Which Senior Bowl quarterbacks performed best during Day 2 practices in Mobile? Wednesday was Taylen Green’s day, but Cole Payton and others also flashed promise as the week progressed. Here’s a look at each QB’s updated outlook with one practice left.
Taylen Green, Arkansas
Taylen Green might not have been the best QB in Mobile, definitely on Wednesday, but he was assuredly the most dynamic. And it’s easy to envision NFL teams being enthralled by his ultimate upside after his Day 2 Senior Bowl showing.
Green had the play of the week on Wednesday, and it might be hard to beat. In team drills, Green found Malachi Fields on a deep post route. He stepped up, rolled his hips through the pass, and drove the ball high, past the coverage, where only Fields could make a play.
Even Green’s deep throw was released a tick late, but Green still showcases the ability to discern opportunities deep and maximize his placement with layering and touch. And when he’s forced off his rhythm and out of the pocket, he chews up ground with his athleticism.
Green did have one lowlight: An interception to Skyler Thomas when Green attempted to lay the ball over the top of Thomas on the move. That lowlight placed his field vision back under scrutiny, but Green’s raw talent shone above all of it, and when he puts it all together, he can accomplish things few other QBs can on the field.
Cole Payton, North Dakota State
Green made the most exciting plays on Wednesday, but there’s an argument to be made that Cole Payton was the best quarterback overall between the two teams. The 6’2″, 228-pound passer’s raw talent pops, but his steadiness was what defined his game on Day 2.
In early team drills, Payton was extremely vocal pre-snap and showed impressive command in a new environment. More than that, he demonstrated the ability to convert in various scenarios. He appeared natural on an off-platform dish off boot action, and he got to his hot read at one point when pressure closed in early.
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Payton’s processing speed clearly has its lapses at times, as is to be expected from a QB with relatively little in-game experience. But Payton has been impossible to ignore with his athleticism and throw velocity, and he’s taking advantage of his opportunity in Mobile.
Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
The Diego Pavia experience is complicated. As a team leader, Pavia has already won Senior Bowl week. His new teammates visibly enjoy interacting with him, and the 2026 Heisman finalist brings infectious competitive energy.
Additionally, Pavia’s highest moments on Wednesday were good enough to warrant additional intrigue. Perhaps his best rep was a play in team drills, where Pavia slid away from quick pressure and naturally worked to his hot read under threat from the rush.
Those high moments were unfortunately marred by miscues. Pavia fumbled a snap early in practice, after experiencing lapses in ball security on Day 1, and he too often held the ball past the optimal time-to-throw. Pavia likely profiles as a backup at best, but he has the athleticism and toughness to lend well in a “safety blanket” kind of role.
Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Garrett Nussmeier had a decent, if unspectacular, day in Mobile on Wednesday. Now fully healthy from his oblique injury in-season, he’s throwing the ball with noticeably better zip. That quality was particularly visible on an intermediate corner route to Lewis Bond in team drills, where Nussmeier ripped an anticipatory dart outside the hashes.
There is still some volatility with mechanics and accuracy under pressure for Nussmeier, but the American Team defensive line didn’t make it easy on anyone this time around. More often than not, Nussmeier showed he could slide away from pressure and maintain awareness of his outlets.
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Thursday will still be big for Nussmeier, who has yet to separate himself with an immaculate outing. But if his Senior Bowl week were to end today, he would’ve at least put a few quality throws on tape.
Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
With one day left of Senior Bowl practices, Sawyer Robertson arguably has the most ground left to gain of the 2026 Senior Bowl QBs. On Day 2, he appeared rushed and uneven at times, at one point forcing a throw over the middle that resulted in an interception.
There were positives to take away from Robertson’s performance as well. As a primary pocket passer, he displayed good instincts between the tackles, and on one rep, he navigated the corridor to perfection, climbing the pocket and delivering a timely pass. But he still has more to prove.
Luke Altmyer, Illinois
Luke Altmyer was steady yet again on Day 2, even if he lacked the high-end reps to distinguish himself the way Green and Payton did. For the most part, Altmyer was efficient getting the ball out, disciplined in the pocket, and he showed off surprising creation ability for his size and stylistic tendencies.
Altmyer graded out as a mid-to-late Day 3 pick on my board heading into the Senior Bowl, but his profile still has very few holes, and his dependability as a backup candidate absolutely has weight in Round 4 and onward.
