See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack

Episode: Super Bowl Scouting: Revisiting CFB Stars' Grades | Senior Bowl Story Time with Matt Miller

Date: February 5, 2026
Guests: Matt Miller (ESPN NFL Draft Analyst)

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the pivotal role of the Senior Bowl in NFL Draft scouting, reflections on current NFL players’ college evaluations, and the rapidly shifting landscape of college football with NIL and coaching exodus to the NFL. David Pollack and Matt Miller offer firsthand experiences from scouting events, break down Super Bowl storylines, and provide inside perspectives on evolving player and coach development.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Value of the Senior Bowl for Scouts

[01:22–04:00]

• Matt Miller on Senior Bowl’s Impact:

  • The Senior Bowl is invaluable because it’s a rare chance to compare top seniors and graduate players from different parts of the country in direct competition.
  • As a self-described “one-man scouting department,” Miller emphasizes the importance of seeing prospects live after only watching them on tape all year.

  "To put the top 135 seniors or graduate players in location... You can watch Chris Johnson, the corner from San Diego State, I can watch him against Malachi Fields, a wide receiver from Notre Dame. You're not going to get that opportunity in season to see those guys against each other." — Matt Miller [03:12]

  • Emphasized that player evaluations are a puzzle—Senior Bowl provides critical missing pieces, especially for those who might not be on TV every week.

2. Senior Bowl Standouts and Disappointments

[04:00–09:31]

• Physical standouts:

  • Caleb Banks (Florida, DT): Described as a “first guy off the bus” type player. Impressive given injury history and his aggressive decision to participate, betting on himself.
  • TJ Parker (Clemson, DE): Length, power, and counter moves stood out in person, solidifying first-round stock.

    "TJ Parker had a really good week and I think he solidified himself as a first round pick." — Matt Miller [05:59]

• Size Surprises:

  • Garrett Nussmeier (LSU, QB): Visibly smaller than listed, and the week didn’t meet expectations despite improvement and finishing as game MVP.

    "I was surprised and I've been warned, hey, when you see Nussmeier in person, he's just not very big. And he's not..." — Matt Miller [06:40]

  • Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt, QB): Height massively overstated.

• Context is Key:

  • Miller stresses context when assessing why a player regresses—injury, scheme, or supporting cast. Urges reviewing full season tape, not just all-star game practice.

3. NIL, Parity, and the Changing College Football Calendar

[09:31–13:47 & 36:04–40:16]

• Wild West of NIL:

  • Dinner with Major Applewhite sparked talk about “haves and have nots”—big programs poaching talent from Group of Six schools.
  • Worry there may soon be only “25 teams that can actually compete” as parity fades.

  "You guys are the Oakland A's. You're just finding players and developing them so that the New York Yankees can come along and steal them." — Matt Miller [10:10]

• But Parity Persists—for now:

  • Indiana, Texas Tech, and others making deep CFP runs demonstrate that the landscape isn’t fully tilted—yet.

  "We've also got college football and like I think people are going well, it's in such a good spot though. Like Indiana just won. There's parody..." — David Pollack [10:50]

• Coaching Exodus to NFL:

  • Coaches increasingly leaving college due to NIL demands and 24/7/365 recruiting grind—NFL now attractive, even for position coaches.

    "I would rather be a position coach in the NFL almost than a head coach in college. Just because the way that you have to continually beg 18, 19, 20, 21 year olds to stick with you after, after you get them signed." — Matt Miller [37:22]

4. NFL General Manager Firing at the Senior Bowl

[12:22–13:47]

• Vikings GM Quesi Adofo-Mensah, after just days at the Senior Bowl evaluating new draft prospects, was abruptly fired.

  “This is the latest in the process I’ve ever seen a general manager get fired… Friday morning, he gets fired. This is the latest in the process I’ve ever seen a general manager get fired, you know, the week before the Super Bowl.” — Matt Miller [12:25]

• Surreal timing highlighted as talk of the event; speculation about the direction of the franchise and recent struggles in drafting.

5. Super Bowl Scouting: Revisiting College Grades of NFL Stars

Sam Darnold:
[13:47–16:20]

• Miller graded him as his #1 QB in 2018, ahead of Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. Standout at USC thanks to toughness and late-game heroics.

  “2018, Darnold was my number one quarterback... I was just a believer in Darnold's toughness and the way that he elevated the team around him.” — Matt Miller [14:34]

• Darnold’s journey is a testament to perseverance despite early stumbles and being counted out.

