Senior Bowl 2025: Standout Players After Day 1

By / Devy & College Football / Leave a Comment
Jayden Higgins, Iowa State Football, Iowa State Cyclones, Senior Bowl, The League WInners

Day 1 of Senior Bowl practice is in the books! Whether on the American or National side of things, many different players hit the ground running down in Mobile, Alabama. They showed that they are some of the best players at this event, if not in the entire 2025 NFL draft.

But who were these specific standouts? And why did they earn the nod on the first day of practice?

That, my friends, is for you to find out below! It is time to recap the Senior Bowl standouts from Day 1.

2025 Senior Bowl Standout Players

National Team

Elijah Arroyo, TE – Miami

In a tight-end class filled with plenty of standout players, Elijah Arroyo has the potential to be one of the best.

The Miami tight end was torching defenders down the field, showcasing that his vertical ability will translate to the next level. He consistently showed off wiggle and speed too, beating defenders in other ways than just pure speed.

However, Arroyo also displayed some impressive route-running ability. In one instance, he had a double move that left his defender in the dust, creating an easy completion. Arroyo consistently showcased his upper-level footwork and body control on the majority of his reps. This also included playing through contact from defenders.

The Miami tight end was already seen as a valuable player in this draft class. With his performance on Tuesday, Arroyo’s stock should and needs to be on the rise.

Jayden Higgins, WR – Iowa State

While not a perfect performance, Iowa State’s Jayden Higgins displayed an impressive skill set at wideout.

The big-bodied target displayed a wide array of moves when attacking defensive backs on Tuesday. Higgins utilized head fakes, stutter steps, nice usage of hands, and overall athleticism to get free and make plays as a receiver. One of his best plays came in 7-on-7s, where he used a head fake and speed cut to get open for his quarterback. He also won vertically in 1-on-1s, showcasing some good deep speed as a player.

 

Higgins, even on some of his wins, had some issues bringing in catches in traffic. He dropped a perfectly thrown ball from Dillon Gabriel in traffic and could not finish a rep against Quincy Riley during the “best-on-best” period.

The Iowa State product has shown almost everything needed to be a productive player at the next level. If he can make some more contested catches and finish through contact a little bit more, Higgins will solidify himself as a top player at his position in this class.

Kyle Williams, WR – Washington State

In a very similar fashion to Higgins, Washington State’s Kyle Williams impressed with speed and route running on Tuesday.

Williams was blazing fast during practice, notching the second-best speed of the practice at 21.36 miles per hour. He won across the middle of the field, he won on quick routes to the sideline, and he won vertically down the field.

While not being the biggest player, Williams knows how to win as a receiver. He has a very impressive release package and the athleticism needed to win at all levels of the field. On top of this, Williams has the feel and knowledge to attack defensive backs in various ways.

After such a great start to the week, I am very excited to see how Williams looks in the rest of the practices. He is a wideout that I will be keeping my eye on going forward.

Jah Joyner, EDGE – Minnesota

On the defensive side of things, edge rusher Jah Joyner was simply dominant.

In the run game, the Minnesota product was powerful and stout. Joyner did not get moved off of his spot often, and he used his strength to set the edge consistently. Once he did that, Joyner used the same strength to throw off blockers and get into the backfield.

As a pass rusher, Joyner displayed nice bend and power against various offensive linemen in team reps. He got off the ball quickly and provided pressure whenever the defense needed him to. And in his 1-on-1 drills, Joyner showed off some upper-level hand usage and pass rush moves.

Joyner is a player to watch going forward, as his traits and skillset are very much desired in the NFL. With another high-level practice this week, the Minnesota product could see his draft stock start to rise.

Jeffrey Bassa, LB – Oregon

In terms of defensive players, not many at any position were better than Oregon’s Jeffrey Bassa.

Bassa stuck with Michigan RB Donovan Edwards down the field to make an impressive pass breakup in the team’s “best-on-best” period. During team drills, the Oregon linebacker ran down his former teammate Tez Johnson to help force a very impressive pass breakup.

Add in some impressive run defense reps, and you have arguably the standout linebacker of the entire Senior Bowl on Day 1. With anything close to this performance over the next two practices, Bassa should see his draft stock start to rise ahead of the NFL Combine.

Honorable Mentions
  • Azreye’h Thomas, Florida State: He had some impressive pass breakups and coverage reps on Day 1. I think he will only improve on Day 2 and is a favorite of mine to be a standout.
  • Dillon Gabriel, Oregon: Gabriel was precise and accurate all day. Easily the best quarterback of the entire day.
  • Jaylin Noel, Iowa State: Noel won with speed and had a nice contested grab done the sideline. Want to see even more of his route running and speed going froward this week.
  • Xavier Restrepo, Miami: Unsurprisingly, he had some great routes and found space against different types of coverages. With a few more accurate throws, he will light a practice up.
  • David Walker, Central Arkansas: I was impressed by his run defense in team drills. excited to see how his pass rush arsenal looks on Wednesday and Thursday.
  • Taylor Elgersma, Laurier: He was not perfect, but Elgersma threw some of the best balls of the entire day. He’s a toolsy QB that I want to see improvements from on Tuesday.

American Team

Deone Walker, DT – Kentucky

Not many players truly “wrecked shop” on day 1 of practice. Deone Walker wrecked shop on Tuesday.

