NFL Draft
1/8/25
12 min read
2025 NFL Draft: Ranking Top 10 Senior Bowl Prospects
The 2025 Senior Bowl roster is nearly complete, and this year's class might be the most talented group of NFL draft prospects in the history of the event.
With underclassmen accepting invites to the All-Star game in Mobile, Alabama, this year's class is loaded with talent. Along with multiple likely first-round picks, this year's Senior Bowl is stacked with Day 2 talent that could rise into the first round with a strong pre-draft process, starting with standout practices down in Mobile.
There are so many talented prospects to choose from, but let's rank the top 10 prospects who have already accepted invites to this year's Senior Bowl.
Top Senior Bowl Draft Prospects
Princely Umanmielen flashed a lot of high-end traits vs. Georgia. pic.twitter.com/GT6wVJIeLz
— Frankie Abbott (@FrankiesFilm) January 4, 2025
10. Princely Umanmielen, EDGE, Ole Miss 
This year's EDGE class is loaded, and there are all kinds of different prospects depending on what NFL teams are looking for.
Princely Umanmielen might be one of the ones with the highest upside, however. He's one the bigger end of the other top EDGEs at 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds but also possesses the length, explosiveness, and bend to be a versatile pass rusher, winning with speed, power, or a handful of counter moves.
All of those traits helped the Ole Miss EDGE rack up 10.5 sacks this year, and his flashes of play strength show up when bringing ball carriers to the ground. He's still a slight work in progress when it comes to taking on blocks in the run game, but his tools and athletic ability could garner first-round consideration, especially if he shines at this year's Senior Bowl.
Princely Umanmielen's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
9. Mason Taylor, TE, LSU
The top of the tight end class is stacked with top-tier talent. Mason Taylor isn't getting the attention of top prospects like Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland, but he will have a major impact on whichever team takes him.
Taylor is the son of Hall of Fame pass rusher Jason Taylor and has exciting versatility and athleticism at the tight end position. At 6 feet 5 inches and 255 pounds, he has a well-built frame and the length to make difficult catches outside of his frame.
In addition to his speed and explosiveness off the snap to take off as a route runner, Taylor also has good play strength to stonewall defenders as a blocker with solid leg drive to generate push. His size and athletic profile could make him a real chess piece on an NFL offense, allowing him to be effective in the slot, in line, or in the backfield as a lead blocker.
That kind of versatility and background will make Taylor one of the more intriguing skill players to watch in Mobile, especially against top-tier competition.
Mason Taylor's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
8. Xavier Watts, SAF, Notre Dame
Two of the most exciting players in the NFL playoffs this year are ball-hawking safeties Kerby Joseph and Xavier McKinney. Notre Dame's Xavier Watts will have a chance to be mentioned in that same group a few years into his NFL career.
After leading college football with seven interceptions in 2023, Watts came right back and snagged another six INTs this season. Along with length, hip fluidity, and explosiveness to jump passes, Watts has terrific instincts to read the quarterback's eyes as a single-high safety to bait them into turnover-worthy throws.
Those ball-hawking skills have always existed, but Watts' run-fitting ability has continued to improve during the last two seasons. His instincts carry over as an alley defender, where he can fly downhill and use his length to trip up (or even stick) ball carriers before they can break away.
Watts has a chance to skyrocket up draft boards with a strong pre-draft process. Malaki Starks is still the consensus No. 1 safety in this class, but Watts continues to close the gap as he shines on a national stage in the College Football Playoff.
Xavier Watts' Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
#Marshall EDGE Mike Green is an absolute maniac pic.twitter.com/IHWjVPGNYQ
— Jake Rabadi (@JakeRabadiNFL) January 7, 2025
7. Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall 
There are a handful of small-school prospects fans should keep an eye on in this year's Senior Bowl. However, none of them have first-round potential like Marshall's Mike Green.
