The Draft Starts in Mobile isn’t just a fancy tagline that the Senior Bowl stumbled upon. It’s the truth. 

While in reality the draft process is a never ending cycle for teams, analysts and a large subsection of fans, many of whom pour blood, sweat and tears into the observation of each wave of NFL prospects, it’s at the Senior Bowl where the football world goes full throttle into draft season en masse.

For teams, it’s their first opportunity at this stage of proceedings to get up close and personal with many of the prospects that they’ve been scouting. 

It’s been a place where Monti Ossenfort has dipped into in both of his drafts as Cardinals GM so far, with Michael Wilson, Clayton Tune, Isaiah Adams, Max Melton and Elijah Jones all being part of the All-Star event over the past two years. Tight End contributor Elijah Higgins was also part of the 2023 Senior Bowl before eventually finding his way to Arizona via Miami. 

With arguably the most loaded class of defensive line players in its history in attendance at the Senior Bowl it would be safe to assume that Ossenfort will add at least one more Senior Bowl alum to the roster during the upcoming draft. 

On the defensive side of the ball, the team is in dire need of improvement at Defensive Tackle and at EDGE. Only 6 teams allowed more yards per carry (4.6) than the Cards and while the team actually produced a reasonable 41 sacks across the year, their leading pass-rusher was Zaven Collins with 5.

They simply don’t have a player along the front 7 to consistently affect the quarterback or to cause opposition coordinators sleepless nights. 

They may find that person via a trade but it would be more in keeping with Ossenfort’s team building philosophy to attempt to rectify those issues in the draft. There is no shortage of options in Mobile. 

EDGE DEFENDERS/OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS

Donovan Ezeiruaku – Boston College 

A savvy player who blends exciting physical attributes with an acute awareness of how to attack an offensive tackle, Donovan Ezeiruaku was virtually unstoppable for the Boston College Eagles over the past year. 

Boasting a bevy of pass-rush attacks, the Eagles team captain tied the school’s all-time record for single–season sacks of 16.5 which was held by Harold Landry in 2024, which saw him earn the Ted Hendricks Award as the nation’s best defensive end as well as being named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. 

Able to perform a variety of moves with precision, timing and speed, Ezeiruaku can leave an offensive tackle bewildered in the blink of an eye before utilising his natural athleticism to show good bend to get to the quarterback. He’d be a natural fit as one of the outside linebackers in the Cardinals 3-4 system.

One of the most promising signs for Ezeiruaku is that he consistently attacks “the half man” when facing a tackle, isolating and striking one side rather than getting caught up directly in his opposing man’s chest. 

One of the reasons that he does that though plays into some of the concerns surrounding the 21-year-old. Ezeiruaku doesn’t produce the necessary speed-to-power to bash through opposing linemen and while a credible run defender at the college level – he scored an 83.6 run defence PFF grade with a 10.1% run stop rate – it remains to be seen whether he possess the functional strength to contribute as much in that department in the pros. 

His Senior Bowl measurements of 248 lbs (some analysts were worried he was playing below the 240 mark) and 34 and 4/8 inch arms may go some way to calming part of those concerns. 

What to watch out for: Is strength truly an issue for Ezeiruaku against the bigger offensive tackles during National practices? His 1-on-1s against Aireontae Ersery Wyatt Milum and college teammate Ozzy Trapilo will be particularly interesting. 

Mike Green – Marshall 

A redshirt sophomore from Marshall might be the most coveted edge rusher outside of the top 10 when April rolls around. Who thought we’d be saying that this time last year?

To truly appreciate Mike Green, you first have to park the level of competition he faced to one side (we’ll come back to that), and simply enjoy watching an artist at work. 

A former high school wrestler, Green shows great initial hand placement and connects well at the point of attack. He combines that with incredible fluidity and loose hips to unlock a pass-rush arsenal that features an NFL-ready ghost move, eurostep and an inside counter. Those loose hips also allow Green to change direction at will when in pursuit. 

