Between the end of the college football season and the NFL Draft, there's only a few opportunities to improve draft stock beyond Pro Day and the NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis.
One of them is the Reese's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, which kicks off at South Alabama's Hancock Whitney Stadium on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. on NFL Network. The all-star showcase, which is split into American and National teams (representing the conferences in the NFL), features the top college football seniors with hopes to impress scouts and coaches from NFL teams.
Among them: Heisman trophy finalists in Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and Oregon quarterback Bo Nix, as well as UCLA star and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Laiatu Latu, Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga and Oklahoma tackle Tyler Guyton, among others.
A trio of former Arizona Wildcats will participate in the Senior Bowl: left tackle Jordan Morgan, running back Michael Wiley and slot receiver Jacob Cowing. Tight end Tanner McLachlan originally committed to playing in the Senior Bowl but told the Star earlier this week that he's recovering from an undisclosed injury he suffered this past season and will focus on training in Nashville leading up to Arizona's Pro Day in March.
The Senior Bowl, which began in 1950, has featured a plethora of ex-Wildcats. This year marks the first time a former Wildcat has played in the Senior Bowl since 2012. The bunch of Morgan, Cowing and Wiley is the most representatives Arizona has produced for the Senior Bowl; the Wildcats have had two players in the same year 11 times.
Here's a look at where Morgan, Wiley and Cowing stand heading into Saturday:
Arizona offensive lineman Jordan Morgan surveys the defense during the Wildcats’ triple-overtime loss at USC on Oct. 7 in Los Angeles.
Jordan Morgan
Position: Tackle
Height: 6-5
Weight: 312 pounds
Hometown: Marana (Marana)
Senior Bowl team: National
The rundown: Following a season-ending knee injury in 2022, Morgan returned for his final season of eligibility and became an All-Pac-12 first-team and Associated Press All-Pac-12 first-team honors, before opting out of the Wildcats' win over Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl.
Morgan, who could likely fall in the first round of the NFL Draft in April, started all 12 regular-season games and only allowed two sacks in 787 snaps. Morgan had the eighth-best pass-blocking grade (86.2) in college football for tackles with at least 700 snaps played, according to Pro Football Focus.
Morgan is in position to become the next Tucson-area prospect taken in the first round. In April, the Atlanta Falcons selected Tucson-raised running back and former Salpointe Catholic star Bijan Robinson at No. 8 overall. Robinson, offensive lineman John Fina and defensive lineman Mike Dawson are the only Tucson NFL first-rounders. Fina, who was drafted in 1992, is the last UA offensive lineman taken in the first round. Morgan will become the first UA offensive lineman drafted since Eben Britton in 2009.
"It's so surreal, man," Morgan told PHNX after Senior Bowl practice on Thursday. "I can't believe I'm here doing this with all of these great players. Every day, I wake up and thank God, I'm blessed. ... I want to prove that I'm very athletic and one of the top athletes here."
He said it: "Morgan is one of my favorite pass-protectors in this class. I love the way he moves his feet and handles twists and stunts. He started 35 games at left tackle in college, which would make him a perfect fit to replace Tyron Smith." — ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr., who projects Morgan to land No. 24 overall to the Dallas Cowboys
Running back Michael Wiley holds the Territorial Cup after the Wildcats’ 59-23 win against ASU on Nov. 25. UA won that Cup and the Territorial Cup series for 2023-24, which measures the Wildcats vs. Sun Devils in all sports.
Michael Wiley
Position: Running back
Height: 6-0
Weight: 209 pounds
Hometown (high school): Houston (Strake Jesuit)
Senior Bowl team: American
The rundown: Wiley displayed his pass-catching ability this week in one-on-one drills at the goal line. Wiley was voted the top running back in practices, which is voted from linebacker teammates, according to Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy.
catches a pass as linebacker Nathaniel Watson of Mississippi State (14) defends during practice Tuesday for the 2024 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.
Wiley is the Wildcats’ all-time receiving leader (1,150 yards and 12 touchdowns) for a running back. He finished his five-year UA career with 1,712 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns.
Wiley scored eight touchdowns in the Territorial Cup game over his five-year career; he was named the Territorial Cup MVP in 2022 for his 214-yard, three-touchdown performance.
The Arizona running back is expected to be selected on Day 3 of the NFL Draft (Rounds 4-7) or sign as an undrafted free agent.
He said it: "For me, I'm not the type of person to just get up and leave. One thing my dad told me before I went to college that stuck with me was, 'As a man, sometimes you might not make the best decisions, but you're defined on how you can make it work.' Bringing that back to here, I have the mindset of, 'It might not be the best situation, but you just have to make it work.'" — Wiley, on why he never left Arizona despite coaching changes, a 20-game losing streak, a global pandemic and the start of the transfer portal
Arizona wide receiver Jacob Cowing pulls in a scoring catch without a Sooner in sight in the first quarter against Oklahoma at the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio on Dec. 28, 2023.
Jacob Cowing
Position: Wide receiver
Height: 5-11
Weight: 165 pounds (lightest player at Senior Bowl)
Hometown (high school): Maricopa (Maricopa)
Senior Bowl team: National
The rundown: Cowing was among the top route-runners in drills during practice this week but suffered a right leg injury on Thursday. Cowing was helped off the field and transported to the locker room on a golf cart. His status for Saturday remains unknown.
According to Steelers Depot, Cowing met with the Pittsburgh Steelers twice this week, including head coach Mike Tomlin.
Cowing, who was also Arizona's punt returner, ended his career seventh all time in college football with 4,477 career yards and ninth with 316 receptions. His two touchdowns in the Alamo Bowl earned him the game's MVP honors and made him first in program history in single-season touchdowns (13). Cowing’s 175 catches in two seasons at the UA places him fifth on the school's all-time receptions list.
Wide reciever Jacob Cowing of Arizona catches during practice Tuesday for the 2024 Senior Bowl.
"Me coming back for my last year helped me grow as an individual both on and off the field, understand the game of football a little bit better, also the business side of things as well," Cowing said. "This past year I've matured a lot more, so I think it was worth it coming back and not jump to my dreams my super quick, just letting things flow."
He said it: "It's super exciting. I've dreamt about (the NFL Draft) ever since I was 8 years old and put them cleats on for the first time. Now that everything is happening, it's so exciting but I'm also very humbled by the whole situation. All the hard work that I put in for years and years and years, it's paying off but at the same time, I'm still not satisfied with where I'm at, so I still have more to do." — Cowing
VIDEO: Alamo Bowl: Arizona wide receiver Jacob Cowing on being named offensive MVP in his final college game. Cowing spoke following the No. 14 Wildcats’ 38-24 win over No. 12 Oklahoma in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023, in San Antonio, Texas. (Courtesy Valero Alamo Bowl)