In team drills alone, the Kentucky defensive tackle blew up three separate run plays. He won with sheer power, speed, and usage of his hands; if it were a real game, Walker would have wrecked three plays all by himself.

The mountain of a defensive tackle needs to show some more pass-rush prowess to truly see his stock skyrocket in Mobile, and he will have two more practices to do so. But even if it does not come to fruition, the monstrous run-defense ability from Walker should be enough for a team to make him a key part of their defensive rotation.

Shemar Stewart, EDGE – South Carolina

Speaking of pass rush, Shemar Stewart showed why he is one of the best pass rushers in this year’s class.

In one practice, Stewart won as a pass rusher with bend to the outside, a bull rush move, and a swim move set up by his usage of an outside rush on a previous play.

Not only did Stewart show an impressive pass-rushing arsenal, but the ability to deploy it in a smart way. He is not just throwing moves out for no reason, but rather in a way that sets up linemen and allows the edge rusher to get more clean pressures and sacks.

Stewart was a highly-regarded player coming into this week, and he is already showing that the hype is well-deserved.

Upton Stout, CB – Western Kentucky

To put it lightly, Upton Stout was lockdown on Tuesday.

The Western Kentucky product shut down the majority of the players he went up against during all the different periods of practice. Whether it was 1-on-1s, seven-on-seven, or team drills, Stout was making plays on the ball and sticking with receivers all over the field.

 

Stout’s highlight of the day was when he shut down fellow Day 1 standout at the Senior Bowll, TCU wideout Jack Bech. The cornerback stuck with the receiver down the sideline, forcing the quarterback to make a throw where Bech could only attempt a one-handed grab.

The Western Kentucky product showed that he can hang with and beat the best of the best at wide receiver. It was an impressive performance and one that scouts and coaches should easily take note of.

Mason Taylor, TE – LSU

Just like Elijah Arroyo on the National roster, LSU’s Mason Taylor showcased some impressive ability as a receiver on the first day of Senior Bowl practices.

Taylor was smooth in and out of breaks. He won through contact and with speed down the field. He even showcased some impressive hands, highlighted by a one-handed catch he made outside of his frame on the move.

 

To make matters even better, Taylor showed some impressive blocking prowess. He drove his feet well and did not give up ground to the defensive linemen he went up against.

In a strong tight-end class, Taylor proved once again that he is among the best of the best. With upper-level recovering ability and solid run blocking, the son of the great Jason Taylor showed that he can be a great NFL player in his own right.

Jack Bech, WR – TCU

In an under-the-radar group of receivers on the American team, TCU WR Jack Bech broke out onto the scene on Tuesday afternoon.

Bech showed immense prowess as a route runner. He displayed fluid hips, solid footwork, and good technique that helped him gain separation from defensive players consistently.

Additionally, Bech showed some impressive contested catch ability. On a ball over the middle, the TCU wideout leaped over the defender to secure the ball and make the impressive play.

It was a very solid all-around performance from Bech, who has not received too much buzz in this draft class. He has been overshadowed by some of the more big-name or high-ceiling players up to his point of the process. However, that could all change if he continues to make plays like he did on the first day of Senior Bowl practice.

Brashard Smith, RB – SMU

In terms of running backs, Brashard Smith was the best of both worlds on Tuesday.

As a runner, the SMU product had the best run of the entire day. Smith hit multiple quick cuts to find running room and rip off a big gain. It was the best display of speed and vision that a running back showed during the practice.

As a receiver, Smith was shifty and explosive. Linebackers rarely stayed with him, as the SMU RB utilized his receiver background to dust his opposition and create easy opportunities for his quarterbacks.

With a nice combination of running and catching ability, Smith can be an instant impact player in the NFL. And if the first day of Senior Bowl practices is a sign of things to come, Smith should see his stock start to rise in a stacked RB class. And if it somehow does not, a team will be getting a steal with the former SMU standout.

Honorable Mentions
  • RJ Harvey, UCF: Harvey is a rocket launcher in the form of a running back. Almost impossible to cover in space and is very explosive as a runner.
  • Marcus Yarns, Delaware: Dynamic receiver out of the backfield. He had had some of the best reps, route wise, of the entire day.
  • Maxwell Harrison, Kentucky: Lockdown coverage all day. Very excited to see what he can do for an encore on Day 2 of the Senior Bowl.
  • Jalen Royals, Utah State: Royals is a slick route runner that can win at any area of the field. He should only improve as the week goes on as well.
  • Eugene Asante, Auburn: Very fun LB prospect. Had a great PBU during the last 1-on-1 period. I will be watching him over the remaining two days.
  • Jared Ivey, Ole Miss: Ivey won with both speed and power today. A very underrated player in this edge class.
  • Tai Felton, Maryland: He had easy wins and showcased great route running. He should also continue to improve and display his talent over the next two practices.

Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Fairleigh Dickinson University in May 2023 with a Communications Degree, a concentration in Multimedia Journalism, and a minor in Broadcasting. Received an M.A. in Communication from Fairleigh Dickinson University in May 2024. Wrote for Jets Insider for two years, previously hosted a Knicks podcast for Let's Talk Knicks, and contributed to Inside the Iggles. Currently a writer for Jets X-Factor. Avid movie watcher, gym goer, music listener, and MMA fan.

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