MOBILE, Alabama — The Senior Bowl slogan is “The Draft Starts Here,” and that’s how Daylen Everette approached things from the time he arrived on Monday.

Everette finally got to take to the field at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the University of South Alabama campus on Tuesday, eager to represent the “G” on his helmet one final time.

“It felt good to be back in pads,” Everette told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution after practice. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to be here.”

Everette, who measured in at 6-0 1/2 and 193 pounds at the Senior Bowl, is projected to be selected between the third and fifth round.

On Tuesday, he made his motivation for being at the Senior Bowl clear.

“Any way I can play football and compete,” Everette said, “I’m going to take that opportunity.”

Everette is one of three outgoing Bulldogs who are taking part in the Senior Bowl practices this week, along with punter Brett Thorson and long snapper Beau Gardner.

There are 28 NFL general managers credentialed at this invite-only event and 12 head coaches. Both squads are coached by assistant coaches from various NFL staffs.

ESPN NFL draft analyst Matt Miller predicted earlier in the week that Everette could be among the standouts in the practices leading up to the game (2:30 p.m. on Saturday, NFL Network).

“Everette will break out this week thanks to his elite size and SEC experience,” Miller penned. “Everette’s talent in press coverage makes him stand out on tape.”

Everette is aware NFL teams will be looking to see how effective he can play in zone coverage, which he explained is not always what meets the eye to the uniformed observer.

“It really depends on the game plan,” Everette said of the plays where he’s not in tight, obvious coverage on an assigned receiver. “It’s if its better playing tighter, or looser.”

Whatever the coverage, Everette said the players are up for the challenge.

“It’s real competitive,” Everette said. “Everyone is trying to win their reps.”

Everette has ranked among the best in the SEC throughout his career, winning SEC championship game MVP honors in 2024 with his two-interception game against Texas.

The Senior Bowl, however, presents a different challenge with Everette thrown into an NFL system competing against different quarterbacks and receivers without the benefit of a Kirby Smart scouting report.

Everette is also rotating in at two different defensive back positions.

“The main thing I want to show is versatility,” Everette said, explaining how the defensive backs are swapping in and out between series.

“I can line up on the outside, but I also want to show I can line up on the inside in nickel.”

Everette was often on the field against Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer, who threw with a different velocity and accuracy than what Everette was accustomed to seeing in Georgia practices.

Altmyer, by far, was the most impressive quarterback throwing the football on the “American” team, which also features Arkansas’ quarterback Taylen Green and LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier.

Everette didn’t make any interceptions or bat down any balls on Day One of practice, but he took mental notes to apply to the film study he’ll have before the team resumes practice on Wednesday afternoon.

“I think it’s real important to know the quarterbacks, so the first day you are just getting your feet wet, you don’t really know what to expect from each quarterback,” Everette explained. “But after one day, you can really watch them and see what tendencies they have.”

Georgia has three players with first-round NFL draft grades that skipped the all-star games and went straight into training for the NFL combine — receiver Zachariah Branch, offensive tackle Monroe Freeling and linebacker CJ Allen.

Four UGA players who did not get Senior Bowl invites took part in the East-West Shrine Bowl, which was played Tuesday night in Frisco, Texas: Receivers Colbie Young, Noah Thomas and Dillon Bell, along with offensive lineman Micah Morris.