3) Deep D-line class shows out. Coming out of the Senior Bowl practices, it became clear that the defensive line talent was the real bumper crop at the event — and Saturday was no exception. A few of the big names who showed out during the week bowed out prior to Saturday’s game, but the next wave of talent stepped up in a big way.

LSU’s Sai’vion Jones (6-5, 289) made several plays in the backfield early in the game, including two big tackles for loss. He also pressured Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel on a near pick by Georgia’s Smael Mondon Jr. late in the first quarter. Then Jones just missed a sack in the third quarter, beating Texas Tech’s Caleb Rogers off the snap, with Ole Miss’ Princely Umanmielen cleaning it up.

Arkansas’ Landon Jackson, who had a tough first day of practice but rallied throughout the week, finished strong with a good outing. His strip sack late in the first half, going right around Alabama A&M’s Carson Vinson to knock the ball away from Dart, gave the ball back to the National Team.

Central Arkansas’ David Walker, who had 39 sacks in 45 college games, opened eyes during the week with his short, thick frame, consistently working his way into the backfield. That carried over in the game, batting down a Dart pass right before the half and sacking Milroe for a 7-yard loss on third down.

Utah’s Junior Tafuna (two sacks, recovered fumble) and Oluwafemi Oladejo (two sacks) also stood out.

4) Gordon, Harvey lead RB group — including with their arms. It’s often hard for running backs to stand out in Senior Bowl practices, especially the bigger backs. It’s just the nature of the event, where they don’t truly go with full contact during the week.

The game, however, is a different story. And Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon II and UCF’s RJ Harvey weren’t about to be denied their moments. Each back threw for a touchdown in the game, as well as standing out in other ways.

The 6-1, 233-pound Gordon was one of the early offensive stars for the National Team, with some nice runs on the opening drive. Then he unleashed a shocking halfback pass to Iowa State’s Jayden Higgins for a 32-yard TD.

All-star game rules are a little different, and gimmicky stuff isn’t usually allowed. But the throw was a beauty, and no one was taking it away from Gordon. He finished with nine rushes for 33 yards, even with a 4-yard loss where he had no shot of making anything out of it. He added a 3-yard catch in the red zone and ran hard in his limited chances, putting a positive finish on his week.

Harvey was the shortest back at this year’s Senior Bowl at a shade under 5-8, but his 207-pound build allows him to run through contact. He authored the longest run in the game at 15 yards in the third quarter, and he matched Gordon’s passing brilliance with a 25-yard TD pass to Maryland’s Tai Felton, cutting the National lead to 19-16 in the fourth quarter. Harvey finished with four rushes for 24 yards.

The game’s other backs were mostly held in check. But Gordon and Harvey both showed out in unexpected ways.