16 state players among national all-stars at Senior Bowl

Florida linebacker Shermar James’ football journey will come full circle at the Reese’s Senior Bowl on Saturday – and it might mark a point on a circle for a youngster somewhere in the Port City.

Mobile’s annual all-star event is a homecoming game for James, who starred at Faith Academy, where he played home games for the Rams about 4 miles from Hancock Whitney Stadium, the site of the Senior Bowl.

“I definitely enjoyed watching the players that I grew up watching at high school going to college and come back to Mobile and playing in the game,” James said. “… There was always a guy or two that I followed in high school that came back, and I watched them ball out.”

James is among six players from Alabama high schools on the Senior Bowl rosters, joining:

Oregon wide receiver Tez Johnson of Pinson Valley

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard of Fairhope

South Alabama wide receiver Jamaal Pritchett of Jackson

Tulane safety Caleb Ransaw of Sparkman in Harvest

Jacksonville State guard Clay Webb of Oxford

Another former Alabama prep star was selected for the Senior Bowl, but Alabama safety Malachi Moore of Hewitt-Trussville could not participate because of an injury.

Johnson and Ransaw started their college careers at Troy before transferring. After playing his previous two seasons on the West Coast, Johnson said the Senior Bowl will give his family and friends the opportunity to see him play in person.

“It means a lot to me,” Johnson said. “I’m excited for it. It feels a little different because I haven’t been on this side of the country in a minute, but I know it’s home.”

In addition to Jacksonville State, South Alabama and Troy, Alabama, Alabama A&M, Auburn and UAB are represented by former players at the Senior Bowl:

Ole Miss cornerback Trey Amos (Alabama 2023)

Auburn linebacker Eugene Asante

Alabama punter James Burnip
Alabama tight end CJ Dippre
Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter

Auburn linebacker Jalen McLeod
UCF cornerback Mac McWilliams (UAB 2020-2023)

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe

Alabama defensive tackle Tim Smith

Alabama A&M offensive tackle Carson Vinson

McLeod is excited to play as a teammate with Asante and Hunter again.

“Those are my guys,” McLeod said. “They’re going to be in my wedding someday, and I’m going to be in theirs. We get to play one more time, and it’s a good feeling.”

The Alabama and Auburn contingents are among the 35 players who came to the Senior Bowl from SEC programs. All are on the American team except Arkansas defensive lineman Landon Jackson and Florida punter Jeremy Crawshaw.

“It is actually a funny experience,” Smith said, “because it’s kind of the same thing I told my guys I’m training with down in Tampa: ‘We’re talking to each now that we’re training. We’re comfortable with each other, like we’re conversating.’ …

“We’re going through a whole game, and it’s like, ‘I never knew this kid.’ I probably seen him, but it’s like we haven’t really spoken. Now that we’re training together for the combine, it’s like, ‘He’s a cool dude. He’s chill.’ It’s kind of the same thing here. A lot of the guys that we played against they may come up to you like, ‘You don’t remember me from the game, do you?’ It’s like, ‘Nah,’ but then we end up having a conversation about stuff like that. A lot of guys here are cool.”

The Reese’s Senior Bowl kicks off at 1:30 p.m. CST Saturday at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile. NFL Network will televise the game.

Before the contest, the Senior Bowl Fan Fest will be held on the stadium’s south lawn starting at 10:30 a.m., which also is the start time for the Legacy Tailgate HBCU Experience at the south end of the Jaguar Training Center. Both events are free.

The Path to the Draft players walk to the stadium starts at 11 a.m.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.