2024 Senior Bowl – Game Day

Frank Coyle/ Publisher

The 2024 Senior Shrine Bowl 75^th game is set to kick off at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. The Senior Bowl showcased 120+ of the best pro prospects for the 2024 NFL Draft.

Here are 21 of the prospects who impressed over the practices and ready for strong performances in the game.

2024 Senior Bowl – Game Day

Players to Watch

Offense

QB Spencer Rattler – South Carolina – 6001, 219
Quick accurate delivery and mobility impressed scouts in practices.

QB Bo Nix – Oregon – 6017, 218
Home turf helps and ran the practices well. Set for big game.

QB Michael Pratt – Tulane – 6023, 216
Accurate savvy leader settled into the practices nicely and can shine in game.

RB MarShawn Lloyd – USC – 5091, 217
Quick tailback displayed well rounded skills and ready for big game.

RB Ray Davis – Kentucky – 5084, 228
Powerful short tailback had a strong week and showed inside/outside running talent.

RB Cody Schrader – Missouri – 5082, 207
Blood and guts tailback is focused for a big game and workhorse role.

WR Ladd McConkey – Georgia – 5114. 187
Quick sure handed receiver elevated his stock with a strong week in a few roles.

WR Malachi Corley – Western Kentucky – 5105, 215
Impressive athletic pass catcher fit like a glove here vs the best in the nation.

WR Devontez Walker – North Carolina – 6014, 197
Athletic receiver displayed well rounded skills to improve his stock nicely.

WR Roman Wilson – Michigan – 5104, 186
His combination of speed, quickness and sure hands turned heads in practices.

OT Taliese Fuaga – Oregon State – 6057, 332
Long athletic dominated in the one-on-one drills.

OT Patrick Paul – Houston – 6070, 333
NFL ready lineman displayed left tackle pass protection talent.

OL Jackson Powers-Johnson Oregon – 6032, 334
Powerful versatile blocker handled every assignment flawlessly.

Defense

DL Darius Robinson   Missouri          6050    286
Quick powerful lineman displayed dominant talent from the first snap.

DL Gabe Hall              Baylor              6056    298
Underrated prospect stepped up with several impressive reps.

DL Braden Fiske                     Florida State   6035    295
Quick powerful three technique lineman shined in drills.

LB Cedric Gray                       North Carolina             6016    232
Fast defender went sideline to sideline to finish.

LB Payton Wilson                   NC State                     6041    234
Instinctive defender displayed three down talent and early NFL grade.

CB Cam Hart              Notre Dame                6027    204
Long corner looked sharp in coverage.

CB Khyree Jackson   Oregon                        6034    203
Tall corner displayed closing speed and good ball instincts.

CB Quinyon Mitchell   Toledo                         6003    195
Well-rounded cover man shined in drills, as one of the premier prospects at the event.

‘Word On the Street’

Frank Coyle
www.draftinsiders.com

New column – Exclusive for Subscribers

 NFL Postseason

 East-West Shrine Practices
Game – 8 pm NFL Network – Thursday Feb 1st

   Players to Watch
Offense

 QB Devin Leary, Kentucky, 6010, 215 moved well in the pocket and threw well on the move. He was accurate through the intermediate zones. He needs a strong game performance. QB Austin Reed, Western Kentucky, 6007, 233 spread the ball around nicely and went through his progressions. He anticipates routes well and delivers the ball with good touch and timing.

RB Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss, 5071, 199 is a compact runner with power and elusiveness. He will probably be the feature back here with well rounded playmaking abilities. RB Jaden Shirden, Monmouth University, 5074, 189 sudden scatback moves easily and has the explosiveness to run away from defenders. Looking for reps in this game. RB Deshaun Fenwick, Oregon State, 6006, 225 ran hard inside and made yardage after contact. He is primed for a strong game performance.

WR Jalen Coker, Holy Cross, 6012, 218 displayed great body control and a big receiving radius. He is effective in the red zone and has soft hands. WR Casey Washington, Illinois, 6006, 197 shows fine length to win the 50/50 passes. Looked sharp in practices and hopes to transform that to the game. WR Malik Washington, Virginia, 5081, 192 is a compact receiver with quickness and nice deep speed. He displayed good hands and run after the catch ability in practices.

TE Zach Heins, S Dakota St, 6061, 264 displayed reliable hands and route sound routes. He is effective in the middle zones and is a strong blocker. TE Isaac Rex, BYU, 6050, 250 moved easily and showcased soft hands and sound routes. He adjusts well in his routes with the ability to sit in the openings.

