Much like the Senior Bowl, the East-West Shrine Bowl provides players with an opportunity to showcase their abilities ahead of the NFL Draft.
The Shrine Bowl has seen its fair share of talent in its games. A few notables in the NFL playoffs right now like Brock Purdy, Isiah Pacheco, and Zay Flowers are all Shrine Bowl alumni.
Here are some Group of Five participants to watch out for in this year’s Feb. 1 game who hope to one day be listed next to the guys above.
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Austin Reed, Western Kentucky
The expectations were high for Reed entering the 2023 campaign. Reed was elected as the CUSA preseason Player of the Year and was coming off a season where he passed for 4,744 yards and 40 TDs. He still had a great senior year, but didn’t come close to the 2022 version of himself.
It would have been nice to see him carve up CUSA defenses, but I think the league was much better than expected this year. Still, Reed is arguably one of the top three G5 QBs in the draft and could make a case for himself with a solid Shrine Bowl outing.
Mohamed Kamara, Colorado State
As a Wyoming fan, I’m glad this guy is finally moving on to playing on Sundays.
Kamara was a problem for opposing offensive linemen and quarterbacks and only got better as his career progressed. He led the Mountain West with 13 sacks this season, while his 17.5 TFLs were second.
He even made his presence felt against the eventual National Champions:
NFL teams are always looking for solid edge rushers, and Kamara can fill that void.
Dallas Gant, Toledo
Gant was nothing less than a tackling machine during his tenure for his hometown Rockets.
The linebacker was named First Team All-MAC for the second consecutive season and led the Rockets with 117 tackles, which also ranked sixth in the league. There’s a reason he played in 36 games for Ohio State before transferring.
Gant is a disciplined, fast defender who’s always in a position to make a play.
Trey Taylor, Air Force
Taylor received the Jim Thorpe Award this season, which is awarded to the top defensive back in college football.
Taylor plays tough and extremely smart with an NFL-type mentality. Taylor is coming off the best season of his career, which led to First Team All-MW honors. He registered 74 total tackles, three interceptions, and four pass breakups. The 6-foot, 210-pound safety is the type of player you could see in a Ravens or Patriots type of culture.
Jarius Monroe, Tulane
Monroe is a very well-balanced, athletic defensive back who has proven he can be versatile and play in multiple schemes and positions. He was tabbed First Team All-AAC and part of an excellent Green Wave secondary, who I’m sure all made each other better.
He’s also been part of a winning culture and had some key plays in Tulane’s biggest victories:
Monroe finished the season with 48 total tackles, 10 PBUs, and three picks. He has the potential to develop into an NFL starter and could bolster his draft stock with a solid showing at the Shrine Bowl.
Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss
In a draft that is weak at the running back position, Gore Jr. could be a sneaky late-round selection. One thing’s for sure, he has the durability and grit like his father to have a long career in the league.
But does he have the talent?
Gore Jr. rushed for back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and 19 total TDs over the two years. He was a workhorse back for Southern Miss but probably won’t have the size to keep that same role in the NFL. Gore would be a nice change-of-pace back going forward, and it will be interesting to see how he’s utilized in the Shrine Bowl because it could have a slight impact on how he leaves a final impression on certain teams.
