2025 NFL Draft: 10 players for the Broncos to watch at the 2025 Senior Bowl

Here are 10 players the Denver Broncos should watch during this weeks Reese’s Senior Bowl.

The 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl kicks off this week with practices throughout the week before the game that will be played on Saturday, Feb. 1, at 1:30 p.m. ET. The Senior Bowl is an All-Star game that kicks off the draft process and features some of the top draft prospects in the upcoming NFL Draft. The entire league heads down to Mobile Alabama to watch the practices, meet with the players, and begin their in-person offseason scouting process.

We will see the Broncos’ top scouts, decision-makers, and maybe even head coach Sean Payton travel to Mobile to watch and scout these players. There are a number of prospects participating who should interest the Broncos and I am going to highlight a few of them I believe they will be keeping a close eye on this week.

1. Kansas RB Devin Neal

It is a loaded running back class, but one back who should interest the Denver Broncos is Kansas running back, Devin Neal. He is coming off an incredible season where he totaled 1,520 total yards from scrimmage and 17 total touchdowns. He showcased his talents vs. Colorado when he had 37 carries for 207 yards and 3 touchdowns along with 4 receptions for 80 yards and 1 touchdown. He was unstoppable in this game and proved he can be a weapon as a runner and receiver.

Neal will need to show his pass-catching skills at Mobile and try to separate himself from the multiple other talented backs in this draft.

I think he is a great fit for Sean Payton’s offense. He has some Kamara to his game, great vision, makes tacklers miss, and can contribute in the passing game. He doesn’t have the explosive speed you look for, but the rest of his game is really good. Right now, he is a day 2 or very early day 3 prospect who could push into the top 50 range if he has a strong draft process.

2. Stanford WR Elic Ayomanor

Stanford’s Elic Ayomanor may not be the most well-known receiver prospect in this draft, but he could rise up the boards after a promising week at the Senior Bowl. He is a big powerful receiver who has some surprising long speed and is a very willing blocker in the run game.

We know Sean Payton loves receivers who can block in the run game and Ayomanor does it very well. On top of that, he profiles well as a player who can do the quick slants he loves to run and create after the catch.

He will likely be a day two selection who could rise up the boards after a strong week throughout the draft process. If the Broncos want to upgrade their receiver room via the draft, I think they will be interested in Ayomanor during the draft process.

3. Arizona State RB Cam Skattebo

Note: Skattebo will reportedly not participate in the Senior Bowl

Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo is a favorite amongst Broncos fans, but does his skillset translate to the NFL? He is a powerful bowling ball of a running back who will run through you instead of around you. On top of that, he has soft hands and has shown to be a reliable pass catcher who can be dangerous in space. His negative is his lack of long speed and explosiveness.

At the Senior Bowl, he will need to show his pass-catching ability and quiet the concerns about his speed. His powerful running style won’t be on display as much during the practices so I’ll be interested to see how he performs.

As for his fit with the Broncos, I like it. Payton likes using multiple backs and his ability to catch the ball will certainly help. However, they already have Audric Estime on the roster who profiles as a similar type of back. How they feel about him long-term will likely dictate what type of back they target. I am leaning toward a more explosive player but would not be upset if they added Skattebo to their running back room.

4. Oregon WR Tez Johnson

I would bet the Broncos at least try to find a way to add Oregon wide receiver Tez Johnson during the draft. If you didn’t know, Johnson and Broncos quarterback Bo Nix are brothers and played together while at Oregon. Could they be teammates again in the NFL?

Johnson is coming off another explosive season for the Oregon Ducks and enters the draft as one of the more explosive wide receivers in the entire draft. He had 898 yards receiving along with 10 touchdowns. The year prior with Nix, he had 1,182 yards receiving and 10 touchdown passes.

One thing he’ll need to prove during the Senior Bowl practices is his ability to handle physical corners. He is listed at just 5’10, 160 pounds, so he is a bit lighter than you would like.

As for his fit with the Broncos, I don’t really see one. They already have Marvin Mims Jr. and Troy Franklin who do what Johnson does. He is a smaller receiver who excels as a deep threat or in the open space. He fits the offense well, but these roles are already filled by young receivers. If there wasn’t the brother connection, I wouldn’t have him as a fit due to that, but we’ll see.

5. Texas TE Gunnar Helm

The tight end position is a major weakness of the Broncos and you know they will be keeping a close eye on some of the top tight end prospects at the Senior Bowl. One of the tight ends they will be watching is Texas tight end Gunnar Helm.

Helm is not the most explosive threat as a receiver, but he is a reliable pass catcher who profiles as a fairly balanced tight end. He is a solid blocker, consistent as a pass catcher and figures to be one of the top tight ends taken in the 2025 NFL Draft.

