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Wisconsin Badgers pass rusher Mason Reiger is big winner of East-West Shrine Bowl practices

Wisconsin Badgers edge rusher Mason Reiger has taken full advantage of the East-West Shrine Bowl practices, and he is one of the big winners from the weekend leading up to the game.
Lorin Cox|
Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Mason Reiger (22) has been one of the biggest standouts from the East-West Shrine Bowl practices
Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Mason Reiger (22) has been one of the biggest standouts from the East-West Shrine Bowl practices | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

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The East-West Shrine Bowl is a big opportunity for some of the best college football players to boost their NFL Draft stock in front of scouts.

Wisconsin Badgers edge rusher Mason Reiger has taken full advantage of the platform, and he is one of the big winners from the weekend of practices leading up to the game.

NFL Draft analysts at the event have been raving about Reiger's performances all weekend, and he has gained as much attention as any player in attendance.

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The Badgers defensive end didn't put up the type of gaudy pass rushing numbers that jump off of the box score, but the consistency and skillset he showed on tape stand out as an NFL prospect.

His five sacks this season don't seem like a lot, but he recorded 45 QB pressures last season, according to PFF, which put him in the Top 25 of all edge rushers in the country.

Reiger was also stout when setting the edge in run defense, often redirecting ball-carriers back into the arms of his teammates. Those plays don't show up on the stat sheet, but coaches and scouts will see how important he was to Wisconsin's strong run defense.

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He came to the Badgers in the transfer portal last winter after spending most of his college career at Louisville.

Injuries kept him from reaching his full potential, but his transfer to Wisconsin coincided with his healthiest season.

That earned Reiger the invitation to the Shrine Bowl, and his draft stock hasn't stopped rising.

His position coach with the Badgers, Matt Michell, even came down to see him at practice and raved about how well he performed with some of the best players in college football.

Reiger wasn't viewed as a draftable prospect coming into the 2025 season, but he has played his way into hearing his name called on NFL Draft weekend.

He is likely still a Day 3 draft pick, as teams will have concerns about his injury history.

But if he continues to stay healthy to begin his NFL career, he could be an absolute steal for a pro team the way he was for Wisconsin in the transfer portal.

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Lorin Cox
LORIN COX

Lorin Cox is the managing editor of Wisconsin Badgers on SI. He has been covering Badgers sports since 2014, when he was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin. He previously wrote for the Wisconsin State Journal, NBC Sports Chicago and USA Today Sports Media Group, and he is a former analyst for Pro Football Focus.

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