Four Cavaliers Named to Senior Bowl Watchlist

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Four Virginia football players in Brian Stevens (OL), Chris Tyree (WR), Chico Bennett (DE) and Jonas Sanker (S) have been named to the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl Watchlist, the organization announced Wednesday (Aug. 21). 

The 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl will be held at Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, Ala.) on Saturday, Feb. 1 and be broadcast live on NFL Network. Players not named to the initial watchlist still have the opportunity to earn a spot to the 2025 Senior Bowl roster. 

A 2024 Rimington Trophy Watch List selection, Stevens started in all 12 possible games in 2023, including the last 10 at center. Upon moving to center for the Cavaliers’ third game of the season, it marked his first action at the position since high school. Stevens was ranked No. 14 among all FBS centers in 2023 – according to Pro Football Focus (PFF) – the highest grade on the team among its offensive lineman. In 498 snaps last season, Stevens only allowed one sack according to PFF. Stevens transferred to UVA from Dayton as a graduate student following his senior season (2022), where he earned back-to-back Stan Kurdziel Memorial trophies, which are annually awarded to the Flyers’ top lineman. 

Tyree transferred to UVA this offseason after four-year career at Notre Dame. He played running back for three seasons before transitioning to wide receiver his senior year (2023). During his career at Notre Dame, Tyree competed in 49 games, a top-20 in program history. He amassed 3,2984 all-purpose yards and totaled 17 touchdowns. Tyree reeled in 82 career receptions, including a career-best 26 catches last year as a wide receiver. Tyree was also a major contributor to the Fighting Irish’s special teams as he recorded119 punt return yards and 1,059 kick return yards, and returned one kickoff and one punt for touchdowns. 

Bennett was one of the Cavaliers’ most productive defensive lineman last year after totaling 34 tackles, including 4.5 for loss. He tallied a season-high eight tackles at No. 11 Louisville last season. In 2022, Bennett led UVA with seven sacks, the most by a UVA player in a single season since 2019, and was named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week twice. Bennett transferred to UVA in the spring of 2021 after a two-year stint at Georgia Tech. 

Sanker has claimed a number of 2024 preseason accolades, including Preseason All-ACC and a watchlist selection for the Chuck Bednarik, Jim Thorpe and Bronko Nagurski awards. In 2023, Sanker was named a First Team All-ACC selection by both the conference office and the Associated Press. He led the Cavaliers in total tackles (107), pass breakups (11) and forced fumbles (3). Sanker also led UVA in tackles in eight of its 12 games last season, including when he recorded a career-high12 tackles against James Madison and Boston College. 

ABOUT THE REESE’S SENIOR BOWL
The Reese’s Senior Bowl is widely regarded as the preeminent college football all-star game and the first stage in the NFL Draft process. The longest continual-running all-star game has taken place in Mobile, Alabama the past 75 years. More than 900 NFL personnel, including key decision-makers from all 32 teams, and over 1,100 media members from around the country were credentialed this year. This past April, the game produced 110 total picks, representing 43 percent of the entire NFL draft.