Several local collegiate football players have been recognized on the Panini Senior Bowl Top 300 list, an announcement made on Thursday. This list highlights top prospects eligible for the 2027 NFL Draft. The Senior Bowl serves as a key evaluation opportunity for NFL personnel from all 32 teams.
The 2027 Panini Senior Bowl is scheduled for Saturday, January 30, 2027, at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. This event is widely considered a premier college football all-star game and a significant step in the NFL Draft process.
North Carolina defensive lineman recognized
Melkart Abou Jaoude, a defensive lineman for North Carolina, has been named to the Senior Bowl Top 300 list. Last season, Abou Jaoude earned a Second Team All-ACC selection. He was noted for ranking fifth nationally and leading the conference in sacks with 10.5 following the regular season. This mark was the sixth highest in a single season in Tar Heel history.
Abou Jaoude played 646 snaps, which was the most by any defensive lineman in the ACC. In 2025, he recorded 47 tackles, placing him fourth on the team. He received the ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week honor after a performance against Syracuse, where he had six tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and a forced fumble in a 27-10 victory.
The Newton, New Jersey, native achieved three sacks in a game twice last season, against Virginia and Stanford. In addition to his sack total, Abou Jaoude also had 12 tackles for loss, five quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. The Tar Heels are set to begin their 2026 season on Saturday, August 29, in Dublin, Ireland, against TCU in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.
Illinois players earn spots on the list
Five players from Illinois have also been included in the Panini Senior Bowl Top 300 list. These athletes are defensive back Matthew Bailey, wide receiver Hudson Clement, quarterback Katin Houser, offensive lineman Jake Renfro, and defensive back Xavier Scott.
Since its beginning, 61 Fighting Illini players have participated in the Senior Bowl. Under head coach Bret Bielema’s leadership, 10 former Illini have played in the annual showcase before moving on to NFL careers. Additionally, Devon Witherspoon (2023) and Jer’Zhan Newton (2024), both consensus All-Americans, received invitations but did not participate before being selected in their respective NFL drafts.
Matthew Bailey, a 2026 Team Captain, is a two-time All-Big Ten selection and a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. He led Illinois in total tackles for the last two seasons, with 76 in 2025 and 94 in 2024. In 2025, he achieved a single-season career high of 59 solo tackles and 4.0 tackles for loss. Bailey was also 14th in the Big Ten in tackles per game (6.8) in 2024 and was an AP All-Bowl Team honoree after tying an Illinois bowl record with 14 tackles in a Citrus Bowl win.
Hudson Clement transferred to Illinois before the 2025 season. He played in all 13 games in his debut season, recording 36 catches for 454 yards and three receiving touchdowns. Clement had a team-high 48 receiving yards in a Music City Bowl victory and two touchdowns in a home win against Maryland. He also had a season-high six receptions against Ohio State.
Katin Houser, a 2026 Team Captain, joined the Fighting Illini in January. He previously played at Michigan State (2022-23) and East Carolina (2024-25). Houser enters the 2026 season with 26 career starts, which is tied for the 12th most among active quarterbacks in the FBS. He has thrown for 6,438 yards and 43 touchdowns, along with 15 rushing touchdowns, during his first four seasons of college football. In 2025 at ECU, he tallied 3,300 yards and 19 touchdowns with only six interceptions, achieving a 65.9 completion percentage.
Jake Renfro, also a 2026 Team Captain, has played in 38 career games with 36 starts at Cincinnati (2020-22) and Wisconsin (2023-25). He was named to the 2025 Rimington Trophy Watch List. In 2024, Renfro started all 12 games at Wisconsin, allowing only one sack and 10 pressures across 375 pass rushing opportunities. He earned All-AAC first team honors in 2021 while leading Cincinnati to a College Football Playoff berth.
Xavier Scott, a 2026 Team Captain, was named to the 2026 Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten Third Team. He missed the final 10 games of the 2025 season due to injury. In 2024, Scott started all 13 games at defensive back, recording 49 tackles (43 solo), 2.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, one forced fumble, four interceptions, and six pass breakups. He tied for second in the Big Ten and 15th in the nation in interceptions (4) during the 2024 regular season. Scott also led Big Ten cornerbacks in snaps played (792) and was ranked as the No. 3 cornerback in the Big Ten by PFF (82.3).
Florida State players also recognized
Four players from Florida State have also been included on the Senior Bowl Top 300 list. These individuals are wide receiver Duce Robinson, cornerback Ja’Bril Rawls, offensive lineman Xavier Chaplin, and defensive lineman Daniel Lyons. The Senior Bowl, held in Mobile, Alabama, for over seven decades, is considered the premier college football all-star game and the initial step in the NFL Draft process. The 2027 game will take place on January 30, 2027.
Duce Robinson, a senior from Phoenix, is featured on several preseason watch lists, including the Biletnikoff, Walter Camp Player of the Year, and Maxwell Awards, as well as the Wuerffel Trophy. In 2025, Robinson was a first-team All-ACC wide receiver and a third-team All-American, with 56 catches for 1,081 yards and six touchdowns. He was twice named ACC Receiver of the Week and was a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award.
Ja’Bril Rawls, a senior from Pensacola, recorded 40 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, two pass breakups, one interception, and one fumble recovery in seven games last season. During a game against Virginia, he set a career-high with 11 tackles, adding a tackle for loss and an interception. Against Pitt, Rawls registered 10 tackles, all solo, along with another tackle for loss. For his career, Rawls has accumulated 58 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, three pass breakups, one interception, and one fumble recovery.
Xavier Chaplin, a 5th-year player from Beaufort, South Carolina, is in his first season at Florida State after spending four seasons at Virginia Tech and Auburn. The offensive tackle has started 37 consecutive games, including all 12 at left tackle for the Tigers in 2025. He played 26 games with 25 starts for the Hokies, earning honorable mention All-ACC honors in 2024. In 2023, he was a third-team All-American after starting 13 games and allowing only five sacks on 813 snaps.
Daniel Lyons, a 5th-year player from Miami, has 71 tackles in 42 career games, with 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks. In 2025, Lyons started all 12 games for the Seminoles at defensive tackle, achieving a career-high of 26 tackles and adding 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. In 2024, Lyons had 25 tackles with 5.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks. The Seminoles will open their 2026 season on August 29 against New Mexico State at 7:00 p.m. inside Doak Campbell Stadium.
Source: goheels.com
Mason Reed
Sports reporter covering football, basketball and international competitions.