Senior Bowl 2025 QB/TE Primer: What You Need To Know

Welcome to the thick of the pre-draft process. With a little under two weeks until practices kick off in Mobile, Alabama, I’ll be providing a layered look into each positional group set to compete at the 2025 Senior Bowl—the draft cycle’s premier showcase which presents prospects with the opportunity to don their respective college helmets one final time.

Let’s get rolling with a peek into the headlining players set to compete at quarterback and tight end.

QUARTERBACKS

Jalen Milroe, Alabama

One of the country’s most electric playmakers, the Senior Bowl may not be bigger for another athlete in attendance. While his ability to make plays with his legs showcases an intriguing floor and a trait that will expand a playbook, his improved ability as a pocket passer will remain a focus for teams in attendance. Working with players he’s never thrown to, in a neutral environment, will go a long way toward Milroe solidifying himself as one of the top three QBs in the class.

Dillon Gabriel, Oregon

Similar to what we saw with former Oregon QB Bo Nix in Mobile last winter, Gabriel has a shot to come in and force teams to reevaluate his projection. One of the most productive QBs ever to compete at the Division I-A level, Gabriel enters Mobile with a record 155 passing touchdowns—the most ever at the FBS (or equivalent) level. His success at three different programs (UCF, Oklahoma, Oregon) showcases a player who can produce no matter his surroundings, a major positive heading into the week. 

Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

I expect there’s going to be some major conversations about Dart following his week in Mobile. A highly recruited prep talent years ago, Dart possesses many of the tools and traits that teams eye in a potential franchise signal-caller. He’s thrown for 54 touchdowns the last two seasons combined and was outstanding in his final game at Ole Miss, tossing for 404 yards and four touchdowns against Duke. 

Tyler Shough, Louisville

Another mature signal-caller set to compete, Shough has some real pop to his game that I expect to open some eyes. His career has been a roller coaster of sorts going from Oregon to Texas Tech and then to Louisville, but Shough’s fundamental ability as a passer is overwhelmingly evident. He has a few throws on tape, like the one below, that would be considered elite at any level.

Riley Leonard, Notre Dame

No, Leonard’s numbers won’t rival the top signal-callers in the class, but his ability to rally an offense and lead a group of men will, and has, held weight in discussions for teams. An extremely athletic prospect whose background on the hardwood has been well documented, Leonard’s ability as a pocket passer will remain the focus for teams. He failed to throw for more than 230 yards in any game this year, but a peek into his past at Duke within a more spread-out attack showcased Leonard’s ability to spin it inside the pocket. 

TIGHT ENDS

Elijah Arroyo, Miami

The battle for TE3 in the class will be held in Mobile. Michigan’s Colston Loveland and Penn State’s Tyler Warren won’t be in attendance as the projected top two flex weapons off the board, but the names to follow them remain a fluid race at this point in time. 

For Arroyo, it was good seeing him healthy after missing a majority of the last two seasons with injury. And at full strength, you could easily see what makes his game so special at 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds. Progressing into one of QB Cam Ward’s top targets, Arroyo reached the endzone seven times in 2024, hauling in 35 catches for 590 yards. He’s as fluid a mover as you’ll find in the class at his size and is a player I believe has as lofty a performance ceiling as any tight end in the class.

Mason Taylor, LSU

LSU’s all-time leader in receptions (129) and receiving yards (1,308) for a tight end, Taylor is an explosive mover at the position with outstanding hands and excellent creativity as a runner after the catch. He’s also a sound blocker when aligned next to the offensive tackle, showcasing a well-rounded player who will be prioritized early in April. A good week from him likely solidifies his spot as TE3 in the class. 

Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green

The Bowling Green offense fed Fannin, fed him some more, and then fed him more, no matter what the coverage was defensively. One of the premier group of five players in the class, Fannin’s ability to create separation against more athletic and more nuanced defenders will go a long way toward nailing down his projection. His range of outcomes is currently all over the place ranging from late day one to the early portions of day three. 

Gunnar Helm, Texas

Helm is a ballplayer that deserves more attention in this deep and talented group. One of Quinn Ewers’ top targets this fall (seven touchdowns), Helm is a smooth seam runner with powerful hands and a sneaky type of juice that can push past opposing safeties. He won’t wow in testing, but he’s a player I expect to play for a long time. I really like his game as a TE2 early in his career.

Terrance Ferguson, Oregon

There are parts of Ferguson’s game that look more like a primary wideout, than a versatile flex weapon. A nuanced route-runner with good burst after the catch, Ferguson is a smooth yet powerful athlete who enters the process with 42 explosive plays in his career (plays gaining 15 or more yards). Expect him to make some waves in Mobile.

Gavin Bartholomew, Pitt

Bartholomew is a little different from the aforementioned names, in that he flat-out gets AFTER defenders as a blocker before ever releasing into space. You always know what you’re going to get from Pat Narduzzi-coached athletes, and Bartholomew will enter Mobile as a throwback type of Y tight end with an improving game in space. He’ll be a focus of mine during the week as I think his best football is down the road from a pass-catching perspective.

Jake Briningstool, Clemson

We’re going to look back at this draft a few years from now and potentially ask how Briningstool went later than he should have. A player with grades ranging from late day two to the latter half of day three, he’s a highly nuanced player with excellent hands, spatial awareness versus zone, and the acceleration to create after the catch. He’s not talked about as one of the top five tight ends in the class currently, but that could change after his pre-draft process. He’s as smooth a receiving tight end as there is in the country. 

Jackson Hawes, Georgia Tech

A transfer from Yale, Hawes is the premier blocking tight end in the class. A man mover whose path to snaps currently centers around his ability as a Y-TE, the focus for Hawes will be his ability in space. He’s caught just one touchdown pass in the last two seasons combined, and teams in search of more depth at the position will circle his name in Mobile. His profile as a blocker is complete, but providing some pop in space will go a long way toward solidifying himself as a surefire draft pick. 

CJ Dippre, Alabama

It seems like every year we head into a draft looking at a tight end that was underutilized throughout his collegiate career. While Dippre’s 2022 season at Maryland quickly showcased one of the Big Ten’s premier flex weapons, he fell behind the curtain a little bit over his final two collegiate seasons at Alabama where he failed to reach the end zone in Tuscaloosa. He’s still a talented ballplayer, and in the right situation, could flourish into a featured weapon for an NFL offense.

Moliki Matavao, UCLA

A former four-star recruit, Matavao is the largest of the tight ends (6-foot-6) set to attend with a chance to put a jetpack on his draft stock. The underlying analytics won’t wow when it comes to Matavao’s two seasons at UCLA (after transferring in from Oregon), but his 506 receiving yards this fall showcased a player who is just now beginning to scratch the surface of what he could be for an aerial attack. He’s a physically impressive wideout who is a nightmare to bring down in open space due to his contact balance and acceleration at his size. Check out his tape against Fresno State and Rutgers if you get a chance.