1 Senior Bowl prospect at each defensive position Raiders should monitor

The Las Vegas Raiders are in the thick of their head coach search, but that doesn't mean that everything else in the building comes to a halt. Pro scouting is critical at this juncture of the offseason, as free agency is looming in just a month and a half.

College scouting is also at the forefront, as although the NFL Draft is not until late April, college all-star games are happening as we speak. Several events are already underway, but the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl, the mecca of the circuit, is set to take place this week in Mobile, Alabama.

Practices will take place Tuesday through Thursday. The game, broadcast live on NFL Network, will kick off on Saturday, January 31, at 11:30 AM PST at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Just Blog Baby will have boots on the ground, covering the event live, talking to prospects and scouts.

Here is one player at each defensive position that the Raiders should have eyes on at the event this week.

Senior Bowl preview: Defensive players for Raiders to watch

DE: TJ Parker, Clemson

Parker came into the year with a first-round grade, but a down season dropped his draft stock a bit. Still, he has every tool to be successful at the NFL level, and he could easily work his way back into scouts' good graces with a strong showing. The Raiders need pass-rush help, and Parker could provide exactly that on Day 2 of the draft, should he fall that far.

DT: Caleb Banks, Florida

Banks didn't get a chance to build off a strong 2024 campaign this year, as an injury derailed much of his final season. Still, as a three-tech with pass-rush juice, Banks should be highly coveted and a welcome addition to Las Vegas on Day 2 of the draft. At nearly 6-foot-7 and 265 pounds, Banks could easily be a force on the interior at the next level, and that starts with a great outing in Mobile.

LB: Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech

Rodriguez, a former quarterback at Virginia, has thrived transitioning to linebacker. He finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting after a productive year in which he recorded 128 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss, four interceptions, six passes defended, a nation-leading seven forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a defensive touchdown. Rarely do stats speak for a player, but they do for Rodriguez.

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CB: Hezekiah "Zeke" Masses, California

Masses made the jump to the ACC this past season, and he immediately made an impact, earning 1st-Team All-Conference honors. After intercepting four passes and breaking up seven in the first five games, teams just stopped throwing his way. But he still made an impact as a tackler, and he may be the next in the lineage of strong defensive back prospects coming out of Cal.

Safety: Michael Taaffe, Texas

Taaffe can play multiple positions in the secondary, which is a good skill to have. He projects mainly as a free safety at the NFL level, but it will be interesting to see what kind of feedback he gets on that front in Mobile. Taaffe excels in the run game, and he's incredibly stout against the pass as well. He flashed ball skills, too, recording seven pass breakups and two interceptions in 2025.

DB: Bud Clark, TCU

Clark is hard to pin down, as he practically split his reps between the slot, the box and free safety in his final collegiate season. He was a bit of a late bloomer in his career, but his nose for the football cannot go unnoticed, as he recorded 15 interceptions in his last four campaigns. Clark is a good run defender as well, so if he cleans up his coverage skills a bit, he'll be a steal on Day 3.

Kicker: Drew Stevens, Iowa

Stevens made 80.0% of his kicks in college at Iowa on nearly 100 attempts, and he only missed two extra points in four years. You'd like to see a touch more accuracy at the college level, but a career-long of 58 yards is promising as a prospect, so it'll be interesting to see how he performs. The Raiders may need to at least add some competition for Daniel Carlson this offseason.