Shrine Bowl MVP Greatly Improves Iowa QB's Draft Stock

While he was originally set to play in the American Bowl, Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Mark Gronowski made the best decision of his life when he opted for the East-West Shrine Bowl instead.

Not only was it a better renowned game, Gronowski was able to go out there with wide receiver/return specialist Kaden Wetjen one final time.

In the end, the fifth-year senior went 7-10 for 86 yards, had 28 rushing yards, and provided two key blocks for a rushing touchdown and was named the offensive MVP.

Mark Gronowski's Draft Stock

Offensive MVP of the East-West Shrine Bowl: Iowa QB Mark Gronowski.

He completed 7 of 10 passes for 86 yards. Ran for 28 yards and blocked 2 defenders on the goal line for a TD.
— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman) January 28, 2026

Winning the MVP in a bowl game like this shows just how much talent Gronowski truly has. He may have gotten off to a slow start with the Hawkeyes this season, but that doesn't mean he's not a credible quarterback. At the end of the day, adjusting from FCS to the FBS is a big deal.

Gronowski took home the offensive MVP honors after being named to the "All-Practice" team earlier in the day. All eyes were on Gronowski as the East-West Shrine Bowl was on the NFL Network and featured countless scouts from seemingly every NFL team.

His college stats aren't going to jump off the chart, and it's not like anyone expects Gronowski to go in the first few rounds. He's not an NFL starting caliber quarterback, at least not yet. That said, if any team needs a quality backup, he'd be a great name to look at.

Gronowski's Comments On Winning MVP

Iowa’s Mark Gronowski is named the Offensive MVP of the East-West Shrine Bowl. pic.twitter.com/FiWdxFCcGt
— Tyler Tachman (@Tyler_T15) January 28, 2026

"I gotta say thanks to all the coaches that helped us out this week," Gronowski said. "They spent a lot of time helping us and watching film. They really helped me see defenses better and just gameplan a little better."

Gronowski received rave reviews all week in practice before going out there and putting on a show. There's only so much one player can do in a senior bowl style environment, but Gronowski left a huge impression on the NFL scouts and teams in attendance.

It's still hard to imagine a world where Gronowski gets drafted anything higher than the last few rounds. He has Brock Purdy written all over him, and that's about the best compliment he could ever receive. While the two are nowhere near the same players, Purdy being "Mr. Irreleveant" could undoubtedly set the career path for the all-time winningest QB in college football history.

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