OT Walter Rouse, Oklahoma, 6054, 319 moved and slide consistently well with nice hand usage. He looked sharp in pass protection. OG KT Leveston, Kansas State, 6035, 337 has a strong frame and base with good length. He utilizes his fine functional strength to move defenders out of the hole. OG Christian Mahogany, Boston College, 6024, 318 is a powerful blocker who locks on and gets consistent movement in the run game. Needs some work in pass protection.

Defense

Edge Trajan Jeffcoat, Arkansas, 6040, 266 checked in ripped and prototypical size for the outside. He showed quickness on the snap and fine use of his long arms and strong hands. Edge Eyabi Okie-Anoma, Charlotte, 6037, 253 was explosive on the snap and bend the edge nicely. He pressured QBs to move them consistently off their spot. Edge Mohamed Kamara, Colorado State, 6013, 252 showed deceptive power to get into blockers and the quickness to continue through the arc.

DL Fabian Lovett Sr., Florida State, 6033, 307 was quick on the snap to penetrate the middle. He holds the point well. DL Nathan Pickering, Mississippi St, 6026, 300 is a long versatile lineman who keeps blockers off his body. He can bull rush and uses his huge wingspan to deflect passes. DL Khristian Boyd, Northern Iowa, 6021, 320 is a wide body interior lineman who held the point well. He stays alive nicely to be effective between the tackles.

CB Jarrian Jones, Florida State, 6000, 192 is an interesting prospect with length, agility and quickness. He held up nicely in coverage and is competitive on 50/50 passes. CB Dwight McGlothern, Arkansas, 6013, 185 is quick to break on the ball and blanketed receivers in practice. He uses his length well on high ball. CB Qwan’tez Stiggers, Toronto Argonauts, 5113, 203 is eligible here after one season in the CFL. He has a strong frame and built more along safety lines. He has good hips to open and matchup along with good run support skills. S Isaiah Johnson, Syracuse, 6027, 207 is a long defender who can matchup with tight ends and is fluid in coverage to play in all the sub packages.

PK Cam Little, Arkansas, 6007, 173 displayed a strong leg and should earn a draftable 3rd day grade for April.

Players to Watch
Devin Leary                   Kentucky                      QB       6010     215
Austin Reed                  Western Kentucky         QB       6007     233

Jaden Shirden               Monmouth                    RB        5074     189
Deshaun Fenwick          Oregon State                RB        6006     225

Jalen Coker                  Holy Cross                    WR       6012     218
Casey Washington        Illinois                           WR       6006     197
Isaiah Williams              Illinois                           WR       6006     197
Cornelius Johnson        Michigan                       WR       6022     213
Tahj Washington           USC                             WR       5097     177
Malik Washington          Virginia                         WR       5081     192

Zach Heins                    S Dakota St                  TE        6061     264
Isaac Rex                     BYU                             TE        6050     250

Walter Rouse                Oklahoma                     OT        6054     319
Caedan Wallace            Penn State                    OT        6043     322
KT Leveston                 Kansas State                OG       6035     337
Christian Mahogany       Boston C,                     OG       6024     318

Defense
Trajan Jeffcoat             Arkansas                      Edge    6040     266
Xavier Thomas              Clemson                       Edge    6016     244
Eyabi Okie-Anoma         Charlotte                       Edge    6037     253
Mohamed Kamara         Colorado State              Edge    6013     252

Evan Anderson             Florida Atlantic              DL        6004     319
Fabian Lovett Sr.           Florida State                 DL        6033     307
Khristian Boyd              Northern Iowa               DL        6021     320

Jarrian Jones                Florida State                 CB        6000     192
Dwight McGlothern        Arkansas                      CB        6013     185
Qwan’tez Stiggers         Toronto Argonauts        CB        5113     203
Trey Taylor                    Air Force                       Saf       6004     213
Marcellas Dial               S Carolina                     Saf       5113     185
Isaiah Johnson              Syracuse                      Saf       6027     207

Cam Little                     Arkansas                      PK        6007     173

Draft Insiders’ – All-Rookie Teams

Frank Coyle/ Publisher

Rookie MVP
QB C.J. Stroud             Texans

Offense            Puka Nacua                      Rams
Defense            Edge Will Anderson       Texans
Special Teams   RS/WR Marvin Mims     Broncos

This is the 2nd year in a year that one team produced both the Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year. The Texans made the playoffs and won the wild card game mainly on the performances of two rookies, QB Stroud and edge defender Will Anderson who earned our top offensive and defensive rookie players.  They were drafted #2 and #3 in the NFL Draft 2023. Last year, the Jets’ wideout Garrett Wilson and corner ‘Sauce’ Gardner won the rookie awards and both were top ten selections in the NFL Draft 2022.

