MOBILE, Ala. — Have you heard? The Draft starts in Mobile.

In three months, Minnesota will be on the clock aiming to bolster its roster via the 2026 NFL Draft. That means the Vikings personnel department has roughly 12 weeks to laminate their final scouting assessments, collaborate with the coaching staff and then come to an agreement about whom to select.

There's good odds at least one Class of '26 Vikings draft pick graced Abe Mitchell Field at Hancock Whitney Stadium, home to the University of South Alabama, this week. It's wild but true: the club has drafted one or more Senior Bowl participants every year but four (1981, 1972, 1971 and 1962), and the Vikings last season had 15 former Senior Bowlers with seven that signed as rookie or veteran free agents.

Accordingly, it's valuable to have boots on the ground. And so this year, I was fortunate to travel to the 22^nd State after being passed the Senior Bowl coverage torch by Vikings.com Senior Editor Craig Peters.

For the better part of three days I observed the talent on the field, including Vikings assistant coaches Ryan Cordell and Pat Hill (you'll enjoy an in-depth story on them coming soon), and the talent evaluators who packed the bleachers and the box suites overlooking the action. Expectedly, I loved every second of the competition, as well as the opportunity to see what scouts see (but not so much the extreme cold that swept over the area and made me miss my beanie and gloves that I stubbornly left in Minneapolis).

Filed from one-of-a-kind downtown Mobile, decorated from street signs to the river bank with Panini Senior Bowl fanfare and bustling sunup to sundown with personnel departments, agents and media members, here's a notebook style guide to what captivated me during two sets of practices from Tuesday-Thursday this week. The 77^th installment of the Senior Bowl kicks off Saturday at 1:30 p.m. CT.

Day 1 Observations

In the Metellus mold

It's not hard to spot players when they finish reps at the football. That's partly why National Team linebacker Kyle Louis so clearly flashed in Tuesday's session; he was often around the ball. The shortest in his position group at just under 6-feet, the Pittsburgh product is sculpted like a defensive back — and moves like one too! — but showed off a skill set that could make him effective near the line of scrimmage. (That makes for an easy comparison to versatile Vikings safety Joshua Metellus, who was a participant at the 2020 Senior Bowl (before Minnesota scooped him up in the sixth round that year) and has played virtually every defensive position, save for putting his hand in the dirt.) On the first day of practice, Louis looked like a natural lining up in the box as well as over the slot. He smoothly operated his backpedal and hip swivels in individual drills and he eagerly got downhill in competitive team periods.

The Day 1 highlights for Louis included an interception in 1-on-1 coverage against Penn State's Nick Singleton, in which he preserved inside leverage when the running back tried to fake a route to the outside and then cut back across his face. Louis didn't buy the sell and tipped the pass to himself for a pick. The takeaway complemented another stellar rep in a different mano-a-mano setting where he dipped and ripped in a blink past Clemson RB Adam Randall in pass pro. The versatility to do both at a high level suggests his tweener size won't stop Louis from claiming an NFL role. For what it's worth, ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr., listed Louis as his No. 4 safety prospect. Over his final two seasons at Pitt, Louis amassed 182 tackles, including 24 for losses, 10 sacks and six interceptions (one 59-yard pick six in '24).

His Day 2 effort didn't go unnoticed, either (he popped Day 3, too). ESPN's Matt Miller posted on X that he was impressed with Louis' closing speed and coverage abilities. Miller wrote: "He can absolutely fly."

From walk-on to woah!

Some guys automatically check the general box of "looks the part" thanks to their physical makeup. National Team wide receiver Josh Cameron belongs in that group at a smidge over 6-foot-1 and 223 pounds — oh, and he has almost 34-inch arms and 10-inch hands! Cameron reinforced from the jump this week, though, that his game isn't just predicated on appeal; he's a gamer as much as he is a looker.

Formerly a preferred walk-on at Baylor, the Big 12 pass-catcher and punt returner (20.7-yard avg. in 2024) impressed Day 1 with some nuanced route-running and fantastic adjustments for big grabs down the field while repping the same No. 34 he wore at Baylor, which, honestly, is not an easy-on-the-eyes number for a WR, except Cameron makes it look good. His top plays included a hands catch on a pass from Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia as Cameron faded into the sideline against Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood for a 31-yard gain, and a winning rep versus California CB Hezekiah Masses in an intense 1-on-1 period at the end of practice with players from both sides gathered behind a select few All-Stars to watch them compete. On that rep, Cameron won with an outside release, maintained just enough separation and tracked a pass to the end zone, sprawling out to secure it inside the 5-yard line.

