It's Senior Bowl week in Mobile, Alabama, and we will have the opportunity to see some of the top prospects in the 2023 NFL draft class going head-to-head. The Senior Bowl is an invite-only showcase event that features more than 100 seniors -- and juniors who have graduated -- in the class. The players are broken up into two teams, and coaches, scouts and front-office executives from all 32 NFL teams are on hand for a week of best-on-best on-field work. It's always a great chance for midround guys to stand out and rise up the board.
There are three days of practice in Mobile, including two-hour sessions Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Check out coverage of practice on Wednesday and Thursday at 12:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU/ESPN App, and then 3 p.m. ET on ESPN2/ESPN App. The game is Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET on NFL Network.
So what do you need to know? We looked to three of our NFL draft analysts to break down the top names to watch and what those prospects need to show this week, including some of the signal-callers in attendance. Our crew also gives us what they're most excited for in Mobile and their biggest predictions for what will happen. Let's dive in.
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Top prospects | QBs | Predictions
Which prospect are you most excited to see at practices in Mobile?
Todd McShay: Keion White, OLB, Georgia Tech. I haven't seen him in person yet, and I'm excited to see his true quickness against other top-tier talent. White plays so fast, and he has an impressive combination of bend and power. He started at his college career at Old Dominion and even played some tight end there before transferring. The 6-foot-4, 280-pounder piled up 57 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in 2022 after missing most of the previous season, and he's absolutely in the first-round conversation.
Jordan Reid: Rashee Rice, WR, SMU. He is an ascending prospect as a savvy route runner with unique body control to make all types of catches. Rice can be a threat at all three levels of the field, too, and he is an aggressive player who routinely attacks the ball in the air. At 6-2 and 203 pounds, he not only competes at the catch point but also gains positive yards after the catch. Rice's 1,355 receiving yards ranked third in the FBS this season, and he is currently looking like a top-40 pick.
Matt Miller: Will McDonald IV, DE, Iowa State. He's one of the most productive pass-rushers in this class -- 34 sacks over five seasons for the Cyclones -- and now has a chance to prove he has the power and length to hang with pro-level offensive tackles if he turns in a strong week of practice. McDonald is 6-3 but is listed at only 236 pounds, so it'll be interesting to see what he weighs in at in Mobile, how long his arms measure and how he performs in one-on-one drills. He is a fringe first-rounder on my board, and this week could either push McDonald up the board or raise more questions.
Which current Day 3 prospect has the best chance to rise with a great week?
McShay: Kenny McIntosh, RB, Georgia. He has a really compact low-to-the-ground running style, and he's shifty at 6-1 and 210 pounds, showcasing an ability to string together cuts. McIntosh ran 150 times this season for 829 yards and 10 touchdowns, but he also has reliable hands and a smooth upfield transition after the catch in the receiving game (43 catches for 504 yards). It's a deep running back class, but a good showing here could bump McIntosh up team boards.
Reid: Dontayvion Wicks, WR, Virginia. Wicks had a breakout 2021 season (1,203 yards and nine TDs) but struggled to replicate that success this season. He's a detailed route runner with the ability to generate separation, and he is already experienced and effective in releasing off the line. Wicks averaged 18.8 yards per reception over three years. He is very creative with his route stem, and he complements that with strong hands. The 6-2 Wicks has received mostly Day 3 grades, but Mobile could improve his stock quickly.
Dontayvion Wicks jukes his way past several Georgia Tech defenders to score a Virginia touchdown.
Miller: Jaren Hall, QB, BYU. The quarterback class is dominated by underclassmen not eligible to participate at the Senior Bowl, which opens the door for Hall, a sudden quarterback prospect with great ability to throw on the move and create inside and outside the pocket. The 6-1 senior is already 24 years old, which will impact how NFL teams view him, but his production has been phenomenal with 31 touchdown passes to six interceptions in 2022 for a QBR of 79.3. He's also dangerous on the ground, with three more touchdowns via rushes. Hall is a Day 3 prospect, but in a quarterback class that's very unsettled beyond the first round, Hall has room to rise this week.
Who is the polarizing prospect you can't wait to see?
McShay: Tyson Bagent, QB, Shepherd. Teams will have to determine how to measure Bagent, a Division II quarterback, against other passers in this class -- which is why this event will be huge for his stock. He is an accurate passer who makes quick reads and has the touch to drop the ball into pockets against zone looks or over the receiver's shoulder on downfield throws. Bagent also moves well within the pocket and can make impressive off-platform throws. But I'll be paying close attention to his ability to drive the ball; arm strength is an area of concern for the late-rounder right now. He threw for 4,580 yards, 41 passing TDs and eight interceptions in 2022.
