Shrine Bowl Preview: Evaluation season has arrived, here’s who I’ll be watching in Texas

FRISCO, Texas — Practices for the Shrine Bowl begin at the Dallas Cowboys practice facility on Friday and go through the weekend, culminating in the game on Tuesday night. Who are the players I’ll be watching closest at The Star? Who has the most to prove? Who is my top-rated player at each position? Let’s dive in so you have a cheat sheet to work off of going into the event!

QUARTERBACK:

• My Top Prospect: Cade Klubnik (Clemson)
  • I thought people were very carried away with the first- and second-round label back in the summer, but I do think he has the ability to stick as a long-term backup. The season didn’t go well for the Tigers but he’s my favorite of this group of passers in Dallas.

• Who I Expect To Shine In Practice: Joe Fagnano (UConn)
  • An experienced passer who has played a lot of ball, Fagnano also has the benefit of having a relationship with one of his pass catchers, as he’ll be throwing to Skyler Bell throughout the week. We’ll see if that chemistry can result in a highlight rep or two.

• Most To Gain: Mark Gronowski (Iowa)
  • One of the winningest quarterbacks in college football history, Gronowski was extremely successful at South Dakota State before transferring last offseason to Iowa. He got the job done with his legs this year more so than with his arm. Can he be a consistent passer throughout the week? 

• The Rest Of The Pack: 
  • Jalon Daniels (Kansas), Kyron Drones (Virginia Tech), Haynes King (Georgia Tech), Behren Morton (Texas Tech), Miller Moss (Louisville)

What are the 1-on-1 battles I’m excited to see at the Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl? Sign up for my free draft newsletter to find out!

RUNNING BACK:

• My Top Prospect: Demond Claiborne (Wake Forest)
  • Undersized ball carrier but a shifty, explosive athlete with real third down value. Has been a dynamic kick returner throughout his college career and will cover kicks as well.

• Who I Expect To Shine In Practice: Eli Heidenreich (Navy)
  • I actually have Heidenreich listed with my wide receivers, and he did a little bit of everything with the Midshipmen. I expect his versatility to shine, and he’ll get reps working with both positions through the week. I’m excited to see him up close to see if my expectations match up in-person.

• Most To Gain: Chip Trayanum (Toledo)
  • Trayanum has solid straight-line juice and does enough as a runner, but I’d like to see him get better in the pass game. His routes are clunky and he’s got a history of drops. If he can tighten those up I like his chances at getting drafted a lot more. 

• The Rest Of The Pack: 
  • Kentrel Bullock (South Alabama), CJ Donaldson (Ohio State), Roman Hemby (Indiana), Robert Henry JR (UTSA)

WIDE RECEIVER:

• My Top Prospect: Chase Roberts (BYU)
  • This was a close one, because there are a handful of receivers that I have all clustered together. Roberts is older, but he’s a big kid who can run well enough and has the size to go up and over people. These guys get drafted in the middle and late rounds every year. It’s possible he’s somewhere outside of my top five receivers in this group when I leave the week, though. It’s that close with others in the position.

• Who I Expect To Shine In Practice: Chris Hilton (LSU)
  • Hilton is a great athlete; he’s explosive, twitchy, sudden and controls his speed really, really well. That translates to a really flashy route runner, especially down the field. It would not shock me if he has draws ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from evaluators on a couple of routes this week.

• Most To Gain: De’Zhaun Stribling (Ole Miss)
  • Stribling is my second-highest graded receiver entering the week. He’s not a great athlete, but he’s a tough, skilled receiver with a skillset that translates well. He doesn’t put the ball on the ground. If he’s able to get consistent separation this week, for a guy his size, that will serve him well through the process.

• The Rest Of The Pack: 
  • Dillon Bell (Georgia), Skyler Bell (UCOnn), Malik Benson (Oregon), Jeff Caldwell (Cincinnati), Emmanuel Henderson JR (Kansas), Kendrick Law (Kentucky), Eric Rivers (Georgia Tech), J. Michael Sturdivant (Florida), Noah Thomas (Georgia), Zavion Thomas (LSU), Jalen Walthall (Incarnate Ward), Kaden Wetjen (Iowa), Michael Wortham (Montana), Colbie Young (Georgia)

TIGHT END/FULLBACK:

• My Top Prospect: Lake McRee (USC)
  • Future in-line tight end; a traditional ‘Y’ in that he is not a dynamic athlete but he’s reliable at the catch point, runs solid routes and is a willing, dependable blocker.

