Senior Bowl 2026: The Final Evaluation for Red River Stars

Next week in Mobile, Alabama, the “underwear olympics” of the NFL Combine get their precursor: the Senior Bowl. For a handful of Texas and Oklahoma stars, this is “Prove-It Week.”

The practice sessions (Jan 27-29) are often more important than the game itself (Jan 31). Here is what the Red River contingent needs to show scouts.

The Sooner Contingent

Deion Burks (WR)

The Mission: Prove he’s a WR1, not a gadget. We know Burks has blazing speed. We know he can take the top off a defense. But NFL scouts want to see route-running nuance. Can he beat press coverage without just relying on a speed release? In Mobile’s 1-on-1 drills, Burks needs to show he has a complete route tree to solidify a Day 2 grade.

Kendal Daniels (LB)

The Mission: Show coverage fluidity. Daniels is a hammer in the run game, but at the next level, linebackers are targeted in coverage relentlessly. He needs to show he can stay with tight ends and running backs in space without getting grabby.

Gracen Halton (DT)

The Mission: Consistency. Halton had flashes of dominance in 2025. Scouts want to see if that motor runs hot on every single rep against elite interior linemen.

The Longhorn Representative

Michael Taaffe (S)

The Mission: Erase the “System Player” label. Taaffe has been the heartbeat of the Texas secondary, a high-IQ player who is always in the right spot. But the knock on him is often athleticism—is he fast enough? Smart enough only gets you so far in the NFL. Taaffe needs to show range in centerfield drills and prove his verified combine speed matches his game tape processing.

Why It Matters

For players on the borderline of the draft rounds, a dominant Senior Bowl week can mean the difference between the 3rd round and the 6th. It’s the final exam before the Combine, and the Red River rivals have plenty of money on the table.