2026 East-West Shrine Bowl Preview

The nation's oldest postseason all-star game, the 101st edition of the  East-West Shrine Bowl is scheduled to kick off at 7 pm ET / 4 pm PT on Tuesday, January 27, 2026 from Frisco, Texas. The game will be broadcast on NFL Network

The East-West Shrine Game participants are primarily mid-round prospects that should get drafted between the third and sixth rounds of next April's draft. Prospects who excel during practices and in the East-West Shrine Bowl can earn an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, February 26-March 1. There are several quality NFL prospects scheduled to participate. Let's take a look at the position groups and participants scheduled this week in Frisco, Texas.

QB

Cade Klubnik / Clemson

Haynes King / Georgia Tech

Joe Fagnano / UCONN

Mark Gronowski / Iowa

Behren Morton / Texas Tech

Miller Moss / Louisville

Jalon Daniels / Kansas

Kyron Drones / Virginia Tech

The argument could be made that the QBs practicing and playing in the East-West Shrine Bowl are better than their counterparts participating in Senior Bowl activities. Eight QBs are in Frisco, an unusually large number for a college all-star game. Six of these QBs have earned draftable grades and all eight prospects should be in NFL training camps next summer. The highest ranked prospects in Frisco are King (SNS #5 QB) and Klubnik (SNS #6 QB), two highly experienced ACC QBs with attributes that NFL teams covet and flaws in their game that may hinder their ability to play QB in the NFL. Gronowski has the most wins of any college QB in history (FBS and FCS) and looks like a potential high-end, long-term NFL backup QB. Morton and Moss have the size, arm talent, and leadership skills to be developed into potential starting QBs in the NFL.

RB

Robert Henry / UTSA

Chip Trayanum / Toledo

Max Bredeson / FB-TE / Michigan

Demond Claiborne / Wake Forest

Kentrell Bullock / South Alabama

Dean Connors / Houston

CJ Donaldson / Ohio State

The RBs in Frisco this week should all be in training camps next summer and most of these RBs will be on an NFL 53-man roster or practice squad next fall. Henry may have the most upside of any RB in attendance this week due to his starting quality traits of agility, burst, and contact balance. Bredeson may be the best FB prospect in the 2026 draft with the blocking ability and lateral agility to be a late round pick in April. Claiborne has starting potential as a well-rounded, complete RB with the running and receiving skill desired at the next level. Claiborne needs additional reps in pass protection, something he was rarely asked do at Wake Forest. Connors is an experienced and versatile RB who should be a productive core special teams player in the NFL.

WR

Eli Heidenreich / WR-RB / Navy

Chris Hilton / LSU

Zavion Thomas / LSU

Jeff Caldwell / Cincinnati

J. Michael Sturdivant / Florida

Jalen Walthall / Incarnate Word

Kaden Wetjen / Iowa

Eric Rivers / Georgia Tech

Emmanuel Henderson / Kansas

Chase Roberts / BYU

Malik Benson / Oregon

Colbie Young / Georgia

Dillon Bell / Georgia

Noah Thomas / Georgia

Skyler Bell / UCONN

Michael Wortham / Montana

Nearly every WR in attendance in Frisco is likely to get drafted in April and all of these prospects will be in NFL training camps this summer. Heidenreich will be working out with the RBs in Frisco but his NFL future is likely as a slot WR who plays as an occasional third down RB. Hilton and  Zavion Thomas are two talented LSU WRs who are dangerous after the catch and difficult to cover in man. Wetjen is an All-Pro caliber kick and punt returner with good upside to become a quality sub-package WR. He may earn a top 100 pick in April. Benson put together his most complete season this last year in Eugene and has the size, speed, and explosiveness to become a top 50 prospect in April's draft. Young has the size and talent to be a first round draft pick but injuries and off the field issues mean he is likely to be drafted much lower than his talent alone would dictate. Dillon Bell is a power forward in a WR's body and runs like a bull in a China shop after the catch and flashes a great burst. UCONN's Bell is a smooth and explosive WR who may end up being the biggest climber up draft boards when the East-West Shrine week concludes.