All-Rookie Team

First Team
Offense
 
Position                   Player          Team
Quarterback      C.J. Stroud        Texans

Running Backs
De’Von Achane             Dolphins
Bijan Robinson             Falcons

Wide Receivers
Puka Nacua                  Rams
Zay Flowers                  Ravens
Rashee Rice                 Chiefs

Tight Ends
Sam LaPorta                 Lions
Michael Mayer               Raiders

Tackles
Anton Harrison             Jaguars
Darnell Wright               Bears

Guards
O’Cyrus Torrence          Bills
Steve Avila                    Rams

Center  
John Michael Schmitz    Giants

Defense
Position            Player                           Team

Edge
Will Anderson Jr.           Texans
Byron Young                 Rams

Defensive Linemen
Jalen Carter                  Eagles
Kobie Turner                 Rams

Linebackers
Jack Campbell             Lions
Ivan Pace Jr.                 Vikings
Nick Herbig                   Steelers

Cornerbacks
Devon Witherspoon       Seahawks
Joey Porter Jr.             Steelers
Deonte Banks               Giants

Safeties
Brian Branch                 Lions
Christian Izien               Buccaneers

Specialists

Placekicker       Jake Moody                  49ers
Punter             Bryce Baringer             Patriots

Kickoff Returner Marvin Mims Jr.            Broncos
Punt Returner   Derius Davis                 Chargers

All-Rookie – 2nd-Team

Offense
Position            Player /Team

Quarterback    Aidan O’Connell     Raiders

Running Backs
Jahmyr Gibbs                Lions
Keaton Mitchell             Ravens

Wide Receivers
Jordan Addison             Vikings
Jayden Reed                 Packers
Tank Dell                      Texans

Tight Ends
Luke Musgrave             Packers
Tucker Kraft                  Packers

Tackles
Paris Johnson Jr.          Cardinals
Broderick Jones            Steelers

Guards
Peter Skoronski             Titans
Cody Mauch                   Buccaneers

Center
Joe Tippmann                Jets

Defense
Position      Player         Team

Edge
Tuli Tuipulotu                 Chargers
YaYa Diaby                      Buccaneers

Defensive Linemen
Bryan Bresee                Saints
Calijah Kancey             Buccaneers

Linebackers
Marte Mapu                  Patriots
Dorian Williams             Bills
Henry To’oTo’o              Texans

Cornerbacks
Tyrique Stevenson        Bears
Clark Phillips III             Falcons
Jakorian Bennett           Raiders

Safeties
Jordan Battle                 Bengals
Sydney Brown               Eagles

Specialists

Placekicker        Anders Carlson            Packers
Punter              Ethan Evans                Rams
Kickoff Returner Eric Gray                     Giants
Punt Returner     Xavier Gipson              Jets

Hula Bowl 2024 – Orlando, Florida

The 2024 Hula Bowl will start the major All-star schedule in Orlando on Saturday January 13.

The game will be at UCF campus and kick off at Noon est. It will be the 78th edition of the all-star game, making it the second oldest in existence. It has moved from Honolulu to Florida in recent years and has assembled an interesting roster. Players could earn invitations to the latter All-star games with a strong week in Orlando.

The Hula Bowl has had a rich history with over dozens of Pro Football Hall of Fame players, in addition to many College Football Hall of Famers. Scouts from the NFL, CFL, and UFL will be in attendance. Both coaching staffs will be made up of former NFL coaches. We will have a Hula Bowl report in the January Newsletter out next week.

  All Star Game Schedule – January – February 2024

2024

  NFLPA Collegiate Bowl – (Cancelled)

1/5-1/7 – College Gridiron Showcase – Fort Worth, Texas

1/13 – Hula Bowl 78th Classic – Orlando, Florida – CBSSN  12 pm

1/20 – Tropical Bowl – Orlando, Florida

2/1 – East-West 99th Shrine Bowl – Frisco, Texas – NFLN

2/3 – Senior Bowl – Mobile, Alabama – NFLN

2/24 – HBCU Legacy Bowl – New Orleans, La – NFLN

NFL Draft 2024 – Underclassmen

Jan. 5 – Draft eligible Underclassmen announced to participate in the College All-star games

Jan. 15 – Special Eligibility Deadline. Deadline for college players who are underclassmen to apply for Special Eligibility. A list of underclassmen who have been approved for entry into the 2024 NFL Draft will be sent to clubs on January 19.

