2023 NFL Draft: 5 Players to Watch in Shrine Bowl

Five players to watch in the game at the Shrine Bowl for the 2023 NFL Draft.

Author:
Bobby Greco
Publish date:
Feb 1, 2023 8:20 AM EST

In this story:

Purdue Boilermakers

UCLA Bruins

Minnesota Golden Gophers

TCU Horned Frogs

The East-West Shrine Bowl is the second college all-star game of the year and is also the point when we all begin to realize that we have another draft class that is jam-packed with talent. Both teams are loaded with prospects that will be on an NFL team next year.

Once again, this game has players from all over the country and multiple NCAA Divisions; there are even a couple of players from Canada. This game has a few players who can improve their draft stock, too, because it will give them the opportunity to play against other elite talents and will show what they are made of.

There are two types of these prospects; you have players that were highly touted coming into the season but had a down year, as well as players who had awesome seasons, but we still don’t know what to expect from them at the next level. Either way, it will be great to see who can take advantage of the opportunity and help make themselves more of a desirable prospect. With that said, here are five players you have to watch for in the Shrine Bowl… Okay, maybe six players.

Two Quarterbacks: Aidan O'Connell & Dorian Thompson-Robinson

Each team has a very intriguing quarterback, and this game can go a long way in proving that they belong in the NFL. It’s also a great example of the two types of prospects I spoke of above because these players have a lot to prove, and for very different reasons.

On the East, you have Aidan O’Connell from Purdue. O’Connell was coming off of easily his best season in 2021, and the expectations were high. Unfortunately, he had a wildly inconsistent year that saw his stats dip from the previous season. His completion percentage dropped almost ten percent, his touchdowns were also down, and his turnovers were up. It was a drastically different feel from his junior season and was shocking to see.

This year was a prime opportunity for him to become QB1 in this draft class because the entire position was pretty wide open for most of the year, so his statistics dropping was really detrimental to him. If he can perform this week at the level expected of him, he can put his name in the mix as a very good mid-round quarterback selection.

On the West, Dorian Thompson-Robinson of UCLA, a quarterback entering the game on the other end of the intrigue spectrum. He is coming off easily the best season of his college career, and his excitement level is very high. What he showed during the season let everyone understand how dangerous his skills are, both through the air and on the ground. This being the high point of his career, leaves a lot of questions that still need to be answered, so playing in this game could propel him even further.

Right now, though, he would be a perfect backup for teams like Arizona or Philadelphia, who already have quarterbacks with the same skill set.

Running Back Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota:

mohamed-ibrahim-minnesota-running-back-gophers

This might be the most underappreciated prospect in the entire draft class. Ibrahim was an absolute nightmare for opposing defenses as he put together a historic season for the Golden Gophers.

He rushed for at least 100 yards in every full game he played this year, the only games he went for less, he played only part of the game. His 20 rushing touchdowns were a school record, and in his final game, he broke the school records for both single-season rush yards and attempts. He also holds most of his school's career rushing records, which is impressive coming from a school known for having good running backs.

He isn't a flashy player and he's not the fastest nor the most powerful running back, but he is an extremely hard worker and always works upfield, so he rarely loses yards. He knows the importance of keeping his legs driving even after contact and always falls forward for extra yards.

This is like a boxer delivering body blow after body blow. Eventually, the knockout is right in front of you. This should have every NFL team interested because you can't win a game without the ability to gain yards and that is Ibrahim's specialty.

Wide Receiver Jake Bobo, UCLA:

This is a player who should really benefit from playing in an all-star game because though he just had the best season of his college career, he doesn’t have much to show in overall production.

Bobo never had a 1000-yard season and, before this past year, didn’t have a multiple touchdown season. What makes him an interesting prospect is what he showed this year at UCLA and his combination of size, speed, and strength.

He showed incredible route running for a receiver his size, great hands and the ability to make highly contested catches. He plays a very physical brand of football and has a similar skill set to former New England Patriot Julian Edelman, but Bobo is much bigger.

That should make scouts salivate because every team should want a player like that. Yet, he will be around later in the draft because of his lack of production. With a strong performance in this game, Bobo can elevate his draft capital because it will open many more eyes to him.

Cornerback Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU:

One of the captains on TCU’s National Championship runners-up team, he was the top cornerback they had. This is a player that improved his skills every season as well as his production, and he finished off his career strong in 2022.

The nephew of TCU great and Pro Football Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson, Tre’Vius had a lot to live up to. Well, he lived up to it. Not only by the obvious, which was helping get his team to the College Football Playoff, but he put together a stellar senior season.

He recorded 50 tackles with three interceptions and was third in the country with fifteen pass deflections. However, his performance at the Shrine Bowl will be vital in his draft projections.

Though he had such a strong year, TCU’s Championship performance against Georgia hurt every one of their prospects. Hodges-Tomlinson is a very undersized player, so he was already going to have an uphill battle, then add the outcome of their last game, and naturally, questions start to arise. He will need to prove he can play against bigger and better opponents because every week in the NFL, he will be against elite competition.

Edge Caleb Murphy, Ferris State:

This could be a very exciting prospect to watch right here. Murphy is a Division II product that had an outstanding senior season.

What makes him even more intriguing is he has great size to be a pro-level pass rusher, but can he be effective against top-tier talent because he is on the lighter side for being a defensive lineman?

He is coming off a monster season, though, so he should be able to carry that momentum into this game. He finished this past season with 97 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks. It doesn't matter what level you play; these numbers are incredible. He will need to bulk up a little, so it will be important to see if he can still play at such a high level with added weight.