5 players to watch at the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl

The 2026 Panini Senior Bowl is set to take place on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Arrowhead time, and will be broadcast on the NFL Network.

The game will provide draft prospects a chance to give scouts and coaches one last padded look before the unofficial start to draft season at the NFL Scouting Combine. This week has been full of risers and fallers, and some players have made a tremendous impact in a short period of time.

Here are five players to watch in the game:

1. DE Zion Young, Missouri

Young had a standout season for the Tigers in 2025, and this week, he has raised his draft stock with a dominating effort at the Senior Bowl practices.

Young measured at 6 feet 5 inches tall and 262 pounds with 33.48” long arms. The prototypical height and weight for an NFL defensive end, Young has shown off a terrifying combination of power and flexibility that has helped him dominate practices. Young has been projected to go in the third round of the NFL Draft, but with a great performance this week, his stock has been rapidly rising.

The Chiefs selecting Young at nine would be a stretch, but he could be in play with the 40th pick as an early Day 2 selection.

2. DT Lee Hunter, Texas Tech

Hunter’s Texas Tech teammate David Bailey has been a darling of draft season, but Hunter has put on a show this week during practices, propelling himself into the conversation of the top-tier defensive tackles in this class.

Hunter is a load at 6 feet 3 inches tall and 320 pounds, and has all the makings of a cornerstone defensive tackle. He is stout enough to play the 1-technique or nose tackle position, but also has the quickness and burst off the ball to line up and rush the passer as a 3-technique.

Hunter could be working his way into the middle of the first round. If Kansas City decides to trade down from the ninth spot, Hunter could provide great value as a middle first-round selection.

3. Guard Beau Stephens, Iowa

A local prospect from Blue Springs High School — Go Cats — Stephens has quietly been one of the best players this week at Senior Bowl practices.

At Iowa, Stephens was a standout All-Conference linemen, and this week he has put up solid performances against some of the best defensive line talent in college football. Stephens can play both guard positions, and center might not be out of the question for him in the NFL as well.

Stephens can start right away for multiple teams, but if the Chiefs were to take him early on Day 3, he could provide quality depth while honing his skills behind one of the best interiors in football.

4. DT Tim Keenan, Alabama

Keenan isn’t the flashiest player in the world, but he can become a long-term stalwart as a run stuffer on any team’s defensive line.

Keenan is a power player, and with great base strength, he uses his 6-foot-1, 330-pound frame to anchor the interior.

Keen will likely fall to the third day of the draft, but this could be a good area for the Chiefs to pick up a quality run stuffer with good potential to develop as a player.

5. LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech

One of the top defensive players in college football, Rodriguez took home a lot of hardware for his performance during the 2025 season, and he has been backing it up this week at the Senior Bowl practices.

Rodriguez played middle linebacker at Texas Tech, but his coverage ability could land him as a weak-side linebacker in the NFL, and given his play style, he would be a great fit for the Chiefs.

Linebacker is not an overwhelming need for Kansas City, but Rodriguez could help solidify a solid group and give the Chiefs tremendous insurance if Nick Bolton were to be injured. Linebacker is a key position in defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s unit, and Rodriguez could make an immediate impact.

EDGE Tyreak Sapp, Florida

DT Darrell Jackson, Florida State

EDGE Derrick Moore, Michigan

DT Chris McClellan, Mizzou

CB Daylen Everette, Georgia

S Zakee Wheatley, Penn State

TE Justin Joly, North Carolina State

WR Malachi Fields, Notre Dame

RB J’Mari Taylor, Virginia

TE John Michael Gyllenborg, Wyoming

Who will you have your eye on as you watch the Senior Bowl? Let us know in the comments.