April 25-27 – NFL Draft, Detroit

Draft Insiders’ will have a January Newsletter with complete list of Underclassmen, Top 150 Prospects and Three Round Mock Draft

We scouted most of these new prospects especially running back Jaden Shirden of Monmouth University and OT Kiran Amegadjie of Yale both at practices and in live games. We recommended them to a few All-star games.

Frank Coyle/ Head scout

Thirty-four players granted special eligibility for 2024 NFL Draft after early deadline

A list of 34 players granted special eligibility for the 2024 NFL Draft was released by the NFL on Tuesday.

With the NFL allowing draft-eligible underclassmen to participate in college all-star games in 2024, a soft deadline of Jan. 5 was added to assist players and all-star game organizers in the planning and invitation process. The hard deadline for underclassmen to submit a petition to the league is Jan. 15. A list of additional players who have been granted special eligibility in accordance with the Jan. 15 deadline will be announced on Jan. 19. The 2024 draft is scheduled to be held April 25-27 in Detroit.

Each of the 34 players listed below have met the league’s three-year eligibility rule and have renounced their college football eligibility by submitting written notification to the league office on or before the Jan. 5 early deadline. Consequently, they are eligible for selection:

Underclassmen

Ajou Ajou, WR, Garden City C.C.
Braelon Allen, RB, Wisconsin
Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
Kiran Amegadjie, OT, Yale
Cole Bishop, DB, Utah
Austin Booker, DE, Kansas
Javon Bullard, DB, Georgia
Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
Jonah Elliss, DE, Utah
Audric Estimé, RB, Notre Dame
Blake Fisher, OT, Notre Dame
Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon
Bucky Irving, RB, Oregon
Kalen King, DB, Penn State
Kamari Lassiter, DB, Georgia
Cam Little, K, Arkansas
Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon
Ennis Rakestraw, DB, Missouri
Chop Robinson, DE, Penn State
Jaden Shirden, RB, Monmouth (N.J.)
Carson Steele, RB, UCLA
Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU
Leonard Taylor, DT, Miami
Brian Thomas, WR, LSU
Sione Vaki, DB, Utah
Trevin Wallace, LB, Kentucky
Nate Wiggins, DB, Clemson
James Williams, DB, Miami
Mekhi Wingo, DT, LSU
Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
Jaylen Wright, RB, Tennessee

The following underclassman has in timely fashion under NFL rules officially notified the league office that he has fulfilled his degree requirements. Consequently, he is eligible for selection:

Will Shipley, RB, Clemson

NFL Draft 2024
Underclassmen – Declared for 2024 NFL Draft

Frank  Coyle/ Publisher

Jan. 15 – Special Eligibility Deadline. Deadline for college players who are underclassmen to apply for Special Eligibility. They will have until Jan 18th to rescind their decision and retain their college eligibility. A list of underclassmen who have been approved for entry into the 2024 NFL Draft will be sent to clubs on January 19.

Players have begun to declare for the Transfer Portal which opened on Dec. 4th thru Jan 2, 2024. If a coach is fired or leaves the college program, that school’s players can enter the portal immediately.

Subscribers will receive Updated announcements over next 10 days prior to Jan. 15^th deadline.
January Newsletter will have a complete list of Underclassmen, plus a new Top 150, Three Rd Mock Draft and more.

Underclassmen declared for entry into the 2024 NFL draft

Quarterbacks
Emory Jones – Cincinnati
Drake Maye – North Carolina
Michael Pratt – Tulane
Cameron Ward – Washington State

Running Backs
Braelon Allen – Wisconsin
Emani Bailey – TCU
Trey Benson – Florida State
Jonathan Brooks – Texas
Audric Estime – Notre Dame
Frank Gore Jr. – Southern Miss
Bucky Irving – Oregon
MarShawn Lloyd – USC
Kayron Lynch-Adams – UMass
Cody Schrader – Missouri
Will Shipley – Clemson
Jaden Shirden – Monmouth University
Jaylen Wright – Tennessee

Wide Receivers
Javon Antonio – Colorado
Keon Coleman – Florida State
Jacob Cowing – Arizona
Troy Franklin – Oregon
Ladd McConkey – Georgia
Brian Thomas – LSU
Devaughn Vele – Utah
Tez Walker – North Carolina
Jordan Whittingham – Texas
Johnny Wilson – Florida State
Xavier Worthy – Texas

Tight Ends
Jaheim Bell – Florida State
Brock Bowers – Georgia
Theo Johnson – Penn State
Tip Reiman Illinois
Ben Sinnott – Kansas State

Tackles
Joe Alt – Notre Dame
Olu Fashanu – Penn State
JC Latham – Alabama
Amarius Mims – Georgia
Patrick Paul – Houston