• Who I Expect To Shine In Practice: Jack Endries (Texas)
  • I like Endries; I think he’s a smooth athlete with really reliable hands. I don’t think he’s as dynamic of a mismatch player that some make him out to be, and since he’s not really a dominant blocker I think that kind of caps the ceiling. That said, in this environment, I expect him to do well. He should look good in 1-on-1 drills.

• Most To Gain: Max Bredeson (Michigan)
  • I love watching this kid on film. He’s a true Fullback who they would put in-line at times. Blocking is not the concern. What can he do as a pass catcher? If he can shine in space that would be eye-opening.

• The Rest Of The Pack: 
  • Dallen Bentley (Utah), Dean Connors (Houston), Jaren Kanak (Oklahoma), Lance Mason (Wisconsin), Riley Nowakowski (Indiana), Eli Raridon (Notre Dame), Bauer Sharp (LSU), Seydou Traore (Mississippi State)

OFFENSIVE LINE:

• My Top Prospect: Brian Parker II (Duke)
  • A college tackle who does not have the physical dimensions to hold up out there, so he MUST move inside. How does he handle the position change? Big question, but I feel good enough about it to have him carry this grade.

• Who I Expect To Shine In Practice: Fa’alili Fa’amoe (Wake Forest)
  • Experienced pass protector who converted to the offensive line early in his college career. There are things to clean up in the run game but he does well enough in pass pro that I think he can have some real positive reps in this environment.

• Most To Gain: Aamil Wagner (Notre Dame)
  • Wagner is a two-year starter with the ability to be a starter on the right side down the road if things play out well on his developmental arc, but things like footwork and hand placement were issues for him in college. How much of that can get cleaned up during the pre-draft process? His traits are good enough that, even if he makes marginal improvements, any kind of uptick could have big ramifications.

• The Rest Of The Pack: 
  • Chris Adams (Memphis), Caden Barnett (Wyoming), Evan Beernsten (Northwestern), Josh Braun (Kentucky), Travis Burke (Memphis), Jager Burton (Kentucky), DJ Campbell (Texas), Pat Coogan (Indiana), Anez Cooper (Miami), Joe Cooper (Slippery Rock), Giovanni El-Hadi (Michigan), Garrett DiGiorgio (UCLA), Riley Mahlman (Wisconsin), Micah Morris (Georgia), James Neal (Iowa State), Febechi Nwaiwu (Oklahoma), Pete Nygra (Louisville), Micah Pettus (Florida State), Diego Pounds (Ole Miss), Ar’maj Reed-Adams (Texas A&M), Nolan Rucci (Penn State), Keagen Trost (Missouri), Dillon Wade (Auburn), Jayden Williams (Ole Miss)

EDGE RUSHER:

• My Top Prospect: Malachi Lawrence (UCF)
  • Really skilled pass rusher with excellent hands to win at the top of the arc. Checks a lot of boxes and has a skillset that projects well to the league. Holds up well, physically, against the run but didn’t have the best eyes or finishing ability as a tackler. Feel great about him sticking in the league.

• Who I Expect To Shine In Practice: Wesley Williams (Duke)
  • Last year, Elijah Roberts from SMU stood out on this stage as a bigger-bodied edge who did well from snug alignments. They’re different archetypes of player (I think Roberts is a better run defender and Williams a bit more juice upfield), but I wonder if Williams does something similar. On the ALL NFL Draft Podcast this week, Shrine Bowl Director Eric Galko said he’s gotten ‘Top 100’ feedback on Williams. Roberts went in the fifth-round last spring. I think Williams could be somewhere in that range between those two slots.

• Most To Gain: Tyreak Sapp (Florida)
  • Sapp was brought up in media mock drafts over the summer and I never quite saw that lofty expectation, but he can be a useful player because of his versatility to play inside and outside. I’m interested to watch him in pass rush drills. Proving he has juice to pressure tackles off the edge would be big for his perceived value.

• The Rest Of The Pack: 
  • Ethan Burke (Texas), George Gumbs JR (Florida), Aidan Hubbard (Northwestern), Keyshawn James-Newby (New Mexico), Marvin Jones JR (Oklahoma), Nyjalik Kelly (UCF), Anthony Lucas (USC), Patrick Payton (LSU), Mason Reiger (Wisconsin), Bryan Thomas JR (South Carolina)

Get In-Depth Profiles On This Year’s Crop Of Draft Prospects

DEFENSIVE TACKLE:

• My Top Prospect: Darrell Jackson (Florida State)
  • Carries my highest grade, regardless of position, entering the week. I think he can be one of the better run-stuffing nose tackles in the NFL. 