Lead draft analyst for Pro Football Focus, Trevor Sikkema, noted Cameron's build is untraditional for a WR, but touted his contested-catch production in practices. Cameron kept excelling Day 2 and received recognition in this NFL.com article that described him as "an absolute bully in the catch space." He officially broke out for Baylor two years ago, posting 10 CDs on 52 catches, and finished college strong with a receiving line of 69-872-9 in 2025. Per PFF he had seven drops on 261 career targets (2.7 percent).

Anchors aweigh

Two of the stoutest reps from offensive linemen on Day 1 belonged to American Team center James Brockermeyer, who was one of two OL from the national runner-up Miami Hurricanes in Mobile (also T Markel Bell). Both occurred in 1-on-1 pass rush drills with the sun setting on the Gulf Coast. On one, Brockermeyer walled off Alabama nose tackle Tim Keenan, chopping his feet and keeping Keenan in front of him without giving up much ground for 4.5 seconds. On another rep, Brockermeyer reset his hands in the middle of a pass rush and stole eyes in the stands, initially dispatching a swim move by South Carolina NT Nick Barrett and then lowering his mass for better leverage and fending off an attempted bull rush, protecting the QB (a coach holding the snap) for about 5 seconds. FYI, Brockermeyer's father Blake was drafted in the first round in 1995 by Carolina and started 103 games for the Panthers across nine seasons; the NFL.com editorial crew wrote the younger Brockermeyer "made himself money," following Day 2. Although Brockermeyer measured in a few pounds under 300, he never played fazed by anyone outsizing him (Keenan, for instance, outclassed him by 35 pounds and Barrett 18). Brockermeyer's background and diverse scheme exposure — he spent 2021-23 at Alabama and 2024 at TCU before he anchored the Canes on their way to the College Football Playoff title game — are notable.

Day 2 Observations

Raiding the offense

Aside from Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, the presumptive No. 1 draft pick come April, no player took college football by storm in 2025 like Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez. The Hastings, Minnesota, native — yup, that's right; both Rodriguez's parents graduated from Minnesota State, Mankato, and he was born in the Land of 10,000 Lakes (he claims Wichita Falls, Texas, as his hometown) — practically swept the national defensive awards after compiling 128 tackles, four interceptions and seven forced fumbles in '25 for the Red Raiders. He continued his tear with two takeaways Wednesday, embodying the cliché of somebody playing with his hair on fire as the temperature in L.A. (Lower Alabama) fortunately rose a dozen or so degrees above freezing. In a nutshell, Rodriguez blended fiery physicality with understated athleticism. He blasted offensive linemen and disposed of blocks in the box, and he accelerated stride-for-stride with running backs down the sideline. In the middle of the National Team practice session, he sparked the defense with a Peanut-styled punch of the ball out of the hands of the Clemson running back Randall. He capped a signature performance – the type the country witnessed on a weekly basis — with a diving, practice-ending interception of Baylor's Sawyer Robertson in the deep middle portion of the field. Once on his feet, he stared at the offense, spun the ball like a top and flipped the lid off his mean mustached mug. The noise of the ensuing double airhorn was drowned out by the celebration. Rodriguez surely looked good on Day 1, but he was great — patient, explosive and disruptive — Day 2.

Small-school standout

Does Tyren Montgomery ring a bell? Honestly, I thought the National Team WR donning a No. 7 white jersey hailed from Notre Dame thanks to his glistening solid gold helmet. My mistake, Mr. Montgomery.

Turns out, Montgomery is maybe the next NFL product from storied Division III program John Carroll. A diamond in the rough, if you will, Montgomery had a sequence Wednesday that saw him dominate a 1-on-1 rep against San Diego State CB Chris Johnson, the 2025 Mountain West Co-Defensive Player of the Year, and then moments later dominate the whole secondary in an 11-on-11 setting. On the solo rep, Montgomery clicked into high gear to gain a step on Johnson and then high-pointed a pass in the end zone paint, like a hoops star crashing the glass and ripping down a rebound. (Montgomery actually spent one semester at LSU playing basketball before going to Nicholls State and ending up at John Carroll.) Right after, he spiked the football, unconsciously letting onlookers know they shouldn't sleep on him.

Moments later, Montgomery executed a slant route in a team period that was so crisp it caused North Carolina CB Thaddeus Dixon to lose his footing and, in the process, lose Montgomery. The John Carroll record-holder for receptions in a season (119 in 2025) and career receiving yards (2,599 from 2024-25) then gathered his target across the middle and zipped up the field for a nice gain. Both plays bottled up the reality that Montgomery generated great buzz and did more than merely put on for the lower level.