Interior Linemen
Isacc Adams – Illinois
Kingsley Eguakun – Florida
Jackson Powers-Johnson – Oregon
Layden Robinson – Texas A&M
Sedrick Van Pran – Georgia

Edge
Chris Braswell – Alabama
Austin Booker – Kansas
Nyles Gaddy – Missouri
Chop Robinson – Penn State
Javon Solomon – Troy
Dallas Turner – Alabama
Jared Verse – Florida State

Interior Linemen
Evan Anderson – Florida Atlantic University
Michael Hall – Ohio State
Byron Murphy II – Texas
Jer’Zhan Newton – Illinois
Keith Randolph Jr. – Illinois
Leonard Taylor III Miami
Mekhi Wingo – LSU

Linebackers
Chris Braswell – Alabama
Edgerrin Cooper – Texas A&M
Marist Liufau – Notre Dame
Maema Njongmeta – Wisconsin
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. – Clemson
Jacoby Windmon – Michigan State

Cornerbacks
Kris Abrams-Draine – Missouri
Terrion Arnold – Alabama
Caelen Carson – Wake Forest
Cooper DeJean – Iowa
Kalen King – Penn State
Kamari Lassiter – Georgia
Kool-Aid McKinstry – Alabama
Max Melton – Rutgers
Ennis Rakestraw Jr. – Missouri
Nate Wiggins – Clemson

Safeties
Cole Bishop – Utah
Simeon Blair – Memphis
Omar Brown – Nebraska
Javon Bullard – Georgia
Kamren Kinchens – Miami
Sione Vaki – Utah
James Williams – Miami

PK     Cam Little – Arkansas

AP FCS All-America Teams

South Dakota State leads the AP FCS All-America team with four 1st team offensive performers. QB Mark Gronowski, running back Isiah Davis, OL Garrett Greenfield and Mason McCormick all earned first team AP honors.

Other than South Dakota St, only Monmouth University was represented by more than one player on the first AP team. The Hawks were represented by running back. Jaden Shirden and wideout Dymere Miller who earned first team AP honors.

Four Montana Bobcats earned mention on the 2023 Associated Press FCS All-America teams. Montana, junior offensive tackle Marcus Wehr, landed on the first team. Offensive guard Rush Reimer and all-purpose player Sean Chambers each earned mention on the AP second team. Defensive end Brody Grebe, earned third team honors.

AP FCS All-America Teams

First Team

Offense
Quarterback – Mark Gronowski, fourth-year, South Dakota State

Running Backs
Jaden Shirden, fourth-year, Monmouth University
Isaiah Davis, fourth-year, South Dakota State

Offensive linemen
Garret Greenfield, sixth-year, South Dakota State
Noah Atagi, sixth-year, Weber State
Mason McCormick, sixth-year, South Dakota State
Jacob Johanning, fifth-year, Furman
Marcus Wehr, fourth-year, Montana State

Tight end – Cam Grandy, fifth-year, Illinois State

Wide receivers
Ty James, fifth-year, Mercer
Dymere Miller, fourth-year, Monmouth University
Jalen Coker, fifth-year, Holy Cross

All-purpose player – Dylan Laube, fifth-year, New Hampshire
Kicker – Matthew Cook, fifth-year, Northern Iowa

First Team
Defense

Linemen
Terrell Allen, fourth-year, Tennessee State
Jay Person, sixth-year, Chattanooga
Anton Juncaj, fourth-year, Albany (N.Y.)
Alex Gubner, sixth-year, Montana

Linebackers
Dylan Kelly, fifth-year, Albany (N.Y.)
Brock Mogensen, sixth-year, South Dakota
Jacob Dobbs, fifth-year, Holy Cross

Defensive backs
PJ Jules, fifth-year, Southern Illinois
Cole Wisniewski, fourth-year, North Dakota State
Lance Wise Jr., fifth-year, Mercer
Marcus Harris, fourth-year, Idaho
Sheldon Arnold II, fourth-year, East Tennessee State

Punter – Aidan Laros, third-year, Tennessee Martin

Second Team

Offense
Quarterback – Max Brosmer, fifth-year, New Hampshire

Running backs
Sam Franklin, third-year, Tennessee Martin
Jamar Curtis, second-year, Lafayette

Offensive linemen
Luke Newman, fourth-year, Holy Cross
Charles Grant, fourth-year, William & Mary
Rush Reimer, fourth-year, Montana State
Mark Barthelemy, sixth-year, Nicholls State
Gavin Olson, fifth-year, Tennessee Martin

Tight end – Carter Runyon, third-year, Towson

Wide receivers
Brandon Porter, sixth-year, Incarnate Word
Hayden Hatten, fifth-year, Idaho
Chedon James, second-year, Idaho State

