6-0, 207)
Allen is arguably more interesting as a pass catcher than as a runner. Allen was an excellent workhorse back for Syracuse the last two years and had at least adequate production as a runner, but whereas his rushing output was volume-driven Allen's pass-catching production was the sort that hints at uncommon ability. If Allen can prove a starter-level pure runner at the next level then he could have a Tony Pollard sort of trait set.
Projected round: 4-6
Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech (5-9, 211)
Tuten is the next in line of the recent Virginia Tech tradition of procuring a ~210-pound transfer from a smaller school, having previously done the routine with Raheem Blackshear (Rutgers) and Khalil Herbert (Kansas). Tuten (North Carolina A&T) is potentially the best of the three – likely faster than both, and probably a better pass catcher than Herbert.
There are arguably two main red flags with Tuten – (A) while he improved to three fumbles in 2024, ball security will be an ongoing concern after fumbling six times on 200 touches in 2023, and (B) after producing well as a pass catcher at North Carolina A&T the per-target returns almost completely evaporated for Tuten upon arriving to Virginia Tech, where his 71 career targets yielded just 49 receptions for 318 yards and four touchdowns (69.0 percent catch rate, 4.5 YPT).
Projected round: 5-7
Brashard Smith, SMU (5-9, 195)
Smith was a high-ranking wideout recruit for Miami (FL) four years ago but couldn't really break through at the position over three years with the Hurricanes. Smith transferred to SMU in 2024 and moved to running back, which turned out to be a smart if overdue change.
Smith's wideout background should give him a standout grade as a pass catcher by running back standards, and as a runner he has quick feet that allow him to plant and change direction efficiently. At his small build and without much history at running back, Smith might need to test well at the combine to keep teams interested in his developmental potential.
Projected round: 6-UDFA
Marcus Yarns, Delaware (5-11, 189)
Yarns might draw some James Cook comparisons – the frame leaves his advocates basically no choice – but pending his testing I'm not sure there's much place for a player like this in the NFL. Yarns was a very good player for Delaware and clearly has some amount of athleticism at his disposal, but generally a running back that skinny needs to be a clear standout athlete, which Yarns might not sufficiently be. Yarns was more of a dual-threat running back than a true workhorse in college, so if he isn't straight-up fast I'm not sure what the application would be.
Projected round: UDFA
Cameron Skattebo, Arizona State (5-11, 215) [NOT ATTENDING]
Skattebo might be a little high on himself – he would irritably insist he's the best running back in the country – but he clearly was a great college running back and his game should translate to the NFL. Originally a Sacramento State recruit, Skattebo torched there before transferring to Arizona State, where he produced 34 touchdowns from scrimmage in 25 games.
Skattebo is a three-down power workhorse back with plus pass-catching ability, so if he gets a starting role in the NFL there's reason to suspect major fantasy upside Skattebo's processing and trigger are instant, and his power/balance grades are among the highest anyone will ever draw as an NFL running back prospect.
I have some concern, though, because if he only weighs 215 then Skattebo invites an incredible amount of high-impact contact, and I doubt he runs any better than a 4.60-second 40. Rebranding as a space back is not something Skattebo has the wheels to pull off. In a league increasingly obsessed with Success Rate, though, Skattebo could draw broad interest due to his three-down ability and uncommon reliability in short yardage.
Projected round: 2-3
Kalel Mullings, Michigan (6-2, 233) [NOT ATTENDING]
Mullings is an oversized bruiser who has only played running back for two years after previously playing linebacker. Mullings demonstrated considerable upside as a runner, safely outproducing teammate Donovan Edwards in that category, but after so recently switching from linebacker it's not surprising that Mullings is almost completely untested as a receiver.
Given his frame and the strength that comes with it Mullings should be able to develop as a pass blocker, and if he should ever develop as a receiver it might give him considerable fantasy upside.
James Conner followed a similar trajectory, albeit one with a much bigger, much earlier breakout. What Mullings has in his favor otherwise is that he appears potentially quite athletic – although he's taller than the ideal Mullings appears twitchy and flexible, maybe to the point that it spares him of the typical pitfalls (running too tall, tripping up in short spaces, etc.) that some taller running backs face.
