The Shrine and Senior Bowls for 2026 are now in the books after a week of practice at both and games played. Throughout both events, several players improved their draft stock while a few left with disappointing results. Here are the winners and losers at each position on offense as we move into the next phase of scouting for April’s draft.

Quarterback

Winner- Cole Payton/North Dakota State: The first-year starter entered the season graded as a free agent prospect, then moved into day three of the draft after a terrific campaign in 2025. After his week at the Senior Bowl, Payton could end up as a top 100 pick. He displayed the ability to stretch the field, make all the throws, and get passes through the tight spots with his strong arm. He was patient under the rush and showed terrific athleticism, picking up yardage with his legs when necessary. Payton was also accurate, not making pass catchers work hard to come away with the reception.

Loser- Garrett Nussmeier/LSU: Nussmeier deserves credit for participating in the Senior Bowl, and he played incredibly well during the game, yet proved in practice that he has average physical skills and projects as a game manager on Sunday. He consistently missed passes throughout the week as Nussmeier was over-throwing the ball, trying to make up for his lack of arm strength. Many throws were wild, and though Nussmeier had some nice reps, overall, he was not very impressive. His hand measurement of 8 ¾ inches is also a red flag. Entering the season graded as a potential day two pick, I don’t see Nussmeier being drafted any earlier than the 4th round.

Running Back

Winner- CJ Donaldson/Ohio State: Entering the Shrine Bowl, the big back from Ohio State was painted as strictly a downhill, interior ball carrier, yet he proved to be much more. Donaldson displayed terrific foot quickness with the ability to dart around defenders or piles, and more than anything else, proved to be a legitimate pass catcher out of the backfield. That versatility, especially catching the football, will propel his draft stock.

Loser- Jayden Ott/Oklahoma: Ott’s invitation to the Senior Bowl was a bit odd, given his performance the past two seasons. After the 2023 campaign, when he was at California and rushed for 1305 yards with 12 touchdowns, Ott was graded as a potential day two prospect by scouts. His game fell off the following year as he totaled just 385 rushing yards. Ott never came close to expectations after transferring to Oklahoma last season, playing just five games and carrying the ball 21 times for 68 yards. In Mobile, Ott was terrific during the game, yet displayed little explosion or game-breaking speed in practice and looked like an ordinary guy.

Tight End

Winner- Eli Raridon/Notre Dame: The tight ends from both games practiced extremely well, and I could probably list a half dozen players at the position who exceeded expectations- yet I’ll go with Raridon as my overall winner. From day 1 of Shrine practice, he dominated the competition as a pass catcher and blocker, winning just about every single rep in drills as well as full scrimmages. The only reason Raridon may fall out of the top 100 is that he’s not fast, and I struggle to see him breaking the 4.65-second barrier at the Combine.

Loser- There were no losers at the position as tight ends at both the Shrine and Senior Bowl looked better than scouts anticipated.

Wide Receiver

Winner- Kaden Wetjen/Iowa: Wetjen came to the Shrine Bowl with the reputation of being a game-breaking return specialist trying to play receiver.  He caught just 23 passes with 1 TD during his three years at Iowa, but finished with 6 TDs returning punts and kicks during that time. He proved worthy of lining up at receiver in the NFL in Frisco, showing speed, quickness, and generally being uncoverable all three days of practice. Wetjen, who caught everything thrown his way, was so dominant that opponents purposely moved a few yards back to give a bigger cushion, hoping to avoid giving up big plays- yet they still got beat.

Loser- Jalen Walthall/Incarnate Word: Walthall did not play poorly, but really did not stand out the way a small school prospect, handed middle-round grades by scouts, needs to at an All-Star game such as the Shrine Bowl.

Offensive Line

Winner- Alan Herron/Maryland: Multiple offensive linemen could be listed as winners, but Herron came from nowhere to dominate during Senior Bowl practice.  He was barely a blip on the scouting radar before the season, yet each day in Mobile, he handled defenders such as Dennis Dani-Sutton and Logan Fano- edge rushers expected to be day two selections in the draft. Herron has gone from nowhere to cementing himself as a day three selection.

Loser- Jake Slaughter/Florida: There is a faction of people outside the scouting community who believe Jake Slaughter is the top center in the draft and possibly a day two selection. I’ve never felt that way, and my opinion was affirmed during Senior Bowl practice.  Slaughter is stiff, not very big at 305 pounds, and more than anything else, he does not block with consistent knee bend or leverage, which will be his Achilles heel on Sunday.