- David Walker proves that he belongs: The Central Arkansas EDGE was arguably the most efficient edge defender in school soccer final season, and his efficiency on the Senior Bowl proved that he can grasp with the highest expertise within the 2025 NFL Draft.
- Gray Zabel stands out at a number of positions: The North Dakota State offensive lineman has regarded notably sturdy as an inside offensive lineman in Cell.
Yearly, the Senior Bowl attracts a few of the finest draft prospects in school soccer to Cell, Alabama to face off towards different prime opponents and to obtain NFL teaching. Whereas a lot of the invited gamers are from large soccer applications, a number of small college gamers make the lower every season and get to sq. off towards prime gamers from the FBS degree. Listed here are a few of the small college stars which can be utilizing the week in Cell to indicate that they belong with the highest gamers within the draft class in entrance of NFL coaches and entrance workplace personnel.
EDGE David Walker, Central Arkansas
Central Arkansas’s David Walker was PFF’s highest-graded edge defender in Division 1 final 12 months with a 94.4 general grade. Walker has been traditionally and persistently dominant on the FCS degree throughout his profession, posting elite pass-rushing grades of 91.5 in 2022, 90.3 in 2023 and 94.0 grade in 2024, which led all defensive edge gamers in FBS and FCS. Walker has amassed 37 sacks, 17 quarterback hits and 97 hurries over the previous three seasons. Walker has additionally proven to be an elite run defender over the previous three seasons with a 91.9 run-defense grade in 2022, an 83.6 grade in 2023 and a 92.0 run-defense grade in 2024, which additionally led all protection edge gamers in FBS and FCS. One could be hard-pressed to consider one other FCS defender who was so persistently dominant throughout his profession. Walker’s excellent profession manufacturing at Central Arkansas bought him the Senior Bowl invite, however questions remained about how he would be capable to carry out towards the excessive degree of competitors in Cell on account of his lack of fascinating size. Walker measured in at solely 6-foot tall with 31-3/4-inch arms, each numbers are beneath common for an NFL draft decide on the place. Walker has answered these questions this week in Senior Bowl practices. Whereas Walker’s 6-foot, 267-pound body isn’t how you’ll design an edge rusher in a lab, he can use that low heart of gravity and dense construct to generate a robust bull rush proper off the snap or to make use of a sudden jolt of energy to shock a blocker later in his rush. Walker has used that energy to win a number of one-on-one reps towards prime FBS tackles throughout the Senior Bowl practices, displaying NFL coaches and scouts in attendance that he generally is a productive edge-rusher on the NFL degree. After his efficiency this week, we should always be capable to predict with confidence that Walker will be capable to grow to be a productive NFL edge-rusher.David Walker from FCS college Central Arkansas did precisely what small college gamers must do on the Senior Bowl: Kick ass and standout towards competitors they haven’t performed towards. Confirmed off his energy all week. pic.twitter.com/FvPVhvk0Kd
— Justin Penik (@JustinPenik) January 30, 2025
OT Carson Vinson, Alabama A&M
Often a small-school participant stands out on the Senior Bowl weigh-ins on account of their great dimension, which is the case with Alabama A&M offensive sort out Carson Vinson. In Cell, Vinson measured in at practically 6-foot-7, weighed 314 kilos and posted a really spectacular 35-1/8-inch arm size, each his peak and his arm size have been larger than any participant in attendance. Vinson is rising into his body and consistently bettering as a go protector. Vinson’s pass-blocking grades have persistently improved from 66.6 in 2022, to 76.4 in 2023 after which a formidable 81.8 in 2024. On his 104 true go set snaps in 2024, Vinson solely allowed one sack and two quarterback hits for a 98.0 pass-blocking effectivity ranking. Carson Vinson is the one HBCU participant on the Senior Bowl and has proved that there are proficient gamers and draft prospects on the HBCU colleges. NFL teaching along with his unbelievable angle and want to enhance ought to see Vinson flip right into a succesful NFL go protector sooner or later.Alabama A&M OT Carson Vinson 6’5 practically 6’6 with 35 inch arms towards LSU Sai’Vion Jones. Carson’s size and athleticism was really on show on day 1 of the senior bowl! pic.twitter.com/yYazQqk4Hy
— Marco Martinez (@marco_mart1205) January 29, 2025
IOL Gray Zabel, North Dakota State
Throughout his profession at North Dakota State, Zabel performed in any respect 5 positions on the offensive line, however the majority of his snaps got here on the sort out place — most not too long ago because the beginning left sort out in 2024. That vary of expertise has allowed Zabel to reveal he can play a number of positions alongside the offensive line within the NFL throughout the week of Senior Bowl practices.Whereas Zabel performed left sort out in 2024, most NFL expertise evaluators view him as an inside offensive lineman. Throughout Senior Bowl practices Zabel lined up at left guard, heart and proper guard and regarded good in any respect three positions. Zabel carried out effectively in pass-rush one-on-ones in addition to a run blocker within the group interval, displaying that he might attain a one-technique (shaded over the middle) defensive sort out to the play facet and create house for a halfback on outdoors zone runs as a middle. Zabel actually seems to be a high-floor prospect at a number of offensive line positions, which might be engaging to NFL groups in April.Couldn’t have been extra impressed with @NDSUfootball OL Gray Zabel within the @seniorbowl 1-on-1s. Listed here are three good reps from him at three totally different positions (C, LG, RG)
Robust case for IOL1 on this draft, and a prime 50 decide pic.twitter.com/qX2is4UXn6
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) January 28, 2025
RB Marcus Yarns, Delaware
Marcus Yarns has graded effectively for 3 straight seasons for the Blue Hens with a 74.5 grade in 2023, an elite 90.6 grade in 2023 and an 83.3 mark in 2024. As a rusher in 2024, Yarns pressured 32 missed tackles and averaged 6.4 yards per carry, together with speeding for a formidable 4.26 yards after contact per try. Yarns’ finest years as a pass-catcher stay forward of him as a result of he can produce in additional methods than how Delaware utilized him. He recorded 17 receptions for 297 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns and whereas he was primarily focused on outdoors screens and shovel passes, he additionally caught 30- and 65-yard touchdowns on wheel routes in 2024. Senior Bowl practices have proven that Yarns can provide much more to an NFL group as a pass-catcher than how he was used at Delaware, as linebackers have had bother sticking with him on routes in the course of the sphere on account of his quickness, and he has the reducing capacity to make protection defenders miss after the catch.Delaware’s Marcus Yarns with some spicy ball monitoring on the Senior Bowl. Love his explosiveness and the way he could be utilized within the passing sport. pic.twitter.com/ssz1LrcmpE
— Bobby Soccer (@Rob__Paul) January 31, 2025
S Keondre Jackson, Illinois State
Keondre Jackson measured in at practically 6-foot-2 and 211 kilos on the Senior Bowl, so he has NFL dimension. Jackson predominantly performed in a deep security function (877 snaps) throughout his profession at Illinois State, however he additionally performed 636 snaps within the field and 385 within the slot. Jackson had a formidable 9 performs on the ball this 12 months as a protection defender with three interceptions and 6 passes damaged up. Nevertheless, to play security within the NFL it’s important to be a dependable tackler and Jackson’s 85.8 tackling grade and his 84.3 run-defense grade show he’s greater than only a protection participant, as he generally is a think about stopping the opposition’s run sport as effectively. Jackson’s versatility, tackling capacity and sound run help make him a pretty security prospect.Good breakup by Illinois State security Keondre Jackson on Day 2 of practices @seniorbowl. #Browns pic.twitter.com/gAXBiOuPUC
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) January 29, 2025