Projected round: 3-5
SENIOR BOWL WIDE RECEIVERS
Jayden Higgins, Iowa State (6-4, 217)
One of two standout Iowa State wideouts present, Higgins probably has the most 'WR1' traits between himself and Jaylin Noel. Both players were excellent for the Cyclones and are distinguished NFL prospects, but Higgins arguably has a more scarce set of traits given his build and target rate (222 targets in 26 games).
Higgins was targeted at a blistering pace for Iowa State, indicating a standout overall skill set especially given that Higgins reliably drew those targets from the boundary in base functions. There was nothing gimmicky about Higgins' usage, in other words – he seemingly just compelled the targets by so routinely presenting as a viable option.
Higgins probably won't prove that fast or anything but his functional athleticism seems just fine – I don't know how you criticize a team for taking him in the first round. You can probably see similarities between Higgins and players like Keenan Allen or Drake London.
Projected round: 1-2
Jalen Royals, Utah State (5-11, 210)
Royals is a stout but explosive receiver who was extremely productive for Utah State over a 20-game span going back to last year, a span in which he caught 126 receptions for 1,914 yards and 21 touchdowns on 182 targets (69.2 percent catch rate, 10.5 YPT). He was on a particularly outrageous pace in 2024 before a season-ending foot injury struck at the seven-game mark, logging 55 receptions for 834 yards and six touchdowns on 80 targets. If Royals had been afforded a fully healthy two seasons he might have produced on a level similar to what Davante Adams did at Fresno State. There's a lot at stake for Royals in athletic testing, but he seems to have proven by now that he at least has some significant place in the NFL.
Projected round: 2-3
Jaylin Noel, Iowa State (5-10, 196)
Higgins might be the headliner between the two Iowa State wideouts, but Noel should hold a noteworthy presence at the NFL level, too. Not many players produce over four years like Noel did, catching 99 passes in his first two years before breaking out to the tune of 147 receptions for 2,014 yards and 15 touchdowns on 217 targets in the 26 games after that.
Noel's lack of height might make him more of a slot target to some teams, but his skill set works there just fine and Noel's production gives reason to believe he can force the issue by potentially emerging as one of the league's more distinguished slot receivers down the line. Noel probably doesn't need to play in the slot, though, and he definitely has the wheels to pressure defenses from the boundary.
Projected round: 2-3
Jack Bech, TCU (6-1, 214)
Bech is an LSU transfer who was in the same recruiting class as Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas. Not just that, but Bech actually ran alongside Nabers that year and ahead of Thomas. Nabers missed two games and Thomas missed one, but it's still a jarring fact that Bech outproduced them both that year, drawing 70 targets and catching 43 receptions for 489 yards and three touchdowns (61.4 percent caught, 7.0 YPT).
Bech's playing time quickly dwindled from there, though, and he transferred to TCU after thudding to just 200 yards and a touchdown in 2022. After a disappointing injury-interrupted 2023 season, Bech finally got back on track in his 2024 senior season, catching 62 receptions for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns on 93 targets (66.7 percent caught, 11.1 YPT).
With a heavy frame and mostly encouraging collegiate production, Bech can make a case for Day 2 with sufficient athletic testing.
Projected round: 2-4
Kyle Williams, Washington State (5-10, 182)
Williams is smallish but he should prove fast in athletic testing, and his production at Washington State (UNLV for three years before that) was otherwise strong. It would have been preferable for Williams to draw a higher target share at Washington State, especially in 2023, but to be fair Washington State had a variety of experienced, competent pass catchers to compete with both seasons. Williams might be thought of as a slightly worse prospect version of the same type of player as Marvin Mims.
Projected round: 3-4
Arian Smith, Georgia (6-0, 175)
Smith is really, really fast. As in, it would be disappointing if he didn't run faster than a 4.30-second 40. It's still difficult to know for sure what that means about his NFL projection. Smith was basically invisible for four years at Georgia, largely due to injuries, before breaking out in 2024, but even in that fifth-year breakout Smith was still a deep-route specialist.