TE

Eli Raridon / Notre Dame

Dallen Bentley / Utah

Seydou Traore / Mississippi State

Jaren Kanak / TE-FB / Oklahoma

Lake McCree / USC

Bauer Sharp / LSU

Riley Nowakowski / TE-FB / Indiana

Lance Mason / Wisconsin

All eight TEs in attendance in Frisco this week are likely to make either a 53-man roster or practice squad spot next fall with at least four of these prospects likely to get drafted in April. Raridon is the latest in line of Irish TEs to make the transition to the NFL. Raridon has the size NFL teams desire and has flashed playmaking skill to be a productive target at the NFL level. Bentley is a well-rounded TE who is a quality in-line blocker and a powerful runner after the catch. Traore lacks desired size and strength for in-line blocking but is quick and fast in space with rare game breaking ability for a TE. Kanak is a former LB who has taken to the position switch to TE well and may project to FB in the NFL. Kanak projects as a fantastic special teams player. McCree has battled injuries throughout his career but has displayed NFL level skills as both a blocker and receiver. Medical evaluations will be a huge determination in McCree's NFL future. Sharp is a rapidly ascending talent who is shooting up draft boards as draft season commences. Sharp has great size and athletic ability and looks like a potential future starter in the NFL. Nowakowski is listed as a FB this week in Frisco as his rushing TD in the National Championship Game may portend his NFL future. Nowakowski is a quality stalk blocker but lacks ideal size to line up as a traditional Y-TE, so being a combo H-back/FB may be his route to making an NFL roster. Mason turned a quality week at the Hula Bowl into an invitation to Frisco for the Shrine Game. 

OT

James Neal / Iowa State

Fa'alili Fa'amoe / Wake Forest

Aamil Wagner / Notre Dame

Riley Mahlman / Wisconsin

Diego Pounds / Ole Miss

Jayden Williams / Ole Miss

Brian Parker / Duke

Micah Pettus / Florida State

Nolan Rucci / Penn State

Joe Cooper / Slippery Rock

The OTs practicing this week are a talented group of linemen with the size and length to stay on the outside in the NFL. Neal is an experienced OLT with the agility and power to be developed into an eventual starter, likely at ORT or OG. Wagner has the highest upside of any OL prospect in Frisco with premium size and reach (a monstrous 35 and 5/8" wingspan) to be developed into an eventual long term starter at ORT or OLT. Pounds and Williams were Ole Miss' starting OLT and ORT, respectively, last season and both look like swing OT prospects with enough versatility to backup both OT spots and slide inside to OG when needed. Parker played OLT at Duke but is working out with the IOL in Frisco this week due to his shorter than desired arms (32 & 1/4"). Parker could be developed into a starting OC or OG in the NFL. Pettus worked his way to Frisco after a great week at the Hula Bowl. Pettus has gargantuan arms (85" wingspan) and slides well enough to be developed into an eventual starting ORT. Cooper, a late call up to the East-West Shrine Bowl, needs a dominating week to get on draft boards. The Division II All-American is likely to play OG in the NFL but displays the raw skills to be developed into an eventual starter either inside or outside. 

IOL

Giovanni El-Hadi / OG / Michigan

DJ Campbell / OG / Texas

Jager Burton / OC / Kentucky

Ar'maj Reed-Adams / OG / Texas A&M

Dillon Wade / OG / Auburn

Febechi Nwaiwu / OC / Oklahoma

Garrett DiGiorgio / OG / UCLA

Evan Beerntsen / OG / Northwestern

Micah Morris / OG / Georgia

Pete Nygra / OG / Louisville

Jaeden Roberts / OG / Alabama

Josh Braun / OG / Kentucky

Caden Barnett / OG / Wyoming

The IOL are a quality group of mostly P4 conference starting guards and centers who could be developed into reliable NFL starters with additional experience. Campbell is a quality run blocker who needs to improve as a pass blocker but has starting potential In the NFL. Burton is a large OC with the strength and power to be developed into an eventual NFL starting OC. Reed-Adams has fantastic size for an OG with enough size to be able to slide out to ORT in a pinch. Reed-Adams plays with great balance and bend and projects as an eventual starter in the NFL. DiGiorgio has experience at both OT and OG and has enough size to project to ORT in the NFL. DiGiorgio's versatility is his key to getting into the NFL. Morris is a multi-year starter at Georgia with rare size and length for an IOL. Morris projects to being a quality NFL backup OL. Barnett is the lone non-P4 IOL in Frisco this week after showing out at the Hula Bowl practices and game earlier this month. Barnett has worked his way into late round draft consideration.

