Cowboys 2026 draft: Senior Bowl prospect news

The Panini Senior Bowl kicks off this Saturday, 1:30 p.m. CT at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile. With over 130 draft prospects participating across the National and American rosters, the annual All-Star game is a major proving ground where NFL staffs and evaluators can finally stack players from every conference in the same game.

Over the last five draft classes, that Mobile pipeline has mattered in Dallas in a big way. Across the Cowboys’ 45 picks from 2021 to 2025, 19 have been Senior Bowl participants, highlighted by the six Senior Bowl alums Dallas selected in 2022 alone. On the team’s current roster there are some notable Senior Bowl participants that include Dak Prescott (the 2016 Senior Bowl MVP), Osa Odighizuwa, DeMarvion Overshown, Tyler Guyton, Cooper Beebe, Marist Liufau, Caelen Carson, Donovan Ezeiruaku, Shemar James, and Ajani Cornelius. This cross-section underscores why Dallas values the week’s Senior Bowl practices and interview access as much as the game itself

Historically, the Senior Bowl has been a familiar stage for some of the best players the Cowboys have ever drafted, including Larry Allen, Zack Martin, and DeMarcus Ware. Names that reinforce why a strong week in Mobile still carries real weight in Dallas and something Cowboys fans need to pay close attention toward when it comes to Draft Day. 

Top-10 Prospects Watch List:

David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech

Bailey is maybe the top-ranked invite on most people’s rankings. He’s an explosive, high-level pass-rush specialist whose acceleration, flexibility, and arsenal of moves lets him win in multiple ways while still playing with enough edge-setting strength to stay on the field.  

T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson

Parker is a pro-ready, three-down edge with the anchor and spatial awareness to set the edge versus the run, plus enough burst and power to collapse pockets.  

KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M 

Concepcion is the prototype offensive-starter kit in Mobile, bringing legitimate receiver production plus return value on special teams, and high-end run-after-catch ability.  

Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami

Mesidor is a speed-to-power rusher with NFL-ready strength setting the edge and a notably improved pass-rush plan, pairing ferocity with the quickness to turn pressure into finish.  

Caleb Banks, DT, Florida

Banks is a rare-bodied interior disruptor who can threaten gaps as a pass rusher and hold up versus the run, with durability the main question teams will be monitoring all week.  

Gennings Dunker, OG, Iowa

Dunker brings that typical Iowa-grade physicality and power as a tone-setting run blocker with a nasty finish, projecting cleanly inside to guard where his movement limitations are less exposed and his play strength can drive an NFL run game.  

Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State

Johnson is a boundary-capable cover man with the size/athletic profile to survive outside, the hip fluidity to stay in phase downfield, and the versatility to play man and zone.  

A.J. Haulcy, S, LSU 

Haulcy is a thumping, high-motor safety who processes quickly in coverage, plays the ball, and brings real box-to-backend utility, backed by top-end production that shows up in tackling volume and takeaway impact. 

Ja’Kobi Lane, WR, USC

Lane is a big-framed target who wins with size, body control, and situational value, especially in the red-zone areas. He gives quarterbacks a margin-for-error option who can play above the rim and separate late.

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo

McNeil-Warren offers uncommon size and range for the position with reliable zone eyes, a willingness to trigger downhill in run support, and a physical finishing temperament that flashes in both tackling and ball disruption.  

Cowboys Prospect Watch List:

LT Overton, DL, Alabama

Overton’s appeal is in his alignment flexibility across the front along with the size and athletic blend to play the run on early downs and still generate push as a defensive line hybrid rusher.

Tacario Davis, CB, Washington

If Dallas is shopping for man-capable corners, Davis brings boundary size, length, and competitiveness at the catch point that translates to matching bigger NFL receivers.  

Davison Igbinosun, CB, Ohio State

Igbinosun profiles as a press-and-match corner with the physicality and temperament Dallas needs more of, ideally showing in Mobile that his technique and ball production can catch up to the traits.  

Nick Singleton, RB, Penn State

Singleton offers a true juice injection as a runner with home-run speed and workload capacity, and his week will be about proving three-down value in a class Dallas may need to tap.  

