- Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart is on the rise: In the Senior Bowl game, Dart dropped back to pass eight times, completing two of four attempts for 41 yards, including a two-point conversion. He also scrambled for a touchdown but took two sacks, one of which resulted in a fumble. Despite the miscues, he showcased his athleticism and ability to adjust and learn from previous mistakes.
- Alabama’s Jalen Milroe had a mixed week: Unlike Dart, Milroe struggled throughout the week of practice and the game. On Day 1 of one-on-ones, he completed just four of his 17 passes and threw an interception. Accuracy was one of his biggest concerns coming into the week, and he did little to suggest that issue has been resolved—especially in drills designed to favor the offense.
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With the Super Bowl behind us and the NFL season officially over, the focus now shifts entirely to draft evaluations — especially for teams in the market for a quarterback. Every opportunity to assess talent matters, and the Senior Bowl provided a valuable chance to get a closer look at several of the top senior prospects as the draft season heats up.
While the week of practice is important, it’s crucial to remember that one week of work doesn’t outweigh the four or more years of film we have on these players. Instead, it offers a chance to evaluate them in a controlled environment against better competition than they faced throughout their college careers.
With that in mind, let’s dive into how the quarterbacks performed during the week and what they need to refine as the draft process intensifies.
Jaxson Dart, Mississippi
PFF Big Board Rank: 118
Dart had a strong week in one-on-ones, earning a 90.3 grade. Although he struggled on Day 1, he improved with each practice, capping off Day 3 with three big-time throws. That progress carried over into the team portion of practice, where he continued to show growth, finishing the final day with two big-time throws on just five pass attempts.
In the Senior Bowl game, Dart dropped back to pass eight times, completing two of four attempts for 41 yards, including a two-point conversion. He also scrambled for a touchdown but took two sacks, one of which resulted in a fumble. Despite the miscues, he showcased his athleticism and ability to adjust and learn from previous mistakes.
During one of the week’s team practices, Dart was given a fourth-and-goal situation from the 2-yard line but hesitated, passing up an open receiver and ultimately throwing the ball away. When presented with the same concept during the game on a two-point attempt, he adjusted—this time finding the open receiver for the conversion.
Showing the ability to learn from mistakes is crucial for scouts and potential future teams. Coaches can tolerate mental errors but need to see progress and a concerted effort to correct them. For Dart, that growth must extend to handling pressure. He struggled in the few instances he faced it during the week, and if he wants to succeed at the next level, he’ll need to get more comfortable playing under duress.
Jalen Milroe, Alabama
PFF Big Board Rank: 96
Unlike Dart, Milroe struggled throughout the week of practice and the game. On Day 1 of one-on-ones, he completed just four of his 17 passes and threw an interception. Accuracy was one of his biggest concerns coming into the week, and he did little to suggest that the issue had been resolved, especially in drills designed to favor the offense.
Milroe showed significant improvement on Day 2, completing 10 of his 15 passes with two big-time throws and earning an 83.6 grade. However, that progress was short-lived, as he completed just four of his 13 attempts on Day 3. While a 39.1% completion rate is concerning, it doesn’t mean Milroe is inherently an inaccurate quarterback. Instead, it highlights his ongoing struggles with ball placement and consistency—issues he must address to succeed at the next level.
Milroe’s issues go beyond basic ball placement — if he wants to make it in the NFL, he’ll need to overhaul his throwing mechanics. While I won’t dive into the minutiae of quarterback mechanics, there are fundamental checkpoints in a passer’s motion, including hip and shoulder dissociation. Right now, Milroe’s mechanics are out of sync as he tries to muscle throws rather than relying on proper sequencing. Think of Josh Allen before his 2020 breakout season—without refinement, Milroe could face similar struggles early in his career.
Jalen Milroe’s 2025 NFL Draft scouting profile
Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
PFF Big Board Rank: 72
Gabriel entered Senior Bowl week as the most accurate quarterback in the group, and he lived up to that reputation. He remained poised throughout the week, looking sharp in practice and taking full advantage of an environment that favors the offense.
However, Gabriel faces physical limitations that he can’t change. At 5-foot-10 and just under 200 pounds with 30-inch arms, he pushes the lower bounds of NFL quarterback size thresholds. Add in his lack of elite athleticism and average arm strength, and the already difficult transition to the NFL becomes even steeper.
Gabriel already excels at playing within the structure of an offense, demonstrating solid throwing mechanics and a strong understanding of defensive schemes. However, one area he must improve is his arm strength. While he’ll never possess top-tier velocity at the NFL level, it’s not unreasonable to expect some improvement after entering a professional strength and conditioning program.
