Senior Bowl 2026 – Defensive Battle Decides Outcome
Frank Coyle & Staff @ draftinsiders.com
The Senior Bowl 2026 was a defensive battle with the American Team defeating the National Team, 17-9 on Saturday at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.
The defense shined on both teams with three takeaways at the 77th annual all-star contest instrumental in the outcome. The game featured 130+ top prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft, though many opt outs which effected the continuity of especially the offensive play.
QB Garrett Nussmeier of LSU earned game MVP honors, leading touchdown drives on the American team’s first two possessions while connecting on 5 of 8 passes for 57 yards. He had a rushing TD and a two-point-conversion throw to Notre Dame WR Malachi Fields. Nussmeier was limited by a few key drops by Stanford’s Sam Roush and Wyoming’s John Michael Gyllenborg for first downs. He did answer many questions related to his current health with good movement in the pocket, accuracy throwing and sound decision making.
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The running back group shined with several backs performing well. Indiana’s Kaelon Black had an impressive showing with a game-high 45 yards on eight carries. He delivered a few hard runs between the tackles and caught two passes for nine yards.
Oklahoma’s Jaydn Ott performed well in a critical opportunity after little playing time in 2025 for the Sooners last season. He ran for 42 yards and a TD on eight carries. He played fast in practices showing quickness to the hole plus the power to break tackles. Arkansas’ Mike Washington Jr. also stood out, running for 26 yards on five carries plus 1 reception.
The offensive lines also had a few standouts, including Arizona State OT Max Iheanachor, Georgia Tech OG Keylan Rutledge and Florida C Jake Slaughter. All improved his status significantly.
Defensive edge Nadame Tucker had a strong performance with 5 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 TFL and 1 FF. He raised his stock vs top competition and is a player to watch during the workout phase of the evaluation. LB Bryice Boettcher was outstanding combining keen instincts, strong tackling and excellent range. He totaled 10 tackles displaying the ability to fill the hole and the range to make stops outside the hashes.