Parker Brailsford, IOL, Alabama

Brailsford is the classic keep Dak clean depth piece that can be found on Day 3. He’s smart, technically sound, and position-flexible enough to develop into a quality interior backup with spot-start value.  

Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois

Jacas is a cost-effective swing at pass-rush juice and special-teams utility, with the length and get-off to carve out a rotational role if the hand usage and counter moves show up in practice.  

Kyle Louis, LB, Pitt

Louis fits Dallas’ linebacker overhaul as a high-motor, downhill run-and-chase player who can compete for sub-package snaps if he proves he can carry routes and tackle cleanly in space.  

Michael Taaffe, S, Texas

Taaffe is a pragmatic safety option for a roster potentially turning over at the position, bringing football IQ, tackling reliability, and role flexibility that coaches tend to trust early.  

Austin Barber, OT, Florida

A long, steady pass protector with starter-caliber size who would appeal to Dallas as a plug-and-play swing tackle candidate in an offense that prioritizes keeping the pocket clean.

Emmanuel Pregnon, IOL, Oregon

A leverage-and-movement interior lineman who fits Dallas’ preference for functional athletes inside, offering guard and center flexibility and the kind of competitive finish that tends to translate to reliable depth.

Kendal Daniels, LB, Oklahoma

A big-framed, downhill second-level defender whose value to Dallas is as a physical rotational linebacker and core special-teamer, with Mobile reps critical for proving coverage viability in sub packages.

Jalon Kilgore, DB, South Carolina

A versatile defensive back type who would interest Dallas as a role-flex piece for matchup coverages and special teams, especially if he shows clean transitions and route recognition in one-on-ones.  

Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech

A high-impact, turnover-creating linebacker like those Dallas has leaned on at linebacker in the past. He has an aggressive trigger and finds the football, finishes plays, and manufactures negative downs.

Kendal Daniels, LB, Oklahoma

Daniels fits Dallas as a size and length linebacker who can function as a big nickel overhang in sub packages. He gives Christian Parker flexibility to disguise coverages, rotate safeties, and still play with physicality versus the run.

Honourable mentions:

Zion Young, EDGE, Missouri
Tim Keenan III, DT, Alabama
Rayshaun Benny, DT, Michigan
Zane Durant, DT, Penn State
Will Lee III, CB, Texas A&M
Chandler Rivers, CB, Duke
Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia
Deshon Singleton, S, Nebraska
Treyden Stukes, DB, Arizona
Thaddeus Dixon, DB, North Carolina
Tanner Koziol, TE, Houst

Here is the full roster of the Senior Bowl invites you can expect to see this weekend. 

Quarterbacks

• Cole Payton, North Dakota State
• Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
• Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
• Luke Altmyer, Illinois
• Taylen Green, Arkansas
• Sawyer Robertson, Baylor

Running Backs

• Adam Randall, Clemson
• J’Mari Taylor, Virginia
• Jam Miller, Alabama
• Jonah Coleman, Washington
• Kaytron Allen, Penn State
• Le’Veon Moss, Texas A&M
• Mike Washington Jr, Arkansas
• Nick Singleton, Penn State
• Rahsul Faison, South Carolina
• Seth McGowan, Kentucky

Wide Receivers

• Aaron Anderson, LSU 
• Barion Brown, LSU 
• Brenen Thompson, Mississippi State
• Caullin Lacy, Louisville
• Caleb Douglas, Texas Tech
• Deion Burks, Oklahoma
• Elijah Sarratt, Indiana
• Harrison Wallace III, Ole Miss
• Ja’Kobi Lane, USC 
• Josh Cameron, Baylor 
• Jordan Hudson, SMU
• Kevin Coleman Jr, Missouri
• KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
• Lewis Bond, Boston College
• Malachi Fields, Notre Dame
• Reggie Virgil, Texas Tech
• Romello Brinson, SMU
• Ted Hurst, Georgia State
• Vinny Anthony II, Wisconsin

