The path to the 2025 NFL Draft started last week in Mobile, Alabama with the Senior Bowl. This season, Virginia Tech had five players there for the week looking to take the first step in impressing scouts and teams before the combine later this month and the draft in Green Bay at the end of April.
Wide receivers Jaylin Lane and Da'Quan Felton, running back Bhayshul Tuten, defensive lineman Aeneas Peebles, and cornerback Dorian Strong ended up putting their best feet forward for six days. On Saturday, some players capped a strong week with good performances in the game.
Virginia Tech players cap strong Senior Bowl week in Mobile
There were a couple of winners for the Hokies last week. One player who certainly opened a lot of eyes was Lane. The speedy wideout was noted multiple times for his workouts and early in the week, he was listed as one of the best receivers in a lot of drills, including 1-on-1 drills. On the NFL Network broadcast on Saturday, Daniel Jeremiah said that Lane has natural hands after he caught a pass in the game and is a natural route runner.
National Team @seniorbowl Day 1 Takeaways:
— Zach Lyons (@TheZachLyons) January 28, 2025
- Disappointed in the WRs, consisting of Restrepo, Bryant, Higgins and Noel.
- The best of the WRs was Jaylin Lane from VTech
- Elijah Arroyo was the stand out player from the TEs, made play after play and routinely made people look…
Jaylin Lane has the twitch and burst.
— Travis May (@FF_TravisM) January 28, 2025
Burns Darien Porter here! #SeniorBowl pic.twitter.com/87R27YUTj4
Jaylin Lane - WR Virginia Tech with a couple of solid reps in 1 on 1 at the #SeniorBowl #Hokies pic.twitter.com/IvPlO0XWoI
— B.J. Monacelli (@bjmonacelli) January 28, 2025
Not to be outdone, Felton caught a fourth-quarter touchdown pass from Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough for the National Team, which lost the game to the American Team, 22-19. It capped his week where he impressed along with Lane. Tuten had a catch in the game where he juggled the ball before getting control.
Tyler Shough to Da’Quan Felton for a National team TD 🫨 @LouisvilleFB @HokiesFB
— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) February 1, 2025
📺: @SeniorBowl on NFL Network
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus
pic.twitter.com/YpdSVo7ekH
On the defensive side, Peebles played well and had a tackle for a loss and that capped a week where he opened some eyes during drills where he was quick off the ball. Strong had a good week, including in some 1-on-1 drills. If there was any player off the 2023 team that could have gone into the draft instead of returning to Blacksburg, it was Strong, but he came back and is hoping to use that season to vault him to the next level.
Dorian Strong putting the clamps on Pat Bryant #Seniorbowl pic.twitter.com/xjFWP62tg9
— Mike Vallerie (@FF_DirtyMike) January 28, 2025
#VirginiaTech boys cooking in the WR-DB 1 on 1s. Dorian Strong, Jay Lane and DaeQuan Felton have been winning their reps with the physical attributes you desire. Strong has been good in press, Felton has long speed and Lane is shifty. This trio is looking good #SeniorBowl
— NFL Draft Content - Scouting (@draftlives_here) January 28, 2025
It'll be interesting to see what some of the experts come away with from the last week for the Virginia Tech players and whether or not some move up in the mock drafts. Going into the event, most mocks had them going in the later rounds, but Strong is someone who could sneak into a late Day 2 pick. Next up is the combine in Indianapolis at the end of the month.