Who should Giants fans be watching in Senior Bowl practices?
We’ve already talked about the quarterbacks in the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl. But there are plenty of great prospects in this game who aren’t quarterbacks. And while the New York Giants are in desperate need of a QB of the future, they also need to continue to build the rest of their roster.
Let’s take a look at some players who could impress this week.
Offensive players to watch
Harold Fannin Jr. (TE, Bowling Green)
Fannin will be listed as a tight end, but it’s probably more accurate to describe him as an “offensive weapon”. He’s built more like a big receiver at 6-foot-3, 238 pounds (unofficial), and has some truly impressive versatility. He’s able to line up all over the offensive formation, from wide receiver to H-back, and is the type of player who expands the playbook.
He’s a natural catcher of the ball and also a big time threat with the ball in his hands — so much so that Bowling Green actually schemed him touches on jet sweeps.
Fannin might not be a factor as an in-line blocker, but his versatility could make him a terror in the right offense.
Marcus Mbow (OL, Purdue)
There will be different opinions around the NFL as to where Mbow will play, and it’s going to be interesting to see where he’s asked to practice this week.
He absolutely has “tackle” feet and has been impressive at both left and right tackle for the Boilermakers. However, he’s also undersized for a tackle at 6-foot-4, 309 pounds — though he has adequate length with 33-inch arms. He has also played offensive guard in his career, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see teams ask him to practice at guard or even center.
It also wouldn’t be a surprise to see Mbow at the center of some scuffles in practice, as he plays with a definite nasty-streak that makes his tape a ton of fun to watch.
Xavier Restrepo (WR, Miami)
It seems unlikely that the Giants will be able to get Cam Ward at the top of the draft, but if they do, they might want to take a long look at his favorite target.
Xavier Restrepo is an undersized slot receiver (5-foot-9, 200 pounds), but he has exceptional quickness. He’s a smart, savvy route runner who understands how to find the voids in coverage and catches just about everything thrown his way. His quickness and acceleration make him a threat to turn any short catch into a big gain.
And despite his size, Restrepo is a very physical player who seems to relish the opportunity to block in the run game. He might not be for every team, but it’s easy to see him making fans out of coaches this week.
Grey Zabel (OL, NDSU)
[Prospect profile]
Few prospects have more to gain this week than Grey Zabel. He needs to prove to the NFL that he can make the leap from FCS level North Dakota State to the NFL.
Zabel has the advantage of playing against a lower level of competition, but he largely dominated at NDSU and has been one of the best tackles in football over the last two years. He might need to add strength at the NFL level, but he comes with pro-ready feet and the versatility to play all over the offensive line.
It’ll be interesting to see where he practices as well as how he matches up against this great class of defensive linemen.
Devin Neal (RB, Kansas)
[prospect profile]
We haven’t talked much about the running back class this year, but this is shaping up to be a potentially great one. That’s good news for the NFL as the proliferation of Cover 4 defenses increased the value of running the ball in 2024.
Neal is going to be in the conversation to be one of the first running backs drafted (after Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty). He sports a compact frame at 5-foot-10, 220 pounds, that latter number coming as a surprise during Senior Bowl weigh-ins. Neal’s compact physique complements his natural quickness, vision, and contact balance, making him very hard to bring down. He’s excellent at finding cutback lanes and exploding into the open field for big plays.
Defensive players to watch
Deone Walker (iDL, Kentucky)
It’s almost impossible to not watch Walker. He’s a truly massive human being, measuring 6-foot-7, 340 pounds, yet he has uncommon athleticism for his size. He looks the part of a nose tackle, but is also a former basketball player and is a true “dancing elephant”.
Walker is young and won’t turn 21 until March 11th, and also has pass rush upside (7.5 sacks in 2023) as well as the ability to control the middle of the line of scrimmage.
Walter Nolen (iDL, Ole Miss)
This year’s draft class is as deep and talented at defensive tackle as the 2024 draft class was at wide receiver. There will be several great defensive tackles on the field this week, and I wanted to cover our bases with a massive one (Walker) and a more traditional 3-technique in Nolen.
Nolen is one of several Ole Miss prospects who will hear their name called early on Draft weekend.
He’s an explosively athletic interior penetrator who’s an absolute handful for lone blockers to deal with. Nolen is extremely twitchy and has a lightning first step to go with good power and play strength. He also has a great competitive toughness and a motor that just doesn’t quit. It wouldn’t be a surprise at all if he’s drafted in the first round, and potentially in the Top 20 at that.
Kyle Kennard (Edge, South Carolina)
Kennard flying just below the radar at the moment, but that has a good chance to change this week.
He was a game wrecker for the gamecocks this year, racking up 11.5 sacks and another 16 tackles for a loss after transferring to South Carolina from Georgia Tech. Kennard is a long and athletic rusher who can line up at defensive end or rush linebacker and wins in a variety of ways. He has enough strength to win with power, as well as the explosiveness to attack into the backfield with speed.
There are some good offensive tackles on the property this week, and their reps against Kennard will be great tests for both sides.
Landon Jackson (DL/Edge, Arkansas)
Yet another stand-out defender, Jackson is the type of guy you want to be the first off the bus on game day. Jackson is a tall, long defender who might fit best as a 5-technique at the next level but should be able to play a variety of roles.
He has a reputation as an explosive athlete, ranking 21st on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List” thanks to a 34-inch vertical, 10-foot-2 broad jump, and a 20.4 mph top speed. He also made First Team All-SEC after his 2023 campaign, which saw him rack up 6.5 sacks, 13.5 tackles for a loss, and 44 tackles. He took a step back with the rest of the Razorbacks this year, and teams will want to check in after he suffered a neck injury in Arkansas’ final game of the year.
Trey Amos (CB, Ole Miss)
Amos is a well-travelled cornerback who’s transferred twice en route to the NFL. His collegiate career started with the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns before he transferred to Alabama in 2023, and finally to Ole Miss in 2024.
The move to Ole Miss was the right one, and he was named first team All-SEC this year after notching 3 interceptions, 13 passes defensed, and a forced fumble (as well as 50 tackles and 4 tackles for a loss). Amos is a long corner at 6-foot with 32-inch arms, he knows how to use his length to his advantage. He’s an aggressive corner with above-average athleticism and a strong closing burst.
He’s able to play man and zone coverage, and can be a starting corner in a number of schemes around the NFL.
