- Tyler Shough parlayed a strong Senior Bowl into a solid rookie season: After producing an excellent 85.3 PFF passing grade in Senior Bowl practices, Shough became a second-round pick and proved himself worthy of being the Saints’ starter moving forward.
- Pass-rush one-on-ones favor pass rushers: Last year, Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart and Toledo’s Darius Alexander were the highest-graded defensive linemen during the week of Senior Bowl practice. Those exploits didn’t translate to the 2025 season, though, as they both finished 2025 with sub-45.0 PFF overall grades.
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Each year, PFF grades the Senior Bowl game as well as the practices leading up to it. Practices include one-on-one reps, seven-on-seven drills and team sessions, which combine to create a different PFF grade than usual, but they still give good insight into who played well and who didn’t.
Let’s examine some of last year’s Senior Bowl results to make inferences about the NFL’s 2025 rookie class.
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Shough Shines
Saints quarterback Tyler Shough entered the Senior Bowl with plenty of eyes on him. Some scouts viewed him as a potential first-round pick. He didn’t become quite that high of a selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, but he came close after being selected with the 40th overall pick in the second round. His performance in Mobile following a stellar season at Louisville certainly helped his case.
Shough finished the week of practice with an excellent 85.3 PFF passing grade. While passing grades do get tilted upward because of the opportunity to work in consistently clean pockets, Shough still ranked among the leaders of the group. He also led last year’s quarterback cohort in completion percentage during the week.
He then paced the National Team during the game with a 79.6 PFF passing grade, completing nine of his 13 passes. Needless to say, the Senior Bowl isn’t the only factor in evaluating prospects, given that it’s such a small sample, but players like Shough manage to carry their in-season momentum through the winter every year.
Tight Ends Carve Out Roles
The three players who earned the highest PFF receiving grades through 2025 Senior Bowl practices were tight ends Mason Taylor, Elijah Arroyo and Terrance Ferguson. Jackson Hawes also fared well despite his reputation as a blocker, while Harold Fannin Jr. reeled in four passes and finished the actual game as one of the highest-graded players.
All of those players performed in various roles in college and showcased their skills in Mobile, which translated to solid NFL production in their rookie seasons. Most notably, Fannin finished the 2025 regular season ranked among the top 15 qualified tight ends in PFF receiving grade and yards. Taylor, Arroyo and Ferguson all carved out complementary roles in their respective offenses. Hawes immediately became one of the best blockers in the league for the Bills.
Though first-round picks Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland didn’t participate in the Senior Bowl last year, we still saw plenty of talented Senior Bowl tight ends flourish in the NFL in 2025.
Don’t Overreact to Pass-Rush One-on-Ones
Every year, some of the standout players in Mobile are pass rushers who get to display their talent in one-on-one drills. Essentially, some of the most talented rushers in the country get a chance to pin their ears back and attack the pocket, independent of any game situations. Last year, Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart and Toledo’s Darius Alexander were the highest-graded defensive linemen during the week of practice. Those exploits didn’t translate to the 2025 season, though, as they both finished 2025 with sub-45.0 PFF overall grades.
Meanwhile, several of their offensive line opponents didn’t grade well throughout the week but played well this season. Oregon tackle Josh Conerly Jr. became a respectable part of the Commanders’ offensive line by the end of the year. Minnesota’s Aireontae Ersery quickly became the Texans’ starting left tackle after being selected in the second round. Boston College’s Ozzy Trapilo earned a 72.5 PFF overall grade for the Bears while playing well over 500 snaps.
The Senior Bowl is great for getting an idea of how trench players will operate at the next level. However, studying their game film will always be the most important part of determining their future NFL success.
Sleeper Defensive Backs Made Their Mark
Defensive backs often have the toughest task during Senior Bowl week in trying to cover wide receivers in disadvantageous situations. However, some find a way to overcome that and make a name for themselves, both during the draft process and their rookie seasons.
Some of the highest-graded defensive backs during practice week last year included Oklahoma’s Billy Bowman Jr., Kansas State’s Jacob Parrish, and Louisville’s Quincy Riley. Parrish, in particular, made a splash by finishing as the highest-graded cornerback in the game itself while showcasing crucial versatility outside and in the slot. He quickly became a key piece in Tampa Bay’s defense after being selected in the third round.
Keep a close eye on sleeper defensive backs who end up in the right situation, especially those with versatility and the ability to contribute on special teams.