• Who I Expect To Shine In Practice: Tyler Onyedim (Texas A&M)
  • He’s 6-foot-4, 295 pounds with explosive traits. The flashes are really impressive. I expect him to have a ‘whoa’ rep or two during 1-on-1 drills throughout the week against the offensive linemen in attendance.

• Most To Gain: Dontay Corleone (Cincinnati)
  • Like Jackson, he’s a run-stuffer by trade. What can he bring as a rusher? If he can look good in one-on-one pass rush drills it will serve him well going into the rest of the process.

• The Rest Of The Pack: 
  • David Blay (Miami), DeMonte Capehart (Clemson), Brandon Cleveland (NC State), David Gusta (Kentucky), Aaron Hall (Duke), Jackie Marshall (Baylor), Kaleb Proctor (SE Louisiana), Albert Regis (Texas A&M), Landon Robinson (Navy), Gary Smith III (UCLA), James Thompson JR (Illinois)

LINEBACKER:

• My Top Prospect: Jake Golday (Cincinnati)
  • Converted pass rusher who started his career at Central Arkansas; he’s a big kid with athletic traits. Projects really well as a potential starting SAM linebacker.

• Who I Expect To Shine In Practice: Taurean York (Texas A&M)
  • I don’t expect York to do well in 1-on-1s against the running backs in space, but when it’s time for team sessions and Inside Run periods? I expect to be jotting his name down early and often. This kid has a nose for the ball. He’s always where he needs to be. 

• Most To Gain: Harold Perkins (LSU)
  • I would argue that no one, at any All-Star Game this year, has more to gain than Perkins. Has bounced around from EDGE to LB to STAR throughout his career. Great athlete with a great motor; excellent blitzer. What position does he play in the NFL? Teams have to find the answer there, and that continues this week.

• The Rest Of The Pack: 
  • Lander Barton (Utah), Wesley Bissainthe (Miami), Jaden Dugger (Louisiana), Caden Fordham (NC State), Eric Gentry (USC), Jackson Kuwatch (Miami OH), Red Murdock (Buffalo), Jimmy Rolder (Michigan), Karson Sharar (Iowa), West Weeks (LSU), Declan Williams (Incarnate Word)

CORNERBACK:

• My Top Prospect: Ceyair Wright (Nebraska)
  • Wright is an experienced corner with inside-outside flexibility. Admittedly, it’s not a great corner group down here, but Wright has the ability to stick as a versatile backup.

• Who I Expect To Shine In Practice: Brent Austin (Cal)
  • Austin has gotten his hands on a lot of balls in coverage the last two years. A former Curt Cignetti recruit at James Madison, the stage is set for him to be one of the top corners in attendance.

• Most To Gain: Domani Jackson (Alabama)
  • Jackson was listed in mock drafts coming into the season and saw a stint on the bench this year after giving up some big plays downfield. Can he restore some of that shine to his profile with a good start to the pre-draft process? 

• The Rest Of The Pack: 
  • Marcus Allen (UNC), Jadon Canady (Oregon), Tyreek Chappell (Texas A&M), Andre Fuller (Toledo), Jaylon Guilbeau (Texas), Ahmari Harvey (Georgia Tech), Devon Marshall (NC State), Avery Smith (Toledo), DeVonta Smith (Notre Dame), Kolbey Taylor (Vanderbilt), Jarod Washington (South Carolina State)

SAFETY:

• My Top Prospect: Dalton Johnson (Arizona)
  • Undersized and a bit underwhelming as an athlete but he’s just a good football player. Really good in zone coverage. Always around the ball. Tough not to like him.

• Who I Expect To Shine In Practice: Louis Moore (Indiana)
  • With the Indiana and Miami players at these All-Star Games, I almost want to wait until I actually see them before I believe that they’ll show up, given how they just played in the biggest game of their lives on Monday night. That said, Moore was a ball magnet this year. If he’s there I expect him to flash in 7-on-7 and team drills patrolling the deep middle. 

• Most To Gain: Robert Spears-Jennings (Oklahoma)
  • A big, physical safety who saw plenty of time rolled down to the line of scrimmage. Can he hold up in coverage well enough? Will be tested in 1-on-1 drills.

• The Rest Of The Pack: 
  • Austin Brown (Wisconsin), Bishop Fitzgerald (USC), Jalen Huskey (Maryland), Ahmaad Moses (SMU), Myles Rowser (Arizona State), Miles Scott (Illinois), DQ Smith (South Carolina), Cole Wisniewski (Texas Tech)

Stay on top of the 2026 NFL Draft! Get Fran Duffy’s 2026 Diehard Draft Guide and subscribe to his free newsletter!