A rundown of notable NFL Draft prospects who will be participating in this year’s Shrine Bowl in Texas.
The Shrine Bowl will take place on January 30, with practice beginning on Jan. 25. It is the second most important collegiate All Star Game after the Senior Bowl. Eric Galko has done a great job in recent years, improving the event and getting more top prospects. He has already gotten Isiah Pacheco and Brock Purdy, who were late-round draft picks that turned out very well, as well as Zay Flowers, a first-round receiver.
During the week leading up to the event, the players meet with the 32 teams and we have the drills. There are 1v1 sessions of OL vs. DL, WR vs. CB, TE vs. S/LB, as well as 7-on-7 drives. These drills highlight some prospects and can make their stocks rise quickly.
Let’s go!
Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
He is without a doubt the most well-known prospect at the event. He could be the first QB to be drafted and even the first overall pick in the Draft. He has a style of play that is very similar to Geno Smith. I believe he won’t play in the game; he’ll just train to keep his stock up.
He’s a good prospect, he can throw under pressure. Colorado’s OL was extremely problematic and Sanders managed to produce good moments climbing the pocket. In a stronger class, Sanders would inevitably not be one of the top QBs, but due to the lack of talent, some teams should pull the trigger within the top-5.
Max Brosmer, QB, Minnesota
As I said above, the QB class is not good. Therefore, prospects for the position should come out much earlier than expected. Therefore, Seattle shouldn’t move until Day 3. And in this range, an excellent name would be Max Brosmer, QB from Minnesota.
Brosmer caught my attention in the last Draft when I watched the tapes of Dylan Laube from New Hampshire. This year he transferred to Minnesota and managed to produce even against a stronger competition. Excellent anticipation ability and dominates intermediate passes.
Brady Cook, QB, Missouri
I expected Cook to jump in production, but Missouri’s offense hasn’t lived up to expectations. Cook has thrown 50 touchdown passes in 47 career games with the Tigers, starting each of the last three seasons.
Luther Burden’s (a likely WR1 candidate) strong production has come from his connection with Cook. There will be some questions about his arm strength. However, Cook has some great intangibles, as he is seen as a great leader and a guy with extreme grit in the pursuit of wins.
Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse
McCord could be another good Day 3 pick. The QB put up some solid numbers after transferring from Ohio State, leading the FBS in completions (391), pass attempts (592) and passing yards (4,779), McCord finished 10th in Heisman Trophy voting and had 13 TDs and no interceptions in his last five games.
Phil Maphah, RB, Clemson
Maphah was a great weapon for Clemson in the red zone. That was a big problem for Seattle. The Clemson RB can help with that. He doesn’t have the top speed of other RBs, but he makes up for it with strength and balance, always running patiently waiting for his gaps to open.
Rocket Sanders, RB, South Carolina
6’2 and 237lbs is your typical Power Back prospect. His biggest breakout came in 2022 when he was still playing for Arkansas. He probably won’t get snaps on third downs, but he should be a big help on first downs and in the red zone. The big difference with Sanders and Maphah is that Sanders had his moments as a home-run hitter.
Oronde Gadsden, TE, Syracuse
He’s a different kind of TE. He won’t add much in-line, but his skills come across as a big slot, in the style of Darren Waller. He has the physicality to beat nickels and the speed to beat LBs and safeties in depth. He is a constant threat in fades and seams and an excellent route runner, and is physical and quick to gain yards after the catch.
Luke Lachey, TE, Iowa
He has football in his DNA, being the son of Super Bowl champion offensive lineman Jim Lachey. Luke is a great athlete with a basketball background. Lachey is an excellent zone blocker and a reliable target in all zones. He attacks the ball well and is a reliable and solid receiver. The big problem is that he had an injury in 2023, which even forced him to return for another year.
Mitchell Evans, TE, Notre Dame
He has an excellent frame, which he uses very well to help with blocking. He has a good sense for finding space between zones and is a very reliable receiver. However, he still needs to refine his blocking technique, in addition to running a smaller route tree in ND.
Ricky White, WR, UNLV
UNLV had a very good season and one of the reasons for that was Ricky White. He lines up on the outside and in the slot. He is an incredible vertical threat that helps stretch the field. Even though he is a vertical weapon, he is capable of receiving in traffic in the middle of the field. In addition, he has an incredible job on special teams, blocking four punts.
