Three Tar Heels make Senior Bowl Top 300 list

By R.L. Bynum

Three Tar Heels are part of one of college football’s most exclusive honor rolls.

North Carolina defensive backs Marcus Allen (top photo) and Thaddeus Dixon, and offensive lineman Daniel King on Wednesday were each chosen for the 2026 Senior Bowl Top 300 List, a spotlight reserved for only the nation’s most elite, draft-ready talent.

They are three of 53 ACC players on the list.

The announcement marks the latest chapter in Allen’s career, one defined by steady excellence. The Marietta, Ga., senior has been a cornerstone of Carolina’s defense, with 101 career tackles in 39 games.

Last season, he delivered 36 tackles, broke up four passes and snatched interceptions against both Wake Forest and N.C. State.

A transfer from Washington, Dixon, a redshirt senior from Los Angeles, brings a reputation as a playmaker. A 2024 honorable mention All-Big Ten selection, Dixon was a defensive spark for the Huskies, producing 43 tackles, breaking up 10 passes, and a highlight-reel interception returned 21 yards against Washington State. He was Washington’s Defensive Skill Player of the Year.

Against top-ranked Oregon, Dixon had eight tackles, forced a fumble, and broke up a pass to earn an assist.

King, a redshirt senior, was a key part of Troy’s offensive line last season, collecting All-Sun Belt honors in back-to-back seasons. In 2024, he was the Trojans’ captain, graded as one of the conference’s most dominant blockers, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Senior Bowl scouting department, staffed by NFL scouts, pored over more than 2,000 prospects since February before reducing the list to 300.

Half of the players drafted in the first three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft were Senior Bowl alumni.