“Wait, who is that?”

That was the one question going through everyone’s mind on the final day of American practice at the 2025 Senior Bowl. Almost everyone had been accounted for, dressed out in the last extensive practice look they’ll get in front of scouts.

Except for number 14 in black. That, was Minnesota EDGE Danny Striggow, who arrived that day to participate in the Senior Bowl. Not only did he arrive that day–he arrived 30 minutes into practice. “I got a call at 11 p.m. on Wednesday night asking if I wanted to play on Saturday,” Striggow said after the American team practice session. “They picked me up right from the airport.”

Striggow and UCF WR Kobe Hudson are the next wave of a long tradition at the Senior Bowl: the late call-up that nobody knows is here until they show up on the last day of practice. Every year, players who have solidified their draft stock with standout performances over the week end up leaving, and lesser-known guys end up taking their place. The story of Georgia State offensive tackle Travis Glover last year comes to mind, as a player who showed up late in the week and ended up being drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round. With Texas A&M EDGE Shemar Stewart, Tennessee WR Bru McCoy, Ole Miss CB Trey Amos and Kentucky DT Deone Walker all leaving early, someone had to take their place. Enter Striggow and Hudson.

“[Senior Bowl director] Jim Nagy told me to stay ready,” Hudson said after practice. “I got the call around 6:00, I was driving to the store. I turned around, put some stuff in my bag and left. My equipment was on standby already, so it was a smooth transition.”

Senior Bowl call-ups aren’t uncommon in the world of all-star games, but the process of how a call-up happens has become, well, interesting. With the Shrine Bowl practices and game taking place the same week as Senior Bowl practices (much to the ire of Nagy), call ups often have to be recalibrated and pulled from different games. Hudson and Striggow were first at the Hula Bowl, which took place in Orlando in January. Both were shifting into preparation for the NFL Combine when they got the call up to participate in the last day of practice and had to literally drop everything to show up. Striggow hadn’t even checked into the athlete hotel on Thursday–he quite literally showed up with his pads and cleats right off the plane.

While this might be seen as a disadvantage because of the lack of prep time and lack of reps in front of NFL scouts, both Striggow and Hudson said that this opportunity gave them a chance to seriously cut loose and play without regrets. Striggow, who is listed at 255 pounds by the Minnesota website, played defensive tackle during Thursday’s practice and still was making plays. Hudson lined up on the inside and outside during Senior Bowl practices and was coming along smoothly.

“I just wanted to go out and compete, man,” Hudson said. “A lot of people don’t get this opportunity, but I’m blessed to be here. I wish I was here earlier, but God has his own plan and own timing and I’ve tried to put my best foot forward.”

Striggow shared the same feelings at the end of Thursday’s practice. “Being thrown into the fire, it eliminates a lot of thinking,” Striggow said. “You just gotta fall back on what you know, and go out there and play ball.”

Striggow and Hudson were the only late call ups this year, but won’t be the last in the constant changing world of college all-star games. The next time you see someone show up in a jersey number you thought went to someone else, better believe they have a story to tell about how they got here.