Riley Leonard, Notre Dame
PFF Big Board Rank: 108
Leonard’s week of practice mirrored Dart’s—solid but unspectacular on Day 1 before turning it on during Days 2 and 3 in one-on-ones. On Day 2, he completed 80% of his passes with two big-time throws, earning a 92.8 grade. He followed that up with an even stronger performance on Day 3, delivering four big-time throws and posting a 93.4 grade.
However, his performance in the team portion of practice was more inconsistent. While he excelled on the second day of team drills, his other sessions lacked the same playmaking impact, as he struggled to generate big plays with his arm.
Heading into the week, Leonard’s biggest weakness was his inability to consistently generate positive plays downfield with his arm. Over his four-year career, he recorded just 39 big-time throws. However, he significantly improved in that area during Senior Bowl week, leading all quarterbacks with seven big-time throws.
If he can continue to develop as a downfield passer, the combination of arm talent and rushing ability could give him a real shot at becoming an NFL starter.
Seth Henigan, Memphis
PFF Big Board Rank: 248
Henigan entered the week as the least nationally recognized quarterback on the American team, but he quickly made an impression. He started strong, looking like the best of the group on Day 1 in both one-on-ones and team drills. He delivered a big-time throw in each session, showcasing accuracy and velocity on his passes.
Day 2 proved challenging, as he completed just six of his 16 passes in one-on-ones. However, he bounced back on Day 3 with his best session of the week, delivering two big-time throws. Henigan’s biggest strength coming into the Senior Bowl was his ability to push the ball downfield—he led all quarterbacks in the event with 30 big-time throws in 2024.
The key areas Henigan needed to improve were his performance under pressure and overall accuracy. While the sample size was small, he made the most of his opportunities, completing all three of his pass attempts in the game, including a touchdown. His accuracy on throws over five yards downfield also improved by six percentage points compared to his 2024 season average—a promising sign for his development.
Henigan had a strong week, showcasing his big-time throw ability while also making strides in his areas of weakness. By all accounts, it was a successful showing that should help his draft stock.
Tyler Shough, Louisville
PFF Big Board Rank: 206
Shough finished the 2024 season with an 87.7 PFF grade, the second-best mark among this year’s group of Senior Bowl quarterbacks. He carried that success into practice, posting an identical 87.7 grade in one-on-ones. On Day 1, he completed nine of his 13 passes with two big-time throws, grading at 87.9.
His strong play continued on Day 2, where he delivered another big-time throw and finished with an 87.8 grade. While his team drills weren’t as dynamic—starting slow before finishing Day 3 with an 85.1 grade—he saved his best for the game. Shough capped off an impressive week with a 90.2 passing grade, completing four of five passes for a touchdown, with his lone incompletion coming on a dropped pass.
Interestingly, Shough’s inaccuracy rate on throws over 5 yards downfield during Senior Bowl practices was identical to his 2024 season mark, highlighting a key area for improvement. His accuracy remains a concern, and his performance under pressure is an even bigger question mark.
There are limited opportunities to evaluate quarterbacks against pressure during Senior Bowl week, and Shough completed just two of his three passes for 6 yards when pressured. To succeed at the next level, he must prove he can handle adverse situations more effectively and make plays when the pocket collapses.
Tayler Elgersma, Laurier (Canada)
PFF Big Board Rank: n/a
Elgersma remains a big unknown when it comes to projecting his game to the NFL. Coming from the Canadian game — a league with a larger field, an extra player on the field, and multiple receivers allowed in motion at the snap — his transition presents unique challenges.
That said, Senior Bowl week allowed him to showcase his skill set in front of NFL scouts, and he made an impression. He flashed his arm strength and big-time throw ability, delivering six throughout the week. On Day 1, his arm talent was evident, but so were his accuracy struggles, as he completed just four of his 10 passes.
After evaluating Elgersma’s week of practices and game performance, two key areas stand out as necessary improvements for him to develop into an NFL quarterback. First and foremost, he needs to adapt to the NFL game. That adjustment proved difficult in team drills, where he finished with the second-lowest grade among quarterbacks.
Secondly, he must refine his mechanics to improve accuracy. He was the second-least accurate passer of the week, missing on 34.7% of his downfield attempts. While his arm strength is undeniable, and his size is an asset, his ability to fine-tune these weaknesses will determine whether he can carve out a role at the next level.
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