Reid: Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State. At 6-8 and 360 pounds, he is a massive blocker who made strides over the past year. Once he gets his hands on defenders, Jones uses his strength to overwhelm them, often ending rush attempts before they're able to get started. The group of edge rushers in Mobile will present a great test for him after a standout year for the Buckeyes (12 starts, zero sacks allowed). At the moment, Jones is a probable top-75 pick.
Miller: Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State. If you took all the physical traits and positional skills needed for a great tight end and made a list, Musgrave would check most boxes. He's 6-6 and very aggressive as a blocker, and he has strong hands with top-tier agility to get open in the passing game. But he has also only started 13 games due to injury, and his medical evaluations might be the difference between a first- and third-round grade.
Who is the most intriguing quarterback prospect in Mobile?
McShay: Jake Haener, Fresno State. He's undersized at 6-1 and 200 pounds, but his game is very underrated. He has fast eyes and distributes the ball in a flash, but he also extends plays and can make things happen when forced off-schedule. Haener threw for 2,896 yards, 20 touchdown passes and three interceptions over 10 starts this season, and I think he'll have a great week in Mobile. Haener could absolutely work his way into the Day 2 discussion.
Other quarterbacks expected to be in Mobile include Jaren Hall (BYU), Tyson Bagent (Shepherd), Max Duggan (TCU), Clayton Tune (Houston) and Malik Cunningham (Louisville). Tennessee's Hendon Hooker also accepted an invite, but he won't be on the field as he continues to recover from a torn ACL in his left knee.
What does Max Duggan need to show to improve his stock?
Reid: The Horned Frogs' signal-based offense didn't require relaying and calling plays in the huddle, so this is a chance for Duggan to show he can execute in a more controlled setting. Can he adapt to those concepts and then show he can exhaust his progressions as a passer and hit all of the pro-level throws? Duggan passed for 3,698 yards and 32 TD throws while leading TCU to the national championship game, but scouts have him with mainly late-round grades. He can solidify his status as a draftable player with a strong performance here.
TCU's Max Duggan keeps it himself and powers through a tackle into the end zone for a touchdown.
What's the over/under on first-round picks at the Senior Bowl?
McShay: Six alums of the event went in Round 1 last year, and I think it's a good threshold for this year's group, too. Texas Tech edge rusher Tyree Wilson and Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon won't be in Mobile, but there are still plenty of talented players here with Day 1 upside. You'll see some guys currently in the Day 2 conversation start to get Day 1 buzz after a week of practices. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, six or fewer players from the Senior Bowl have been drafted in the first round in just 13 of 56 seasons since 1967.
What's the most important part of the practice sessions for scouts?
Miller: Well, it's all important, but scouts get most excited for the one-on-ones between wide receivers and cornerbacks. Seeing receivers running go routes against corners and really fighting for the ball shows so much, including how their speed, body control, concentration, toughness and flexibility stack up. If there was just one drill all week, scouts would pick this one.
Who is going to dominate the offensive/defensive line one-on-one drills?
Reid: John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota. Arguably the top center in the draft and a top-100 prospect, Schmitz has been a model of consistency throughout his career. He has allowed just one sack over nearly 2,500 career snaps, thanks in part to superb upper-body strength. He has the ability to anchor and stall defenders who are attempting to attack his frame, and his skill set aligns well with drills that emphasize short-area quickness. Schmitz's combination of hand power, core strength and awareness will serve him well during the one-on-one portions of practices.
How do you stack the top three running backs in Mobile right now?
Miller: Roschon Johnson (Texas), Chase Brown (Illinois) and Tyjae Spears (Tulane) lead a really good group of ball carriers at the Senior Bowl. Johnson played behind the draft class' current RB1 (Bijan Robinson) at Texas, but he would have been a starting back at 100 other colleges this past fall. He's powerful and elusive, has great hands and understands the game well as a former quarterback. He averaged 5.6 yards per rush over four seasons and is probably a late-Day 2 pick right now.
Roschon Johnson goes air-born over a defender to find pay dirt for the Longhorns.
Brown is also a powerful runner, forcing 73 missed tackles this past fall en route to 1,643 rushing yards (both totals ranked fourth in the country). He looks like an early-Day 3 pick who could rise. And finally, Spears might be the fastest player in this year's Senior Bowl class. The 5-10, 195-pound slash-back totaled 19 touchdowns and 1,581 yards this season, and while he's a mid-Day 3 prospect, there is plenty of room for him to push up the board this week.