Tight Ends

• Dan Villari, Syracuse
• DJ Rogers, TCU
• John Michael Gyllenborg, Wyoming
• Joshua Cuevas, Alabama
• Justin Joly, North Carolina State
• Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M
• Sam Roush, Stanford
• Tanner Koziol, Houston
• Will Kacmarek, Ohio State

Offensive Linemen

• Alex Harkey, Oregon
• Austin Barber, Florida)
• Beau Stephens, Iowa
• Carver Willis, Washington
• Dametrious Crownover, Texas A&M
• Delby Lemieux, Dartmouth
• Drew Shelton, Penn State
• Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon
• Fernando Carmona, Arkansas
• Gennings Dunker, Iowa
• Isaiah World, Oregon
• Jaden Farmer, Kentucky
• Jake Slaughter, Florida
• JC Davis, Illinois
• Jude Bowry, Boston College
• Jeremiah Wright, Auburn
• Jalen Farmer, Kentucky
• Kage Casey, Boise State
• Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech
• Logan Taylor, Boston College
• Max Iheanacho, Arizona State
• Parker Brailsford, Alabama
• Samuel Hecht, Kansas State
• Trey Zuhn III, Texas A&M

Defensive Linemen

• Akheem Mesidor, Miami
• Anthony Vincent, Duke
• Bryson Eason, Tennessee
• Cameron Ball, Arkansas
• Caleb Banks, Florida
• Chris McClellan, Missouri
• Cian Slone, North Carolina State
• Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
• David Bailey, Texas Tech
• Derrick Moore, Michigan
• Deven Eastern, Minnesota
• Domonique Orange, Iowa State
• Gabe Jacas, Illinois
• Gracen Halton, Oklahoma
• Jack Pyburn, LSU
• Jeffrey M’Ba, SMU
• Lee Hunter, Texas Tech
• Logan Fano, Utah
• LT Overton, Alabama
• Max Llewellyn, Iowa
• Nick Barrett, South Carolina
• Quintayvious Hutchins, Boston College
• Rayshaun Benny, Michigan
• Romello Height, Texas Tech
• Tim Keenan III, Alabama
• TJ Parker, Clemson
• Vincent Anthony Jr., Duke
• Zane Durant, Penn State
• Zion Young, Missouri

Linebackers

• Bryce Boettcher, Oregon
• Jack Kelly, BYU
• Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
• Kaleb Elarms-Orr, TCU
• Kendal Daniels, Oklahoma
• Keyshaun Elliott, Arizona State
• Keyron Crawford, Auburn
• Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh
• Nadame Tucker, Western Michigan
• Owen Heinecke, Oklahoma
• Scooby Williams, Texas A&M
• Xavian Sorey, Arkansas

Defensive Backs

• AJ Haulcy, SAF, LSU
• Bud Clark, SAF, TCU
• Chandler Rivers, CB, Duke 
• Charles Demmings, CB, Stephen F. Austin
• Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State
• Collin Wright, CB, Stanford
• Davison Igbinosun, DB, Ohio State
• Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia
• Deshon Singleton, SAF, Nebraska
• Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
• Ephesians Prysock, CB, Washington
• Genesis Smith, SAF, Arizona
• Hezekiah Masses, CB, California
• Jakobe Thomas, SAF, Miami
• Jalen McMurray, CB, Tennessee
• Jalon Kilgore, SAF, South Carolina
• Julian Neal, CB, Arkansas
• Kamari Ramsey, SAF, USC
• Keionte Scott, CB, Miami
• Michael Taaffe, SAF, Texas
• Tacario Davis, CB, Washington
• Treydan Stukes, DB, Arizona
• TJ Hall, CB, Iowa
• Thaddeus Dixon, DB, North Carolina
• VJ Payne, SAF, Kansas State
• Will Lee III, CB, Texas A&M
• Zakee Wheatley, SAF, Penn State

Special Teams Players

• Beau Gardner, LS, Georgia
• Brett Thorson, P, Georgia
• Drew Stevens, K, Iowa
• Luke Basso, LS, Oregon
• Ryan Eckley, P, Michigan State
• William Ferrin (K, BYU)