NFL Draft intel: Who's on the rise after the Senior Bowl?

Each week, Yardbarker monitors the 2026 NFL Draft, scheduled April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. 

We're answering the biggest questions about the draft. With that in mind, here are five: 

Did any QB raise his stock significantly during the Senior Bowl or East-West Shrine Bowl? 

LSU Tigers QB Garrett Nussmeier (6-foot-1, 202 pounds) won the Senior Bowl Offensive MVP on Saturday after completing 5-of-8 passes for 57 yards and throwing one interception in the American Team's 17-9 win over the National Team. He also rushed for a TD.

Iowa Hawkeyes QB Mark Gronowski (6-foot-2, 235 pounds), meanwhile, won East-West Shrine Bowl Offensive MVP after finishing 7-of-10 passing for 86 yards and rushing for 28 yards in a 21-17 victory for the West. 

That may improve their stocks slightly, but don't expect either quarterback to hear his name called during the first two rounds of the draft. In his latest two-round mock draft, ESPN's Matt Miller has two QBs being selected. The Las Vegas Raiders take Indiana Hoosiers QB Fernando Mendoza with pick No. 1, while the New York Jets grab Alabama Crimson Tide QB Ty Simpson with pick No. 44 in the second round. 

NFL Mock Draft Database projects that Nussmeier is a third-rounder while Gronowski is an undrafted free agent. The LSU star is more of a traditional pocket passer, which NFL teams prefer. 

"He is an excellent fit for teams that prioritize the quick passing game," wrote Bleacher Report's Damian Parson in a scouting report. "Nussmeier will work particularly well inside a West Coast offensive system." 

Which American Team RB stood out the most at the Senior Bowl? 

The American Team featured a deep pool of RBs, but Indiana's Kaelon Black may have made the strongest impression. The 5-foot-9, 208-pounder ran for 45 yards.

"I was surprised Black decided to participate in the Senior Bowl, considering he had helped Indiana win its first-ever national championship a week earlier," wrote NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah in a story published after Senior Bowl practices. "The decision speaks to his competitiveness and won't go unnoticed by NFL teams. And somehow, he didn't look like a guy who had just wrapped up a 16-game season. Everything he did was full speed."   

Teams will also take note of his good, tough running. Black rushed for 1,040 yards and 10 TDs in 2025. 

Can Western Michigan Broncos DE Nadame Tucker be the MAC's next star pass-rusher? 

The MAC has churned out multiple star pass-rushers, including former Eastern Michigan Eagles DE Maxx Crosby (now with the Raiders) and former Buffalo Bulls LB Khalil Mack (now with the Los Angeles Chargers). Perhaps Tucker (6-foot-3, 250 pounds) will be the next one. 

Tucker tied with Texas Tech Red Raiders LB David Bailey for the most sacks in the FBS (14.5). At the Senior Bowl, the DE logged two sacks and forced a fumble. 

"[Missouri Tigers DE] Zion Young was this year's Senior Bowl Defensive MVP, but Nadame Tucker was every bit as good and had more to gain from a standout showing," wrote Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski after the Senior Bowl. "The reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Year was explosive and slippery, with the polish to finish rushes." 

In his latest mock draft for the Kansas City Chiefs, Pro Football Focus' Josh Liskiewitz has the AFC West club selecting Tucker with pick No. 146 in the fifth round. That may be a steal for the rebuilding Chiefs, who missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014 this season. 

What do you need to know about John Carroll Blue Streaks WR Tyren Montgomery? 

Montgomery caught the attention of scouts during the first Senior Bowl practice. Many must have been surprised to learn he never played high school football at The Woodlands College Park in The Woodlands, Texas.

Montgomery (5-foot-11, 190 pounds) spent a semester as a walk-on basketball player at LSU in 2019 before switching to football. He competed in a flag football league in Florida to build a tape and then played at FCS school Nicholls State before transferring to Division III program John Carroll in 2024. 

"The best compliment I can give to Montgomery is that, based on his talent and his performance this week, you would have no idea he is the only non-Division I prospect at the Senior Bowl," wrote The Athletic's Dane Brugler after Senior Bowl practices. "He has done a great job with pacing and speed in his routes, and he's shown no panic at the catch point."    

Brugler added Montgomery may "follow a similar path" to Pierre Garcon, a former WR for the Mount Union Raiders, a Division III powerhouse. The Indianapolis Colts took him with pick No. 205 in the 2008 draft. 

Montgomery produced big numbers in 2025, which may make NFL teams more willing to take a chance on him on Day 3 of the draft. In 14 games, he had 119 receptions for 1,528 yards and 15 TD catches.

How does presumptive No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza fit in Klint Kubiak's system?

The Raiders are expected to hire Seattle Seahawks OC Kubiak as their next HC. Shortly after the news broke, former NFL QB/The Athletic analyst Chase Daniel raved about the potential pairing with Mendoza (6-foot-5, 225 pounds).

"How does this fit with Fernando Mendoza? I love the fit so much," Daniel said on X. "Raiders fans, you should be happy." 

Daniel noted 2025 Heisman winner Mendoza — who tossed 41 TD passes in 2025 — played in an Indiana offense that relied heavily on RPOs (read-pass options). To use those plays, an offense needs a strong run game, Kubiak's area of expertise. Entering Super Bowl LX, the Seahawks rank 10th in the league in rushing yards (123.5 per game). 

Raiders fans should keep a close eye on Kubiak's offense in Sunday's Super Bowl against the New England Patriots. A big day for Seattle would give them something they haven't had after going 7-27 in their past 34 games: hope.