Numerous players began to distance themselves from the competition on the second day of practices at the Panini Senior Bowl.
MOBILE, Ala. — Wednesday brought the second day of practice at the Panini Senior Bowl, giving team scouts in attendance another chance to look at the crop of players entering the 2026 NFL Draft.
There were several standout performances on the first day that were backed up by players on day two, who have significantly distanced themselves from the competition and grabbed the attention of teams for their picks in the top 100.
As for the Indianapolis Colts, who don't have a first-round pick this year, I've observed assistant general manager Ed Dodds, director of college scouting Matt Terpening, southeast area scout Anthony Coughlan, and national scout Chris McGaha in attendance at practice, although certainly most, if not all, of the scouting department is in town.
Here is what caught my attention on Day 2.
OFFENSE
— The National Team offense was overall bested by the defense, but they didn't do themselves any favors, notching three false starts on the first series alone of 11-on-11s.
— One of the feel-good stars of the week continued his terrific play, as John Carroll wide receiver Tyren Montgomery sped downfield for a deep, leaping touchdown in the back of the end zone during 1-on-1s against San Diego State's Chris Johnson, and then turned a simple short slant into a big gain a couple minutes later after buckling North Carolina cornerback Thaddeus Dixon's legs with his release.
— There may not have been a receiver with a bigger day than Notre Dame's Malachi Fields, who routinely got separation in 1-on-1s with his cuts, but also made a huge, diving catch during 11-on-11s from Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green for about 50 yards.
— LSU wide receiver Barion Brown had a play during 1-on-1s that made onlookers audibly react, sending Texas cornerback Malik Muhammad to the ground on an out-breaking route before making the catch. Brown made another tough contested catch later during 11-on-11s with Northwestern cornerback Fred Davis II in coverage.
— Wisconsin wide receiver Vinnie Anthony II caught everything in sight throughout the day, whether it was 1-on-1s or 11-on-11s, and made a big play for a 30-yard touchdown during 1-on-1s from North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton.
— Texas Tech wide receiver Reggie Virgil made a terrific play during 1-on-1s, leaving Dixon in the dust for a 35-yard touchdown down the right side. Cincinnati receiver Cyrus Allen made a similar play during 1-on-1s for about 40 yards, beating Georgia cornerback Daylen Everette with a double-move.
— The bulkily built Baylor wide receiver Josh Cameron hasn't been burning defenders with speed, but I'm not sure he's been beaten to the ball either. He's got traps for hands.
— The day was a mixed bag for Clemson running back Adam Randall, who made some quality receiving plays during 1-on-1s, but lost a fumble during 11-on-11s when the ball was punched out by Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez.
— The National offensive line routinely created large running lanes for the running backs to get through. Washington offensive tackle Carver Willis and Iowa offensive lineman Gennings Dunker were specific players noted as having strong performances in 1-on-1s during the day.
— The tight ends continue to make their case to not be overshadowed by the receivers. On Thursday, Texas A&M's Nate Boerkircher made a couple of tough, tight-window catches, one in particular over the outstretched arms of the trailing defender, about 20 or so yards up the seam. Kansas State safety VJ Payne was in coverage on the play. He and Boerkircher had a solid back-and-forth throughout the day in which they acknowledged each other's wins.
DEFENSE
— Edges Derrick Moore of Michigan and Zion Young continue to be attention magnets. They are both powerful against the run and in pursuit of the quarterback, but their explosive first steps off the snap are also incredibly noticeable.
— Edges Vincent Anthony Jr. of Duke, Utah's Logan Fano, and Texas Tech's Romello Height all continued to flash as pass-rushers, flushing quarterbacks out of the pocket consistently. Auburn's Keyron Crawford also notched a sack against Green.
— Interior defensive line play continues to be red-hot as well, as Penn State's Zane Durant sliced through the line for a run stuff, while Texas Tech's Lee Hunter also stole the show once again. For the second consecutive day, he found himself in the backfield, sacking Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia. Both Durant and Hunter have displayed plus mobility for players of their size.
— Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton turned on the jets and took a great angle to kill an outside run.
— A pair of Florida Gators defensive linemen had big moments, as Tyreak Sapp killed a screen pass by getting into LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier's face as he was supposed to throw the ball. Caleb Banks also had another strong performance, continually getting into the backfield, including on one somewhat comical play where he got to Nussmeier so quickly on a handoff that Banks thought Nussmeier still had the ball and inadvertently (but gently) brought him down to the ground.
— One of the stars of the week has been Pittsburgh linebacker Kyle Louis, who had an even better day on Wednesday than he did on Tuesday. He continued to stay locked onto offensive players in 1-on-1s, but his run defense during 11-on-11s was top-notch, blowing up multiple plays on the interior and on outside runs.
— Oregon linebacker Bryce Boettcher continues to impress as well. His range and instincts on outside runs were on full display on Wednesday.
— Rodriguez forced the fumble early in practice but also had an interception at the end to put a bow on another outstanding day for the fan-favorite defender. He's been all over the place this week.
— Arizona State linebacker Keyshaun Elliott has had some flashes in coverage, but he is also a noticeably violent hitter, setting the tone during pass-rush drills early in practice.
— Johnson is one of the highest-rated players in Mobile this week, and it doesn't take him long to show why each day. At 6'0", 190, he looks the part, but his play on the field is undeniable as he stays in receivers' hip pockets throughout the play, harassing the ball at any opportunity.
— Muhammad had the bad loss again Brown early in practice, but came back and swatted away a comeback route during 11-on-11s later.
— TCU safety Bud Clark had a heck of a day. He was smothering in coverage during 1-on-1s, had a pass breakup in 11-on-11s, and got his nose dirty against the run as well.
— Another safety that stood out was Notre Dame's Jalen Stroman, who wouldn't give up an inch of comfort on short routes during 1-on-1s. He's looking like a stretch tight end eraser at the next level.
Jake Arthur has been covering the Indianapolis Colts for over a dozen years and is a member of the PFWA. He's one half of the Locked On Colts podcast and has worked for the Colts' official website, On SI, and more. You can follow him on X @JakeArthurNFL.