The 99th annual East-West Shrine Bowl week is coming up quickly. Over 100 draft prospects will go through practices and interviews with scouting personnel from all 32 NFL teams in hopes of improving their stock for the 2024 NFL draft.
This year’s Shrine Bowl moves to The Star in Frisco, Texas. Practices kick off on Saturday and run through Tuesday, with the game scheduled for a 7 p.m. CT kickoff on Thursday, February 1st.
Here are some of the top players to know from the East and West rosters, which will be coached by current NFL assistants across several teams.
Christian Mahogany, OL, Boston College
Offenses that run a lot of power and gap blocking up front should find Mahogany quite appealing. The 322-pounder brings a mauling presence as a guard with just enough range to pull one gap over and consistently create movement. He cannot be bull-rushed but will need to fare well against quicker interior rushers to help his stock, which currently projects in the 3rd-4th rounds.
Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, S, Texas Tech
Ball productivity is a great calling card for NFL prospects at safety, and Taylor-Demerson has it: 10 INTs. 33 PDs and 3 fumble recoveries for the Red Raiders. With experience playing in the slot and track-star speed, the 5-foot-11, 195-pounder is a great candidate to creep into the Day 2 projections with a strong Shrine week.
Mo Kamara, EDGE, Colorado State
Kamara posted 13 sacks for the Rams in 2023 and made over 30 plays in the backfield in the last two seasons. Very good at playing the run on his way to the QB. He lacks ideal length at 6-foot-1 but shows good power and has a variety of moves to defeat blocks. The one-on-one pass rush drills are huge for Kamara.
Isaac Guerendo, RB, Louisville
Guerendo shared backfield duties with another 2024 RB prospect, Jawhar Johnson, who will be at the Senior Bowl. The Shrine Bowl is Guerendo’s chance to step out of the shadows. He’s physical but also quick at a listed 220 pounds and catches the ball well out of the backfield.
Evan Anderson, DT, Florida Atlantic
Anderson is one of the best immovable-object nose tackles in this draft. One of the big questions will be answered with an official measurement. Anderson dropped some tonnage from 2022 to 2023, but his exact weight isn’t known. The scale of his weight to his movement ability will be important for draft purposes. Any pass-rush wins are gravy for Anderson.
Trey Taylor, S, Air Force
Taylor won the Jim Thorpe Award as the best defensive back in the country, not an easy feat coming from the MWC. He’s notable for his instant top speed to run down plays and finishing ability in the open field. His coverage skills and instincts will be on full display in practices.
Tejhaun Palmer, WR, UAB
Palmer is likely to earn a lot of fans with his athletic testing. The Shrine Bowl is a good opportunity to show that he can use his impressive blend of size and long-striding speed more effectively against man coverage, something that was a mixed bag in his college days. He did well enough at the Hula Bowl to earn the chance.
Ja'Quan Sheppard, CB, Maryland
The Cincinnati transfer offers a lot as a press-man corner. He steadily improved his footwork and anticipation as his college career progressed after initially starting out as a safety. The 6-foot-2 Sheppard can help himself by proving he can catch, something he couldn’t do in college. His suspect tackling won’t get much attention in the practices, but look for it in the game.
Nathan Thomas, OT, Louisiana
Thomas is coming off a knee injury that might keep him from playing during Shrine Bowl week, but he’ll still be available for interviews. Teams will want to see if the 6-foot-4, 340-pounder was accurately listed by the Ragin Cajuns, as well as if he fits better at guard or tackle in the NFL as a likely Day 3 pick.
Mason Pline, TE, Furman
Pline is a fascinating story. He was a productive basketball player for Ferris State before switching to football for two seasons for the 2-time D-II national champs. He grad transferred to Furman and quickly proved to be a great receiving threat with his 6-foot-7, 260-pound frame. This is Pline’s chance to wake up the football world on a deep sleeper.
Leonard Taylor, DT, Miami FL
Taylor is perhaps the highest-profile player heading to Frisco, a player sometimes projected in the first round. He might opt out from playing, but it’s still a good chance for teams to get to know the 305-pound wrecking ball who had an inconsistent but often spectacular career at Miami.
Jalen Coker, WR, Holy Cross
Coker flat-out dominated at the Hula Bowl, quickly earning the call-up to the Shrine Bowl. He’s built like a tight end at 6-foot-3 and a listed 212 that seems light when looking at his frame. One AFC North scout called him a “poor man’s Mike Evans,” and it’s easy to see why. Keeping the momentum going against higher-level competition in Frisco is the difference for Coker between being selected in the 100-125 overall range and the late stages of Day 3.
Harrison Mevis, K, Missouri
Yeah, a kicker. Mevis is one of two draft-worthy kickers in this class. Missouri’s kicker for four years, Mevis connected on over 83 percent of his FG attempts. He’s got some Matt Prater to him–better from long-range than in close. If he’s clean between 30 and 40 yards in Frisco, expect Mevis to get drafted.
Malik Washington, WR, Virginia
Washington carries some similarities to 2023 first-rounder Zay Flowers, a big-man’s receiving game in an undersized body. Short at 5-8 but not small at 194 pounds, Washington is very difficult to bring down out of the slot. He’s also got a chance to be a great return specialist at the next level and could get to show that in Frisco, too.
David White, WR, Western Carolina
White is another player who earned his way to Frisco after a good Hula Bowl week. Western Carolina game tape isn’t easy to find, but the one game I watched (against Tennessee State), White looked like an intriguing big slot with some impressive body control. What can he do on a bigger stage?
Taulia Tagovailoa, QB, Maryland
A player nobody thought would be in the draft class until very recently, Tagovailoa gets to test his mettle against an all-star game competition. Arm strength and size are two big questions for Tua’s younger brother. Scouts want to see him manipulate the pocket and deliver throws that don’t lose velocity down the field. If he does that at the Shrine Bowl, Tagovailoa could very well be drafted.
Frank Gore Jr., RB, Southern Miss
Yes, he’s the son of NFL legend Frank Gore. The younger Gore doesn’t have his dad’s shoulder drive or quick feet out of a cut, but he was consistently productive in college. His shake-and-bake move is NFL-ready. Southern Miss didn’t use him extensively in the passing game, and that’s where Gore can earn some draft stock in Frisco.
Carson Steele, RB, UCLA
Steele transferred from Ball State to UCLA and didn’t miss a beat. Freakishly strong–he squats almost 700 pounds–he is very hard to bring down in space. He’s got nice vision and a savvy bounce cut. Steele catches the ball well when given chances. He needs a good performance in the pass protection drills, an area where he really struggled in college.
Easton Gibbs, LB, Wyoming
Gibbs bumped up from safety to linebacker after packing up his weight to around 230 pounds. His DB background is evident in his ability to diagnose and react in coverage. His athleticism and ability to flow and attack against better speed are what to watch for from Gibbs in practices.
Mark Perry, S, TCU
Perry is intriguing with his pro-ready frame at 6-0 and 215 pounds and his background on the Colorado track team. As a football player, Perry’s up-and-down play and the changing cast around him in his two years with the Horned Frogs leave some real questions. He can answer those by looking sharp in team drills and coverage 1-on-1s against tight ends in practices.