All-purpose player – Junior Bergen, third-year, Montana
Kicker – Ricardo Chavez, fourth-year, Idaho

Second Team

Defense
Linemen
Ty French, fourth-year, Gardner-Webb
David Walker, fourth-year, Central Arkansas
Finn Claypool, third-year, Drake
Daylan Dotson, fourth-year, Tennessee Martin

Linebackers
Billy Shaeffer, sixth-year, Lafayette
Winston Reid, seventh-year, Weber State
Micah Davey, third-year, McNeese State

Defensive backs
Aamir Hall, fourth-year, Albany (N.Y.)
Caleb Curtain, third-year, Elon
Blake Ruffin, third-year, Eastern Illinois
Tyler Morton, third-year, Nicholls State
Kenny Gallop, Jr., third-year, Howard

Punter – Grant Burkett, fifth-year, Missouri State

Third Team

Offense
Quarterback – Matthew Sluka, fourth-year, Holy Cross

Running backs
Lan Larison, fourth-year, UC Davis
Jordan Fuller, third-year, Holy Cross

Offensive linemen
John Allen, fourth-year, SE Louisiana
Josiah Ezirim, fifth-year, Eastern Kentucky
Jake Kubas, sixth-year, North Dakota State
Ryan Coll, fifth-year, Richmond
Seth Osborne, sixth-year, St. Francis, Pa.

Tight end — Cole Rusk, third-year, Murray State

Wide receivers
Raylen Sharpe, third-year, Missouri State
Efton Chism III, fourth-year, Eastern Washington
Kasey Hawthorne, third-year, Howard

All-purpose player – Sean Chambers, sixth-year, Montana State
Kicker – Kyle Ramsey, fifth-year, Abilene Christian

Third Team

Defense
Linemen
Eric O’Neill, third-year, Long Island
Brendan Webb, sixth-year, South Dakota
Khristian Boyd, sixth-year, Northern Iowa
Brody Grebe, third-year, Montana State

Linebackers
Amir Abdullah, fourth-year, Illinois State
Braxton Hill, fifth-year, Montana
Noah Martin, fourth-year, Samford

Defensive backs
Myles Harden, fourth-year, South Dakota
Saiku White, third-year, Lafayette
Max Epps, third-year, Texas A&M-Commerce
Travis Blackshear, sixth-year, Furman
Kaleb Lyons, second-year, Morehead State

Punter – Aaron Trusler, third-year, Richmond

Underclassmen Allowed to Play in College All-Star Games

Frank Coyle/ Publisher

Happy Veterans Day – Honoring All Who Served

The NFL Informs Teams NFL Draft-eligible Underclassmen Allowed to Play in College All-Star Games

NFL office announced this week that any underclassman granted eligibility for the 2024 NFL Draft can be invited to play in the East-West Shrine Bowl, HBCU Legacy Bowl and Senior Bowl. No other all-star game is allowed by the league to invite underclassmen.

This is a significant change to the pre-draft process that should help provide a platform for prospects who often don’t declare until late in the offseason. Current Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy will implement the new conditions for building rosters for the All-star classic. Other directors will also expand their scouting to accommodate the new rules which can

NFL Deadline for underclassmen to declare for NFL Draft 2024 – Monday, January 15th

The underclassmen have had a smaller window to expose their skills to NFL scouts. In the past, underclassmen not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine relied on school pro days and private workouts leading up to the NFL Draft when seeking an audience of scouts.

The past few years also have seen a downturn in the number of underclassmen granted special eligibility. It hit a high-water mark in 2018, when 106 underclassmen were approved, but that number has fallen since – from 99 in 2021 to 73 in 2022 and 69 in 2023.

There have been sweeping changes in college athletics over that span, with the proliferation of NIL deals and the transfer portal opening up more opportunities for college athletes.

Former Senior Bowl director Phil Savage (2021-2018) initiated admitting fourth-year juniors who have completed their degrees during this tenure at the Senior Bowl. The vast majority of underclassmen were previously ineligible to play in all-star events.

The deadline for underclassmen to apply for special eligibility for the 2024 NFL Draft is Jan. 15.

The East-West Shrine Bowl is scheduled to be played on Thursday, Feb. 1 and the Senior Bowl is to be held on Saturday, Feb. 3. The HBCU Legacy Bowl is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 24. All three games will be broadcast on NFL Network. The NFLPA game has been eliminated and integrated into the Senior Bowl event.