How do you stack the top three edge rushers there?
McShay: I have three with grades above 85 right now: Army's Andre Carter II (88), Notre Dame's Isaiah Foskey (87) and Georgia Tech's Keion White (86). Auburn's Derick Hall and Tennessee's Byron Young aren't far behind, though. All five could end up as Day 1 or early-Day 2 picks, though I wouldn't call any of them first-round locks at this point.
Carter doesn't have elite get-off, but he bends well enough to win with speed and has great length and strength. And he's a disruptive run defender who flashes the ability to slip blocks and shoot gaps. Foskey, meanwhile, has a quick first step and excels at chopping the ball loose when he gets home as a pass-rusher.
And the top three defensive backs?
Reid: I'll go with cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (Miami-FL), safety JL Skinner (Boise State) and safety Christopher Smith (Georgia). At 6-foot and 214 pounds, Stevenson is an aggressive perimeter player with the physicality of a linebacker. He is consistent in run support and isn't shy about challenging receivers at the line. And while he still needs work in his technique, he has the traits of a potential starter at the next level (six pass breakups and two interceptions in 2022).
Skinner is massive at 6-4 and 220 pounds, fluid for his size and experienced at multiple spots on the back end. He can recognize and attack passing concepts in zone, but he must show more consistency in man coverage and when tackling in the open field. I have him in the early-Day 2 range. And then there's Smith. He aggressively runs the alley and is an explosive tackler. Smith is at his best when allowed to roam on the roof of the defense, with the range to erase mistakes, and he's widely viewed as a third- or fourth-round prospect at the moment.
Who are the top three non-Power Five prospects in attendance?
Miller: The FCS and Group of Five schools are well represented this year, but I'll call out North Dakota State offensive tackle Cody Mauch, SMU receiver Rashee Rice and Tulane linebacker Dorian Williams. Mauch and Rice are top-50 prospects with the potential to move into the later parts of the first round with good weeks of practice and game play. And Williams is a solid Day 2 hybrid linebacker with awesome sideline-to-sideline range and speed. He had 125 tackles (11th in the country), two forced fumbles and seven pass breakups this season.
Patrick Graham (Raiders) and Luke Getsy (Bears) are the coaches. Who should they be watching closely for their respective teams?
McShay: I'll start with Graham, who will probably be keeping an eye on the offensive linemen (even though he's a defensive coordinator in Las Vegas). Outside of figuring out the quarterback situation, addressing that unit will be a focus for the Raiders this offseason. Graham will have a close look at Ohio State's Dawand Jones and North Dakota State's Cody Mauch, both of whom are on his National team roster. They could help shore up that Las Vegas line that has question marks outside of Kolton Miller.
And Getsy will likely be looking at Day 2 talent here. Unless the Bears move out of the No. 1 slot via a trade, they will be drafting Alabama's Will Anderson Jr. or Georgia's Jalen Carter on Day 1, neither of whom will be in Mobile. So what prospects pop out for Chicago in Rounds 2 and 3? The Bears could double down on defensive line (South Carolina's Zacch Pickens), but remember that Getsy is the Bears' offensive coordinator. He knows how important it is that Justin Fields gets more help this offseason, and a receiver like SMU's Rashee Rice would be a great Day 2 addition.
Give us one prediction for Senior Bowl week.
McShay: The one-on-one matchups in the trenches will be wild -- and very telling for evaluators. The 15 best prospects in Mobile on my board are all offensive and defensive linemen, so I fully expect the buzz to center around those positions this week. I can already hear the pads cracking!
Reid: Syracuse offensive tackle Matthew Bergeron will help his draft stock more than any other prospect in Mobile. Already a high-level run blocker, he displays aggressiveness and physicality. And while he is still growing as a pass protector, he's light on his feet and shows the balance to mirror and match pass-rushers. With strong hands and easy movement skills, his traits match well with many of the Senior Bowl drills. Bergeron enters the week in the top-75 range, but it wouldn't be surprising to start hearing top-40 buzz after a strong showing.
Miller: The tight end class will steal the show. I already mentioned Luke Musgrave as a potential Round 1 guy, but with guys like Davis Allen (Clemson), Cameron Latu (Alabama), Will Mallory (Miami-FL) and Payne Durham (Purdue) also in the mix, this could be one of the top tight end collections we've ever seen at the Senior Bowl. All five of those players rank in the top 175 overall for this draft class.