By Paul Vozzella
NEFJ Staff

MOBILE, AL – The 76th Reese’s Senior Bowl week is underway and college’s top players are ready to prove why they are worthy of playing at the next level.

Amongst the nation’s best players that are in attendance, New England is well represented this year. Not only that, but it’s a massive week for Eliot Wolf, Mike Vrabel and the new-look Patriots.

Monday afternoon marked the commencement of the week-long event leading up to Saturday’s game with an introductory press conference. Jim Nagy, executive director of the Senior Bowl, started off by sharing his thoughts about the head coaches of both teams – Mike Kafka (National) and Ray “Bubba” Ventrone (American).

Nagy – a former scout for the New England Patriots – had high praise for both Kafka and Ventrone, a former Patriots player himself.

“We’re excited to be getting two outstanding coaches with such great reputations leading our teams this year,” said Nagy. “I was part of the Patriots scouting staff that drafted Bubba Ventrone back in 2005 so I know how smart and competitive he is. Mike Kafka has already had numerous head coaching interviews over the past couple hiring cycles and many people I’ve talked to around the league believe it’s only a matter of time before he gets one of those jobs. Our players will leave Mobile as better players than when they arrived after spending the week with these two men and their respective staff.”

Both coaches will have players with a regional tie to New England. On the National roster are Boston College right tackle Ozzy Trapilo and edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku. Playing alongside Ezeiruaku is Minnesota edge rusher Jah Joyner – native of Connecticut. This week will prove vital for all three players as both position groups have a lot of talent entering this year’s draft.

“[Defensive line] is a loaded group,” stated Nagy. “I mean, one-on-ones are always fun. I think we all love one-on-ones, but one-on-ones are going to be really fun this year because of the tackle group as well.”

Ezeiruaku made a name for himself this year by being named a consensus All-American and Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Even with the awards, his draft projection stands as a borderline first-rounder. A great week against some of the top offensive tackles in the draft class could solidify first round status.

On the other side of the ball, Trapilo has a lot to prove this week. The Massachusetts native earned First Team All-ACC this season and is a projected day two pick in the draft. With Nagy’s high praise for the defensive linemen at the Senior Bowl this year, Trapilo’s stock can skyrocket with a great week against the stiff competition.

After making a name for himself as a standout in Danbury, Connecticut, Joyner made his way to Minnesota to make a name for himself on a national scale. He didn’t earn consistent playing time until 2023 and impressed as a full-time starter in 2024. Joyner’s draft projection ranges from the middle to late rounds, so stringing together impressive days at practice and in the game will put teams on notice.

On the opposing team is former Yale and current Georgia Tech tight end Jackson Hawes. Hawes arguably has the most to prove out of all four players. After accruing 35 receptions for 371 yards and six touchdowns throughout his three seasons as a Bulldog, Hawes hit the transfer portal and wound up at Georgia Tech where he recorded 16 catches for 195 receiving yards in 2024. Adding more value as a blocker, Hawes should get a call in the later rounds.

This year has the most talent the Senior Bowl has ever seen, according to Nagy. The four players can prove a lot throughout the practice week and Saturday’s game, but will be up against tough competition from the top to the bottom of their respective rosters.

“This is a deeper class,” said Nagy. “I mean, if you just tie it back to our watch list in August, it was like 800 players… I don’t think this draft is great up high. I’ve made that known on social media. I mean, I’m talking to teams where they’ve got eight, nine, 10 first-round grades right now, so I don’t think it’s a great draft to be way up high. I think you’re gonna see a lot of teams try to trade back, but I do think there’s good players all the way through seven [rounds].”

With many scouts in attendance this week, it can be a make-or-break experience for the guys representing New England. This could also be a make-or-break week for Wolf and Vrabel considering how important it is to get this draft right.