Smith caught 48 receptions for 817 yards and four touchdowns on 77 targets last year, and while he had big games against Alabama and Mississippi State he unfortunately disappeared as the season went on. Smith's speed gives him clear decoy function in the NFL and there's nothing wrong with being a 300- or 400-snap role player at the next level, but it's generally difficult to imagine Smith as much more than that.
Projected round: 3-4
Xavier Restrepo, Miami (FL) (5-9, 200)
Restrepo's short frame and probable lack of standout speed might make him primarily a slot receiver in the NFL, but even if his versatility is somewhat limited he might be skilled enough in that capacity to still compel a starter-like snap count in the NFL at some point.
Restrepo unsurprisingly grades very well on the fundamentals as a receiver, especially when it comes to hands-catching and maneuvering the congested parts of the field. At the very least he's not just another Braxton Berrios – they might have similar applications but Restrepo was much more productive in those applications.
Projected round: 3-5
Pat Bryant, Illinois (6-2, 208)
Bryant wasn't a big recruit and was never outrageously productive at Illinois, but he always was productive to some considerable extent or another. Although he didn't really break out until his 2024 senior season (A) Bryant still is only 22 years old, so he didn't have an alarming age advantage during his otherwise productive periods, and (B) in previous years Bryant's breakout delay was at least partially attributable to the presence of older teammates who would also go on to the NFL in Isaiah Williams (a former top recruit about two years older than Bryant) and Casey Washington (2024 sixth-round pick who is also just under two years older than Bryant).
Bryant probably won't stand out that much in pre-draft athletic testing but he's comfortable at the catch point on any type of application and might be able to emerge as a Josh Palmer type (or maybe something even better, to be fair).
Projected round: 3-5
Tai Felton, Maryland (6-1, 186)
Felton played admirably for a struggling Maryland passing game in 2024, taking over as Maryland's clear WR1 after some target competition from previous years graduated. Felton had not been more than a WR2 type to Maryland previously, but at least in 2024 he was able to provide above-baseline production on a 30.2-percent target share.
The ability to do that, paired with above-average athletic testing, would give Felton a good shot of going in the middle rounds, and if he does well enough in positional drills he might even convince a team to pursue him late on Day 2.
Projected round: 3-6
Chimere Dike, Florida (6-0, 192)
Dike might have speed in the low 4.4s or better and demonstrated some amount of downfield ability over the course of his career at Wisconsin (four years) and Florida (one). If he can play special teams then he has a genuinely good shot at sticking around the NFL for some time. If he can't play special teams, though, then it's not obvious whether Dike has the developmental upside to be worth a team's time on offense.
His fifth-year season at Florida included some really nice showings, but throughout his career Dike's production has been prone to cold stretches and with merely serviceable games in between rather than big ones. The flashes have been there, just not nearly as often or recently as you'd like.
Projected round: 4-7
Jamaal Pritchett, South Alabama (5-9, 170)
Pritchett played one year at Tuskegee before transferring to South Alabama, where he basically sat out one year but quickly began producing from that point. Pritchett was good in 2023, producing 883 yards and eight touchdowns on 83 targets, but he reached another level in 2024 by catching 91 receptions for 1,126 yards and nine touchdowns on 122 targets.
Pritchett is tiny and that brings some immovable concerns when it comes to blocking, and so it's not clear how realistic it will be for Pritchett to ever push for a three-down role, but he seems to have some considerable amount of ability from scrimmage if he can earn the necessary snap count to express it. Athletic testing becomes more crucial the smaller the player is, too.
Projected round: 5-7
Tez Johnson, Oregon (5-9, 156)
I'm sorry, but 156 is too light. If Johnson could maintain his speed while adding even 10 pounds of weight it would make a big difference, but given that he hasn't done so leaves reason to fear that Johnson won't maintain his current level of speed if he reaches a weight range suitable for NFL wide receiver play.
Tank Dell was the exception of all exceptions and yet (A) he was seven pounds heavier than Johnson, (B) he was more productive in college than Johnson and (C) Dell has obviously had significant durability struggles in the NFL. Johnson clearly has ability from scrimmage and he has obvious football skills if his frame doesn't hold him back, but he'll be lucky to go before the sixth round in my opinion.
