The 100th annual East-West Shrine Bowl kicked off today at the indoor facility at the University of North Texas. The first practice went to the East roster and then the West roster followed. Some players that didn’t participate in practice between both squads were the following:
- Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders
- Colorado DB Shilo Sanders
- Michigan IDL Kenneth Grant
We do know that Shedeur Sanders opted out from participating and will be using the Shrine Bowl to only interview with teams. He was on the field supporting his teammates from the West roster. It was reported from Art Stapleton that Sheduer met with the Giants and Titans yesterday.
As for the players that did practice, there were plenty of standouts between both teams. Let’s dive into some of the players that caught my eye from the first day of practice.
Pittsburgh WR Konata Mumpfield
Nobody made a bigger impression on day one than Pittsburgh receiver Konata Mumpfield. He checked in at 5’10” and 188 pounds and was by far the most fluid receiver on the field. Often targeted from Missouri quarterback Brady Cook, Mumpfield was able to win deep and over the middle of the field. One particular rep stood out where Mumpfield ran a post route and made a tough grab with a safety coming downhill at him. If he’s able to put together multiple good days at practice, we could see a potential riser for the 2025 NFL Draft.
Virginia Tech EDGE Antwaun Powell-Ryland
Speaking of draft risers that impressed on day one, there may not have been a better pass rusher than Powell-Ryland from Virginia Tech. He checked into the Shrine Bowl at 6’2″ and 253 pounds but he’ll certainly get knocked for his lack of arm length. He only had 31 1/8″ arms so creating separation on a consistent basis will be tough. Especially when playing against the run. However, Powell-Ryland was impressive with his quick get-off and his spin move was put on display today. Over the last two seasons for the Holies, he’s compiled 34 tackles for loss and 25.5 sacks.
Eastern Washington WR Efton Chism
It was short notice for Chism to be part of the Shrine Bowl practices but he flashed consistently on the first day of practice. Checking in at 5’10” and 195 pounds, there were no size or movement concerns for the Eagles standout receiver. Chism was fluid in and out of his breaks and was able to create separation multiple times during the 1-on-1 portions of practice.
Last week, Chism participated in the Hula Bowl and immediately stood out and that’s part of the reason to why he earned an invite to the Shrine Bowl. Throughout his five year career, he recorded 346 receptions for 3852 yards and 37 touchdowns. Last season, he went off for 120 receptions, 1311 yards and 13 touchdowns. Keep tabs on him during the second and third day of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Miami (FL) EDGE Tyler Baron
One of the first players that caught my eye was Tyler Baron from the Hurricanes. Measuring in at 6’4″ and 262 pounds with 32 7/8″ arms is plenty good for NFL teams. Sure, the arm length is somewhat concerning but Baron plays with a good blend of power and speed. He’ll need to work on his hand placement for when he attempts his pass rush moves. Teams looking for a defensive end that can play in a 4i-technique, 5-technique or wider will roll the dice on a player like Baron.
Georgia Tech IDL Zeek Biggers
If you’re looking for a player that won the day just off measurements alone, then look no further. Biggers checked into the Shrine Bowl at 6’5″ and 320 pounds with 35″ arms. Teams will love that type of size for any spot along their defensive line but I’d expect him to play over guards and centers more often than not. During the first day of practice for the East squad, Biggers had multiple reps that caught the eyes of scouts. He displayed powerful hands and good burst on multiple reps. Keep tabs on him during each day of practice at the Shrine Bowl.
Other scouting notes:
- The Oregon State offensive line combination of Joshua Gray and Gerad Christian-Lichtenhand flashed quite a bit. Starting with Gray, he’s experienced at tackle and guard, but it appears that he’ll be moving to center in the NFL. He took plenty of snaps today and looked like the best center prospect on the field. As for Christian-Lichtenhand, he was fluid at tackle with clean weight transfer between his post foot and set foot during pass protection.
- Syracuse TE Orande Gadsen is probably the tight end prospect you haven’t heard much about, but that should change after this week. He’s got a terrific frame at 6’4″ and 247 pounds, and there’s much to be desired with his ability to run vertically and adjust at the catch point.
- North Carolina CB Alijah Huzzie is fluid and had an impressive rep against Colorado’s Jimmy Horn. This rep occurred during the 1-on-1 portion of practice between defensive backs and receivers. Listed at 5’9″ and 194 pounds, there’s much to be desired with his skill set due to his fluidity and ability to cover slot receivers.
- North Dakota State QB Cam Miller appeared to be the best quarterback on the field from what I saw up to this point. He looked comfortable throwing to all areas of the field and was even able to fit a few passes into some tight windows. He’s only 6’0″ and 210 pounds but teams looking for a backup quarterback could be intrigued by him.
