The practices have officially concluded for the 2026 Senior Bowl, and it was a fantastic week of action. Now, the players will prepare for the contest this weekend before they transition to NFL Combine prep.
But before we transition to that portion of the offseason, let’s take a look at some of the hidden gems from Mobile and why they should garner more attention before the draft in April.
With an eye on the Dallas Cowboys' needs, we will stick with defensive players who stood out during the three days of practice. So without further ado, here are five under-the-radar players from the Senior Bowl who made money this week:
Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh
The top linebacker at the Senior Bowl was Jacob Rodriguez, but Louis wasn’t far behind. That is, if you consider Louis a linebacker. At 5-11, 224 pounds, he doesn’t have the ideal size of a linebacker and some wonder if he might have to play safety in the NFL. But he was all over the field in practice and made plays every single day.
This isn’t anything new for Louis as he tallied 24 tackles for a loss, 10 sacks, and 6 interceptions over the last two seasons at Pittsburgh. He’s going to need to play behind good defensive tackles in the NFL (which Dallas has), but Louis could be a star nickel linebacker at the next level. He improved his draft stock a ton this week.
Davison Igbinosun, CB, Ohio State
It’s hard to call Igbinosun a sleeper when he was a three-year starter at Ohio State, but he certainly qualifies. After 16 penalties (yikes) during the 2024 season, Igbinosun bounced back in a big way during the 2025 season with just five penalties and no touchdowns allowed.
He was still grabby during the one-on-one and team drills in Mobile, but he didn’t give an inch and wasn’t fazed by any of the wide receiver competition. Igbinosun is the type of cornerback that the Cowboys’ front office loves (33” arms, 78” wingspan), and he’s arguably the best run-defending cornerback in the class. Don’t be surprised if this is a player who rises up draft boards over the next two months and is frequently mocked to Dallas.
Rayshaun Benny, DT, Michigan
Do the Cowboys need defensive tackle help? Nope. But that doesn’t mean they are going to shy away from good players. And Benny was one of the most disruptive players during the team period on Thursday. He made multiple stops in the backfield, including beating a double-team on the goal line as he made a huge tackle for a loss.
Benny is a run-stopping defensive tackle with back-to-back strong seasons at Michigan. He’s a bit undersized for a typical nose tackle spot, but his athleticism and quickness will find him in an NFL defensive line rotation sooner rather than later. Look for Benny to be drafted sometime in the middle of Day 3, but to have an impact right away as a run defender.
Charles Demmings, CB, Stephen F. Austin
One of the coolest parts of the Senior Bowl is seeing small-school players matched up against national powerhouses. One example of that is Charles Demmings from Stephen F. Austin, who more than held his own. He faced nearly every top receiver in Mobile and won a majority of his matchups.
He was feisty at the catch point in several one-on-one drills and displayed real patience at the position. With nine career interceptions and 32 ¼” arms, you can bet that the front office for the Cowboys will have a close eye on Demmings. Look for Demmings to be selected somewhere between picks 75-125 and for the Cowboys to be a potential destination.
Bud Clark, SAF, TCU
Arguably the most impressive defensive back at the Senior Bowl was Bud Clark, who was routinely put in tough one-on-one situations. And yet, he made plays almost every time. Clark had a very impressive interception during the one-on-one period on Wednesday and followed that up with an interception in team drills on Thursday.
Clark played six years at TCU and is highly experienced, but he’s also one of the most well-rounded defensive backs in the country. He’s comfortable in coverage and is a ball magnet. He’s very similar to Calen Bullock, who was a mid-round pick by the Texans, who has gone on to have a fantastic career. Don’t be surprised if Clark is drafted in a similar range and has the same type of success.