The first day of Senior Bowl practices belonged to the defensive linemen. Both teams fielded multiple big maulers who routinely humiliated their own offensive lines.
Monstrous Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter was the main run-stuffer and pass-rusher for the National team, winning pretty much every one-on-one rep he had and making things difficult even when double-teamed. While other D-linemen like Utah’s Logan Fano and Western Michigan’s Nadame Tucker had moments, the 6-foot-3, 320-pound Hunter stood out.
The American team didn’t have one guy as good as Hunter — they had a bunch. Its defensive line dominated for most of the 11-on-11 drills, and it wasn’t until maybe 15 plays in that the running backs began to find space for gains. And that’s saying something, because the American team is loaded at running back with Arkansas’ Mike Washington Jr. and Indiana’s Kaelon Black as the headliners.
One of the Americans’ best players was Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks, a 6-foot-6, 300-pound, long-armed titan who clearly made up for lost time after playing in just three games for the Gators in 2025. On one play, he shed a block, ran right into the face of Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer, stopped his feet and pumped his fist. In anything but a practice, that would have been a raucous sack.
“We were talking [before practice] and we felt like we were the most dominant D-line that the Senior Bowl is probably going to ever see,” Banks told CBS Sports post-practice. “We’re excited to showcase our talents and go out there and dominate. We got a group of guys, and I just can’t wait for you guys to see it on Saturday. It’s gonna be fun.”
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Michigan’s Derrick Moore and Rayshaun Benny, Oklahoma’s Gracen Halton, Alabama’s LT Overton and Missouri’s Chris McClellan also had multiple run stops and pass-rush pressures.
Banks then cautioned that their dominance had to be tempered because their offensive line is just starting to develop chemistry.
Sure enough, the D-line clinic eventually stopped and the offensive line adjusted, helping the running backs begin to find space. Arkansas running back Washington said the practice felt familiar.
“That’s how it’s gonna be in the game,” Washington said. “You play a great team, you might have 3 yards, 2 yards, 3 yards, and then over the course of a game, it starts turning into 4 yards, 5 yards. Then you pop an 18-yarder, and the next thing you know, you pop a 20- or 50-yarder.
“That’s how the game goes. Yeah, it’s kind of frustrating, but understanding that, one: everybody’s from a different team. Not a lot of people on the O-line came from the same team. But that chemistry matters. We’re just showing off that we can play with a different quarterback and a different O-line and take advantage of the opportunity.”
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Stock Up
Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State
Every quarterback had some moments, but Payton from FCS powerhouse North Dakota State made more strong throws than anyone on either team Tuesday. On top of being on time on dig and slant routes, Payton flashed consistent accuracy downfield. He even took matters into his own hands when he was pressured off a play-fake and launched a nearly 50-yarder in the general direction of Texas Tech’s Caleb Douglas, who beat his coverage on a corner route and hauled it in.
Payton went from a relative unknown to, potentially, one of the top project picks in the draft. He’s 6-foot-3, 233 pounds and has a cannon for a left arm. He’s also quite mobile, running for 777 yards and 13 touchdowns in 13 games. He’ll get a lot of attention as long as he keeps this up.
Mike Washington Jr., RB, Arkansas
Washington’s instant acceleration was a differentiator between him and the other rushing prospects. By the end of practice, he also had the most effective runs against that vaunted American run defense, plus a couple of nice receptions.
Washington told CBS Sports afterward he’s going to work hard on pass protection so he can be trusted as a three-down back as a rookie. He’ll earn trust on rushing downs for sure, which is why he could end up as a Day 2 pick.
Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State
He’s 6-foot-3, 207 pounds and fleet of foot. Not only did he run precise routes and aid the run game effectively as a blocker, but … well, just look at this:
If Hurst keeps this up all week, he’ll work his way into the top 100 picks.
Josh Cameron, WR, Baylor
I’d argue Cameron was the most consistent receiver for either team Tuesday. Him or Hurst. Cameron had terrific separation in one-on-one drills, showed great technique to fade away from top cornerback Colton Hood’s coverage on a deep catch down the right sideline on a good throw by Diego Pavia, and nearly had another (a better throw would have helped), and showed off his combination of nimble feet and a stocky build (6-foot-1 and 223 pounds).
Cameron can also push into the top 100 because of his ability to contribute as an inside or outside receiver. The more routes he runs, the more attention he’ll warrant.
Beau Stephens and Gennings Dunker, OL, Iowa
I’d be hard-pressed to find even two bad plays from either lineman. Stephens was bull-rushed by Hunter, then got his revenge later. Dunker is massive — every bit of 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds — and he practiced to expectations Tuesday. Not surprising, because Iowa is an offensive line factory.
I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if both were top-40 picks, with Dunker a top-30 guy.
Stock Down / Questions
The entire American team OL
You knew it was going to be a long day when Miami tackle Markel Bell struggled in one-on-one drills. Bell bounced back, but a number of other linemen did not. To be fair, it was their first practice together, so hopefully they build on how the day ended.
Nearly all of the TEs
Will Kacmarek felt like the least detailed route-runner among the American tight ends. Josh Cuevas dropped a pass versus air. John Michael Gyllenborg couldn’t separate from coverage. Tanner Koziol didn’t flash his size or catch radius.
In fact, the only tight ends who made even a couple of decent plays were Nate Boerkircher and Sam Roush. I’d expect more to step up in the coming practices.
Ja’Kobi Lane, WR, USC
Lane particularly struggled to beat press coverage and wasn’t overly physical with the defensive backs he lined up against. For someone 6-foot-4 and as strong as he is, you’d expect more. I hope to see it in the coming days.
Two Things We Couldn’t Ignore
Lack of aggressive passing
The quarterbacks were pretty conservative Tuesday, save for Payton as mentioned earlier. There’s no question the D-line play had a hand in that, as quarterbacks were more interested in getting the ball out than taking a sack, as they should — but it meant fewer highlight-reel plays.
Referees
Defensive backs on both teams were grabby, and the refs called every single one of them. Some warranted, some a little ticky-tack. It made it tough to evaluate a lot of plays.
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