Green led the FBS in 2024 in sacks (17.0), sack yardage (144), tackles for loss (22.5), TFL yardage (155) and tackles by a defensive lineman (84). The 17 sacks set a Sun Belt Conference record and also tied the Marshall record, which was set by Cecil Fletcher in 1986. His 20.1% pass rush win rate for the year is amongst the best in the 2024 draft class.

His official Senior Bowl measurements of 251 lbs are on the high end of expectations and while he’s still on the lighter side for an edge defender, he uses that wrestling background to good effect in the run game with assured hands and the required strength to deal with linemen. 

Now, the obvious issue is that level of competition. Although he had some good reps against both Ohio State and Virginia Tech this year, getting sacks in both those games, the majority of his experience has been against small schools.

His reported arm length of a smidge over 32 ¼ inch arms are shy of where teams may want. 

I also won’t argue against those who have weight/power concerns with him in terms of being a first-round pick just yet, as we need to see how that translates against more polished players who know how to use their own power and size effectively especially in the run game. 

It’s over to Mike Green to prove he’s as good as the draft community believes him to be. 

What to watch out for: Can Mike Green be this year’s version of Quinyon Mitchell?

 

Landon Jackson – Arkansas 

There are no size or weight concerns with Arkansas defender Landon Jackson who is 6ft 5, 273 pounds of pissed off pass rusher. Transferring to Arkansas after one year at LSU, Jackson has transformed himself, adding over 40 pounds to his frame to make him a terrifying prospect for opposition linemen. 

Meaning this respectfully, Landon Jackson plays on the edge like they do in the movies. He’s going to mow you down with brute strength. His play radiates the kind of “dumb jock energy” that is synonymous with some of the films and TV shows I watched as a kid. 

That uber-aggressiveness and raw strength also makes him a destroyer of worlds in the run game, with top of the class ability to stack and shed blockers, earning Jackson a 88.7 run defence grade from PFF. 

It isn’t all power though for the Texas native though. He added some nuance to his game at the line of scrimmage this year, batting down 3 pass attempts and he’s far more spry than a man of his size should be giving him a little bit of cornering ability in the backfield. Jackson logged 7 sacks in 2024. 

There are two major issues for Jackson when projecting him to the next level. He’s suffered two ACL injuries, one in high school and one as a freshman in college, and that’s something that always threatens to rear its ugly head. 

Also, despite his destructive play, when Jackson doesn’t win with power he doesn’t win. An 11.5% pass rush win rate is on the low side in this class.

Due to his capabilities in the run game he will still be a viable 3 down player immediately while he works on that. 

He wouldn’t be the do-it-all superstar Cardinals fans are crying out for but he would allow Nick Rallis to dial up a thunder and lightning combination between himself and BJ Ojulari, potentially as the #2 and #3 options behind a game changing veteran. 

What to watch out for: Pass-rush plan (if any) vs. quality opposition

Kyle Kennard – South Carolina 

Kyle Kennard is one of the most intriguing options in the EDGE group heading to Mobile. Despite an obviously productive season which ended with 10 sacks, 6 QB hits, 23 hurries and one batted pass, he doesn’t jump off the page in the same way that others in this class do. 

Even when you look at some of the positives of his work – high football IQ, top drawer motor + effort, a swift inside move, a controlling long arm move and a frame that has room for addition which are all desirable attributes – he still leaves me wanting a lot more. 

To give him his credit, you don’t win the Bronko Nagurski Trophy for just doing the basics and he does have a great knack for making finesse blockers pay.

Something that will harm his future prospects in the NFL is that Kennard already has major issues in run defence at the college level, never mind at the professional level. Whether it’s simply a question of strength and size or something more, he was targeted by opposition offensive coordinators on the ground. 

There also has to be some level of concern when it comes to his 13.1% pass rush win rate. His pad level is high too often which allows better linemen to get their hands on him quickly.

If the draft happened tomorrow, I wouldn’t want the Cardinals to take him but he’s likely going to be the defender I pay the closest attention to this week. 

I’m very likely the lowest of the low men on Kennard and I’m more than happy to look daft when he turns in a clinic at the Senior Bowl. 

