2026 Senior Bowl Day 1 standouts: WRs, edge rushers boost NFL draft stock

by Lance Zierlein & Eric Edholm

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MOBILE, Ala. — With Panini Senior Bowl practices getting underway on Tuesday, 100-plus prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft are in the midst of a crucial job interview. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein and Eric Edholm provide a look at standouts from Day 1, as well as news and notes from the day’s events.

Tune in for live coverage of Senior Bowl practice Wednesday and Thursday beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET on NFL Network and NFL+, and don’t miss exclusive coverage Saturday of the Senior Bowl game at 2:30 p.m. ET on NFL Network and NFL+.

Five stars from Day 1 of Senior Bowl practice

Measuring 6-foot-4 and 218 pounds, Fields is the most physically imposing wideout at the Senior Bowl. While he didn’t make highlight-reel catches on Tuesday (his American Team teammate Ted Hurst took care of that; more on him later), Fields did show off his ability to stack corners on vertical routes and body them out of contention on short/intermediate catches. He used his wide catch radius to pull in off-target throws, as well.

Fields is a boundary bully who struggles to uncover against tight man coverage. He needs a more limited route tree with fewer breaks and bends, but once he gets top positioning, he’s hard to beat. I’d like to see him continue to show he can make up for a lack of separation with contested catch wins in practice.

At a hair under 6-foot and just 224 pounds, Louis isn’t built like the typical NFL linebacker. He operates as more of a nickel linebacker hybrid, taking downhill shots to make trouble for offenses as both a blitzer and gap-shooter.

His skills in coverage set him apart, though. In one-on-one drills against running backs, Louis basically ran the option route for the runner and nabbed the quarterback’s pass with his quick hands. He was tight in coverage throughout that portion of the practice, showing why he should be a rising prospect in this draft.

Moore steamrolled Miami OT Markel Bell with a well-leveraged bull rush during the American Team practice. He flashed again as a run defender, using his length and play strength during a scrimmage.

Moore has average size, but he’s a momentum-based pass rusher who gets into tackles first with a long-arm move that loosens the tackle’s anchor and collapses the edge. He needs to play every snap with consistent urgency, but Tuesday’s practice was a good reminder of what he’s capable of in both phases.

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