  "There are so many life lessons in that... just battling through adversity, not giving up, believing in yourself, even if the rest of the NFL doesn't." — Matt Miller [16:13]

Drake Maye:
[16:39–18:46]

• Evaluated as QB3 in a historic class. Regression in his final college year initially flagged as a concern, but NFL transition erased doubts.

  "Drake is one of the few players that regressed in his final year at North Carolina, but it hasn't affected him in the NFL." — Matt Miller [16:58]

• Comped to Justin Herbert, but with even more clutch upside.

  "We may be to the point where we start saying he's Justin Herbert. Plus because it's a little more clutch, quite honestly." — Matt Miller [17:31]

Will Campbell:
[18:46–19:47]

• Graded as top guard prospect, foreshadowed early move to guard due to arm length, which has held true.
  • Elite leadership and IQ.

Jackson Smith-Njigba:
[19:47–23:14]

• Widely regarded as the best WR by his peers, respected for elite route-running over raw speed.

  "I'm gonna pat myself on the back here. He was my number one receiver in that class... I had him as my number five overall player." — Matt Miller [20:38]

• Parental appreciation for Miller’s public endorsement pre-draft.

Travion Henderson & Judkins:
[23:39–25:49]

• Different RB styles: Henderson “outside zone/home run speed” while Judkins is a between-the-tackles workhorse.

• Henderson learned inside running over rookie year and was a fantasy "work in progress."

  "He was always making big plays... when you get one on one of the safety, like good luck a lot of times." — David Pollack [24:40]

• Miller advisory: be patient when judging rookies (“at least wait till Thanksgiving year two”).

Kenneth Walker III:
[29:44–31:30]

• Always had the vision and patience at Michigan State; especially effective in Seattle’s zone running.

Seattle Front Seven Development:
[31:30–33:03]

• Well-coached, well-scouted group featuring Byron Murphy, Leonard Williams, and Derek Cole. Emphasis on finding complete, versatile players that fit McDonald’s vision.

6. Team and Scheme DNA

[33:03–34:52]

• Both hosts discuss how certain prospects just look and play like “Ravens,” “Steelers,” or fit certain coaching ‘trees’.
• New England’s talent identification once elite, but recent questionable picks indicate a loss of “the touch”.

  “Last year I knew the dynasty was over when they took Cole Strange in the first round.” — Matt Miller [34:52]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "You're just finding players and developing them so that the New York Yankees can come along and steal them." — Matt Miller on small programs and NIL [10:10]
• "If I were working for an NFL team, absolutely, we would be watching college coaches to identify who are those up and comers?... it's smart because you can poach really talented guys that just don't want the grind of recruiting anymore.” — Matt Miller [39:44]
• "It used to be relational. It used to be, you're building relationships... Well, now you're like, no, this is going to last 12 months at the very most." — David Pollack [38:53]
• “How long do you... Think you should give him? You think year two, like year three?” — David Pollack on rookie evaluations [26:25]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:22 — Senior Bowl impact on scouting perspective
• 04:00 — Which players physically impressed or underwhelmed at Senior Bowl
• 09:31 — NIL, the transfer portal, and competitive imbalance
• 12:22 — Vikings’ surprise GM firing story
• 13:47 — Sam Darnold retrospective: college scouting vs NFL journey
• 16:39 — Drake Maye’s NFL emergence despite college regression
• 19:47 — Jackson Smith-Njigba’s WR1 attributes and draft memories
• 23:39 — Running back evaluations: Trayvon Henderson, Judkins, and patience with rookies
• 29:44 — Kenneth Walker III’s growth and Seattle's RB scheme fit
• 31:30 — Seattle’s defensive front: talent ID and scheme fit
• 33:03 — “He’s a Raven!” — on scheme fits and “team DNA”
• 36:04 — College coaches leaving for NFL: NIL and calendar stressors
• 38:53 — The relational shift in college football’s new era

Tone & Style

The conversation is candid, football-personality-rich, and informed by direct experience. Both Pollack and Miller speak as insiders but with accessibility—mixing technical insight with stories and plain talk. The tone is direct, sometimes irreverent, but always focused on honest evaluation and love for the game.

Summary prepared for listeners seeking a detailed recap and insights from the episode "Super Bowl Scouting: Revisiting CFB Stars' Grades | Senior Bowl Story Time with Matt Miller" on See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack.