The Athletic Football Show: Building the Beast – Who's Turning Heads at the Senior Bowl?

Date: January 28, 2026
Hosts: Dave Hellman & Dane Brugler

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the practice week at the 2026 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama—one of the key events on the NFL Draft circuit. Dane Brugler, The Athletic’s draft expert, joins host Dave Hellman to break down which prospects are standing out through the first day of practices, with a special focus on edge rushers, quarterbacks, small-school standouts, and some under-discussed defenders. The pair also discuss how important these all-star showcases are for players looking to boost their draft stock, and share insider observations, emerging storylines, and fun anecdotes from on the ground in Mobile.

Key Segments and Insights

1. All-Star Game Circuit Travels & The Importance of Senior Bowl

• [01:41–04:36]
  • Dane shares his travel from Frisco (East-West Shrine Bowl) to Mobile (Senior Bowl) and the miserable weather—highlighting how vital these events are for evaluating prospects firsthand.
  • "These two all star games put together, probably 90% of them will be drafted and 100% ... in a camp. So, you know, these are guys that need to get eyes on and need to figure out..." (Dane Brugler, 04:07)

2. Edge Rusher Standouts – Deepest Group in Mobile?

• [06:07–11:36]
  • Dane and Dave begin by spotlighting the edge rusher group, widely regarded as the strongest positional group this year.
  • Players Highlighted:
    • TJ Parker (Clemson): Impressed with power, hand usage, and several dominant 1-on-1 reps.
      • "He’s not a speed guy ... but the ones that are here I thought performed pretty well ... he did a nice job using his power and did that consistently." (Dane, 07:13)
    • Derrick Moore (Michigan): Not a flashy trait guy, but solid in all areas—"good at everything."
      • "You're not gonna have that one distinguishing trait that stands out, but he's just well-rounded, solid." (Dane, 07:53)
    • Other names: Romello Height (Texas Tech), Zion Young (Missouri), LT Overton (Alabama)
      • Overton: "This is a big week for him because ... the Flashes with him are first-round." (Dane, 10:09)
  • Memorable moment: Viral moment of Parker long-arming a tackle during drills.
    • "There's a video and a photo going viral as we speak of T.J. Parker long arming this poor guy ... he's just got him up on a poster." (Dave, 08:37)

3. Quarterback Watch – Garrett Nussmeier's Redemption Tour?

• [12:43–17:04]
  • Garrett Nussmeier (LSU): Noted for top-tier arm talent and anticipation; looked clearly like the top QB in Mobile on Day One.
    • "He’s the top quarterback here ... you expect him to look good and he did." (Dane, 13:07)
    • Worth watching his improvement across practices for scouts.
  • Diego Pavia: Under 5’10”, sub-200 lbs, but threw better than expected. Draft stock will depend on a team’s willingness to take a chance Day 3.
    • "Of course it matters. There’s not many quarterbacks in the NFL who were under 5’10’, under 200 pounds." (Dane, 14:50)
  • Cole Payton (North Dakota State): "Has a shot to get drafted ... can’t help but see Michael Penix with him." (Dane, 17:04)
    • Senior Bowl offers massive opportunity to small-school QBs in this environment.

4. Small-School Standouts and Receivers Generating Buzz

• [17:04–18:55, 39:15–41:49]
  • Tyron Montgomery (John Carroll WR): "Created a little bit of a buzz with the way he played ... he could run and he won the catch point more than a few times." (Dane, 17:41)
  • Ted Hurst (Georgia State WR): "His production ... is off the charts. A lot of big plays down the field. He is a big guy. He’s 6’3, 207, and he consistently wins down the field." (Dane, 40:09)
  • Josh Cameron (Baylor WR): "He had a really nice fingertip grab ... I think he was one of the winners of day one." (Dane, 41:39)
  • Other names: Jacoby Lane (USC), Romello Brinson (SMU), Montgomery and Cameron mentioned as grabbing attention.

