The Reese’s Senior Bowl is a mainstay in the NFL Draft world and a highly anticipated event that scouts and fans flock to. Practices begin within the next week and here are some defensive Senior Bowl sleeper prospects who could raise their stock.
Defensive Prospects Who Could Stand Out At The Upcoming Reese’s Senior Bowl
DL Aeneas Peebles, Virginia Tech
Peebles was a driving force on one of the country’s most dangerous defensive line units in 2024. He had some ups and downs but put together a wildly impressive overall season. He flies out of his stance and engages with offensive linemen quicker than most can fully react and adjust to. His best moments come as a pass rusher, showing he can be an occasional play-wrecker.
Coming into the Senior Bowl, Peebles will have to flex his muscles in one-on-one OL/DL drills to maximize his draft position. His age and “tweener” build raise fair questions about his ceiling and overall effectiveness as a prospect. But in a weaker class, his skills could let him put together an eye-catching week and elevate his draft projection.
Potential Team Fit: Arizona Cardinals
LB Cody Lindenberg, Minnesota
Lindenberg is flat-out one of the most underrated players in the 2025 draft cycle to this point. Few in the national media have campaigned for his prospect profile but one look at the tape shows everything NFL coaches want in a linebacker. His effort level throughout the play is off the charts and he has fantastic read-and-react abilities to be a force across the middle of the field.
This upcoming week in Mobile could be massive for Lindenberg’s perception as a prospect. His skills will be showcased against some of the nation’s best and have many notable eyes on him. He understands plays well and could give offensive players fits in both the individual and team portions throughout the week.
Potential Team Fit: Atlanta Falcons
DB Keondre Jackson, Illinois State
Few FCS prospects have seen as much recent attention as Jackson, but he’s still a relative unknown in the full draft landscape, He was one of the biggest standouts during the recent Hula Bowl, earning him a late invite to the Senior Bowl. The Redbirds safety offers above-average size for a DB and has proven to be a great run-stopper.
Jackson loves contact and could play his way into the later rounds of the draft if he can survive on an island. His versatility will be displayed all week long, having prior experience as an outside cornerback, deep safety, and in the box. He hits hard and forces his way into plays, traits that could garner plenty of extra looks on the big stage in Mobile.
Potential Team Fit: Washington Commanders
DB Upton Stout, Western Kentucky
At just 5’9” 182, Stout is a limited but wildly interesting prospect out of WKU. He’s seen his share of success at the G5 level and has put out excellent tape as a slot corner. His speed and fluidity let him rotate around the field and play with much more length and range than advertised in his frame.
Stout’s performance against both larger and more nuanced route runners will be a point of emphasis during WR/DB drills. His size has pitted him mostly against undersized wideouts, but the evolution of the slot WR position could force him to play, and face, much more physicality. If he can consistently hang as the week progresses, any NFL team needing secondary help will come calling.
Potential Team Fit: Tennessee Titans
DB Maxen Hook, Toledo
Hook has anchored a tight Toledo defense with stellar run support and electric downhill play in his four years as a starter. His range and ability to work sideline-to-sideline with high-level twitchiness has gotten him into some Day 3 draft conversations. The four-time All-MAC selection is a popular name among G5 media circles but is still a name only known to in-depth social media scouts.
Working discipline through aggression will be the biggest challenge for Hook when isolated against top receivers. His decisiveness and processing skills in the secondary have caused some issues in the past when facing speed threats. He has most of the tools needed to be an NFL-level rotational safety, and flashing them at the Senior Bowl could enamor some teams.
Potential Team Fit: Buffalo Bills
Main Photo: [Matt Krohn] – USA Today Sports
