If you want a quick snapshot of what Arkansas has been trying to build under center and in the trenches, just look at the boarding list to Mobile. Six Razorbacks made the cut for the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl — quarterback Taylen Green, running back Mike Washington Jr., offensive lineman Fernando Carmona, defensive tackle Cameron Ball, linebacker Xavian Sorey Jr., and cornerback Julian Neal — giving Arkansas the second‑most representatives of any program in this year’s game. For NFL eyes, it’s a chance to stack Hogs against the country’s best; for the guys in red and white, it’s validation that the long Saturdays meant something.
Time To Be Offensive
Green is the headliner because this event bends toward quarterbacks. The 6‑foot‑6 transfer changed the ceiling of Arkansas’ offense the moment he arrived, piling up more than 3,100 passing yards and over 600 rushing yards in his first season in Fayetteville. The numbers are one thing — 230 completions, 15 touchdown passes, eight scores on the ground — but the film carries its own weight. Green pushes the ball outside the numbers, creates when protection frays, and forces defenses to defend all 53⅓ yards of width. In Mobile, every rep will be a referendum on how quickly he can work through progressions and how consistently he can drive the ball into tight Senior‑Bowl windows.
Washington is the counterpunch. Built like an every‑down back, he has enough burst to bounce runs and enough size to finish them. The Senior Bowl setting often exposes backs who only survive in clean pictures; Washington’s value is that he runs through contact and turns clutter into four‑yard gains instead of two. In red‑zone and short‑yardage periods, that trait will pop for coaches who still believe in winning ugly.
Carmona, meanwhile, is the sort of lineman coaches quietly fall in love with. The San Jose State transfer logged 785 snaps in 2025 and showed he could live at both guard and tackle, a versatility that’s gold when NFL rosters get tight. He’s not going to win the weigh‑in with freak measurements, but watch him in one‑on‑one pass rush and you see a player who understands angles, hand placement, and how to reset his feet mid‑rep.
Defense Travels
On defense, Ball is the space‑eater whose work rarely shows up in highlight packages but always shows up in run fits. At 300‑plus pounds, he started all 13 games last season and set career highs in tackles, living in that world of double‑teams and dirty work that lets linebackers stay clean. Mobile asks a different question: can he flash enough quickness and pass‑rush feel to convince someone he can stay on the field on third down, not just first and second?
That’s where Sorey enters the picture. The former blue‑chip talent finally stepped into a full‑field role, flying sideline to sideline for 36 solo tackles, 2.5 sacks, and an interception, a stat line that hints at both range and coverage chops. In Senior Bowl practices, linebackers get exposed if they’re late to drops or hesitant fitting the run; Sorey’s tape suggests a player who trusts his eyes enough to trigger.
Neal might be the quietest name in the group, but corners don’t stay anonymous long in Mobile. He’ll be isolated in one‑on‑ones, forced to live on an island without the comfort of bracket help. For Arkansas, having a corner in that arena underscores a broader point: this isn’t a token presence; it’s a full‑level representation, from quarterback to corner, that says Razorbacks football has real skin in this draft cycle.
In closing, the week is only beginning for this sextet of Razorbacks. Stay with us at 4 Star Sports Media as we profile this journey to the next level. The NFL Draft starts in Mobile, and we are here for it all.
4 Star Sports Media is proud to partner with the Chris Hope Foundation for all written coverage of the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl.
This collaboration supports CHF’s ongoing mission to provide hope and assistance to families facing serious illness, while spotlighting the nation’s top college football talent in Mobile, Alabama. Together, we’re uniting purpose and passion—celebrating excellence both on and off the field throughout Senior Bowl week.
