Cowboys assistant to get unique NFL draft insight with all-star coaching gig

The Dallas Cowboys will get an up-close look at some of the NFL draft process thanks to Lunda Wells' gig at the East-West Shrine Bowl.

Dallas Cowboys tight ends coach Lunda Wells before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys are in full offseason mode as the team searches for a new defensive coordinator. Once a coordinator is in place, the team can turn its attention to finding talent to fit the new scheme in NFL free agency and the upcoming 2026 NFL draft.

When it comes to the draft process, the Cowboys will have some unique insight into some of the prospects who will be available, thanks to some coaching news that surfaced on Thursday afternoon.

The East-West Shrine Bowl announced its coaches for each squad, with Cowboys tight end coach Lunda Wells getting the call to serve as head coach of the West team.

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Wells will be coaching against Marquice Williams, who is the special teams coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons.

The 2026 East-West Shrine Bowl West Team Head Coach

💫 Lunda Wells (@Lundawells), @dallascowboys#ShrineBowlWHOSNEXT pic.twitter.com/vYkks2g439

— East-West Shrine Bowl (@ShrineBowl) January 15, 2026

While there is no marquee player like the 2025 game with Shedeur Sanders in attendance, there will be some intriguing talent on both sides of the ball.

The 2026 East-West Shrine Bowl will be held on Tuesday, January 27, at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, which is the Cowboys' headquarters. The game will air on the NFL Network, with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m. ET.

A full look at the 2026 East-West Shrine Bowl participants can be seen below.

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2026 East-West Shrine Bowl participants

The East-West Shrine logo at midfield during the Shrine Bowl | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

QUARTERBACK

• Joe Fagnano, UConn
• Mark Gronowski, Iowa
• Haynes King, Georgia Tech
• Cade Klubnik, Clemson
• Behren Morton, Texas Tech
• Miller Moss, Louisville

RUNNING BACK

• Max Bredeson, Michigan (FB)
• Kentrel Bullock, South Alabama
• Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest
• Dean Connors, Houston
• CJ Donaldson Jr., Ohio State
• Eli Heidenreich, Navy
• Roman Hemby, Indiana
• Robert Henry Jr., UTSA
• Riley Nowakowski, Indiana (FB)
• Chip Trayanum, Toledo

WIDE RECEIVER

• Dillon Bell, Georgia
• Skyler Bell, UConn
• Malik Benson, Oregon
• Jeff Caldwell, Cincinnati
• Emmanuel Henderson Jr., Kansas
• Chris Hilton Jr., LSU
• Kendrick Law, Kentucky
• Chase Roberts, BYU
• Eric Rivers, Georgia Tech
• De'Zhaun Stribling, Mississippi
• J. Michael Sturdivant, Florida
• Zavion Thomas, LSU
• Jalen Walthall, Incarnate Word
• Kaden Wetjen, Iowa
• Colbie Young, Georgia

TIGHT END

• Dallen Bentley, Utah
• Jack Endries, Texas
• Jaren Kanak, Oklahoma
• Lake McRee, USC
• Eli Raridon, Notre Dame
• Bauer Sharp, LSU
• Seydou Traore, Mississippi State

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

• Chris Adams, Memphis
• Evan Beerntsen, Northwestern
• Travis Burke, Memphis
• Jager Burton, Kentucky
• DJ Campbell, Texas
• Pat Coogan, Indiana
• Anez Cooper, Miami
• Garrett DiGiorgio, UCLA
• Giovanni El-Hadi, Michigan
• Fa'alili Fa'amoe, Wake Forest
• Riley Mahlman, Wisconsin
• Micah Morris, Georgia
• James Neal III, Iowa State
• Febechi Nwaiwu, Oklahoma
• Pete Nygra, Louisville
• Brian Parker II, Duke
• Diego Pounds, Mississippi
• Ar'maj Reed-Adams, Texas A&M
• Keagen Trost, Missouri
• Dillon Wade, Auburn
• Aamil Wagner, Notre Dame
• Jayden Williams, Mississippi

INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINE

• David Blay Jr., Miami
• DeMonte Capehart, Clemson
• Brandon Cleveland, N.C. State
• Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati
• David Gusta, Kentucky
• Darrell Jackson Jr., Florida State
• Jackie Marshall, Baylor
• Tyler Onyedim, Texas A&M
• Kaleb Proctor, Southeastern Louisiana
• Albert Regis, Texas A&M
• Landon Robinson, Navy
• Gary Smith III, UCLA
• James Thompson Jr., Illinois

EDGE RUSHER

• Ethan Burke, Texas
• George Gumbs Jr., Florida
• Aidan Hubbard, Northwestern
• Keyshawn James-Newby, New Mexico
• Marvin Jones Jr., Oklahoma
• Nyjalik Kelly, UCF
• Malachi Lawrence, UCF
• Anthony Lucas, USC
• Patrick Payton, LSU
• Mason Reiger, Wisconsin
• Tyreak Sapp, Florida
• Bryan Thomas Jr., South Carolina
• Wesley Williams, Duke

LINEBACKER

• Lander Barton, Utah
• Wesley Bissainthe, Miami
• Jaden Dugger, Louisiana
• Eric Gentry, USC
• Jake Golday, Cincinnati
• Jackson Kuwatch, Miami (Ohio)
• Red Murdock, Buffalo
• Harold Perkins Jr., LSU
• Jimmy Rolder, Michigan
• Karson Sharar, Iowa
• West Weeks, LSU
• Taurean York, Texas A&M

CORNERBACK

• Marcus Allen, North Carolina
• Brent Austin, Cal
• Tyreek Chappell, Texas A&M
• Andre Fuller, Toledo
• Jaylon Guilbeau, Texas
• Ahmari Harvey, Georgia Tech
• Domani Jackson, Alabama
• Devon Marshall, N.C. State
• Avery Smith, Toledo
• DeVonta Smith, Notre Dame
• Jarod Washington, South Carolina State
• Ceyair Wright, Nebraska

SAFETY

• Austin Brown, Wisconsin
• Bishop Fitzgerald, USC
• Jalen Huskey, Maryland
• Dalton Johnson, Arizona
• Louis Moore, Indiana
• Ahmaad Moses, SMU
• Myles Rowser, Arizona State
• Miles Scott, Illinois
• DQ Smith, South Carolina
• Robert Spears-Jennings, Oklahoma
• Cole Wisniewski, Texas Tech

SPECIALISTS

• Tommy Doman, Florida (P)
• Tyler Duzansky, Penn State (LS)
• Garrison Grimes, BYU (LS)
• Trey Smack, Florida (K)
• Jack Stonehouse, Syracuse (P)
• Dominic Zvada, Michigan (K)

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