MOBILE — Jalen Wayne led the American Team with 50 receiving yards on a game-high eight catches during Saturday’s Senior Bowl at Hancock Whitney Stadium to capitalize on his opportunity leading up to this spring’s NFL Draft.

The Spanish Fort alum said his biggest takeaway comes from being grateful for the chance.

“Just always be grateful for opportunities and when they come, you’ve got to be able to take advantage,” Wayne said after the game. “I hopefully feel like I raised (my draft stock) but I just had a lot of fun. I was focusing on taking advantage of everything coming my way and let the chips fall where they fall.”

Senior Bowl Executive Director Jim Nagy agreed Wayne was not the only one who used their final collegiate game to show scouts and coaches from across the country what they’ve got.

“Wayne is productive and he's on his home turf, he's got home-field advantage. So it was good to see him be productive, he helped himself,” Nagy said. “I just want these guys out here competing and helping themselves and I think they did. I think anyone that stayed out and played the game and did their thing, they helped themselves.”

With that, Wayne hoped to be the first former Spanish Fort player drafted to the NFL.

“I feel like I'll be the first one to get drafted so I hope I knock that off, but after that I just keep hoping I lead the way for the other ones behind me,” Wayne said. “I’ve got a couple of teammates that are still in college, they'll be in this game next year so it’s just paving the way.”

National squad earns decisive victory

The National Team secured the win by a 27-10 margin where Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener earned MVP honors with 139 passing yards on 12 completions with a touchdown to Stanford’s Michael Wilson. Lousiville’s Malik Cunningham provided the other National touchdown with a 1-yard touchdown rush.

Virginia’s Anthony Johnson Jr. scored the American Team’s lone touchdown on a 37-yard pick-six in the fourth quarter.

The kickers stole the show where Maryland’s Chad Ryland connected on 4-of-5 field goal attempts with a long of 42 for the National Team and Georgia’s Jack Podlesny nailed a 35-yard field goal for the American Team.

Wayne shows out in front of family members

In what will likely serve as his final game at Hancock Whitney Stadium, Wayne said he had more family at Saturday’s game than any other previously.

“I think it's the most I've had in one setting so it'll be cool when I see them,” Wayne said.

He wasn’t the only one playing in front of familiar faces and Nagy said it was a special game for a lot of the athletes on the field.

“This is a national stage, it’s the start of the draft process but it's still meaningful for the guys that are from the state of Alabama,” Nagy said. “We understand that, so it was cool to have two Troy guys and two South Alabama and a bunch of guys that grew up in the state that went outside the state to play college football. We had a bunch of guys from Montgomery, Cam Peoples is from (Lineville), so it's always good for those guys to come home.”

Former Toro appreciates unexpected ended

After finishing his high school career with the Toros, Wayne didn’t exactly predict this ending to his college playing time.

“I was a big basketball guy when I started so I didn't really see it ending this way, but I couldn't have ended it any better way,” Wayne said.

Money quotes

“Go get paid, go run fast at the combine and see where I land in the draft,” Wayne said of what’s next.

“Grateful that the city showed up and supported the game,” Nagy said of his biggest takeaway. “This thing's going to continue to build, with the transition into a new stadium, people are starting their own traditions out here at different tailgates and whatnot. We're going to keep building on it so it was a great day.”