January 31, 2026
Over the years, the Philadelphia Eagles tend to select a fair amount of players who compete at the Senior Bowl. In 2024, for example, the Birds hit big on a pair of Senior Bowl participants in Quinyon Mitchell and Jalyx Hunt. The 2026 Senior Bowl will be played on Saturday, so here are 12 participants who make sense for the Birds on the defensive side of the ball.
12 potential Eagles draft targets to watch during the Senior Bowl: Offense edition
• T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson: As a freshman in 2023, Parker had 32 tackles (13 for loss) and 5.5 sacks. He had a monster season in 2024, collecting 57 tackles (20 for loss), with 11 sacks and 6 forced fumbles. He was considered a top 10 type of prospect heading into 2025, but he had a down year (37 tackles, 5 sacks). Personally, I think it'd be nuts for him to drop into Round 2, but if he did, I can imagine the Eagles making a Cooper DeJean-like trade up.
• Zion Young, EDGE, Missouri: Young is a power rusher with a non-stop motor who plays with an edge. 42 tackles (16.5 for loss), 6.5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles in 2025.
• Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami: Mesidor has an intriguing blend of power and quickness, and he is a versatile defensive lineman who can rush from a wide-nine alignment on one play, and then as a 3-tech on the next. He has a thick build, a little like Brandon Graham.
• Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois: Jacas was an increasingly productive edge defender for Illinois, with 4 sacks each of his freshman and sophomore years, 8 as a junior, and 11 as a senior. He also had 3 forced fumbles each of the last two seasons. He has speed, power, instincts, and versatility.
• Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn State: Dennis-Sutton was a five-star recruit (28th nationally by 247 Sports, 7th by Rivals.com) who is an exceptional run defender, but not an uber-athletic pass rusher like former teammate Abdul Carter. He did have 17 sacks and 5 forced fumbles over his final two seasons at Penn State.
• Nadame Tucker, EDGE, Western Michigan: Tucker was an unknown player before the season began, having played at Houston for three seasons, and only having 10 tackles in limited playing time. He transferred to Western Michigan in 2025, and had a monster season, racking up 55 tackles (21 for loss), an FBS-leading 14.5 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles in 13 games.
• Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee: Hood is the nephew of former Eagles CB Roderick Hood. He originally enrolled at Auburn, where his uncle went, before transferring to Colorado, and then again to Tennessee. He doesn't have eye-popping stats (1 INT, 8 pass breakups in 2025), but he is a well-rounded corner without any obvious, alarming flaws.
• Davison Igbinosun, CB, Ohio State: Igbinosun was one of the more polarizing players in college football. He is grabby, as he was flagged for 16 (!) penalties in 2024, and he doesn't have good takeaway numbers, as he had just 4 career INTs, and 0 forced fumbles. And yet, you can kind of see how he might become a good corner in the NFL. Though grabby, he was also one of the most physical corners in the country. He'll stick his face in the fan in run support, he's a sound tackler, and he is comfortable in press coverage at the line of scrimmage. He has outstanding length, at 6'2, with long arms.
• Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State: Johnson is a playmaker. In 2025 he had 4 INTs, two of which were pick-sixes, in addition to 9 pass breakups and a forced fumble. In 2024, he had 3 forced fumbles. He's a ballhawk, but also a skilled corner in man and off coverage, and he's a quality tackler with some special teams chops. Under-the-radar prospect who will likely go Day 2.
• Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia: Everette was a five-star recruit who played sparingly as a freshman on Georgia's National Championship team. He got his first taste of being a starter in 2023, and started full-time in 2024. In 2025 he was Georgia's CB1. He has good length, and is thought of as a cerebral corner.
• Hezekiah Masses, CB, California: Masses transferred from FIU in 2025, and he had an incredible start to his senior season at Cal, with 4 INTs (plus an additional pick-six that was called back due to a penalty), and 7 pass breakups in his first 5 games. He cooled off a bit as the season progressed, finishing with 5 INTs and 13 PBUs. But clearly he gets his hands on a lot of passes.
• Emmanuel McNeil Warren, S, Toledo: McNeil-Warren is a productive safety who has the following numbers since 2023 in 25 games: 207 tackles, 5 INTs (one pick-six), 9 forced fumbles. He has good size, he can play the run, he's a big hitter, and he has some range patrolling the deep part of the field.
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