- Ted Hurst could become a first-round dynasty pick: The second and third tiers of dynasty rookie drafts remain largely unsettled. Hurst proved at the Senior Bowl that he could rise to that level of prospect.
- Garrett Nussmeier and Jaydn Ott looked like their old selves: Both experienced poor 2025 seasons after being heralded as future top picks, but they reminded scouts — and fantasy football managers — of their talents at the Senior Bowl.
- 2026 NFL Draft season is here: Try the best-in-class PFF Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2026’s top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.
Estimated Reading Time: 5minutes
The Panini Senior Bowl featured top 2026 NFL Draft prospects at varying levels — even Division III. NFL scouts observed the week’s practices and game in the hopes of finding stars, as did fantasy football draftniks.
Although most dynasty fantasy football rookie drafts are still at least three months away, here are five prospects who improved their stock at the Senior Bowl and appear to be strong early bets for fantasy production, pending their eventual landing spots and NFL Scouting Combine/Pro Day performances.
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WR Ted Hurst, Georgia State
One-handed catches are a great way to get people talking, and Hurst did just that after his snag during Senior Bowl practice.
It was nothing new for the 6-foot-3, 207-pound Hurst, whose 27 catches on targets of 20-plus yards over the past two years were the most in the FBS. He is poised to be a top wide receiver in the 2026 NFL Draft, although many have yet to place him among the class’ best potential fantasy producers.
While Hurst did rack up 13 drops over the past two years, only one came on targets of 20-plus yards. After putting on 12 extra pounds from his listed 195 at Georgia State, he ranks in the top 25th percentile in height, weight, hand size and arm length for wide receiver prospects.
Keep him on your fantasy radar, particularly if he’s available outside of the first round in dynasty rookie drafts.
QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Nussmeier was long considered a future first-round pick before his trying 2025 campaign. His draft stock came crashing down as a result, but he is on the road back to the top after a best-case Senior Bowl showing.
In an interview with 104.5 ESPN, Nussmeier said an abdominal injury limited his ability to use his core all year, perhaps contributing to his drop-off from an 84.5 PFF overall grade in 2024.
The LSU passer rebounded by earning MVP honors for the Senior Bowl game and tying for the best PFF passing grade (91.3) during practices. It’s a light quarterback class at the top — only Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza is currently expected to be a first-round pick — so Nussmeier could surge up real-life draft boards, as well as dynasty boards.
I highlighted Washington as a potential riser before Senior Bowl week kicked off because of his mastery of working through contact, although he needed to display better ball security and get more reps as a pass catcher.
A week later, Washington has assuaged most concerns and looks like a potential bell-cow at the next level:
Washington frequently lost linebackers in one-on-one coverage drills, helping him earn the second-highest PFF receiving grade (91.2) among running backs during Senior Bowl practices.
There will be questions about his pass blocking (27.9 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2025), which could keep him off an NFL field on late downs, but continue to monitor his stock in the lead-up to the 2026 NFL Draft.
Talent generally finds its way to the top. Montgomery, out of Division III John Carroll, proved as much during Senior Bowl practices. Many onlookers lauded him for establishing himself as one of the week’s most effective wide receivers.
PFF charted Montgomery with three contested catches during Senior Bowl practices, tied for the most among wide receivers. He held his own against North Carolina’s Thaddeus Dixon and San Diego State’s Chris Johnson — two top-130 players on the PFF Big Board — and showcased impressive releases.
The biggest knock against Montgomery for dynasty purposes is his age; he will be 25 years old in July.
RB Jaydn Ott, Oklahoma
Ott went from a college football star at Cal to a puzzling backup at Oklahoma in just a year, tanking his draft and dynasty stock in the process.
With the Golden Bears in 2022 and 2023 (injured for parts of 2024), he earned a 90.7 PFF rushing grade in zone schemes — a 91st-percentile mark among running backs. Only 15 FBS running backs forced more missed tackles than him (99) over the span.
An ankle injury in Cal’s 2024 season-opener thwarted Ott’s try for a trifecta of standout campaigns. He then transferred to Oklahoma, where he recorded just 21 carries and 68 rushing yards in 2025.
The Senior Bowl was a refresher on Ott’s capabilities. He logged 42 yards and a score on eight carries in the game. He also caught one pass for nine yards, a reminder that he racked up more than 700 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns at Cal for a 72nd-percentile PFF receiving grade.
Ott did wonders for his stock at this year’s Senior Bowl, and he has an easier path to rise up boards thanks to his previously elite seasons.
Honorable Mentions: QB Cole Payton (NDSU), WR Malachi Fields (Notre Dame), TE Sam Roush (Stanford)
