Some recaps of the senior year bowl coverage from DaftonDraft. I am going to break it up into four posts, here the first on QB's, RB's, and WR. I will do another for TE's and O-Line, then on Defense, do one on the D-Line, and another on LB'ers and DB's....
QB's, RB's, and WR's
After three days in Mobile, I’m pretty convinced this is a one-QB class, and Senior Bowl week didn’t really change that. The QB play was rough across the board, not just “meh,” but structurally rough. Luke Altmyer was clearly the most functional QB at the event — and that’s not praise so much as acknowledgment. He wasn’t flashy, didn’t chase hero throws, but he consistently threw on time, handled pressure better than anyone else, and didn’t melt when the pocket got muddy. He threw hot against pressure looks, navigated interior chaos, and didn’t hold the ball forever. That alone put him ahead of the field.
Cole Payton gave you more splash, especially downfield, and the TD to Tanner Koziol was a legitimately good rep — full-field read, timing, placement. But the misses and questionable decisions piled up. Garrett Nussmeier needed a strong week and didn’t get it. Too many misses over the middle, poor leverage reads on choice routes, and you could see the disconnect with his receivers. Even accounting for WR leverage issues, the ball placement wasn’t good enough. And Taylen Green… honestly brutal. Hitching at the top of every drop, eyes not working backside, constant scrambling in a setting where you can’t scramble, capped by back-to-back sacks and a pick in two-minute. That’s a red flag week. Diego Pavia was a fun story, but at 5’9” with limited tools, there’s not much to project. Sawyer Robertson just doesn’t have the arm — the ball hangs and dies. Net takeaway: Cade Klubnik was still the best all-star QB between Shrine + Senior, and this class looks thin behind him.
RBs, on the other hand, were refreshingly clear. Mike Washington was the best back in Mobile, full stop. Vision, decisiveness, good initial burst, strong lower half — he looks like an NFL RB. Not a home-run hitter, but the kind of guy who earns trust early. He also separated easily from LBs in receiving drills, which matters more than raw speed. Pass pro still needs refinement, but that’s coachable. Jadyn Ott quietly helped himself too — his pass-pro reps stood out, and that’s the fastest way to get on the field as a rookie. In a one-back class, Washington clearly helped himself the most.
WRs were uneven and role-heavy. Malachi Fields looked like the alpha of the group — vertical threat, catch-point dominance, physicality as a blocker. He’s not a separator underneath, but he knows his job and executes it. Tyren Montgomery continued to be one of the best stories of the week — clean routes, body control, competitive toughness. You never saw the level of competition bother him. Vinny Anthony flashed throttle control and tempo manipulation. Josh Cameron was clean early but faded with drops in traffic. Ja’Kobi Lane struggled to separate and handle press. Overall, no WR1s here — but plenty of WR3/WR4 types who helped themselves.
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