NFL Draft
2/3/25
9 min read
2025 Senior Bowl: Players Who Made The Most Money
The 2025 NFL Draft is one step closer to being here after the completion of the all-star games. Senior Bowl practices have become an ingrained part of the evaluation process because of the rare opportunity to see 1-on-1 drills. The 2025 Senior Bowl had one of its most impressive rosters in recent years, and a handful of stars took full advantage of the opportunity.
The three days of practice won't rewrite a player's career, but the evaluation process has to take into account who the best athletes were, who the most impactful presences were, and who knows how to use their physical gifts. That said, the best players on Day 1 at the Senior Bowl aren't always the biggest winners by the end of it.
After reviewing the practice tapes and reps, we have six players who significantly boosted their stock. These may not have been the best overall players, but teams will be moving them up their boards more than anyone else.
Biggest 2025 Senior Bowl Winners
Elijah Arroyo, TE, Miami 
The 2025 tight end class appeared to be a two-man race at the top with Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland, followed by several intriguing developmental options in later rounds. The Senior Bowl proved otherwise, as Elijah Arroyo dominated drills. The 6-foot-4, 245-pounder had good tape but was a one-year wonder at Miami, so it was easy to underestimate how he'd stand out.
However, Arroyo was unguardable with his speed-to-size ratio. His fluidity through routes and acceleration is that of a much smaller receiver. Add in his resume as a respectable blocker, and Arroyo vaulted himself into the conversation as a fringe first-round candidate and someone who could possibly challenge Loveland as tight end No. 2.
.@CanesFootball TE Elijah Arroyo with an early look at why he’s one of the best receiving tight ends in this draft class
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) January 28, 2025
It’s just a 1-on-1 rep, of course, but he moves like a true athlete at 6-4.5, 251 lbs. pic.twitter.com/SY563HCveM
Arroyo's movement ability puts him in rare company and is reminiscent of what Kyle Pitts looked like coming out of Florida. Pitts hasn't maintained that same level of athleticism and sharpness in the NFL for whatever reason, but it shouldn't be held against Arroyo that Pitts lost what made him special enough to be a top-10 pick.
An ACL tear in 2022 impacted Arroyo's lack of collegiate experience, as he dealt with complications throughout 2023 as well. That might be held against Arroyo a bit, but his 2024 season and Senior Bowl prove he can be one of the few impact tight ends in the league.
Elijah Arroyo's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
Jack Bech, WR, TCU
I thought Savion Williams was the TCU wide receiver who would stand out, but Jack Bech had the bigger week since Williams opted out of the event.
Bech, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound possession receiver, emerged as a one-year standout at TCU after spending three years at LSU. Instead of looking like an unpolished and inexperienced athlete in drills, Bech constantly found himself open or winning at the catch point against tremendous competition.
There's a lot in Bech's build and game that easily projects to the NFL. His size and quickness are a tremendous combination and are similar to Cooper Kupp's. Like Kupp, Bech won't win a ton of foot races over 40 yards. But he's quick and effectively uses his body to sell routes.
.@TCUFootball WR Jack Bech is just a damn good receiver. He’s been a winner in all three days of @seniorbowl practice pic.twitter.com/gIKN22F0IC
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) January 30, 2025
After the catch, he is just as impressive. He averaged 5.5 yards after the catch per reception with 17 missed forced tackles in 2024 and won 13 of 20 contested catches. That type of production speaks to Bech being a much better athlete and football player than his peers, even if he doesn't look the part in a traditional way.
Bech was viewed as a late-round option entering the Senior Bowl, but he's much closer to a top-100 option now. The receiver market is dry and lacks depth, so Bech maximized his opportunity.
Jach Bech's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
Tyler Shough, QB, Louisville
None of the Senior Bowl quarterbacks looked too hot throughout the week, which is bad news for the top 10 hopes of Jalen Milroe and Jaxson Dart. I wouldn't go so far as to say Tyler Shough looked better than those two consistently or that he's now in the early-round mix. However, Shough entered as the most physically intriguing player, and he delivered on the opportunity to show he belongs in the NFL.
There should be no questions as to whether Shough is drafted. He was more impressive than Dillon Gabriel, and while Will Howard is still likely ahead of Shough after his 2024 season, Shough could see his name called early on Day 3 after Howard. Shough's lone campaign at Louisville was the start of this momentum.
