The difference was obvious from the moment players took the field. Day One had the energy of orientation — helmets and shorts, an introduction to the week. Day Two brought the sound of impact. Full pads changed everything, and you could feel it in the air as the National Team charged onto the turf at Hancock Whitney Stadium. The contact, the chatter, the competitive fire — this one had bite.
The defense fed off that shift immediately. They brought heat, both literal and emotional, flying around with purpose and chirping at every rep. Position coaches were locked in, and players responded with matching passion. Somewhere between the first thud and the echoing crack of pads, the National side found its rhythm. And for the first time this week, it looked like real football in Mobile.
Who Stood Out
Cole Payton / QB, North Dakota State
Cole Payton keeps building momentum — and confidence — by doing everything with composure. The left-handed quarterback continued his strong week, standing tall in the pocket but showing real fluidity when rolling out. Few quarterbacks in this class can throw accurately against their body movement, but Payton does it almost casually. His release is clean, his decision-making sound, and his presence stays steady even when chaos builds around him.
In Wednesday’s team sessions, Payton flashed the same command that made him a winner at North Dakota State. He adjusted protections on the fly, reset when the pocket collapsed, and placed throws where only his receivers could catch them. It’s not loud, flashy quarterbacking — it’s efficient, calm, and extremely coachable. Scouts and evaluators along the sideline took notice. Two days in, Payton’s stock feels like it’s climbing.
Colton Hood / CB, Tennessee
Colton Hood’s footwork looks as if it’s wired by a metronome — clean, precise, and purposeful. In individual drills, the Tennessee corner displayed balance and patience, wrapping up receivers with controlled aggression. Then came his moment: a fumble recovery in team drills that sparked a wave of energy across the defensive sideline. It wasn’t just the play — it was the timing, the awareness, and the controlled finish.
Hood mirrored everything in coverage, carrying routes with confidence and attacking the catch point with discipline. He’s shown this all week, and Wednesday reinforced his reputation as one of the premier cornerbacks in the draft. You can sense the self-belief in his body language. In a city where prospects fight to separate themselves, Hood’s performance stood firmly above the pack.
Jacob Rodriguez / LB, Texas Tech
No one will mistake Jacob Rodriguez for the twitchiest athlete on the field, but you can’t teach how instinctively he plays. There’s no second-guessing in his approach. Even when he looked tight-footed early in drills, that mental sharpness took over when the live reps began. He diagnosed runs instantly, read the quarterback’s eyes, and made his presence felt at every level of the defense.
Rodriguez never drifts far from the football. You notice him because plays keep dying in his orbit. Coaches speak often about “ball finders,” and Rodriguez is that guy. His awareness and timing elevate his game past any athletic critique. As one position coach muttered mid-practice, “the tape’s gonna tell the story.” Rodriguez made sure that the story is worth watching again.
T.J. Parker / EDGE, Clemson
T.J. Parker came to Mobile with buzz — he left Wednesday’s practice with fireworks. From his first rep, Parker looked different. His first step is violent, his leverage perfect, and his power through contact unrelenting. He was a problem for every offensive tackle assigned to him throughout the day, consistently collapsing the edge and forcing quarterbacks out of rhythm.
What truly stands out about Parker is his technique maturity. He doesn’t just overpower — he plans every rush. You can see him setting up moves, baiting linemen, and countering with purpose. His balance through contact is exceptional. Simply put, Parker looks like an NFL-ready edge already, and the excitement around him in Mobile has gone from quiet confidence to palpable buzz.
4 Star Specials
Diego Pavia & Vinny Anthony’s Highlight Connection
In a practice rich with defensive moments, Diego Pavia and Vinny Anthony combined to give the crowd its play of the day. During one-on-ones, the Vanderbilt quarterback lofted a beautiful fade to the back corner of the end zone. Wisconsin’s Vinny Anthony tracked it perfectly, stretching over his shoulder for a full-extension grab that looked like something straight out of a baseball outfield. The sideline erupted — scouts grinned, players hollered — and Pavia pumped his fist with a quiet confidence.
Pavia carried that poise into team drills. On a broken play during a play-action sequence, he rolled right, stayed calm, and found his outlet just before contact. Later, he tried to squeeze a throw into traffic and overthrew, but that’s Mobile — calculated risks in live reps. Overall, his steadiness and ability to stay creative under pressure continue to stand out.
Charles Demmings / DB, Stephen F. Austin
Stephen F. Austin’s Charles Demmings turned in one of the morning’s most technically sound performances. His individual reps showed quick hips and smooth transitions from backpedal to break. Each time a ball came his way, Demmings challenged it — no wasted motion, just clean reaction and sharp timing. On one slant route, he broke downhill and swatted the pass at the point, drawing an approving nod from his position coach.
What makes Demmings intriguing is his consistency. He’s confident without excess noise and studies his matchups between reps. You can see he’s absorbing instruction in real time, which speaks volumes to coaches evaluating adaptability. The Lumberjack defender is making the most of his week, and if Day Two is any clue, he’s putting himself firmly in the late-round conversation.
Bryson Eason / DL, Tennessee
Bryson Eason keeps stacking days the right way. The Tennessee defensive lineman once again flashed outrageous power at the point of attack, bullying his way into the backfield multiple times. But what’s getting scouts talking isn’t just the strength — it’s his refinement. He showed excellent hand use, counter moves, and patience to disengage and make plays. One drill in particular saw him split a double team with a slick inside rip, prompting one evaluator to mutter, “That’s pro stuff.”
Eason’s motor is relentless. Every rep looked like a game snap, and that effort doesn’t go unnoticed here. Coaches latch onto that kind of player — technically sound, consistent, physical, and resilient. In a practice built around energy, Eason’s stood out as a controlled emotion personified. Don’t be surprised if his name climbs before Saturday’s game.
Final Thoughts from Mobile
Two days in, the National Team looks like it’s starting to understand itself. The defense drives the engine — fast, emotional, and detail-driven — while the offense continues finding chemistry behind poised quarterbacks like Payton and Pavia. The chatter, the energy, the pride — you can feel it along the sideline. This National group is feeding off one another’s success, and it’s starting to click at just the right time.
In Mobile, you learn quickly who’s ready for the stage. Wednesday’s session revealed plenty — the competitiveness, the polish, and the mental edge that can define draft stock. If Day One was about introductions, Day Two was about impact. And this National Team delivered exactly that: pads popping, defenses dictating, and a group of rising names making strong cases before the scouts pack their notebooks.