EDGE

Wesley Williams / Duke

Malachi Lawrence / UCF

Patrick Payton / LSU

Marvin Jones / Oklahoma

Bryan Thomas / South Carolina

Ethan Burke / Texas

Anthony Lucas / USC

Aidan Hubbard / Northwestern

Mason Reiger / Wisconsin

Keyshawn James-Newby / New Mexico

Jaden Dugger / EDGE-LB / Louisiana

The EDGE Rushers participating in Shrine Game activities this week look the part of NFL EDGEs with the length, quickness, and agility to pressure the QB off the edge. Williams is a multi-year starter with a tremendous first step that adds to his the effectiveness as a pass rusher. Payton flashed as a freshman but has not been able to duplicate his production at Florida State and LSU since his rookie year. Jones and Thomas are two second generation players trying to follow their fathers into the NFL. Jones has always teased with his potential but has never lived up to it. Thomas, on the other hand, put together a productive 2025 season and could translate a successful Shrine Bowl performance into a combine invitation. Burke has ideal size to play as a base 4-3 DE and slide inside on passing downs. Lucas has flashed elite twitch and closing burst but consistency has been an issue. Hubbard has NFL size and a great motor. Hubbard is very good in run support and flashes the pass rushing skill to make a practice squad next fall.

IDL

Brandon Cleveland / North Carolina State

Darrell Jackson / Florida State

Dontay Corleone / Cincinnati

Albert Regis / Texas A&M

Tyler Onyedim / Texas A&M

Kaleb Proctor / SE Louisiana

James Thompson / Illinois

Landon Robinson / Navy

DeMonte Capehart / Clemson

Jackie Marshall / Baylor

Gary Smith / UCLA

David Blay / Miami, Fl 

David Gusta / Kentucky

Aaron Hall / Duke

The East-West Shrine Bowl did an excellent job bringing in NFL-caliber IDL prospects with starting potential. Cleveland is a big, stout run stopper who flashes a powerful bull rush as a pass rusher. Jackson possesses ideal NFL size, including 35" arms and a mammoth 86" wingspan, and he should hear his name called on the second day of the draft. Interestingly, Corleone chose not to get weighed and this will not reduce concerns about his stamina and whether or not he has the quickness and agility to be a productive interior pass rusher in the pros. Regis and Onyedim were the glue of the Aggies' dominating defensive front and were great complementary parts where Regis won through strength and leverage while quickness, agility, and burst make Onyedim a dangerous inside pass rusher. Robinson is vastly undersized and that will undoubtedly hurt his draft value. But Robinson's quickness and burst are as good as anyone's in college football. Capehart has been a multi-year contributor and has rare size and length that will entice teams as a fifth or sixth round pick. Blay had a great season in Coral Gables and has played himself into solid mid-round consideration in April.

LB

Red Murdock / Buffalo

Lander Barton / Utah

Harold Perkins / LSU

Eric Gentry / USC

Karson Sharar / Iowa

West Weeks / LSU

Wesley Bissainthe / Miami, Fl

Taurean York / Texas A&M

Jackson Kuwatch / Miami, Oh

Caden Fordham / North Carolina State

Declan Williams / Incarnate Word

A very promising group of LBs are participating in activities this week in Frisco, many of whom will get drafted this spring and most will at least make practice squads in the fall. Murdock is a playmaker who forced 17 fumbles recovered in college, an FBS record. Special teams will be his ticket to the NFL. Barton, whose brother Cody starts for the Titans, has the size and length desired and has flashed as a TE as a senior. Perkins burst on the national scene as a true freshman and seemed nearly unblockable on the perimeter as an EDGE but lack of desired size and frequent injuries required a position switch. Perkins will get consideration in the NFL as a LB, EDGE, or even as a Safety, depending on the team. Perkins' athleticism and playmaking upside make him an intriguing prospect. Gentry has fantastic length including 35 and1/4" arms and a huge 85 and 5/8" wingspan. Gentry is a fluid mover who will get consideration as a situational pass rusher in the NFL. Bissainthe is coming off a good performance in the National Championship Game and has the athletic ability and range that NFL teams look for in their MLBs. York lacks desired size but is quick, fast, and instinctive. York looks like a core special teamer in NFL. Kuwatch earned a call up from the Hula Bowl and is rapidly rising up draft boards as a MLB with the size and strength desired to be an inside run stopper with enough range to hold his own in coverage. 

