11 Virginia Tech Football Players Named to 2026 East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
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This morning, the East-West Shrine Bowl watchlist was announced, featuring the top 1,000 draft-eligible college football players for the 2026 NFL Draft, scheduled for April 23-25, 2026. Last season, Virginia Tech edge rusher Antwaun Powell-Ryland made the cut for the Shrine Bowl, alongside now-Hokie running back Terion Stewart, who was at Bowling Green at the time.
The 2025 East-West #ShrineBowl1000 💫
— East-West Shrine Bowl (@ShrineBowl) July 28, 2025
Our scouts have identified the top 1000 all-star game and NFL Draft eligible players from every level of college football across the country
Full list: https://t.co/tMYelDz23Y pic.twitter.com/rrciyyUfno
In that game, Stewart logged three carries for 19 yards and two receptions for 14 yards. Stewart, once again, made the cut for the initial 1,000, and ten Hokies joined him. Here's the full list:
Ben Bell - Defensive End
Braydon Bennett - Running Back
Isaiah Cash - Safety
James Djonkam - Defensive End
Kyron Drones - Quarterback
Christian Ellis - Safety
Benji Gosnell - Tight End
Donavon Greene - Wide Receiver
Tomas Rimac - Right Tackle (The Shrine Bowl lists him as a guard, but he is likely to play at the RT spot at Tech)
Terion Stewart - Running Back
Caleb Woodson - Linebacker
Last year, 13 Virginia Tech players earned spots on the 1,000-player watchlist, a significant increase compared to just six the year before. One factor contributing to the higher number in 2024 was the high number of key players who chose to return to Blacksburg, hoping to build momentum and elevate the program. However, that campaign ultimately fell short of expectations and did not reach the level of success that many anticipated. Still, several players this season are likely to earn invitations to postseason all-star games and catch the eyes of NFL scouts.
The selection to participate in this postseason all-star game is a significant milestone for players aspiring to advance to the NFL, who gain a valuable platform to showcase their talents in front of scouts and executives. For players with ambitions of advancing their football careers to the next level, this game represents one of the most important opportunities to demonstrate their abilities and make a lasting impression on NFL squads.
Though the majority of the 11 names will not be on the final Shrine Bowl roster, it's a healthy number that lends hope for a decent season ahead.
More Virginia Tech Football News:
Thomas is a sophomore at Virginia Tech majoring in multimedia journalism with a minor in creative writing. He currently works with Collegiate Times, Virginia Tech's student-run newspaper, as a staff writer for its sports section. In addition, he also writes for 3304 Sports as a staff writer and on-air talent, as well as Aspiring Journalists at Virginia Tech as a curator. You can find him on X: @thomashughes_05.
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