5. Top Defensive Prospects — DL & DBs to Watch

• Defensive Line:
  • Caleb Banks (Florida DL): Big, well-built, motivated to be at Senior Bowl despite injury-shortened season.
    • "Caleb is so impressive in person ... 6’6, 335 pounds ... massive, massive dude ... it’s all good weight ... he’s still in that first round conversation." (Dane, 26:11)
  • Lee Hunter (Texas Tech): Massive presence, showed power in drills—needs to show more pass-rush juice.
    • "He just clogs up run lanes ... had a few plays ... Lee Hunter went right over him. Just pure power." (Dane, 42:50)
• Cornerbacks:
  • Chris Johnson (San Diego State): Once a sleeper, now gaining buzz for fluidity and instincts; potential second-rounder.
    • "He's having a good first day ... really clean pedal, very fluid in his transitions." (Dane, 28:56)
  • Colton Hood (Tennessee): Not as hyped as elite tier, but high praise from SEC wideouts and shows strong tools.
    • "You understand why we're talking about him as a first-round pick when you see him move out there at that size." (Dane, 30:51)
    • "Both [Georgia WRs] ... said Colton Hood. And I think that says a lot." (Dane, 30:38)

6. Linebacker Group – Best Depth in Years?

• [35:36–38:57]
  • Discussed as a deep and versatile class; Senior Bowl drills well-suited for certain player types.
  • Kyle Lewis (Pittsburgh): Undersized, best in space, but flashed coverage skills—had INT and multiple PBUs on Day 1.
    • "It's just, okay, how am I going to use you? ... This week is kind of made for him." (Dane, 36:30)
  • Keyshawn Elliott (Arizona State): Physical, finisher, strong in the run game and coverage.
    • "He, you look the part. He's 6-2, 235 pounds. I think I heard 'great finish' at least five times ..." (Dane, 36:57)

7. Draft Stock Watch & How the Senior Bowl Moves the Needle

• Senior Bowl performances can catapult prospects (see past examples of Zach Martin, Aaron Donald, Quinyon Mitchell).
• "You can sure wind up in the middle of that thing by the end of the week." (Dave, 31:45)
• Colton Hood, Caleb Banks, and others cited as possible risers into first-round territory.

8. Behind the Scenes: Scout Life & Routine

• Fun closing exchange about Dane’s process: reviewing tape late at night, tracking prospects’ progress, and sneaking out to legendary Mobile eateries for scouting gossip.
  • "Before I do anything else, I gotta watch the tape of practice. And that's why Dane's the best." (Dave, 43:41)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On TJ Parker’s Highlight Reel Drill:
  • "He's just got him up on a poster and it's, it's pretty great." (Dave, 08:37)
• On Senior Bowl’s impact on smaller school prospects:
  • "We've seen what the Senior Bowl can do for guys that don’t come from blue blood programs ... this seems like a guy who has a ton to gain ..." (Dave, 16:27)
• On Colton Hood’s reputation:
  • "... both without a hesitation said Colton Hood. And I think that says a lot." (Dane, 30:38)
• On evaluating linebackers:
  • "When they kick ass though, it kind of pops out where you’re like, all right, it’s hard to evaluate, but that looks the way it’s supposed to look." (Dave, 38:40)
• On the grind of scouting:
  • "Before I do anything else, I gotta watch the tape of practice. And that's why Dane's the best..." (Dave, 43:41)

Timeline & Timestamps of Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------------|---------------------| | Travel, weather, importance of Senior Bowl | 01:41–04:36 | | Edge rushers (Parker, Moore, Overton, etc.) | 06:07–11:36 | | QB breakdowns (Nussmeier, Pavia, Payton) | 12:43–17:04 | | Small school & WR buzz (Montgomery, Hurst, Cameron) | 17:04–18:55, 39:15–41:49 | | DL & CB standouts (Banks, Hunter, Hood, Johnson) | 25:02–33:27 | | LB class overview (Lewis, Elliott) | 35:36–38:57 | | Fun behind-the-scenes + scouting routines | 43:41–45:09 |

Overall Tone

The vibe is energetic, deeply knowledgeable, and personal—combining granular prospect analysis with relatable draft nerd banter. They balance insider expertise with moments of humor, like poking fun at viral “poster” reps, and peek behind-the-veil at what live scouting in Mobile actually looks like. For NFL Draft fans, it’s equal parts tape talk, war room gossip, and Senior Bowl tradition.

Perfect for: Anyone seeking an expert-driven breakdown of 2026’s Senior Bowl risers and a preview of which prospects to watch in the weeks leading up to the NFL Draft.