Pitt LB Shines in Day 1 of Senior Bowl

PITTSBURGH — The first day of practice of the Panini Senior Bowl was held on Jan. 27, and the Pitt Panthers had one player stand out from the rest.

This year, the Senior Bowl is hosting over 100 prospects looking to raise their stock ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, which will be held outside of Acrisure Stadium on the North Shore of Pittsburgh from April 23-25.

All 32 NFL teams are in attendance for the annual Senior Bowl, held in Mobile, Ala., and Pitt star linebacker Kyle Louis had himself a day.

Lance Zierlein and Eric Edholm of NFL.com named Louis as one of their five standout players from the first day of Senior Bowl practice.

Louis Impresses in First Senior Bowl Practice

Oct 11, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles running back Gavin Sawchuk (27) runs the ball past Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Kyle Louis (9) during the first half at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

Given what Louis did in his time at Pitt, it's not surprising that he had a strong performance on Day 1. The All-American has been seen as a projected top 100 prospect since the end of the regular season.

However, the consensus on Louis seems to be that he'll likely fit better as a defensive back rather than an outside linebacker at the next level. ESPN senior draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. listed Louis as the No. 4 safety in the upcoming draft on Jan. 21, and his coverage skills were the highlight of the day for him.

"At a hair under 6-foot and just 224 pounds, Louis isn't built like the typical NFL linebacker. He operates as more of a nickel linebacker hybrid, taking downhill shots to make trouble for offenses as both a blitzer and gap-shooter," Zierlein and Edholm wrote.

"His skills in coverage set him apart, though. In one-on-one drills against running backs, Louis basically ran the option route for the runner and nabbed the quarterback's pass with his quick hands. He was tight in coverage throughout that portion of the practice, showing why he should be a rising prospect in this draft."

There was even a clip from PewterReport on X showcasing Louis' talents. In the clip, Louis was matched up against Penn State's speedy running back Nicholas Singleton in coverage and Louis jumped the route to force an interception.

.@Pitt_FB LB Kyle Louis with a great coverage rep and INT in 1-on-1s. Covering Penn State’s Nick Singleton. pic.twitter.com/4OUktjMfdU
— PewterReport 🏴‍☠️ (@PewterReport) January 27, 2026

Louis leaves Pitt after being named an All-American in 2024 and an All-ACC linebacker the past two seasons. He finished his career with 201 total tackles (93 solo, 108 assisted), 25.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, six interceptions, 12 pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles, one blocked kick and one touchdown.

Senior Bowl practices will continue until Jan. 29, followed by the Senior Bowl game on Jan. 31 at 12:30 p.m. on the NFL Network.

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