Antwane Wells, WR, Ole Miss
Wells has been used in the slot, as an X Receiver and even coming out of the backfield at times. It is veryloz and a vertical weapon. Capable of putting up a lot of yards after the catch, he would be a perfect fit in Ole Miss’ scheme, boosting Jaxson Dart’s numbers. Wells needs to improve his lack of concentration at times that has caused some drops.
Kaden Prather, WR, Maryland
Kaden Prather brings an intriguing blend of size, ball skills, and big-play ability. His frame and catch radius make him an immediate threat in the red zone, while his route-running versatility suggests potential as a chain-mover. Prather’s performance against top-tier competition indicates he could contribute early in a rotational role.
Schematically, Prather fits in offenses that emphasize vertical passing games and those that create matchups based on physicality. While his athletic ceiling may limit his draft stock, Prather’s skill set and production profile him as a potential WR2/WR3 with room for growth.
Xavier Truss, OL, Georgia
Georgia has been able to produce good OLs, especially those who are athletic. Truss is 6’7 and 320 lbs, something that will make scouts pay attention to his game. He can play as an OT, but he also has versatility as an OG, another extremely positive point for his stock. His main challenge is to win the leverage/pad level battle that his 6’7 brings.
Joshua Gray, OL, Oregon State
He will probably be tested as an OG. He plays in a scheme focused on the running game, so he would be an interesting fit for teams that run a lot of zone. He has an ease of getting to the second level and has incredible knowledge of the game.
Gus Hartwig, OL, Purdue
He brings the experience of almost 40 games as a starter. A great leader, an intelligent player with good blocking ability on pulls and at the second level. He has good anchoring in pass protection, but loses against finesse moves, needing to improve in this area.
Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
Probably the tallest prospect on the boards after Shedeur Sanders. He is a huge DT at over 330 pounds. He is a challenge for opposing OLs to move, especially on gap runs. He has good anticipation and block recognition. His big problem is that he doesn’t add much as a pass rusher and needs to improve his lateral movement.
Nazir Stackhouse, DT, Georgia
He is 6’3 and 320, ideal size and weight for the NFL. He is an excellent run stopper, extremely physical and absorbs double blocks well to open up space for his teammates. Like Grant, he leaves something to be desired in the pass rush department. Without much to add to Georgia, he rarely plays on third downs.
CJ West, DL, Indiana
West spent most of his career at Kent State. This year he transferred to Indiana and was one of the standouts on the team that made the playoffs. He is not a bull rusher and will struggle against stronger OLs. However, he has an excellent first step and plays with violence every snap. He can line up as a 0, 1, 2, and 3-tech.
Chris Paul, LB, Ole Miss
One of the most underrated prospects in the class. Paul had a breakout year at Ole Miss after transferring from Arkansas. He is an excellent athlete and excels in coverage. His change of direction allows him to tag RBs and TEs and he has the speed to follow them on deep routes. In the run game, he can tag sideline to sideline, but he needs to improve his ability to get out of blocks from the bigger OLs.
Jay Higgins, LB, Iowa
Jay Higgins is a highly decorated and highly productive linebacker. He is a two-time All-American and has racked up nearly 300 tackles over the last two seasons combined. The biggest reason he has been able to put up those numbers is his relentless motor and good instincts, which allow him to be in the right spot more often than not.
We don’t have his combine numbers yet, but he appears to have short arms. This makes it harder for him to escape OL blocks once they engage the LB.
Shavon Revel, CB, ECU
Revel is a top-half first-round draft prospect. However, he was injured last season and that will hurt his stock. It’s unusual for a 6’3 CB to move the way he does. He has fluid hips and can fit into zone and man-coverage schemes. He’s also an excellent tackler, showing unusual physicality for a CB.
Cobee Bryant, CB, Kansas
His weight (170 lbs) will be an issue. However, Bryant is a tall CB with long arms and excellent ball hawking ability. He’s a willing tackler who isn’t afraid to sacrifice his body in the run game. His change of direction and top-end speed will be issues at the next level.
Zah Frazier, CB, UTSA
Playing at the same university as Riq Woolen, Frazier is also a very tall CB (6’3) with long arms that help in press coverage. He is not an avatar like Woolen, but he has a lot of potential. Only one missed tackle in his career, 6 interceptions in 2024, the second-best number in the FBS.