What to watch out for: Pad level in 1-on-1s and whether this is all a “me” problem or a Kennard problem. 

Princely Umanmielen – Ole Miss

If this draft class was judged purely on highlight reel moments, Princely Umanmielen would be considered a top 5 prospect. 

When the Ole Miss rusher is at his best, he’s a joy to watch. Able to win with electric burst and length, Umanmielen has left a trail of embarrassed young men wishing they’d never put on a football helmet. 

The Florida transfer posted a staggering 22.8% pass rush win rate, with a 91.4 PFF pass rush grade, using his first step and lateral quickness to ease past his opposing number. This resulted in 11 sacks and 58 pressures in 2024.

When he was able to isolate a linemen out in space, it was goodnight and God bless. 

Despite being a player who wins via that quickness and finesse, Umanmielen isn’t a pushover. He weighed in at 264 lbs upon arrival at the Senior Bowl, has contributed in the run game while at Ole Miss and has even shown glimpses of being able to convert his speed to power. 

Unfortunately for Princely, football isn’t (or at least it shouldn’t be) judged purely on highlight reel moments. When the 22-year-old doesn’t win with his explosiveness in the first instance, he can be halted and often flounders in the arms of a tackle, so he’s going to have to expand his pass-rush weaponry at the next level. 

That need for consistency paired with his development as a run defender, primarily in becoming stronger and knowing how to best use that strength at the point of attack, is what knocks him down a tier or two when you rank the 2024 EDGE class. 

If a coaching staff can help Princely Umanmielen pull all of those things together, they would have a very valuable weapon on their roster.

I would back Jonathan Gannon and Nick Rallis to make a good attempt at that, if the opportunity arose. 

What to watch out for: Whose draft trajectory is Princely Umanmielen going to affect? Halting him will win you plenty of fans but he could also make you look incredibly silly. 

DEFENSIVE TACKLES

Darius Alexander – Toledo 

This time last year, Quinyon Mitchell was making himself serious money by elevating his draft stock with a sublime performance at the Senior Bowl. Darius Alexander will be hoping that he can make half the impact his former Toledo teammate made. 

Boasting a verified wingspan of 82.28 inches (equivalent to 6ft 10 or 2.09 metres), Alexander brings an enormous presence to the defensive line, able to swallow up blockers and double teams with ease. Using powerful, violent hands, he can knock guards off kilter and create an entry point into the pocket. 

Particularly dominant in the run game, Alexander recorded at least one run stop in every game this year, with 40 run stops in the last two seasons. That was the 10th most among FBS defensive tackles during that time frame. 

With 34 inch arms, the 24-year-old is able to dictate contact, clamping onto linemen quickly while displaying good grip strength. These situations often result in Alexander using his destructive bull rush to collapse the pocket. 

The obvious concern for Alexander is the same that was levied at Mitchell last year – level of competition – but it’s technique that concerns me most.

As can be the case for a number of big, powerful defensive tackles, Alexander can be guilty of playing with a high pad level, which can expose his anchoring ability. For such a big guy, he has thinner legs than you’d expect, so he is liable to being overwhelmed when a guard can win the leverage battle. 

At 24, he’s hardly the spring chicken in a DLine class overflowing with talent but something about him feels like a Monti Ossenfort pick.

What to watch out for: Is Alexander able to anchor down against the type of top level competition he’ll face over the next few days?

Walter Nolen – Ole Miss

Walter Nolen set incredibly high expectations for himself when he told The Draft Network, as part of the informative interview collaboration with the Senior Bowl, that he is “the next Aaron Donald”. 

It’s that time of year, isn’t it? 

To be fair to Nolen, he does bring a lot to the table. A top-tier athlete for the position who bursts out of his stance quickly, Nolen was a productive part of the Rebels’ front seven, delivering 6 sacks, 30 pressures and breaking up two pass attempts at the line of scrimmage. 

