2026 Senior Bowl Notebook Day 1: Small school standout shines the brightest while one quarterback stands above the rest
Here are some notes on the best players and plays of day one at the 2026 Senior Bowl.
Day 1 of the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl has come and gone, and there were plenty of takeaways. A brisk day in Mobile, Alabama, saw a slow start from many in attendance, but as the day went on, several players began to heat up as we approached the NFL Draft.
A to Z Sports spoke to sources throughout the day on Tuesday and gathered notes on who the best players were. Here is the day one notebook from the 2026 Senior Bowl.
Tyren Montgomery, WR, John Caroll
Montgomery is not only small in stature, but he’s from the smallest division of college ball there is at this year’s Senior Bowl. A Division III standout from John Caroll, Montgomery put on a show, including going up to make what was arguably the catch of Day 1.
“That kid made plays all day,” one source told A to Z Sports. For Montgomery, this week is a huge chance to firmly entrench himself in the draft discussion, if not to make his way onto a roster this summer.
Cole Payton, QB, NDSU
I’m not sure any quarterback stole the show on Tuesday, but Payton had the best-looking football and made the most notable throws. He’s a lefty, but he’s the most physically dominant passer in Mobile with a live arm and true dual-threat ability.
“Payton had some nice throws,” one source told A to Z Sports.
Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech
Hunter looked better in bag drills than his teammate and EDGE defender Romello Height, yet he weighs nearly 70 pounds more than Height. Where he stole the show, however, was during 1-on-1’s and during the team period.
In the words of one source, “Hunter had a day.” He was virtually unblockable and in a defensive tackle class that is a little weaker than usual, Hunter helped himself on day one.
Josh Cameron, WR, Baylor
Cameron is hard to miss because he’s a WR that wears number 34, but the plays he made on Day 1 made up for the odd-looking number. “Killed his interviews, killed day one, now he just needs to kill the 40,” one source told A to Z Sports.
For more notes, takeaways, videos, and everything else Senior Bowl, keep it locked on A to Z Sports!
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