The McShay Show—Senior Bowl Week Takeaways

Podcast: The McShay Show
Host: The Ringer
Episode: Senior Bowl Week Takeaways: The Round 1 Locks, QB Standouts, and Under-the-Radar Prospects Who Popped in Mobile
Date: January 30, 2026

Overview

This episode offers an in-depth, boots-on-the-ground debrief from Senior Bowl Week, with Daniel Jeremiah and Matt Miller analyzing standout players, rising draft stocks, and under-the-radar stories. The hosts share on-field observations, scouting insights, and real conversations with NFL personnel, focusing on key position groups (notably defensive/front seven, QBs, and receivers), major player narratives, and the ever-changing 2026 NFL Draft landscape.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Senior Bowl’s Competitive Spirit & Top Talent Commitment

• Players Sticking Around: Notably, highly-touted prospects remained present and engaged throughout the week, in contrast to previous years when top players left early.

  • Quote: “All these dudes are still here, man. They made a commitment and they're still here. That's exciting to see, because that hasn't always been.” – Daniel Jeremiah (04:15)

• Notable Names:

  • Lee Hunter, Derrick Moore, TJ Parker, Zion Young, Malachi Fields, Caleb Banks all emphasized as players who stayed and competed.

2. Incredible Player Journeys – Story Time Segment

a) Tyron Montgomery (WR, John Carroll) – From Hoops to Football Star

• Basketball-first athlete, walked on at LSU, pandemic pivoted his career
• Learned the sport while helping his brother train; only started playing organized football in 2024
• Draft Stock Soaring: “There’s not a chance Tyron Montgomery gets out of the fifth round. He played that well.” – Daniel Jeremiah (08:57)
• Quote: “This is what's great about the Senior Bowl: these kids who come from these programs and improve their draft stock astronomically.” – Matt Miller (08:43)

b) Max Iheanacho (OT, Arizona State) – Nigeria to NFL Prospect via Basketball Route

• Moved to the US at 13, AAU basketball focus, never played high school football
• Transitioned to football at East LA Community College, spotted for his athletic frame and movement skills
• Rapid development at Arizona State, starting 14 games at RT, widely agreed as perhaps the best tackle in Mobile
• Draft Value: “No chance he gets out of the top 50 picks; bank that right now.” – Daniel Jeremiah (14:22)
• Quote: “The way he moves at 335 pounds with 34 and a half inch arms is different.” – Matt Miller (14:30)

3. Quarterback Standouts and Analysis

a) Positional Impressions

• QB group wasn't as acclaimed as prior years but still produced intrigue and upside.

b) Luke Altmire (Illinois)

• Smart, poised, "coach favorite" for making quick decisions and thriving in red zone drills.
• “You could hear the quarterback coaches yelling, good job. [...] He looks to be in control.” – Matt Miller (17:27)

c) Taylor Greene (Arkansas)

• Physically gifted (6’6”, 230), mobile, progressing each day.
• Initial red zone struggles reveal slower processing but overall positive improvement.
• “There was no point in time where I watched him as a passer and was like, ‘ugh’... There’s something there.” – Daniel Jeremiah (20:00)

d) Garrett Nussmeier (LSU)

• Entered week limited by injury, strong finish as the best QB at Mobile
• Elite instincts, processing, vision—the mechanics looked sharper as coaching settled in
• Projected as a second-rounder, potential to start eventually: “I was blown away by his instincts for the game, the way he sees the field.” – Daniel Jeremiah (29:21)

e) Cole Payton

• Small-school sleeper with impressive running and toughness—compared in role to “early-career Tebow / Cam on short-yardage” (24:01)
• League sees late-round, creative deployment value

4. Defensive Standouts: "Lewis and Clark" Show

a) Kyle Lewis (LB, Pittsburgh) & Bud Clark (S, TCU)

• Dominated practice with instinctual play, quick reactions, and interview-room presence
• Quote: “There are not two players at the Senior Bowl who made more money than Lewis and Clark.” – Daniel Jeremiah (33:14)
• Headlined a 10-minute stretch of splash plays, “trying to one-up each other” (36:23)

b) Bryson Eason (DL, Tennessee)

• Quick, powerful, high-motor; beloved by all personnel for attitude and constant development

5. O-Line/D-Line — Technical Mastery, Upside & Risers

a) Sam Hecht (C, Kansas State)

• Outperformed expectations; technically flawless, competitive, despite “shorter” arms
• “Sam Hecht had a great week... I could see him developing into a starting center early in his career.” – Matt Miller (38:52)

b) Gabe Jacquez (Edge, Illinois)