A player whose hands are constantly moving, Nolen acts as a defensive scalpel, slicing offensive lines with clinical precision, something which offered his team mate Princely Umanmielen plenty of opportunities to terrorise the tackle on an island. 

Making an impact in both run support and against the pass, with a run stop rate of 11.9% and a pass rush win rate of 10.9%, Nolen had a career year after transferring from Texas A&M being named a consensus All-American. 

To even attempt to breathe the same air as Donald, Nolen will have to develop a consistent pass-rush plan as Georgia, Oklahoma and Arkansas were all able to quieten him down to a degree as well as continuing to develop his finishing when in the backfield. There were multiple sacks left on the field. 

If Nolen continues to grow, he could have a stellar career.

What to watch out for: Consistency in 1-on-1s. 

Aeneas Peebles – Virginia Tech

This defensive line class is the land of the giants. Big, long, strong dudes that come right from the casting call for DTs. Then, there is Aeneas Peebles. 

When you’ve spent hours watching footage of freakishly sized human beings, watching Aeneas Peebles is a bit of culture shock. At 6ft, 289 lbs, Peebles is one of the smallest and lightest in the class. He’s like a living fire hydrant, with sawn-off shotguns for arms and that’s exactly how he plays. 

Bringing violence married to good technique is what makes Peebles stand out in the crowded room, as he finished the 2024 season with 6.5 TFLs and 3 sacks while being named to the All-ACC First-Team. 

Despite his size, Peebles is able to stand his ground and fight to hold the line of scrimmage, using his low centre of gravity to remain balanced. 

When rushing the passer, the former Duke defender can rely on an elite get off, a handy spin move and world-class effort to disrupt the offensive line. His 17.7% pass rush win rate is by far and away the highest out of the defensive tackles listed here. 

He won’t be an every down starter at the pro level but he could provide some buzz to the Cardinals DLine rotation and his attitude fits directly into the philosophy of this team. 

Sometimes it’s not about the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog. 

What to watch out for: There’s some lengthy O-Linemen here. Can Peebles bring the fight to them?

Deone Walker – Kentucky 

I hate the phrase “built different” but Deone Walker is legitimately built differently. On arrival at the Senior Bowl, Walker measured 6 ft 7, 340 lbs with a SEVEN FOOT WINGSPAN. Look at the size of that fucker.

I didn’t know they made human beings that size. 

A multi-sport athlete in high school as both a football player and a basketball player (because of course he was), Walker was a highly sought after recruit, receiving offers from LSU, Alabama, Michigan, Georgia, Penn State, Tennessee and Texas before settling on Kentucky. 

That basketball background gives Walker a speed that is so alarming for a man of his stature, it needs to be seen to be believed. 

Aligning across the defensive line – 142 snaps in the A Gap, 247 in the B, 99 over the tackle and 36 outside – the 20-year-old demands attention from offensive coordinators. 

Still developing his game and finding what he truly wants to be as a player, Walker had 4 sacks, 18 hurries and 3 batted passes in 2024. 

He collected multiple awards during his time as a Wildcat, being named Second Team All-SEC for three consecutive years, and First Team Freshman All-American in 2022. 

Despite his size causing him some issues as there’s so much of him to grab, Walker is a player capable of working out of blocks, something that will continue to improve with NFL coaching. 

Some people have criticised him for having durability/motor issues on tape and he certainly does slow down as games go along. That’s because he’s 6ft 7 and 340 pounds. He shouldn’t be playing 50+ snaps a game like Kentucky made him do on an almost weekly basis. 

His output should only improve if he’s deployed more sparingly, something which could make Arizona an ideal landing spot for him due to the rotational nature of the team’s defensive line. 

The most snaps a Cardinals defensive lineman played in a single game last year was Roy Lopez who played 50 against Washington in Week 4. It’s far more common for players to see 25-35 snaps per game in this system. 

What to watch out for: Can Deone Walker dominate and where are his most effective reps coming from?

Image Credits: The Virginian Pilot, Ole Miss Athletics, Toledo Athletics, Whole Hog Sports, Spectrum News, The Mountain Eagle