Estimated studying time: 4 minutes
With the faculty soccer season now within the rearview mirror, draft season is totally upon us.
The all-star circuits are a significant a part of that course of as a number of the high prospects will go head-to-head to try to transfer their names larger on NFL groups’ huge boards. The primary main one occurring is the East–West Shrine Bowl down in Frisco, Texas with practices starting this Saturday.
Listed below are 5 of the largest names to know on this yr’s Shrine Bowl.
QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
The headliner of this yr’s Shrine Bowl is undoubtedly Sanders, who’s at the moment battling Cam Ward to be the primary quarterback chosen within the 2025 NFL draft and doubtlessly the No. 1 general choose. Merely put, Sanders has been one of many nation’s finest quarterbacks since he transferred to Colorado from Jackson State. His 91.4 passing grade since 2023 is fourth amongst FBS quarterbacks whereas his 49 big-time throws place fifth and his 1.6% turnover-worthy play fee is second. Whereas his bodily instruments gained’t wow you, his soccer intelligence will as he expertly reads and diagnoses coverages at a excessive degree.
DI Kenneth Grant, Michigan
The one different projected first-round choose who’ll be collaborating in on-field exercises on the Shrine Bowl is Grant. Whereas his teammate, Mason Graham, is fairly solidly the highest defensive deal with within the draft, Grant is trying to solidify himself as No. 2 with a robust week in Texas. His 86.4 PFF grade since 2023 is tenth amongst FBS inside defenders, as he’s earned 80-plus grades each as a pass-rusher and as a run defender in that span. Grant has freakish motion capacity at 6-foot-3, 339-pound dimension and can seemingly be chosen inside the first 25 picks in April.
WR Tre Harris, Ole Miss
Accidents saved Harris out of 5 video games this previous season and sure value him a Biletnikoff Award as properly. He completed the yr with an absurd 5.15 yards per route run, essentially the most by a Energy 5 receiver since PFF started charting faculty soccer in 2014. Harris has nice dimension at 6-foot-3, 210 kilos and is harmful after the catch. There are some severe query marks about his recreation although, particularly along with his restricted route tree and talent to persistently get open. Since 2023, Harris has been in simply the eleventh percentile of FBS receivers by way of separation fee in opposition to single protection. If he can quell a few of these issues in one-on-ones on the Shrine Bowl, he can all however lock up a spot within the second spherical of the draft.
EDGE Bradyn Swinson, LSU
Swinson has steadily improved all through his profession at Oregon and LSU, resulting in his finest season but in 2024. He earned a career-high 90.2 pass-rush grade as a fifth-year senior, inserting sixth amongst FBS edge defenders with a 20.1% stress fee and tenth with a 22% pass-rush win fee. Swinson has proven off superior pass-rushing strikes all through his profession that might give offensive linemen matches in one-on-one drills. He’s at the moment a projected third-round choose and can look to maneuver up in what’s a deep edge class.
CB Zy Alexander, LSU
Swinson isn’t the one LSU defender trying to make some cash down within the Lonestar State. After a tough yr with the Tigers in 2023 (59.7 protection grade), Alexander bounced again in a significant approach this previous season. The Southeastern Louisiana switch earned an 81.8 protection grade in 2024, sixth amongst SEC cornerbacks. Alexander has nice size at 6-foot-2 that he makes use of to trouble receivers each on the line of scrimmage and on the catch level. Alexander is a borderline Day 2 prospect and can attempt to solidify that standing down in Frisco.
