MOBILE, Ala. - The NFL will descend upon the Gulf Coast city of Mobile, Ala., this week as the practices begin Tuesday for the 2025 Senior Bowl.
The premiere college all-star game draws coaches and front office members from across the NFL. And for good reason. Of the 257 players selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, 110 of them participated in the Senior Bowl a year ago.
Included in that group were the first four draft picks of the Steelers, offensive tackle Troy Fautanu, center Zach Frazier, wide receiver Roman Wilson and linebacker Payton Wilson. In 2023, the participants at the game included defensive tackle Keeanu Benton, selected by the Steelers in the second round of the draft. Steelers draft picks Kenny Pickett, Calvin Austin III and Connor Heyward were among those who were at the Senior Bowl in 2022.
In fact, the Steelers have selected at least one, and often times multiple players, who have participated in the Senior Bowl in every year going back to 2007, when Mike Tomlin became their head coach.
The Senior Bowl, particularly the practices, offer coaches a chance to get some insight not just how players perform on game days, but in their day-to-day preparation and how quickly they can pick up on-field instruction.
Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan, among others from the team's front office, are expected to be in attendance at the practices this week. Steelers Nation Radio will be there, as well, as The Drive will broadcast Monday through Thursday on site from 4 to 6 p.m.
Practices take place Tuesday through Thursday beginning at 9:30 a.m. and running through 2 p.m. at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of South Alabama University.
• Dale Lolley is co-host of "SNR Drive" on Steelers Nation Radio. Subscribe to the podcast here: Apple Podcast | iHeart Podcast Pittonline@iheartmedia.com
A very solid group of prospects are expected to be in Mobile for the game, which takes place at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Hancock Whitney Stadium and is broadcast on NFL Network, though that group did take a hit as it was reported Saturday that several of the players who competed in last week's NCAA National Championship Game have pulled out of the Senior Bowl.
That group includes Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, defensive end Jack Sawyer, defensive tackle Ty Hamilton and offensive tackle Donovan Jackson, as well as Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts.
Even without those five players, the Senior Bowl still boasts a number of players who will hear their names called early in the 2025 NFL Draft, which will be held April 24 through 26.
That group includes but is not limited to a very talented group of offensive and defensive linemen.
Offensive linemen confirmed to be in attendance include Oregon's Josh Conerly Jr., Aireontae Ersery of Minnesota, Armand Membou of Missouri and Jonah Savaiinaea of Arizona.
Defensive linemen at the game will include Texas A&M duo Shemar Stewart and Nic Scourton, Mississippi's Walter Nolen and Princely Umanmielen, Deone Walker of Kentucky and Landon Jackson of Arkansas.
Even without Howard in attendance, the quarterbacks will include Mississippi's Jaxson Dart, Jalen Milroe of Alabama, Oregon's Dillon Gabriel, Riley Leonard of Notre Dame and Tyler Shough of Louisville.