Louisville’s Tyler Shough with some wicked ball placement on this throw to Virginia Tech’s Jaylin Lane. This might have been the best throw of Day 1 at the Senior Bowl. pic.twitter.com/sO2nlY0jLW
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) January 29, 2025
Able to play efficiently from under center, Shough's strong arm and plus athleticism immediately make him an ideal backup to develop. His decision-making and accuracy skyrocketed when Lousiville simplified the offense to make his reads based more on the defender's leverage and post-snap looks instead of pre-snap decisions that spread offenses rely on.
There were still some missed throws and examples of Shough lacking natural precision, but those are expected hiccups with someone who won't be expected to start right away.
Darius Alexander, DT, Toledo
There were more than a handful of snaps where Darius Alexander made everyone's jaw drop. The 6-foot-4, 310-pounder was expected to win with power and some quickness as an interior rusher, but he was winning as an edge player with speed, fluidity, and balance. That's freakish and rare for someone of his build.
Something that has been pretty frustrating when watching this WR class is seeing how many receivers continue to run towards coverage leverage, instead of stemming or stopping into space. Excellent awareness by TE Elijah Arroyo here to stop into space.pic.twitter.com/7CJmlcokIS
— Nick Martin (@themicknartin) January 30, 2025
Everyone is going back to the drawing board with Alexander to see if the fifth-year senior needs to be completely re-evaluated for his place in a loaded defensive tackle class. Known to be an elite run defender at Toledo, Alexander's ability to get after the quarterback may have been underrated despite his production.
After all, he had 83 pressures attributed to him over the last two years, but to be a pass-rushing 3-4 end in the NFL wasn't on many people's bingo card.
It's hard to find penetrating defensive tackles and 3-4 ends, so Alexander's wins can be career-changing. He could easily find himself on Day 2 now, whereas he was another intriguing but older prospect before the Senior Bowl.
Darius Alexander's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
Upton Stout, CB, Western Kentucky
It's easier to fall in love with short cornerbacks who have the agility needed to defend receivers in difficult 1-on-1 situations that are heavily skewed in the offensive player's direction. Oftentimes, shorter cornerbacks are forced into the slot and rarely become impactful players due to the nature of the position. They're more space occupiers than playmakers who create ball production and turnovers.
This is a good class for slot defenders, and Upton Stout put his name in the ring for one of the best in the class. Despite being only 5-foot-9 and 182 pounds, Stout lived up to his namesake as an outside cornerback. He took a ton of reps compared to his peers and routinely was in an excellent position as the ball arrived, forcing difficult catches or incompletions.
Every Upton Stout 1-on-1 from the Senior Bowl - took like 3x as many reps as the other DBs pic.twitter.com/jBsPDNQ0vG
— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) January 30, 2025
His agility, competitiveness, and patience to not panic when he's at a disadvantage are impressive. Stout's profile was intriguing entering the week as he played almost 1,300 snaps as an outside corner and 455 snaps as a slot defender over five years. Remarkably, his missed tackle rate over the last two years stayed under 8.3 percent, and he was graded as a top run defender for the position by PFF.
While Upton likely won't be asked to be a boundary defender often in the NFL, he has the ability to hold his own against smaller, quicker receivers like Zay Flowers, Tank Dell, and Tez Johnson. His contributions in the run game are rare for the position, and therefore, he should be considered a major asset as soon as he's drafted.
Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
Three pass-rushers asserted their presence more than anyone else all week: Marshall's Mike Green, Ole Miss' Walter Nolen, and Texas A&M's Shemar Stewart. Two of those guys have become unanimous first-round projections recently, but Stewart was falling. Expect Stewart to have earned his way back into the first-round lock discussion.
The 6-foot-6, 290-pounder doesn't have a lot of pass-rush moves to go to, and he was overly reliant on his bull-rush in college. He was still productive as a pass-rusher, tallying 39 pressures, but his run defense was his trademark. Entering the week, Stewart was viewed as a moldable piece of clay with a terrific body but little refinement.
The refinement questions aren't completely gone now, but Stewart showed his capability of learning, adjusting, and coaching throughout the week. With his low pad level and raw power, he put immense stress on blockers. As the week progressed, Stewart showcased better hand placement and a plan of attack for when his initial move was swatted away.
Shemar Stewart's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
