The first practices of the 2026 Senior Bowl wrapped up on Tuesday as some of the top talent in the nation put their helmets on and got to work. While the first day of practice is always a lighter practice in terms of workload, there were still some clear winners and losers from the action in Mobile, Alabama.
Who stood out on Tuesday and who could be potential targets for the Dallas Cowboys in the 2026 NFL Draft? Let’s take a look at the biggest winners from Day 1 of practice:
Bigger winners from Day 1 of the 2026 Senior Bowl
T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson
One of the biggest names going into the Senior Bowl was Parker, who was widely considered a top 20 pick before the 2025 season. But after a lackluster season, Parker has seen his stock significantly over the last 12 months. Tuesday was a good reminder of why the 2025 hype was justified.
Parker’s strength and physicality were on full display, winning multiple reps during team periods and during the one-on-one drills. At one point, he long-armed an offensive tackle off his feet and up into the air in a beautiful pass-rush win. While he still needs to show he can win outside of just being powerful, Parker was a big winner during the first practice of the week.
Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
Hood enters the week as the highest-ranked cornerback, and nothing he did on Tuesday suggests that will change. While he wasn’t perfect, there were several instances during the one-on-one periods where he stayed right with the wide receiver and was able to knock the ball away at the catch point.
There are still times when Hood is too grabby at the top of the routes, but he is going to contest everything and will be a pain for these Senior Bowl receivers to deal with all week.
Gennings Dunker, OT, Iowa
Right tackle could be a sneaky need for the Cowboys this year, especially if Terence Steele doesn’t return. And one of the standouts from Tuesday was Gennings Dunker, a multi-year starter from Iowa. He was incredibly physical in the one-on-one drills and showed enough athleticism to warrant a longer look at offensive tackle.
Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State
The play of the day came during one-on-one drills when Hurst brought in a beautiful one-handed catch for a touchdown that was very reminiscent of George Pickens. Hurst is a massive wide receiver (6-3, 207 pounds) who has been getting Day 3 buzz despite playing at a small school. The Cowboys don’t have a huge need at receiver, but this is someone to watch considering how well he performed on Tuesday.
Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State
Another cornerback who impressed, Johnson was one of the top defensive backs on the field Tuesday. He was highly productive in college, and the jump in competition didn't seem to faze him at all. We shall see what he looks like throughout the week, but this was a strong start for the four-year starter.