2026 Panini’s Senior Bowl, National Team, Day 3, 1-29-26: Photo Gallery
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Clemson RB Adam Randall makes a leaping TD grab over Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez during a RB-LB one-on-one period on Day 3 of the 2026 Senior Bowl.
The National Day 3 practice at the 2026 Senior Bowl added Red Zone, two-minute and several situational periods for the squad. Today’s photo gallery showcases some of the standouts from each session.
Team Red Zone, Day 3….(some notes)
- Iowa DE Max Llewellyn disengages quickly as a run defender from a wide alignment at the left defensive end spot. On one repetition, he discarded Hawkeyes teammate Gennings Dunker to make a stop on Kentucky RB Seth McGowan immediately after the handoff
- Former Baylor QB Sawyer Robertson’s ball handling impressed early during the period. He had a touchdown pass on the move rolling right to McGowan that was overturned due to a holding call by Cal CB Hezekiah Masses against SMU WR Jordan Hudson. Hudson set up Masses with a slick inside fake before a swim move forced the grab from Masses. Robertson projects well as a play action passer taking snaps from under the center
- Robertson is not known as a dual-threat, but the former baseball player has enough foot speed to pull it on an occasional zone read. He took off twice during the period
Tight ends flash…CBs dash
- SMU TE Matthew Hibner completed a wham block versus Minnesota DT Deven Eastern to open up a gap scheme cutback run for FIU RB Kejon Owens. Hibner- a Michigan transfer- displayed satisfactory effort in this regard (blocking) in portions of the week
- On the aforementioned play, TCU’s Bud Clark filled impressively as the free hitter, but did not get his head across the bow of Owens. At just 185 pounds, he’ll need to make a conscious effort in that regard versus NFL backs
- Houston TE Tanner Koziol finished a leaping Red Zone TD grab over Stephen F. Austin CB Charles Demmings on an excellent placement pass from NDSU QB Cole Payton. Demmings, however, played well most of the afternoon. He defended back-to-back passes earlier in the day during a two-minute period. First, he frustrated Texas Tech’s Reggie Virgil with a jam at the line of scrimmage and stayed in his hip pocket on a Diego Pavia pass. Secondly, his zone turn transition was quicker than Baylor WR Josh Cameron on a comeback pattern. He nearly picked off Pavia’s pass intended for Cameron
Safeties and nickel backs…
- Demmings also mirrored Cameron on a pivot-return pattern that resulted in a tipped pass. The curl-flat defender -Zakee Wheatley- nearly picked off Cameron’s tip. Earlier, Wheatley did not get a jump on Pavia’s indicators when Demmings locked Virgil down the field. Yet, the Penn State safety still covered ground from the deep middle of the field to reach outside the numbers on the throw
- Duke second-team All-ACC cornerback Chandler Rivers continues to display a positive feel at the nickel back spot. His curl-hook drops were efficient in the team’s Red Two (version of Cover 2 in Red Zone) defensive packages. In fact, he nearly a recorded an interception in a low Red Zone period after late add Tennessee DT Tyre West got up to tip a pass from Robertson. Rivers also covered John Carroll’s Tyren Montgomery well as an outside corner on a slant pattern earlier in the period
Point of attack
- Maryland OT Alan Herron flashed a chippy nature at times. He got into it with Duke’s Vincent Anthony after the two engaged in a competitive standoff. Herron’s outside foot kick-step at the right tackle seems more comfortable than at left tackle
- It should have come as no surprise that Oregon’s Bryce Boettcher eventually led the team with 10 tackles in the game on Saturday. His eyes were fast and efficient most of the week, including an excellent read on an outside zone by Randall. In the low Red Zone period, he produced a similar C-gap fill on Owens. It came as a stacked linebacker behind 6i-DE Dani Dennis-Sutton
- Georgia Tech OG Keylan Rutledge continues to impress on his open pulls when changing the gaps for the defense. Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez dropped his hips on one rep, however, against Rutledge to hammer the action back to TCU’s Kaleb Elarms-Orr. Clemson RB Adam Randall’s size meshes well with these types of run schemes
- Randall also had a leaping catch in the back of the end zone versus Rodriguez during a RB-LB one-on-one passing drill. Surprisingly, the former receiver was up-and-down running routes during the week. His receiver flashes should still intrigue teams
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