Jaguar Report

Five Senior Bowl Practice Standouts Jaguars Fans Should Key In On

The Jacksonville Jaguars could find more prospects to draft from this year's Senior Bowl.
Jared Feinberg|
Jan 28, 2026; Mobile, AL, USA; National Team quarterback Cole Payton (9) of North Dakota State passes during National Senior Bowl practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images
Jan 28, 2026; Mobile, AL, USA; National Team quarterback Cole Payton (9) of North Dakota State passes during National Senior Bowl practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

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Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars' offseason is in full swing as they had a contingent in Mobile, Alabama, for one of the biggest weeks of the pre-NFL Draft cycle at the Panini Senior Bowl. It is a game that the team favors heavily in the evaluation process, selecting seven of eight rookies from the major all-star event alone.

General manager James Gladstone has used two words quite frequently: intangibly rich. It is unclear whether he may view the following five prospects as such, but one thing is certain: he will have plenty of players to choose from a Senior Bowl roster filled with quality standouts. With that in mind, let's look at five standouts from this week's all-star practices.

Gabe Jacas, edge rusher, Illinois

Jacas Jags
Jan 29, 2026; Mobile, AL, USA; American defensive lineman Gabe Jacas (52) of Illinois lines up during American Senior Bowl practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Jacas was a player who needed to put on a sound display for strong Day 2 consideration, and he did just that. I loved how he showcased some inside-out versatility as a stand-up or hand-in-dirt rusher with ample quickness and explosiveness off the line of scrimmage, on top of the length and pass rush arsenal. With a need for a designated pass rusher and depth at the position, the Jaguars could Jacas' way in April.

Jacob Rodriguez, linebacker, Texas Tech

Charles Tillman would be proud of what Jacob Rodriguez has done. This man was after the ball carrier and always seemed to be able to dislodge the football at will, displaying the dangerous ability that the best linebacker in college football showcased this past season. Rodriguez is undersized and an older prospect, but he brings a playmaking prowess that could intrigue Jacksonville this spring.

Lee Hunter, nose tackle, Texas Tech

For my money, Hunter was the best performing player in Mobile this week. He dominated at every chance he had in the trenches, whether it was in one-on-one drills or teams, he was consistently in the backfield wrecking the quarterback or the run game with exceptional power, quickness, and size that seemed to overwhelm opposing offensive line prospects. If the opportunity were there, I would love to see Hunter in Jacksonville, potentially as a successor to DaVon Hamilton.

Cole Payton, quarterback, North Dakota State

Not often do we see left-handed quarterbacks during the pre-draft process, but Cole Payton caught my attention more times than one this week. He throws a beautiful ball with velocity and three-level ability that gives me some intriguing developmental tools behind an established starter. Payton would be a nice addition to the quarterback room in Jacksonville to compete for the backup job behind Trevor Lawrence.

Jalen Farmer, interior OL, Kentucky

There were a lot of interior offensive linemen who flashed at the Senior Bowl this week, but I like what I saw from Farmer, who displayed a nice level of physicality and technique that could translate quickly to the next level. With the Jaguars' futures at left and right guard up in the air this offseason, I would bet that Farmer, who took repetitions at both guard spots and center, would be considered as a middle-round target for Gladstone.

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Jared Feinberg
JARED FEINBERG

Jared Feinberg, a native of western North Carolina, has written about NFL football for nearly a decade. He has contributed to several national outlets and is now part of our On SI team as an NFL team reporter. Jared graduated from UNC Asheville with a bachelor's degree in mass communications and later pursued his master's degree at UNC Charlotte. You can follow Jared Feinberg on Twitter at @JRodNFLDraft