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SNS 2025 Senior Bowl Fast Rising Prospects

Writer's picture: John B. Everett John B. Everett

Isaac TeSlaa / WR / Arkansas
Isaac TeSlaa / WR / Arkansas

The 76th Senior Bowl game was played on Saturday afternoon in Mobile, Alabama and it ended with a truly heartwarming moment when TCU WR, Jack Bech, whose brother (Tiger) was murdered during the terrorist attack in New Orleans on January 1st, scored the winning TD, as time expired, to lead the American squad to a victory over the National squad. Bech had a great week down on the gulf coast and elevated his stock significantly, while the QBs did little to help their stock as they failed to shine during the week, and the EDGE Rushers and defensive tackles (IDL) in Mobile look like they will have a major impact on the NFL next season. Let’s take a look at some of the prospects who made themselves some money this past week.


 

Isaac TeSlaa / WR / Arkansas

TeSlaa, a transfer from Division II Hillsdale College (Michigan), offers an intriguing combination of size (nearly 6’3”), reach (76 and ½” wingspan), and competitiveness to become a chain moving possession receiver at the NFL level. TeSlaa lined up mostly in the slot during his time in Fayetteville but has the size and strength to line up as an outside WR in the NFL, although his lack of lateral quickness may make it difficult to beat press attempts at the LOS. Almost all of TeSlaa’s receptions are contested because he rarely creates much separation in his routes but his strength, route running, and leaping ability allow him to prosper over the middle of the field. TeSlaa should be off the board before the end of round five in April.


 

Elijah Arroyo / TE / Miami, Fl

The best and most consistent TE practicing this week in Mobile was Arroyo, whose speed, agility, and route running allowed him to exploit the DB in one-on-one drills during all three practices. Arroyo is naturally athletic with the speed, quickness, hands, and leaping ability to become a receiving option as soon as next season. Arroyo is relatively inexperienced with traditional in-line blocking duties but has the size and attitude to become a competent blocker at the NFL level. The 2025 TE class is a deep and athletic group of pass catchers, led by Tyler Warren (Penn State) and Colston Loveland (Michigan), and the order in which the other top TEs get selected, amongst Arroyo, Terrance Ferguson (Oregon), Mason Taylor (LSU), Mitchell Evans (Notre Dame), Luke Lachey (Iowa), Harold Fannin (Bowling Green), and Oronde Gadsden (Syracuse), will be fascinating to watch develop over the next three months.


 

Jonah Savaiinaea / OT / Arizona

The majority of OL working out in Mobile this past week figure to have to slide inside to guard or center in the NFL due to variety of reasons, but most directly due to a lack of desired length for lining up on the outside. Savaiinaea has prototypical size for OT duties with very long arms (34 and ½”) and a very large wingspan (81 and 3/4”). Savaiinaea plays with leverage and is extremely strong. He has experience lining up outside on both sides of the line and seems ideally suited for ORT at the next level. Savaiinaea is a powerful run blocker who may get consideration at guard at the next level but regardless, the Wildcat OL is a Top 40 prospect in this draft and should be off the board no later than mid-second round in April.


 

Wyatt Milium / OT / West Virginia

Milium is a four-year starting OLT who is a technician and has steadily improved throughout his career in Morgantown. Based purely on film, Milium looks like a future starting OLT. But the NFL is a league that likes to check boxes and Milium’s length (32 and ½” arms) and wingspan (79 and ¼”) is less than ideal for a blindside protector. During Senior Bowl practices and the game, Milium played mostly at left guard and acquitted himself well, anchoring effectively against the bull rush, and adjusting to the quickness and burst of the talented group of IDL that savaged offensive linemen all week long. Milium’s professional future appears destined to be at guard in the NFL and he looks like a late second or early third round draft pick.


 

Grey Zabel / OL / North Dakota State

The best offensive linemen, and possibly top prospect overall in Mobile this past week was Zabel, FCS National Champion North Dakota State’s starting OLT, whose NFL future looks destined to be at guard or center. Zabel lacks the desired length (32 and ½” arms / 77 and ½” wingspan) and lateral agility to be a full-time starting OLT, but he is a technician with a mean streak who anchors effectively against the bull rush and handled speed and movement well during one-on-one drills in Mobile. During the game, Zabel looked better at center than guard as he had trouble handling Sai’Von Jones’ (LSU) quickness and burst in the first quarter, but as the game wore on, his play steadily improved. Zabel looks like a future starter at center and a late first or early second round pick in Green Bay at the end of April.


 

Jonah Monheim / IOL / USC

The IOL available in April’s draft do not stack up to the quality of IOL that had entered the league the last few years. This is especially true of the centers, none of which carry the grade that Jackson Powers Johnson (Raiders) and Zach Frazier (Steelers) carried into the 2024 NFL Draft. This has created an opportunity for Monheim to claim the honor. Monheim has played up and down the offensive line for the Trojans but seemed to find a home for himself at center last season. Although Monheim needs to improve his core strength, he plays with balance, bend, and a wide base and is an excellent hands fighter who refuses to allow the defender to control him with length. Monheim is a future starter and looks like a third or fourth round draft pick but could go higher considering the increased emphasis NFL teams are placing on the center position in recent seasons.