Projected round: 6-UDFA
Da'Quan Felton, Virginia Tech (6-4, 222)
Felton is a big wideout who led the Hokies in receiving yardage (667) and touchdowns (eight) in 2023 but bizarrely, completely fell off the map in 2024 (360 yards and two touchdowns). Then again, even Felton's 2023 production was propelled by just a few big plays, as he only caught 38 passes in the process.
Felton might have some amount of developmental potential if he proves athletic enough, but in the meantime he only really seems like a handful of theoretical applications.
Projected round: 6-UDFA
Jaylin Lane, Virginia Tech (5-9, 191)
Lane is the diminutive of the two Hokie wideouts at the Senior Bowl, and the one who was more productive in 2024 between himself and Felton. The dynamic was opposite in 2023, when Felton was easily the leading Virginia Tech wideout. That the pass blocking collapsed in the time in between hints that Lane overtook Felton at least in part because the quarterback couldn't wait long enough for Felton's routes to develop in 2024.
Lane was a more productive receiver in his three years at Middle Tennessee before that, but it's still tough for me to see Lane as much more than a fringe prospect, probably trying to make it largely as a special teams guy.
Projected Round: 6-UDFA
Bru McCoy, Tennessee (6-2, 215)
McCoy was once a blue-chip recruit who many might recall being at the center of one of the more tediously protracted transfer portal sagas of all time. McCoy had various stretches of solid production between his stops at Texas, USC and Tennessee, but he was never a standout at any point and at the very least he proved he wasn't worth the drama.
Now 24 years old and with no history of notable production, McCoy is lucky to be invited to the Senior Bowl.
Projected round: UDFA
Savion Williams, TCU (6-5, 225) [NOT ATTENDING]
Williams is a player who might be more entertaining than practical. It's hard to avoid the Cordarrelle Patterson comparison – Williams is taller and likely a bit less athletic than Patterson, but they're similar in that they are big wideouts whose skill sets might fit better at running back despite very much looking like wide receivers in terms of build.
Williams' pass-catching production never grew to the levels you'd expect of a player with his athleticism, so there's possibly some hitch in his game that just doesn't allow him to fully harness his athleticism from the wideout position.
Projected round: 3-6
SENIOR BOWL TIGHT ENDS
Mason Taylor, LSU (6-5, 250)
Taylor (son of Jason Taylor) is a quality all-around tight end who should give an offense plenty of reasons to keep him on the field. Taylor played a ton of snaps at LSU, including a three-down role as a true freshman on one of the most talented offenses in the league. That Taylor's pass-catching production is merely modest can be forgiven, especially since his target rate made a huge jump after Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas left. Regrettably, Taylor's efficiency also fell off with the increased target rate, but it appears that Taylor will likely end up a starting NFL tight end either way. The main question might be how much fantasy production he'll provide with that playing time, and athletic testing could help clarify that matter later on.
Projected round: 1-2
Harold Fannin, Bowling Green (6-3, 238)
Fannin was an entertaining and uniquely productive pass catcher at Bowling Green, where he turned 245 targets into 180 receptions for 2,396 yards and 17 touchdowns in 34 career games. Fannin clearly won't be making it as a blocker at the next level, so he'll need to be convincing in his projection as a pass catcher. If Fannin can sell NFL teams on his viability as a three-down route-running tight end then he would pose standout fantasy upside in the process, but if Fannin leaves any doubt about his pass-catching abilities then some offensive coordinators might look for reasons to cut his playing time for a more capable blocker. It would be great if Fannin could post convincing athletic testing before the draft, because his collegiate production makes clear that Fannin has all the necessary skill set details to thrive as a receiving tight end. The real question is probably whether he's athletic enough to win in the NFL by the same means he did at Bowling Green.