Draft pundit Sam Monson went out on a limb and declared him "the best receiver here" after Wednesday's session, but noted Montgomery's bright streak started to dim Day 3 with several miscues.

Keep in mind, while Montgomery is hailing from relative obscurity, John Carroll has an excellent reputation, with elite NFL alumni such as four-time Pro Bowl LB London Fletcher, first-ballot Hall of Fame Head Coach Don Shula and current Houston Texans General Manager Nick Caserio, amongst others.

Double take: Fields downfield

Well, since we already mentioned Notre Dame, it'd be silly to skip over the spectacular catch made by American Team WR Malachi Fields in a team period Wednesday. First, Fields routed up a couple defensive backs, Houdini-ing his way behind them with a nonchalant head and shoulder fake. Then, he expertly tracked a deep pass from Arkansas dual-threat QB Taylen Green, sustaining speed and weaving slightly right before stretching out his 6-foot-4 frame and reeling in the catch of the day — and arguably the week — inside the 10. The Athletic's lead draft analyst Dane Brugler circulated the moment on X and hyped Fields' draft stock, saying he's a good bet to be the top WR selected from this year's Senior Bowl.

Fields wasn't a flash in the pan in Mobile — he had more solid reps against good competition — but none of them compared to his SportsCenter Top 10-worthy reception. In 12 contests for the Fighting Irish this past season, Fields, a transfer from Virginia, nabbed 36 passes for 630 yards and five TDs. His 17.5 yards per catch ranked in the top 20 in the nation among receivers targeted 50-plus times, by the way.

Day 3 Observations

Kozi-ing up in the corner

The National Team offense ended the practice week Thursday punching in a couple scores from the low red area, including a show-stopping scene courtesy Houston tight end Tanner Koziol, who shot his 34-inch arms skyward and hauled in a beautiful fade pass from North Dakota State QB Cole Payton. It was a pinpoint throw, no doubt. And no question the 6-foot-6 ½ Koziol had a size discrepancy over Stephen F. Austin CB Charles Demmings (6-1). But those facts don't minimize the acrobatics displayed by Koziol, who paced the Big 12 conference last season with 74 catches — one year after recording 94 at Ball State.

In a world constantly asking, "What have you done for me lately?" Koziol has done the absolute most — 237 catches for 2,234 yards and 24 TDs over four college crusades and 49 games. Go ahead and add his sky-scraping catch for six on Day 3 of practices at the Senior Bowl to his list of ladder-climbing highlights.

Banks chomp

The third-heaviest player on the Senior Bowl Roster tipped the scales at 335 pounds — but he offered more finesse and wiggle in his hips than some skill position players. We're definitely not body-shaming American Team DE Caleb Banks — the opposite actually. You never would have guessed his weight by the manner in which he dog-walked offensive linemen throughout most of the week and especially Day 3.

After a broken foot put the Florida Gator on the backburner for all but three games in 2025, he performed like an awakened giant in the all-star practices. Working against pop-up dummies, Banks looked like a blur. And working against real humans, he was at times totally unblockable. He was the talk of the town — whispers of his rise became audible; ESPN's Miller deemed it a "breakout party" for Banks, and PFF's Sikkema wished he snapped a photo of the smile on Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh's face as he admired Banks — and on social media. Seriously, just enter his name in the search bar on X and watch for yourself. The 6-foot-6 Banks, who had 4.5 sacks across 12 appearances in the 2024 slate, stayed in rare form at the end of practice Thursday, basketing a punt launched out of a machine that was intended to be caught by Arkansas OL Fernando Carmona but landed in Banks' hands.

Halton halts for no one

Sticking in the trenches to round out our Day 3 takeaways … Oklahoma's Gracen Halton, classified on the roster as a 3-tech defensive lineman, put the finishing touches on a highlight tape of pass rushes during 1-on-1 drills and competitive team periods Thursday. Halton was a steady problem. He spun around blocks like a tornado and swam over them with a Michael Phelps-esque butterfly stroke. He didn't care for them plain and simple. The Sooners product, who notched 13 tackles for losses and 8.5 sacks over his final two college seasons, was an inevitable presence in the American Team backfield. In balling out, he made former Executive Director of the Senior Bowl and current Oklahoma Football General Manager Jim Nagy proud.

See the Vikings 2026 Opponents.

Check out the Vikings 2026 Draft Picks.

View future opponents for the Vikings.

Buy single game tickets.

Download the official Vikings App.