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As the week of Senior Bowl practices march on in Mobile, Alabama -- before Mardi Gras 2024 in the city that started the celebration in America -- it's time to pair the top prospects at the all-star event with NFL teams in the first round of this year's draft. 

While it's impossible to know what the pro clubs want, identifying specific size and skill-set trends -- or clear-cut needs -- can provide an idea as to what could happen with these five top prospects at this year's Senior Bowl. 

Oregon QB Bo Nix

Perfect NFL fit: Denver Broncos

What type of quarterback does Sean Payton really want? Clearly the improvisation-based, hold-the-football-forever type -- yes, I'm looking at you, Russell Wilson -- is not it. In hindsight, we should've all realized a Payton-Wilson pairing was really an odd couple, given Payton's smashing success for more than a decade with Drew Brees, the exact opposite style of passer than Wilson. 

Payton wants a play-within-the-system, get-it-out-quickly pocket passer, and sure, some athleticism to extend plays wouldn't be the worst addition to the skill set. Acquaint yourselves with Nix, Broncos fans. 

Now, of course I don't know Denver's draft intentions. But Nix fits the latter description to a T. And Payton can watch his entire collegiate career to witness the maturation Nix made from a Wilson-esque quarterback at Auburn to a methodical, calculated pocket passer always looking to throw the ball in a hurry based on where the defense dictated. After barely getting to 60% completion in his final season at Auburn, Nix completed 71.4% of this passes with the Ducks in 2022 and that rate jumped to 77.4% in 2023. 

And given his athleticism and the magnitude of the position, Nix going No. 12 overall wouldn't be shocking. 

UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu

Perfect NFL fit: Chicago Bears

The Bears saw heaping return on investment after trading for the nearly 6-foot-6, 260-plus pound Montez Sweat during the 2023 season. He registered 37 pressures and six sacks in nine games. 

Could that make Chicago lean toward adding another towering, springy athlete with pass-rush polish in the first round? Evaluating Sweat certainly won't push the Bears away from being interested in that type of outside rusher. And that's precisely what Latu is -- big, long-framed rusher who probably would've been no worse than a second-round pick a year ago had he declared for 2023 NFL Draft. 

Back-to-back seasons at UCLA with 60-plus pressures on fewer than 315 pass-rushing snaps each year prove he wasn't a one-year wonder. And even with Sweat locked into a lucrative shiny new contract, the Bears need more pass-rushing juice. Latu at No. 8 overall would be a glorious fit. 

Missouri EDGE/DL Darius Robinson

Perfect NFL fit: Baltimore Ravens

Every team says it wants to win the physicality battle in the trenches. The Ravens are proactive about that endeavor, typically acquiring larger, almost oversized defensive linemen at every position up front. It's been a philosophy dating way back to the early years of the Ozzie Newsome era in Baltimore. As a Newsome disciple, current GM Eric DeCosta has continued that personnel philosophy, and Robinson feels like next in line. 

He measured in at 6-foot-5 and over 280 pounds at the combine. In college, he played end in Missouri's mostly three-man fronts but won plenty of one-on-one matchups. This is not an imposing block-eater and nothing more. Baltimore made two late-summer adds that paid huge dividends this past season -- Kyle Van Noy and Jadeveon Clowney -- but the future at the defensive end spot must be addressed. Robinson could be available close to when the Ravens pick at No. 30 overall. His game, and most of all, his frame emanate Ravens vibes. 

Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell

Perfect NFL fit: Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles went from a 10-1 start to getting blown out in the wild-card round for many reasons. One major component to the collapse was the porous secondary. Darius Slay and James Bradberry have nothing to be ashamed about. The veteran newcomers to Philly a few years ago together had an awesome run. But they're both on the wrong side of 30 now. 

And the Eagles presumably still want to play plenty of man coverage on the perimeter. Mitchell has a case as the best man-to-man cornerback -- with plus ball skills -- in the 2024 class. All he did was defend 45 passes along with six interceptions in his final three seasons with the Rockets. My word. 

At 6-foot and 193 pounds -- although he's not incredibly long -- Mitchell has NFL outside cornerback size and the game to match. He'd be logical at No. 22 overall for the Eagles as GM Howie Roseman attempts to do some rehab on the secondary for Gang Green. 

Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson

Perfect NFL fit: Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins signed Connor Williams to play center two years ago, and it was a hit when Williams was healthy. He had an early-season groin injury in 2023 that came before a torn ACL in Week 14, and he's an impending free agent. Suddenly, Miami's in dire need of a quality center again, particularly given Tua Tagovailoa's limited ad-libbing ability. 

Powers-Johnson was a brick of a three-year starter at Oregon, allowing a mere four pressures (!) on 758 pass-blocking snaps. At 6-3 and over 330 pounds, he's an enormous center with serious anchoring power, and he gets after it in the run game with surprising quicks and veteran-level technique. He'll be a plug-and-play type for whichever team drafts him, and the Dolphins at No. 21 overall make perfect sense.