• Top quarterbacks struggle: Neither Alabama’s Jalen Milroe nor Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart put their best foot forward on Day 1 of practices at the Senior Bowl.

• North Dakota State tackle thriving on the interior offensive line: Despite playing tackle for the Bison, Grey Zabel impressed with his work in the one-on-one pass drills at guard and center.

• 2025 NFL Draft season is here: Try PFF’s best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2025’s top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.

Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

The 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl is one of the most anticipated in years for a number of reasons. There is heavy intrigue on which quarterbacks can separate themselves, the trenches are deep and talented, and of course, the fireworks that can fly in the wide receiver and defensive back battles. 

Here are some early notes on how those players fared on day one of practice.

QUARTERBACKS STRUGGLE EARLY

It wasn’t the best start for the quarterback group on day one of Senior Bowl practices. Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard stood out because he was more consistent than his peers. He most recently played a college game, but that appeared to be to his advantage. Laurier’s Taylor Elgersma accrued a few nice throws in the WR/DB one-on-one drills.

However, the two who seemed to have the most intrigue, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe and Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart, struggled in their respective ways. Milroe’s lack of accuracy and ball placement was much the same as what we saw over the last two seasons (and his smaller hand measurements from this week give us more context as to why that might be something he could always struggle with). As for Dart, he had multiple fumbles during his first practices, mostly coming from under center, something he rarely did in college with just nine snaps under center out of 943 total snaps over the last two years.

Hopefully, both can bounce back on Wednesday.

GREY ZABEL LOOKS LIKE THE TOP INTERIOR OL IN THE DRAFT

There is a lot of talent in the trenches at the Senior Bowl, but there was still a lot to sort out. North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel was a big-time early winner in the group. After playing right and left tackle the last two seasons for the Bison, he was used mostly as an interior offensive lineman on Day 1 of Senior Bowl practices.

Playing at right guard, left guard and center, he was a consistent winner in the one-on-ones and in the team drills. His footwork, core strength and grip strength were all NFL caliber. He has the skills and versatility to be the top interior offensive linemen in the entire class.

ELIJAH ARROYO MAKING HIS CASE FOR TE3

Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland are seen as the top two tight ends in the 2025 class, but there are questions about who will be TE3. Miami’s Elijah Arroyo made a very strong case for that title on Day 1 of Senior Bowl practices.

He was an early winner from the weigh-ins, coming in at 6-foot-4 and 251 pounds, bigger than his listed height and weight at Miami. Then, he showcased very good all-around movement skills in the slot, coming from inline and even on the outside. He had just one season of true production (2024) due to a knee injury he suffered in 2022 and was still getting back to form in 2023. This past year, he recorded career highs in every category and looked like a future NFL receiving tight end. He continued to look the part in Mobile.

T.J. SANDERS HEADLINING A TALENTED DEFENSIVE LINE GROUP

There are a ton of talented interior defensive linemen at the Senior Bowl this year. Walter Nolen, Shemar Stewart, Deone Walker, Omarr Nolan-Lott — the list goes on. Yet, South Carolina‘s T.J. Sanders looked like the best of the bunch on Day 1.

He’s a smaller, quicker interior defensive lineman who wins with a good first step, quick hands and an ability to shoot into the backfield, earning an 87.3 pass-rush grade on true pass sets over the last two years. He was certainly able to show some of that, but he also had a great rep where he won with a strong bull rush converting that speed into power. That’s what the NFL wants to see from him, especially weighing in at just 284 pounds. It looks like we’re getting a handful of defensive linemen in the first round this year. Sanders is showing why he could be one of them.

JACK BECH PLAY OF THE DAY

TCU wide receiver Jack Bech is a fan favorite in the 2025 receiver class. The former LSU Tiger recorded over 1,000 yards this past season with an 84.0 receiving grade. However, his movement skills are the most impressive.

He’s a smooth-moving 6-foot-1 and 212 pounds, and he is one of the better separators in the class. Tuesday, he had the play of the day, gaining separation on a deep crossing route then climbing the ladder, turning his body in mid-air to come down with an eye-popping catch. Reliable hands, great coordination and creating those throwing windows will continue to make his stock rise.