 

Shemar Stewart / EDGE / Texas A&M

The most divisive prospect to work out in Mobile last week was the huge and athletic EDGE from Texas A&M who came into Senior Bowl week generating a ton of buzz from several draft experts but leaves others, such as SNS, wondering why such a freak athlete has produced so little on the field in his college career. Stewart measured in looking like Adonis, 6’5” / 281 lbs / 34 and 1/4” arms / 83 and ½” wingspan, and looked like a stud during team and one-on-one drills, showing raw strength, quick-twitch, and excellent mobility while dominating all the OTs and IOL he faced. Stewart left Mobile prior to the game so it could not be observed how he implemented those tools in a game time situation. And that’s the issue with Stewart – production. He recorded only three sacks and 7.5 TFLs over the last two seasons combined (22 games played). Stewart disappears for long stretches where he gets washed out of plays and has never lived up to his hype or ability. An NFL team may think they can unlock his immense talent. But he has yet to do it at the collegiate level and betting on him finally figuring out at the NFL level is a big ask. Still, Stewart is likely to be a first round draft pick in April.


 

David Walker / EDGE / Central Arkansas

Every NFL Draft offers a prospect or two like Stewart, a player with a freakish body and raw skills who does not play up to his physical talent, and also there are a few prospects who have great film and production but do not measure up (literally) to the NFL standard for body type. Walker fits the latter category as a three-time FCS All-American at Central Arkansas who recorded 10.5 sacks and 23 TFLs in 2024. Walker, who has a playing style similar to Khalil Mack (Chargers), only measured in at 6’ and 7/8” tall, which is below the standard height for an EDGE, although his length is more than satisfactory with 32 and ¾” arms and a 77” wingspan. Walker is a pure power player who needs to add to his pass rushing arsenal but has the quickness and agility to become a more well-rounded pass rusher. Walker looks like a solid fourth-round pick in April in Green Bay.


 

Oluwafemi Oladejo / EDGE / UCLA

The rawest and least developed pass rusher invited to Mobile is Oladejo, who converted to EDGE late this last season and flashed enough upside to be invited to the Senior Bowl. The Bruin played the majority of his career as an off-the-ball LB and was a marginal NFL prospect as a LB, but his length, suddenness, and agility have teams looking at Oladejo as a high impact pass rusher off the edge. Oladejo has the size (6’2 and ¾” / 261 lbs) and length (33 and ½” arms and an 80 and ¾” wingspan) that NFL teams look for and he displayed the twitch and bend throughout the game on Saturday afternoon that proved to be a handful for OTs to handle on the outside. Oladejo needs development but he is an experienced football player that looks to be a more impactful pro than college player. Expect Oladejo to be drafted as early as the top of the second round in Green Bay.


 

Sai’Von Jones / DL / LSU

Every team that likes to run odd man fronts or needs a quick under tackle in an even man front took notice of Jones this week in Mobile. Jones has enticing measureables (6’5 and 1/8” / 289 lbs / 34 and 1/2” arms / 81 and ½” wingspan) with the initial twitch to press the LOS effectively. Jones dominated the action on Saturday afternoon, using a combination of strength, quickness, and length to torture the OL he faced by winning with a lightning quick first step, and then torquing the OL’s upper body with his power and grip strength. Jones flashes these skills on film but needs to improve his consistency to become a solid NFL contributor. Jones should get drafted in the second or third round in April.


 

Azareye’h Thomas / CB / Florida State

Perhaps the most surprising thing that occurred in college football in 2024 was the face plant that the Florida State Seminoles took last season, stumbling to a 2-10 record after starting the season ranked #10 in the nation with a roster stocked with top shelf NFL Draft prospects. Although all three facets of the game – offense, defense, special teams – suffered last year, the defense’s collapse was the most shocking. Thomas has the build that every NFL team looks for at outside CB (6’1 and ½” / 191 lbs / 32 and ½” arms / 10 and 1/8” hands / 77 and ¼” wingspan) but with rare agility and loose hips for such a long-levered CB, that allows him to stay in-phase with quick WRs in coverage. A rare skill set. Unfortunately, Thomas lacks elite ball skills with only one INT recorded over the past two seasons. After looking like a Top 10 pick entering the season, he now warrants a day two pick, based on film. But there are few CBs that enter the league with his combination of A-list physical attributes. It is unlikely he falls out of the first round.


 

Sebastian Castro / DB / Iowa

Some players do not really catch your eye on a practice field loaded with stud athletes but when the pads are on and the lights are bright, they become dominate performers. Castro is one of those players. Although Castro lacks the physical dimensions that teams are looking for at either safety or CB (5’11” / 202 lbs / 31” arms / 74 and ½” wingspan), he is a gamer who seems to always be near the ball in space. Castro is physical, aggressive yet controlled, and has a high football IQ. He is a player in the mold of Brian Branch (Lions) as a versatile player who can line up over the slot, as a dime LB, and as a traditional safety. How well Castro works out at the Combine and his Pro Day will influence his ultimate draft standing but a player like Castro makes any team better. Castro will go off the board by the end of the fifth round in April and will prove to be one of the biggest steals of the 2025 NFL Draft.

 


David Walker / EDGE / Central Arkansas
David Walker / EDGE / Central Arkansas

 

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