Projected round: 2-4
Elijah Arroyo, Miami (FL) (6-5, 251)
Arroyo didn't do a whole lot in his first three seasons at Miami due to injury, but he was one of the top-ranked tight ends in his class and he produced well when he finally stayed healthy as a senior in 2024. It actually would have been nice to see Arroyo draw more targets than he did (45), but Arroyo was automatic with his usage (35 receptions for 590 yards and seven touchdowns) and there's reason to hope he does vaguely well in pre-draft athletic testing. If Arroyo's knee checks out okay then he should have a case to push for Day 2.
Projected round: 2-4
Jake Briningstool, Clemson (6-5, 234)
Arguably unfortunate surname aside, Briningstool is a former top recruit who could emerge as a starting NFL tight end at some point. Briningstool is likely a pass-catching specialist in the meantime, both because he's significantly underweight for a tight end and because route running is clearly the headlining function in his skill set. Briningstool drew 151 targets in his final 26 games with Clemson, and if he tests well enough athletically he could pose a challenge for NFL coverages.
Projected round: 3-5
Thomas Fidone, Nebraska (6-4, 241)
It's probably not a great sign that Fidone is this light, because you generally need to make it as a pass-catching specialist at a weight like this, but Fidone is a former top-ranked tight end recruit who might do well enough in athletic testing to project for development as a pass catcher. Fidone's career was initially slowed by an ACL tear but in the last two seasons Fidone played 23 games and his production (61 receptions for 633 yards and four touchdowns on 92 targets) was less than encouraging. If Fidone doesn't test as a standout athlete then his prospect profile would be looking rough, because it's crucial that there be some basis to project further development.
Projected round: 3-5
Terrance Ferguson, Oregon (6-5, 245)
Ferguson was a four-year contributor at Oregon and would likely go higher in some other drafts, but in this elite tight end class it might be tough for Ferguson to crack the first two rounds. Ferguson was a high-ranking tight end recruit and appears to be a good athlete, yet Oregon's choice to use him in a somewhat situational role is curious. Perhaps it was just that fellow tight ends Patrick Herbert (blocker/Justin's brother) and Keyon Sadiq (pass catcher) compelled the matter with their own abilities, but Ferguson didn't take a true three-down role while at Oregon as much as he was the headliner in a rotation where he had the most seniority. Athletic testing will do a lot to clarify his upside at the NFL level.
Projected round: 3-5
Moliki Matavao, UCLA (6-5, 265)
Originally a top-ranked recruit for Oregon, Matavao transferred from there to UCLA, where he at once never truly developed fully but still flashed some intriguing traits. Namely, for such a massive tight end Matavao is a bizarrely natural pass catcher. If he can test well enough athletically then Matavao could make for a highly-intriguing mismatch for any NFL offense, but if he disappoints as an athlete then he risks seeing his career trend more toward an outcome like Levine Toilolo or Colby Parkinson – fellow massive west-coast tight ends who produced as a pass catchers, but whose lack of speed prevented their pass-catching skill sets from translating to the pro level.
Projected round: 3-6
Gavin Bartholomew, Pittsburgh (6-4, 241)
Bartholomew had a light weigh-in but as a four-year starter who logged plenty of run-blocking reps it seems like Bartholomew's skill as a blocker might outpace the physical traits that normally correlate to run blocking. The pitch with Bartholomew otherwise is that he ostensibly has untapped pass-catching upside, but his production at Pittsburgh doesn't help sell that. Bartholomew really needs to test well athletically, lest the optimist's narrative fade into a hopeful myth.
Projected round: 5-6
CJ Dippre, Alabama (6-5, 260)
Dippre will get a look from the NFL after starting the last two years for Alabama following a two-year stint at Maryland, but there doesn't appear to be much reason for fantasy speculators to pay close attention. Dippre's appeal will likely pertain mostly to blocking work after catching 65 receptions over four years.
Projected round: 5-7
Jackson Hawes, Georgia Tech (6-4, 252)
Hawes seems somewhat athletic, but throughout his three years at Yale and one at Georgia Tech he was primarily a blocking specialist. That he is distinguished in that capacity should ensure Hawes a long career, but even if he proves athletic in pre-draft testing it will be difficult to project pass-catching upside for Hawes at the NFL level. His upside might be that of an athletic blocking specialist – someone like Josh Oliver or Brock Wright.
