Senior Bowl 2026 Primer: Key Players and Sleepers to Know

There is plenty of talent on both sides of the ball attending the 2026 Senior Bowl, and the competition should be good once again.

With practices getting rolling, these players are worth the watch over the course of the week.

Senior Bowl 2026 Primer

Players to Watch

Ja’Kobi Lane, USC, WR

Over the past two seasons, Ja’Kobi Lane has not recorded fewer than 500 receiving yards or four touchdowns. 2024 saw the USC standout post 12 touchdowns on 43 receptions, while 2025 saw him establish a new career-high of 750 yards. Lane has posted a career average ADOT of 12.2, had an impressive 2.42 yards per route run in 2025, and has at least 10 contested catches in the past two seasons.

Lane has shown an ability to separate and make big plays. A key example of this is his game against Oregon. Utilizing high-level body control, quick twitch ability, and route-running, the USC standout posted 113 yards. Lane is also a weapon in contested catch situations. He not only knows how to high point the ball, but also how to contort his body in ways that make it hard for defenders to guard him in the air.

Lane’s overall skillset will be tested early and often. Even with the dropouts from the game, there are plenty of standout defensive backs set to take the field in Mobile. With a high-level week of practice, Lane could put himself into Round 1 consideration.

Ted Hurst, Georgia State, WR

A standout for Georgia State, Ted Hurst posted over 900 yards and at least six touchdowns in the past two seasons. He has a whopping 14.8 career ADOT, an impressive 2.18 yards per route run, and has 33 contested catches on a career 61.1-percent success rate. Hurst has also gotten better at making players miss, amassing an impressive mark of 18 missed tackles forced in 2025.

The first word that comes to mind for Hurst is explosive. The Georgia State standout not only wins down the field with plus speed, but also utilizes his abilities to be a big threat as a YAC option. Hurst has a great feel for route-running, too. The wideout is crisp in and out of his breaks, never allowing defensive backs to have a great opportunity to read his movements. This does not even mention Hurst’s contested catch ability, as the wideout soars and twists with ease to make big plays.

A big talking point surrounding Hurst is that he is in for an uphill climb due to facing “tougher” competition than he is used to. And while there is some validity to that statement in some aspects, do not bet against the Georgia State wideout. Hurst has all the talent to break out at the Senior Bowl.

Justin Joly, TE, NC State

Arguably NC State’s best offensive weapon in 2025, Justin Joly could be in store for a great week in Mobile.

Producing at a high level for the Wolfpack and the UConn Huskies in his four-year career, Joly has totaled 1986 yards and 15 touchdowns on 166 receptions. He has been a contested catch monster, converting 35 of 53 opportunities in his career, with his 2024 success rate of 84.6 (11 of 13 opportunities) being his best year.

As a blocker, Joly starred as a pass protector. He did not allow a single sack during his four years at NC State and UConn.

The tight end is a legitimate weapon in every way as a pass-catching option. Joly can create separation, battle through contact, and force missed tackles after the catch. He has enough juice to win vertically while also understanding how to thrive in the short and intermediate range of the field.

Most importantly, Joly is a grinder. Even if he is not totaling great receiving numbers, the tight end will find a way to make positive contributions to the offense.

In Mobile, look for Joly to make an impact in a multitude of ways. If he continues his upward trajectory, he will solidify himself as one of the best tight ends in the 2026 class.

Kejon Owens, RB, FIU

A late add to the Senior Bowl, Owens could have a chance to firmly put himself on draft radars with a good week.

The FIU star had the best season of his career in 2025, rumbling for 1328 yards and 11 touchdowns on 6.3 yards per attempt. He forced 40 missed tackles and posted 836 yards after contact, while also having 34 runs of 10 yards or more.

Owens runs with power and authority on every touch. He is truly decisive in how he attacks the holes, showing off good vision and footwork on multiple different types of run schemes. The FIU standout has also shown off good burst and explosiveness. While he may not outrun the entire defense, he can rip off chunk gains if he gets to the open field.

At the Senior Bowl, Owens will have a chance to not only display his rushing ability, but his blocking and receiving ability. Even with not having a chance to do too much of it with the Panthers, Owens showed flashes of upside in these areas.

The FIU running back has all of the skills to make an NFL impact, specifically on early downs. With a good week in Mobile, he should get that opportunity.

Jake Slaughter, OL, Florida

In a class looking for stability at the offensive line positions, Florida’s Jake Slaughter offers plenty of it.

Playing significant snaps for the Gators over three years, Slaughter did not record a run-blocking grade under 78 from 2023-2025. He was even better as a pass blocker, allowing only four total sacks in his career. 2025 was the masterpiece for the Gators’ center. On 422 pass blocking opportunities, Salughter only gave up one sack and four total pressures.

Slaughter brings a fun level of physicality in the run game and was a major reason why Jadan Baugh was able to find the success he did this season. As a pass-blocker, Slaughter is smooth and understands how to deal with a variety of players on the interior.

Not many players enter the Senior Bowl with a high floor, but Slaughter is one of the rare exceptions. Expect him to leave Mobile with that same high floor as a player.

Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State

Starting for North Dakota State in 2025, Cole Payton threw for 2719 yards and 16 touchdowns on a 71.2-percent completion rate. Payton registered 26 big-time throws, an ADOT of 12.4, and only had six turnover-worthy plays. As a runner, Payton posted 894 yards and 13 touchdowns on 7.5 yards per attempt. He forced 39 missed tackles and had 408 yards after contact on his 120 carries.

Payton has all of the tools to succeed at the next level. He has impressive athleticism in and out of the pocket, can push the ball to any level of the field, and has the ability to attack all different types of coverages. Payton is also phenomenal out of structure. The NDSU standout has multiple plays where he creates chunk plays of the second and third phase of the play.