• Undersized frame, but intense hands, relentless motor, and functional power: “It’s hands and effort, and tracking the quarterback.” – Matt Miller (39:11)

c) Edge Depth

• Praised the tiered depth: David Bailey, Bane, Mesador, TJ Parker, Derrick Moore, Zion Young, Cassius Howell, Mason Thomas, etc.
• “As a GM, I yearn for that from a pass rusher: the way [Zion Young] plays.” – Daniel Jeremiah (41:46)
• Nine legitimate Day 1–2 edge prospects anticipated

6. Pass Catchers – Wide Receivers & Tight Ends

a) Tanner Koziol (TE, Houston)

• Late-rising, “monster” frame (6’6.5”) with rare catch radius, outstanding production at Ball State and Houston
• Created missed mismatches, impressive red-zone conversion (44:19)

b) Justin Jolly (TE, NC State)

• “Tight ends just aren’t twitchy... He is. I’m not used to seeing a human being that big be able to move like that.” – Matt Miller (52:19)

c) Cyrus Allen (WR, Cincinnati)

• Quick, slippery slot; transferable skills reminiscent of Tank Dell—impressive release and footspeed
• “He’s got a chance to be an impact player in the league.” – Daniel Jeremiah (49:47)

d) Slot Receivers—Emerging Depth

• Multiple slots primed for day two: Barryn Brown (LSU), Antonio Williams, Jeremy Bernard, Zachariah Branch, Deion Burks, among others.
• “I think this is going to be like the biggest surprise... how deep and talented this WR group is.” – Daniel Jeremiah (56:37)
• Malachi Fields and Denzel Boston also received praise as potential top-50 guys.

7. Notable Nudge (Nudge = “Pay attention to this guy”)

a) Barion Brown (LSU, WR)

• Noted for blistering Senior Bowl speed, chemistry with Nussmeier, and ability to separate in/out of breaks.
• “After the first day, he was the fastest player at the entire Senior Bowl on the miles per hour on the zebra technology.” (56:11)

b) Mike Washington (Arkansas, RB)

• Big back (6’0.5”, 228), surprising lateral quickness, and pass-catching utility

c) Davison Igbinosun (CB)

• 6’2”, 192 — reportedly fastest through two days of practice at 21+ mph: “That’s different.” – Daniel Jeremiah (59:10)

8. Honest Assessments & Underwhelming Performers

a) Caleb Banks (DL)

• High-upside traits but inconsistent—dominant one-on-ones followed by lackluster team sessions and discipline issues.
• “It was just too up and down for me… He’s still an elite talent, but I’m wondering how certain teams are going to view him.” – Matt Miller (60:05)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Senior Bowl impact:
  “Every single year, you end up seeing a big chunk of the starters in the NFL come from this game.” – Daniel Jeremiah (62:31)

• On QB upside:
  “When you draft a quarterback on day two, especially the second round, you’re drafting him with the hopes he becomes a starter. But worst case: he’s going to be a really good backup.” – Daniel Jeremiah (27:11)

• On underdogs surfacing:
  "If you can play, scouts will find you." – Daniel Jeremiah (07:53)

• On developmental prospects:
  “Having that mobility gets you out. You're gonna get it right, I don't know, 40, 50 percent of the time... When you get to Brees, Manning, Brady, that level, you're like 95 or whatever.” – Daniel Jeremiah (21:07)

• On unique football journeys:
  “What's great about football: the journeys these guys take. Everyone’s path is different.” – Matt Miller (15:50)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Senior Bowl Takeaways, Top Players Remain: [03:54]
• Tyron Montgomery’s Path: [05:34]
• Max Iheanacho’s Background & Development: [10:25]
• QB Segment (Altmire/Greene/Nussmeier/Payton): [17:04] – [29:21]
• Lewis & Clark Defensive Standout Segment: [33:15]
• Bryson Eason/D-Line Standouts: [34:36]
• OL/Edge Risers—Hecht, Jacquez, Depth: [37:44]
• Wideouts/Tight Ends (Koziol/Jolly/Allen/Slots): [43:44]
• Nudge Segment (Brown, Washington, Igbinosun): [51:05], [56:11]
• Caleb Banks Critical Assessment: [59:24]
• Closing Thoughts on the Week’s Value: [62:31]

Final Thoughts

Despite lacking flashy quarterback names, Senior Bowl Week 2026 featured NFL-caliber grit, unexpected standouts, and uncovered diamonds in the rough. Daniel Jeremiah and Matt Miller leveraged exclusive field access to deliver insightful scouting reports, heartfelt stories of perseverance, and candid evaluations of strengths and developmental needs. Expect to see many of these names resurface as the draft approaches, with both bluebloods and small-school risers poised to make noise on Sundays.

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