Feb. 27 -March 4
NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis

Frank Coyle is a long-time scout with nationwide ties with NFL and college coaches, scouts and player agents. He is a member of the FWAA and voter in major college player awards – Heisman, Outland, Nagurski, Lombardi, Thorpe, Biletnikoff etc. for the past 30 years. He writes College Football Mondays weekly during the season. He was a longtime scouting consultant for the Senior Bowl, the nation’s premier postseason All-star game. He does sports radio shows for CBS and ESPN on a year-round basis related to NFL and College Football especially during the postseason team and All-star Bowl time. He has worked for CBS Sports, NBC Sports, Yahoo and Rivals sports publications and web sites

2023 Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List

The Football Writers Association of America announced the preseason watch list for the 2023 Outland Trophy, recognizing 91 returning standout interior linemen representing all 10 Division I FBS conferences and independents. The 2023 season will close with the award’s 78th anniversary and the watch list offers a talented field of players alongside two returning FWAA All-Americans.

The recipient of the 2023 Outland Trophy will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards, live on ESPN in December. The official presentation to the winner will be made at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner sponsored by Werner Enterprises and produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee in Omaha, Neb., on Jan. 10, 2024.

Photo – OT Joe Alt – Notre Dame by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The returning FWAA All-Americans, both of them from last season’s Second Team, are offensive tackle Joe Alt of Notre Dame and defensive tackle Tyler Davis of Clemson. Michigan leads the list as the lone team with four selections, three from the offensive line with guards Trevor Keegan and Zak Zinter playing on either side of center Drake Nugent, a Stanford transfer, along with defensive tackle Kris Jenkins. The Wolverines were in the top five nationally last season in the primary rushing categories of yards per carry (3rd, 5.58) and yards per game (5th, 238.9) with 41 rushing touchdowns as they reached the College Football Playoff semifinals.

Defending national champion Georgia leads five schools that have three players represented – center Sedrick Van Pran, guard Tate Ratledge and defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse. It joins Alabama and LSU, also with three each, to bolster the Southeastern Conference’s league-high 17 selections. LSU defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo tied for the most votes among returning players for last season’s Outland Trophy. Almost half of the SEC’s list – eight of 17 – are defensive tackles.

Frank Coyle is a long-time scout with nationwide ties with coaches, scouts and player agents. He is a long-time member of the FWAA and voter in College player awards – Heisman, Biletnikoff, Thorpe, Outland, Nagurski, Lombardi etc for the past 25 years. He writes College Football Mondays weekly during the season. He is a consultant to many NFL player agents related to all levels of preparation for the NFL Draft process. He was a longtime scouting consultant for the Senior Bowl, the nation’s premier postseason All-star game. He does sports radio shows for ESPN, Fox Sports and Sporting News on a year-round basis related to College Football especially during the postseason team and All-star Bowl time. He has worked for CBS Sports, NBC Sports, Yahoo and Rivals sports publications and web sites.

A trio from Utah heads up a dozen Pac-12 Conference players on the list, second only to the SEC. Utah defensive tackle Junior Tafuna is the only defensive tackle among the Pac-12 players. The Big Ten Conference is third with 11 total led by Michigan’s four and three from Ohio State, a CFP semifinalist last year that has guards Donovan Jackson and Matt Jones back from the nation’s second-best scoring offense (44.2 ppg) joining defensive tackle Mike Hall on the list. Penn State offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu, who tied Wingo for the highest vote totals from last season’s Outland Trophy tallies, made the list along with two from Illinois, one on each side of the ball.

Notre Dame and Clemson each have a pair on the list with Alt joining Notre Dame offensive tackle teammate Blake Fisher and Davis having Clemson defensive tackle teammate Ruke Orhorhoro alongside him as the Atlantic Coast Conference’s only defensive representatives. Besides Michigan’s Nugent, the ACC has the other two players who are transfers onto their new teams in Florida State offensive tackle Jeremiah Byers (UTEP) and Miami guard Javion Cohen (Alabama).

The Big 12 Conference has 10 players on the list spread among nine different schools, including one each from its four new members at BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF. Kansas State is the lone Big 12 school with two members in offensive tackles Cooper Beebe and KT Leveston.

Other schools with two players on the list are Arizona, Oregon State and USC from the Pac-12, App State and James Madison from the Sun Belt Conference, Liberty from Conference USA and a trio from the newly-expanded American Athletic Conference, SMU, Tulane and UTSA.

The conference breakdown is as follows. Beyond the 17 from the SEC, 12 from the Pac-12, 11 from the Big Ten and 10 from the Big 12, the ACC and American Athletic have eight, the Sun Belt seven, the Mid-American and Mountain West five each, and Conference USA and the Independents with four apiece.