Green led college football with 17 sacks this year and recorded 65 pressures and three forced fumbles. While most of that production came against other small programs, Green still flashed in games against Ohio State and Virginia Tech, with nine pressures and three sacks in those games.
While on the smaller end at 6-foot-4 and 248 pounds, Green is one of the most twitched-up pass rushers in this class. He's lightning-fast off of the snap and has good bend to tighten his angle to the quarterback. Once tackles start to adjust and gain depth to prevent Green from winning with speed, he has a full arsenal of counter moves and impressive lateral agility to work outside in, keeping blockers guessing at all times.
That kind of developed pass-rushing bag and athletic ability should allow Green to keep winning against top competition at the Senior Bowl, solidifying his first-round draft grade.
Mike Green's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
6. Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College
EDGEs continue to dominate this list, and it's a credit to Jim Nagy and his staff for recruiting so many top-tier pass rushers to this year's Senior Bowl.
Donovan Ezeiruaku was just a half sack behind Green for college football's sack title this season, generating 16.5 sacks and 59 pressures in 12 games. He is quite similar to Green as a prospect, which would explain why they come in at No. 6 and No. 7 on these rankings.
Like Green, Ezeiruaku is a smaller but twitched-up pass rusher with tons of counter moves and the lateral agility to be devastating when setting up an inside move by feigning outside. His inside swim might be his best move because his explosiveness and bend around the edge force blockers to gain depth before adjusting.
Ezeiruaku gets the slight edge over Green because of the competition he faced this year, but also because of his outstanding effort and technique against the run. A sub-250 EDGE will naturally struggle to anchor against double teams, but when he's 1-on-1 with a blocker, Ezeiruaku comes in with outstanding hip explosion and extension to avoid getting washed out and can use his length to disengage and make tackles near the line of scrimmage.
Donovan Ezeiruaku's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
5. Walter Nolen, DL, Ole Miss
For as exciting as Ole Miss is on offense, its defense was loaded with NFL talent this season. There are even a few other Senior Bowl players from Ole Miss who didn't make this list, like CB Trey Amos and EDGE Jared Ivey, who could both improve their draft stock dramatically in Mobile.
However, Walter Nolen stands out among the other Ole Miss prospects because of his pure dominance in the trenches. The former Texas A&M lineman possesses a rare blend of overpowering play strength and explosiveness to force the issue off of the snap, making him impossible to handle when he jumps the snap.
Nolen's tape looked drastically improved from 2023 during his lone season at Ole Miss. He showed improved pad level and hand usage, allowing him to unlock his full potential instead of relying on talent alone. He set career highs across the board, racking up 6.5 sacks with 35 pressures and 32 defensive stops.
While Nolen isn't the most fluid defensive lineman and can struggle to change direction, he's such a dominant downhill defender that he has serious star potential, especially in a one-gap scheme at the next level.
Walter Nolen's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
I know it's a drop, but there are some Jalen Milroe deep shots that are just so absurd. pic.twitter.com/KWveVNCHqg
— Tyler Brooke (@TylerDBrooke) December 14, 2024
4. Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
An ugly bowl game was a brutal look for Jalen Milroe as a prospect, especially since he was already a wildly divisive player before declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft. However, it's hard to argue against the talent and potential that Milroe possesses.
The dual-threat ability is evident with Milroe's 726 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground this season. However, it's his arm talent that should have scouts so intrigued, as he might be the best deep-ball passer in this entire draft class. According to Pro Football Focus, Milroe threw for 892 yards, 10 touchdowns, and three interceptions on passes of 20-plus yards downfield this season.
Milroe's arm talent has always been there, but the 2024 film showed a quarterback prospect throwing with much better anticipation compared to 2023. He also showed improved patience as a passer, willing to go through his reads instead of dropping his eyes when his No. 1 target wasn't there.
There's no denying that Milroe is still a risky pick. His wonky mechanics and questionable decision-making at times are concerns, and his range of outcomes at the NFL level could be anywhere from Anthony Richardson to Justin Fields or Josh Allen to Jayden Daniels.
Still, the right NFL team could turn Milroe into a star at the position if they capitalize on his talent.
Jalen Milroe's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
3. Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M
Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko did a terrific job with the Aggies' defense this year, and it's a big reason why they have two of the top three draft prospects in this year's Senior Bowl.
Nic Scourton transferred from Purdue to play in the SEC for Elko this season and continued to play at a high level. He finished the year with five sacks and 35 pressures while holding his own against the run as a thick 285-pound EDGE.
His makes him look less explosive compared to other pass rushers in his class, but that doesn't mean he can't get after the quarterback. Along with being able to convert speed to power for an effective bull rush, Scourton also has the hand usage and a lethal spin move to win in multiple ways as a pass rusher.
Some scouts won't love an EDGE as big as Scourton, but that size and strength also help him against the run. There are some specific defensive schemes and roles where Scourton could thrive at the next level, and his unique skill set and size should have him going somewhere in the first half of the first round in April.
Nic Scourton's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
2. Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota
Minnesota isn't a powerhouse program in the Big Ten, but the Golden Gophers have one of the top prospects in the NFL Draft coming out this year in offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery.
Ersery's massive 6-foot-6, 330-pound frame will have some scouts viewing him as a right tackle, but his foot quickness and fluidity for his size could have him protecting the quarterback's blind side at the NFL level.
Right tackle makes the most sense for Ersery simply because of his dominant play strength. Even as a taller player, Ersery can get his pads low and generate plenty of push. He has good core strength to turn and steer defenders out of rushing lanes, with the leg drive and powerful hands to latch onto defenders and move them out of the way. That power also shows up against bull rushers, allowing him to easily anchor down.
Ersery isn't everyone's cup of tea because of his lack of technical refinement. He struggles with strike timing and hand placement and can get worn out on extended drives, leading to further mistakes.
However, there isn't another tackle in this draft class with Ersery's tools, and for a player who only started playing football his junior year of high school, he might have the highest upside of a prospect at any position in this year's draft class.
Aireontae Ersery's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
Texas A&M DL Shemar Stewart provides a high floor on early downs but is still a work in progress as a pass rusher #BuildingTheBoard
— We are back Ben Johnson (@TommyK_NFLDraft) December 30, 2024
Positives
✅ Super sized edge listed at 6'6" 290 lbs
✅ Heavy handed against the run
✅ Uses length to stack and shed
✅ Implodes pockets with… pic.twitter.com/JRwmagnObe
1. Shemar Stewart, EDGe, Texas A&M
Travon Walker went No. 1 overall just a few drafts ago because of his every-down ability against the run and pass. While Shemar Stewart is unlikely to be the first player taken in 2025, he's in a similar situation where it could help him skyrocket into the top 10 of this year's draft.
Stewart might fit best as a 4-3 defensive end at the NFL level, at 6-foot-6 and 290 pounds, but his length and explosiveness will allow him to play multiple slots on any kind of defense. His length and play strength make him incredibly difficult to deal with in the run game, with solid technique to get into the pads of blockers, disengage, and deliver a punishing hit on ball carriers.
On top of his ability against the run, Stewart can bully blockers as a pass rusher. He flies off of the snap with good explosiveness and uses that to collapse the pocket with a dominant bull rush.
However, Stewart's most underrated traits are his competitive toughness and football IQ. When things aren't working, Stewart ramps up the intensity and changes his approach, which allows him to turn things around and find success later in games.
There's still plenty Stewart can work on, from improving his hand usage and leg drive to developing some more pass-rush moves instead of relying on a bull rush. However, Stewart is such a unique prospect with the versatility to play all over the defensive line that he could solidify top-10 draft status with a strong appearance at the Senior Bowl.
Shemar Stewart's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
Make sure to check out our new home for all of our NFL Draft content.