However, Payton can also be inconsistent at times. This usually occurs when he is off target or occasionally forces a bad throw. The quarterback also does not have the experience of others at his position, which can lead to his blemishes as a runner and passer.

Payton has a chance to emerge as one of the better quarterbacks with a good week in Mobile, especially in a weak quarterback class. As a result, he is a player who bears a very close watch at the Senior Bowl.

Hezekiah Masses, CB, Cal

A former FIU standout, Hezekiah Masses took his high-level production to Cal and showed out in 2025.

In 477 coverage snaps, the cornerback had five interceptions, nine pass breakups, and 12 forced incompletions. Masses also only allowed 30 receptions on 63 targets and showed toughness in the run game, garnering 14 defensive stops and 46 tackles.

Masses is a ballhawk, no matter what coverage is in. He is very physical at the catch point and throughout the play, keeping receivers at bay consistently. The cornerback is not a burner, but when combined with his technique and instincts, he can compete with wideouts at the highest level, as he showed against teams like Louisville.

Like other players at this event, Masses will be able to prove the doubters and detractors with a good week in Mobile. Based on his collegiate body of work, expect the cornerback to succeed at the highest level.

Vincent Anthony Jr., EDGE, Duke

Vincent Anthony Jr. has the potential to put on a show at the Senior Bowl.

The edge rusher has been a force in the passing game for the Blue Devils over the past two seasons, recording at least 30 pressures and six sacks. Anthony also battles in the run game at a solid level. The Blue Devils’ standout recorded over 15 run stops in both 2024 and 2025. He has also flashed ability as a dropper in coverage.

While not always consistent (64.7 PFF pash rushing grade in 2025), Anthony has displayed some ridiculous bend off the edge on multiple occasions. Offensive tackles have trouble getting their hands on him. Yet even when they do, the Duke standout has shown an ability to use a fun arsenal of moves to get free rushes at the quarterback. And while not an elite run defender, Anthony competes on a constant basis and has plenty of room to grow into an impact player in that area.

At the Senior Bowl, Anthony has a chance to show off his best skills and the upside he has. If he does both of those things, NFL teams may start to fall in love with the Duke defender.

TJ Parker, DE, Clemson

In a “down” year, TJ Parker totaled 41 pressures and six sacks as a pass rusher. In run defense, Parker notched 22 defensive stops, 21 tackles, and 11 assists. The Clemson standout also had a pass breakup and only allowed one reception on five targets.

At his best, Parker does a little bit of everything on the football field. Utilizing great hand usage, the Clemson standout shed blocks with ease and darts into the backfield to make plays. He also does an impressive job anchoring in the run game, not letting offensive players steer him around. As a pass-rusher, Parker has an impressive arsenal that he uses consistently. He can bend around the edge, rip across them, or even unleash a spin or two. When he is given the chance, Parker rushes the passer like a true artist.

Parker found a way to succeed despite the overall Clemson defensive unit not having their usual level of success in 2025. At the Senior Bowl, expect Parker to remind people why he was so high. He was touted in the first place, and could approach late-round one territory once again.

Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech

The Monster in the Middle? Lee Hunter fits that description perfectly on the football field.

A standout for UCF for two seasons, the defensive tackle took his game to another level with the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Hunter posted an elite 84.5 PFF run defense grade to go with 26 tackles and 25 defensive stops. He also showed off the juice as a pass rusher, notching 26 pressures and two sacks in 2025. This was built upon Hunter’s 2024 season, where he posted 27 pressures.

Hunter not only wins with power, but also with surprising quickness for someone his size. The defensive tackle wins with his hands consistently. A standout game in this regard was against Oregon, as Hunter was borderline unblockable on run downs and caused havoc on passing downs.

The Texas Tech and UCF standout will need to make some adjustments at the next level, namely finding more consistency on passing downs and not taking himself out of plays on occasion. Yet, in the grand scheme of things, Hunter’s flaws are not enough to take away from his positive qualities as a player.

Kyle Louis, LB, Pitt

Overlook Kyle Louis at your own risk.

Louis was a monster at linebacker for the Pitt Panthers in both 2024 and 2025, totaling 135 tackles and 87 defensive stops. As a pass-rusher, the linebacker notched 50 pressures and 10 sacks, while posting five pass breakups and six interceptions. Additionally, he posted two forced fumbles, one in each season.

Louis is not only decisive as a player, but plays at an extremely fast pace all the time. The linebacker uses his impressive athletic gifts to race into the backfield, smoking ballcarries and stopping them in their tracks. This also translates to coverage play.

Louis uses speed to break passes up and create turnovers. Pitt’s superstar linebacker is also a phenomenal blitzer and pass-rusher. Louis has shown off some of the more impressive reps for a linebacker in the class in this regard.

Louis has all the skills to thrive at the NFL level, and after his week at the Senior Bowl, expect plenty of people to agree.

Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State

Chris Johnson was one of the best defensive backs in the country in 2025. Johnson posted an elite PFF 92.4 coverage grade, with five pass breakups, four interceptions, and zero touchdowns allowed. The cornerback was also an impressive run defender, posting 44 tackles and 14 defensive stops.

It does not take a long time to get impressed with Johnson’s play, especially in coverage. The SDSU product has tremendous quick-twitch ability and fluid hips, which he uses to stick with receivers all over the field. Johnson also has impressive footspeed. Outside of coverage, the cornerback flies all over to stop the run and make plays on special teams.

It does not matter that he was on a “G6” team. Johnson is as good as any player at the Senior Bowl.