Diving into who is slinging the rock down in Mobile this week
With the entire league taking a break from the playoffs, this week is all about the 2025 NFL Draft as the Senior Bowl gets going. Practices start on Tuesday afternoon which means the Las Vegas Raiders will have an opportunity to get a closer look at a handful of quarterback prospects.
Below is some information on each quarterback slinging the rock down in Mobile, including an excerpt and link to a scouting report.
One note, despite previously accepting the invite, it was announced last week that Ohio State’s Will Howard will skip the Senior Bowl this year after the short turnaround with the College Football National Championship.
Jaxson Dart
- College: Ole Miss
- 2024 Stats: 69.3%, 4,279 yards, 29 TDs, 6 INTs
Dart is one of the bigger names in Mobile as many Raider fans have been asking about him recently. He has plenty of arm talent and is athletic to make plays with his legs. However, the former Rebel has questionable processing skills. So, this week will be a good opportunity to show how quickly he can pick up a new offense and show improvement when it comes to throwing with anticipation.
(Scouting report via Bleacher Report)
“Overall, Jaxson Dart has a good physical skill set to be an effective starting quarterback,’ B/R’s Dame Parson wrote. “His ability to change up the speeds of his passes will translate well to the league. He is more than willing to take the check down underneath. Dart will need time to learn and adapt to an NFL offensive system. Live game reps will potentially be needed to develop his processing quickness.”
Dillon Gabriel
Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
- College: Oregon
- 2024 Stats: 72.9%, 3,857 yards, 30 TDs, 6 INTs
Gabriel is the opposite of Dart as he wins with great reads and impressive timing while lacking ideal size and arm strength. That doesn’t come as much of a surprise seeing as the Oregon product has spent six years as a starter in college. This week will primarily be about showing scouts how his physical tools aren’t/won’t be an issue at the next level for Gabriel.
(Scouting report via B/R)
“Gabriel is a timing and rhythm quarterback who thrives targeting the short and intermediate areas of the field,” Parson wrote. “He is a spot thrower who can pick apart zone defenses when kept clean in the pocket. Gabriel plays with good poise and calmness inside the pocket, stepping up to avoid collapsing edge pressure. He throws a catchable ball with a combination of velocity and touch. Due to his litany of snaps/experience, the game has slowed down for him, and he can play at maximum speed.”
Jalen Milroe
- College: Alabama
- 2024 Stats: 64.5%, 2,844 yards, 16 TDs, 11 INTs
Arguably the most intriguing and entertaining quarterback at the Senior Bowl, Milroe combines a rocket arm with impressive rushing ability to create explosive plays. His mechanics are still a work in progress as he has accuracy issues, so proving he can make the easy throws look easy should be the Alabama product’s primary goal this week.
(Scouting report via B/R)
“Overall Milroe’s outstanding blend of elite speed/athleticism, physically dense build, and a live arm fits the trend of today’s quarterback archetypes,” Parson wrote. “As he has shown this season, there are encouraging flashes of development as a pocket passer. If this continues, NFL decision-makers will be more than intrigued about placing him in their offense and building around his skillset. Milroe projects as a quarterback prospect that should sit instead of being a Day 1 starter in the NFL.”
Riley Leonard
Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images
- College: Notre Dame
- 2024 Stats: 66.7%, 2,861 yards, 21 TDs, 8 INTs
Leonard’s skills as a passer are questionable, but he can certainly make plays with his legs. That might push the former Golden Domer into more of a Taysom Hill-esque role at the next level. However, this week is certainly a good opportunity for Leonard to prove himself as a traditional passer.
(Scouting report via B/R)
“Riley Leonard is a talented dual-threat functional quarterback prospect,” Parson wrote. “His game is similar to that of Ryan Tannehill, who had multiple successful seasons. His running ability raises his floor to match his passing upside. He has not proven to be able to carry a passing offense throughout his college career.”
Seth Henigan
- College: Memphis
- 2024 Stats: 64.8%, 3,502 yards, 25 TDs, 6 INTs
It feels like the Senior Bowl is a perfect opportunity for someone like Henigan to steal the show. He’s the fourth quarterback on the American team where Dart, Milroe and Leonard will likely hog the spotlight initially. However, the Memphis product can take advantage of the extra attention placed on the group by outperforming his peers, building some NFL Draft buzz.
(Scouting report via The Draft Network)
“Overall, Henigan is a mature and experienced signal-caller who should earn an opportunity in camp,” TDN’s Ryan Fowler wrote. “While he does not project as an NFL starter at this point in his evaluation, he has displayed a few of the traits teams could sell themselves on to get him in the building while continuing to evolve his skill set under center.”
Tyler Shough
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
- College: Louisville
- 2024 Stats: 62.7%, 3,195 yards, 23 TDs, 6 INTs
Beginning his college career backing up Justin Herbert at Oregon in 2018, Shough is the most experienced passer down in Mobile. That does heighten the stakes for the Louisville product as he’ll be expected to pick up the offense faster than anyone else given his experience. But it also could be his biggest competitive advantage.
(Scouting report via TDN)
“With experience in three different offensive architectures, Shough is a primary pocket passer who has seen it all at the college level,” Fowler wrote. “He has experience working primarily out of shotgun but also does a nice job feeding different levels when asked to work under center either in straight dropback scenarios or in play-action. Smooth mechanics with a quick delivery and good zip to all levels. Shough does have more juice stored in his frame should he begin to drive through his lower half and work consistently downhill with his throws. He has nice touch up the seam and has shown the ability to make throws under duress.”
Taylor Elgersma
- College: Laurier
- 2024 Stats: 73.6%, 4,011 yards, 34 TDs, 10 INTs
Elgersma is the big unknown heading into the All-Star event. The Canadian had an impressive career up north and is looking to make a name for himself down in Mobile. A strong week could help him go from draft unknown to hearing his name called in April.
(Scouting report via A to Z Sports)
“Overall, his arm talent is what’s going to get him more looks,” A to Z’s Tyler Forness wrote. “His arm strength isn’t elite, but it’s certainly capable to hit any throw you want. With that arm strength, he also can hit passes downfield with good accuracy. Elgersma pairs it all with very active feet. The way he keeps them moving gives vibes of how Peyton Manning used to do so. By keeping them moving, he can set them quickly and fire down the field.”