CB

Ahmari Harvey / Georgia Tech

Tyreek Chappell / Texas A&M

Myles Rowser / CB-S / Arizona State

Marcus Allen / North Carolina

Avery Smith / Toledo

Andre Fuller / Toledo

Devonta Smith / Notre Dame

Ceyair Wright / Nebraska

Brent Austin / California

Jarod Washington / South Carolina State

Jaylon Guilbeau / Texas

Domani Jackson / Alabama

Devon Marshall / North Carolina State

Jadon Canady / Oregon

A quality CB class of average-sized but instinctive and quick cover corners are participating in East-West Shrine Bowl activities this week. Harvey is an experienced and productive multi-year starter in Atlanta after starting his career at Auburn. Harvey has the hips and feet desired for man coverage and should contribute in the NFL early in his career. Chappell is a productive and experienced slot CB who started 46 games as an Aggie. Chappell is a likely late round draft pick in April. Smith and Fuller are Toledo teammates who have complementary skills that should intrigue NFL teams. Smith figures to compete for a roster spot this fall as a slot CB with the movement skill and ball skills desired inside on the slot. Fuller has the desired size and length NFL teams want outside on an island. Wright started his career at USC before putting together the most complete season of his college career at Nebraska in 2025. Wright has the size, lateral agility, and quickness to contribute in the NFL as a rookie. Austin was one half of one of the better CB tandems in the nation (Hezekiah Masses, who has been invited to the Senior Bowl) and has the length and aggressive nature to compete for a team's fourth or fifth CB spot as a rookie. The highest-ranked CB in attendance in Frisco this week is Jackson, a former five star recruit who never played up to his potential at USC and finally started to put it together the last two years in Tuscaloosa. Jackson's combination of size, length, and quickness makes him a potential starter in the NFL. Marshall had a great season Raleigh, recording 16 passes defensed last season. Marshall has marginal size for an outside CB but his quickness and ball skills makes him a likely day three selection in April.

S

Louis Moore / Indiana

Ahmaad Moses / SMU

Dalton Johnson / Arizona

Jalen Huskey / Maryland

Robert Spears-Jennings / Oklahoma

Bishop Fitzgerald / USC

DQ Smith / South Carolina

Cole Wisniewski / Texas Tech

Miles Scott / Illinois

Austin Brown / Wisconsin

Kolbey Taylor / Vanderbilt

The safeties practicing in Frisco this week are a diverse group of prospects with the experience and playing style that fits the modern-era NFL. Moore has great ball skills and the range that teams desire in a classic, old school free safety. Moses has outstanding ball skills and the burst to close on the ball in the air like NFL teams desire in their DBs. Huskey has good size, is a powerful hitter, and is excellent in run support. Spears-Jennings has prototypical size and length and had a productive season in Norman last fall. Spears-Jennings has a chance of being a top 100 pick in April. Fitzgerald had a great season at USC, recording 5 INTs and 3 passes defensed and he has the range to become an eventual starter in the NFL. Wisniewski is the biggest safety in Frisco this week at 6' 3 and 3/8th" / 214 lbs and offers a strong and efficient open field tackling ability. Wisniewski needs to prove he can handle TEs in man coverage to become an eventual NFL starter. Brown converted a solid week at the Hula Bowl into an invitation to Frisco. Another solid week would likely earn Brown an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine next month.

Specialists

Jack Stonehouse / P / Syracuse

Tommy Doman / P / Florida

Dominic Zvada / K / Michigan

Trey Smack / K / Florida

Tyler Duzansky / LS / Penn State

Garrison Grimes / LS / BYU

The specialists in Frisco are unlikely to get drafted but every specialist in attendance this week is likely to be in an NFL training camp next summer. Stonehouse and Doman are big-sized punters with the leg strength to punt in the NFL. Zvada entered the 2025 season as the best kicking prospect in college football and consistency has been a issue all season long but his leg strength is definitely NFL-worthy - he has made 11/13 career kicks from 50+ yards. Smack has similar leg strength to Zvada, making 10/13 career FGs from beyond 50 yards during his three years kicking in Gainesville.

SNS

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