2025 Senior Bowl pop or drop: NFL Draft prospects who impressed, underperformed during practices in Mobile

Prospects like Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart and Miami TE Elijah Arroyo have turned heads

The 2025 Senior Bowl practices are in the books, and there was a lot to love from a class that, admittedly, doesn't have the group of quarterbacks we saw in 2024, but has legit depth and plenty of other positions, including tight end, running back, defensive line, edge rusher, linebacker and cornerback. 

On "With the First Pick," the NFL Draft podcast I do with former Vikings GM Rick Spielman, we have a weekly segment during the college season we call "Pop or Drop," where we highlight the players that had great weeks, and mention others who didn't quite meet expectations. In Pop or Drop: Senior Bowl Edition, I've listed 11 players who caught my attention (and the attention of NFL eyeballs) and several other players who have the talent to be solid NFL players, but who didn't differentiate themselves as much as I hoped they would during the three practices down in Mobile.

And that doesn't mean they can't, or that they're NFL careers are doomed; I remember Tyson Bagent looking lost and overwhelmed at the Senior Bowl a few years ago, and when he was forced to start for the Bears during his rookie season he was a completely different player -- one who was poised, decisive and in control. This isn't the end of the journey, it's the beginning.