There are 31 offensive tackles on this year’s list with 24 defensive tackles and 24 guards to go with 12 centers. Just under half of the 133 Football Bowl Subdivision schools – 65 – are represented.

The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from three finalists who are a part of the annual FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects a 26-man first team and eventually the three Outland finalists. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner. Only interior linemen on offense or defense are eligible for the award; ends are not eligible.

Players may be added or removed from the watch list during the course of the season. For the first time, the FWAA will announce an Outland Trophy National Player of the Week each Tuesday this season. If not already on the watch list, each week’s honored player will be added at that time.

Following is the complete 2023 Outland Trophy Watch List.

2023 Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List

G Isaiah Adams, Illinois                         OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon St    OT Jordan Morgan, Arizona
OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame                         OT X’Zauvea Gadlin, Liberty      C Drake Nugent, Michigan
OT Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas                    G AJ Gillie, Louisiana                 DT Jaheim Oatis, Alabama
OT Graham Barton, Duke                      OT Matt Goncalves, Pitt             DT Ruke Orhorhoro, Clemson
OT Cooper Beebe, Kansas State           OT Joshua Gray, Oregon St      G Justin Osborne, SMU
G Cade Bennett, San Diego State          DT Mike Hall Jr., Ohio State       C Thor Paglialong, Air Force
OT Cade Beresford, Boise State             OT Makai Hart, UTSA                OT Patrick Paul, Houston
DT Jordan Bertagnole, Wyoming            C Gus Hartwig, Purdue              G Lokahi Pauole, UCF
G Keaton Bills, Utah                              OT Christian Haynes, UConn     OT Micah Pettus, Ole Miss
G Tyler Booker, Alabama                       C Sincere Haynesworth, Tulane  G Prince Pines, Tulane
DT Brandon Brown, UTSA                     C Isaiah Helms, App State         OT Nolan Potter, NIU
OT Jeremiah Byers, Florida St       DT Tonka Hemingway, South Carolina    G Deiyantei Powell-Woods, Central Michigan
OT Will Campbell, LSU                          C Bryan Hudson, Louisville        DT Keith Randolph Jr., Illinois
DT James Carpenter, James Madison    G Jarrod Hufford, Iowa State      G Tate Ratledge, Georgia
DT Kendy Charles, Liberty               DT Jaylon Hutchings, Texas Tech         DT Kennedy Roberts, Coastal Carolina
DT Elijah Chatman, SMU                   DT McKinley Jackson, Texas A&M       DT Justin Rogers, Auburn
C Duke Clemens, UCLA                    G Donovan Jackson, Ohio St     OT Nick Rosi, Toledo
G Javion Cohen, Miami                       DT Kris Jenkins, Michigan          G Keylan Rutledge, Middle Tennessee
OT Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon                  G Matthew Jones, Ohio State     OT Jonah Savaiinaea, Arizona
DT Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati              OT Emery Jones Jr., LSU          OT Clay Servin, Rice
G Khalil Crowder, Georgia Southern       G Trevor Keegan, Michigan       DT Nazir Stackhouse, Georgia
C Ethan Crowe, Ball State                  OT Nick Kidwell, James Madison      OT Kingsley Suamataia, BYU
DT Jaden Crumedy, Mississippi State    G Jarrett Kingston, USC             DT Junior Tafuna, Utah
DT Tyler Davis, Clemson                       OT JC Latham, Alabama            C Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia
C Justin Dedich, USC                            OT Sataoa Laumea, Utah          G Mose Vavao, Fresno State
OT Olu Fashanu, Penn State                 G Quantavious Leslie, WKU       DT Deone Walker, Kentucky
OT Troy Fautanu, Washington               OT KT Leveston, Kansas State  DT Daymond Williams, Buffalo
G Connor Finucane, Army                     C Beaux Limmer, Arkansas        G Bucky Williams, App State
OT Blake Fisher, Notre Dame                G Christian Mahogany, Boston College  DT Mekhi Wingo, LSU
OT Javon Foster, Missouri                     DT Fish McWilliams, UAB          G Zak Zinter, Michigan
C Zach Frazier, West Virginia

The Outland Trophy, celebrating 78 years since its founding, is the third-oldest major college football award. Created in 1946 when Dr. John Outland presented the FWAA with a financial contribution to initiate the award, the Outland Trophy has been given to the best interior lineman in college football ever since. Dr. Outland, an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1890s, eventually took up practice in Kansas City, Mo. An avid outdoorsman, Dr. Outland believed linemen did not get the credit they deserved and wanted an award to recognize them.

The Outland Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA includes college football’s most prestigious awards and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935. This season, 12 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday.