8 Senior Bowl Risers Broncos Should Have an Eye On

The Denver Broncos should keep an eye on these risers from the week of practices at the Senior Bowl.

Jan 28, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; American team running back Marcus Yarns of Delaware (21) runs the ball during Senior Bowl practice for the American team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. / Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

The NFL draft process is well underway, and as the saying goes, the draft starts in Mobile, AL. With team personnel on site, the Denver Broncos are looking for their next wave of rookies who can help them get to a point where they can contend for the division title and the Super Bowl by dealing with the Kansas City Chiefs.

There were plenty of winners from the week of practice at the Senior Bowl. Today, let’s focus on a few rising prospects who could fill some holes on the Broncos roster.

American Team: Marcus Yarns | RB | Delaware

The Broncos need to upgrade their running back room. Yarns had a strong week of practice, though the setting can make it challenging for running backs to stand out.

In team drills, Yarns was quick and decisive as a runner, and he also worked out quite well in the backfield as a receiver. He put a good effort into pass-blocking drills and had some wins, but this will be a point of contention for him when he comes into the NFL. 

National Team: Grey Zabel | IOL | North Dakota State

The biggest winner of the week is Zabel, a college tackle who projects best inside at the NFL level, and he came in and looked natural from day one. With work at center and guard, he was clean, consistent, and natural in all three spots on the interior.

There is a good chance Zabel hears his name called in the first round, and while it won’t be a sexy pick, he could be a massive upgrade at center for the Broncos over Luke Wattenberg and Alex Forsyth. Zabel could round out their offensive line for the next two seasons before figuring out what to do with left guard Ben Powers and right tackle Mike McGlinchey. 

American Team: Walter Nolen | IDL | Ole Miss

With D.J. Jones entering free agency and Zach Allen, Malcolm Roach, and John Franklin-Myers entering a contract year in 2025, interior defensive line reinforcements are needed for the Broncos. It is a position best addressed before it becomes a significant need, especially as defensive linemen can take some time to adjust to the NFL.

Nolen had an outstanding week, is the second-best performer on the defensive line, and can take over for Allen or Franklin-Myers next year, as the Broncos can likely only keep one of the two, and that will likely be Allen. 

National Team: Darius Alexander | IDL | Toledo

Alexander is needed for the same reason as Nolen and is the only interior player to outperform Nolen. During practice, Alexander saw reps as a wide nine to a 0-technique and won from every spot. He's long and quick with good length and power to be a problem in the NFL.

With Alexander's technique, he could have an immediate impact, as could Nolen, and both would significantly raise the floor in the Broncos' D-line room. Raising the floor is needed because, as great as Allen is, the Broncos need someone to rotate in with him to cut back on his usage and protect his body, especially if they want to make a run in the playoffs.  

What happens next on the Broncos beat? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Jan 30, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; American team tight end Mason Taylor of LSU (86) and American team defensive back Dan Jackson of Georgia (37) spar during Senior Bowl practice for the American team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. / Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

American Team: Mason Taylor | TE | LSU

Tight end is a significant need for the Broncos and is pegged as their likely round-one focus. However, this draft is deep at tight end, and it's one of the few positions where the return on investment in Rounds 2 or 3 isn’t a massive drop-off from Day 1. You can find tight ends on the second day of the draft; two of them this year stood out at the Senior Bowl.

Taylor is the son of Hall-of-Fame pass rusher Jason Taylor and the nephew of Hall-of-Fame linebacker Zach Tomas. Football is in his blood.

Mason is smooth with his routes and has some snap to get quick separation in his routes. His work as a blocker also checks the box. 

National Team: Elijah Arroyo | TE | Miami 

If it weren’t for Arroyo, then Taylor would be getting more attention. Arroyo has some knee concerns, which may scare Broncos Country, but he is a clean and smooth athlete.

In practice, Arroyo was next to impossible to cover and could be that receiving threat the Broncos desperately need from the position. 

American Team: Shemar James | LB | Florida

James was quiet to start of the week, but he still did well. On the final day of practice, his week of work came together, and he was dominant in practice.

The Florida linebacker is a good athlete and worked smoothly in coverage and team drills. His lateral flow against the run was consistent, but coming downhill between the tackles, he was hit-or-miss during the week of practices. 

National Team: Jeffrey Bassa | LB | Oregon

Bassa didn’t quite have the shinning plays James did in practice, but Bassa was more consistent throughout. His athleticism in coverage is easy to see, and he looks like a safety playing linebacker.

Bassa displayed some issues coming downhill against the run between the tackles, which is also an issue on tape. 

---

Follow Denver Broncos On SI/Mile High Huddle on Instagram, X, and Facebook and subscribe on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!