During the Senior Bowl, I’ll be watching to see how he does during the one-on-one drills. Can he separate as a receiver and show some more explosiveness in the open field?

The Broncos are desperately in need of a receiving threat at the tight end position and Helm could be the answer for them. He does the dirty work well and shows some sneaky athleticism after the catch. He could boost his draft stock during the Senior Bowl if he can showcase more of that athleticism as a pass catcher.

6. LSU TE Mason Taylor

Another tight end who the Broncos will be watching is LSU tight end Mason Taylor. He is the son of Hall Of Fame pass rusher Jason Taylor and one of the top tight ends in the draft. He has the bloodlines, good size, athleticism, and pass-catching ability and will look to display all this at the Senior Bowl.

Like Helm, he is a solid blocker and uses his size to win in that area while also having the traits to be a problem as a receiver. He really wasn’t featured as a pass catcher much at LSU so I am interested to see how he does in one-on-one drills. He has the size, athleticism, and talent to be one of the bigger winners from the Senior Bowl practices.

The Broncos need a weapon in the passing game at the tight end position and Taylor has the traits to be that. He does need to develop more as a route runner since he doesn’t have a ton of experience there, but his potential and athleticism make him an intriguing prospect.

7. Kentucky IDL Deone Walker

Walker is an insanely large man.

He stands at 6’6”, 350 pounds, and will be the largest man on the practice field at the Senior Bowl. That alone will get your attention but his surprising athleticism and quickness will really make him stand out from the rest.

The one-on-one defensive line drills are always my favorite drill to watch at the Senior Bowl and I expect Walker to dominate here. He has the potential to come out of the week as a big winner and really improve his draft stock.

With D.J. Jones hitting free agency, the Broncos could be looking for a big man to anchor the middle of their defense. Adding someone with the size and ability of Walker would be a huge addition to the Broncos’ defensive line and give them some much-needed youth and potential to that room.

8. Texas A&M IDL Shemar Stewart

One of the best overall prospects at the Senior Bowl will be Texas A&M defensive lineman Shermar Stewart. He is listed at 6’6, 290 pounds, and will test very well due to his elite athleticism. He lacked overall production in college but his size, athleticism, and elite traits make him an intriguing boom-or-bust prospect.

During the week, I will be watching to see how he does during one-on-one drills. Does he dominate and showcase his size, strength, and elite traits? Or is he inconsistent and shows that he is a work in progress?

Both Zach Allen and John Franklin-Myers are entering contract years and the team lacks overall depth at this position already. I would expect Allen to receive an extension, but adding a player like Stewart to develop and eventually take over is an option for them in the first round.

9. Ole Miss IDL Walter Nolen

Ole Miss defensive lineman Walter Nolen is one of the top, if not the best defensive linemen at the Senior Bowl this year. He is a 6-3, 305-pound disruptor who is a top-run defender as well as an interior pass-rush threat. It is a loaded defensive line class and Nolen is near the top of it.

Like Stewart, Nolen has a chance to absolutely dominate during the one-on-one drills throughout the week. During these drills, he will showcase his explosiveness off the line, power, and that he is a twitchy athlete. All of this should solidify him as a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

As for the Broncos, Nolen is a prospect to watch. D.J. Jones is a free agent, Zach Allen and JFM are in the final year of their deals, and the team lacks depth throughout their defensive line. Improving the trenches is a route the Broncos may decide to go in the first round of the draft.

10. Bowling Green TE Harold Fannin Jr.

The Broncos need a receiving threat at tight end and Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. might be one of the better ones in this year’s draft. This past year, he had 117 receptions for 1,555 yards and 10 touchdowns for Bowling Green. Now, he will head to the Senior Bowl looking to showcase his ability against the top draft prospects in this year’s draft.

He will showcase his ability as a receiver and probably dominate one-on-one drills against linebackers and safeties. He has great hands, runs smooth routes, and has the speed to create after the catch. His one big negative, however, is his run blocking. He profiles more as a big wide receiver instead of a traditional tight end and you don’t want him blocking consistently as an in-line tight end. He is more of a big-slot type who you can move around the field. The other thing I want to see is how he does against top talent. He did not face many NFL-caliber players while at Bowling Green so it’ll be interesting to see how he fairs.

We know the Broncos need a receiving threat at tight end and Fannin Jr. would give them that. However, his potential blocking issues could be a concern. We saw this be an issue with Greg Dulcich in the past and Payton does like having wide receivers and tight ends who can block. So, it’ll be interesting to see how Payton and the Broncos feel about Fannin Jr. moving forward.