Senior Bowl Day Arrives for Brenen Thompson and His NFL Draft Case

An invitation to the Senior Bowl isn’t a guarantee of an NFL future but it’s one of the clearest signs a player is firmly on the league’s radar.

That spotlight turns directly on Mississippi State wide receiver Brenen Thompson today as he takes the field in the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl, continuing his push toward the NFL Draft.

The Senior Bowl kicks off Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama, with the game airing nationally on NFL Network. For Thompson, it’s more than an all-star showcase — it’s a proving ground.

History suggests he’s in the right place. Since 1952, 99 Mississippi State players have participated in the Senior Bowl, and 78 of them eventually heard their names called on draft day. While the NFL Draft is now limited to seven rounds instead of the sprawling formats of earlier eras, participation in the sport’s oldest college all-star game still carries weight with scouts and decision-makers.

Thompson currently projects as a Day 3 selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, scheduled for April 23–25 in Pittsburgh. If he’s drafted, he would become the first Mississippi State wide receiver selected since Eric Moulds in 1996 — a notable connection, considering Moulds was also a Senior Bowl participant.

For now, though, the focus is simple and immediate: one more opportunity, one national stage, and one afternoon to make his case.

Here's the full list of Mississippi State players that have played in the senior bowl and what round they were drafted in:

1951 B Bill Stewart (26th)
1952 B Joe Fortunato (7th)
1955 C Hal Easterwood (12th)
1956 B Art Davis (1st)
1957 E Ron Bennett (13th)
1959 B Billy Stacy (1st)
1961 C Tom Goode (17th)
1963 E Johnny Baker (3rd)
1964 B Ode Burrell (3rd)
1965 G Justin Canale (12th)
1966 B Hoyle Granger (4th)
1968 LB D.D. Lewis (6th)
1971 WR David Smith (16th)
1973 DB Ken Phares (2nd)
1974 RB Wayne Jones (6th)
1975 S Steve Freeman (5th), DL Jimmy Webb (1st)
1976 OL Jim Eidson (2nd)
1977 LB Ray Costict (11th)
1978 DL Larry Gillard (11th)
1980 DB Kenny Johnson (5th)
1981 WR Mardye McDole (2nd)
1983 RB Michael Haddix (1st), WR Glen Young (3rd)
1987 QB Don Smith (2nd)
1988 OL Garry Frank (2nd)
1990 TE Jesse Anderson (4th)
1991 DE Robert Young (5th)
1992 DL Nate Williams (8th)
1993 WR Willie Harris (7th), DL Kevin Henry (4th)
1995 OL Jesse James (2nd), TE Kendell Watkins (2nd), OL Melvin Hayes (4th)
1996 CB Walt Harris (1st), WR Eric Moulds (1st)
1997 OL Brent Smith (3rd), DL Terry Day (4th)
1998 DB Eric Brown (2nd) OL Eric Dotson, OL Robert Hicks (3rd), LB Greg Favors (4th)
1999 RB James Johnson (2nd), TE Reggie Kelly (2nd), OL Randy Thomas (2nd)
2000 CB Robert Bean (5th)
2001 CB Fred Smoot (2nd), DL Willie Blade (3rd), OL Floyd Womack (4th), DL Ellis Wyms (6th)|
2002 DL Dorsett Davis (3rd)
2003 RB Justin Griffith (4th), LB Mario Haggan (7th)
2005 OT David Stewart (4th), DL Ronald Fields (5th)
2006 RB Jerious Norwood (3rd)
2007 DL Antonio Johnson ((5th)
2010 RB Anthony Dixon (6th), LB Jamar Chaney (7th)
2011 OT Derek Sherrod (2nd), LB K.J. Wright (4th), DL Pernell McPhee (5th), LB Chris White (6th)
2012 RB Vick Ballard (5th)
2013 DL Josh Boyd (5th)
2014 OL Gabe Jackson (3rd)
2015 DE Preston Smith (2nd)
2016 QB Dak Prescott (4th)
2017 OL Justin Senior (6th)
2019 S Johnathan Abram (1st), DE Montez Sweat (1st), OC Elgton Jenkins (2nd), LB Gerri Green (6th)
2020 OL Tyre Phillips (3rd), S Brian Cole (7th)
2023 DT Cameron Young (4th)
2024 DT Jaden Crumedy (6th), LB Nate Watson (6th)

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