Shrine Bowl 2026: Key Players to Watch

The 2026 edition of the East-West Shrine Bowl has one of the more talented rosters in the game’s recent history. From the skill players to the trenches, there are plenty of players who could put on a show in Texas. With that in mind, let’s dive into some key players who will be at the event.

Shrine Bowl 2026: Key Players to Watch

Travis Burke, OL, Memphis

A massive player at the position, Burke is a player who took a huge leap with the Memphis Tigers in 2025.

Transferring in from FIU, Burke impressed as a blocker at a high level. In the run game, Burke’s 84.2 PFF grade was the 10th-best at the tackle position. As a pass-blocker, Burke only allowed 13 pressures on 404 opportunities, a massive improvement from his marks in 2024 and 2023. More impressively, the tackle allowed one sack and only four pressures in his last four games of the season.

On top of great footwork, Burke’s hands are filled with power. It is rare to see a defender break free of the tackle’s grip. At Memphis, Burke’s hand usage also stood out. He knew when to fire his hands and how to switch it up against different types of defensive ends.

The one-on-one performances at the 2026 Shrine Bowl will show the type of upside Burke has in a tackle class that desperately needs a few risers. But barring a collapse, Burke has a high floor that should intrigue a bevy of NFL teams come April.

Brian Parker II, OL, Duke

In three years of consistent playing time for the Blue Devils, Brian Parker II has not allowed more than three sacks in a season, with his 2024 season total of zero sacks allowed being his career best. His PFF pass blocking grade of 83.4 also graded out as the 27th-best out of all offensive tackles in 2025. As a run-blocker, Parker has consistently improved every season, culminating in a career-best 2025. Registering a PFF grade of 83.9, the Duke standout slotted in as the 11th-best tackle in that category this past season.

Against the best of competition, Parker has always seemed to elevate his game. He has great footwork, which complements his hand punch and placement. In the run game, the power and grittiness shines through. There are countless plays where the offensive lineman is either eliminating players from the run fits or burying them in the ground.

Eli Heidenreich, RB, Navy

Do you want a fun player with a grinder mentality that can do a bit of everything? Then, Navy’s Eli Heidenreich is one to watch at the Shrine Bowl.

In a career considered one of the best in Naval Academy history, Heidenreich was a savant rushing and catching the football. As a runner, the Navy standout posted a career-high of 499 yards and three touchdowns. He finished his career with 1157 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 6.8 yards per carry and registering 588 yards after contact. Heidenreich also had 45 missed tackles forced and 33 runs of 10 yards or more.

As a pass-catcher, Heidenreich was even better. In 2025, the Navy’s offensive weapon broke out for 941 yards and six touchdowns, which included an impressive 361 yards after catch and an ADOT of 12.6. For his whole career, the numbers are just as impressive for Heidenreich. He notched 1994 yards and 16 touchdowns on 109 receptions. He had an absurd career: 3.95 yards per route run, 8.6 YAC per reception, and converted 19 of 32 contested catch opportunities.

Heidenreich has traits that will immediately translate to the NFL. He runs routes with smoothness and at a high level. The offensive weapon has also displayed good vision, strong hands, and the ability to make things happen in the second phase of plays.

An all-star game is the perfect way for a player like Heidenreich to show off the full area of his game. With the steady improvements he made over the course of his career, do not be surprised to see the Navy standout emerge as one of the best players at the 2026 Shrine Bowl.

Jack Endries, TE, Texas

Jack Endries is a very intriguing player at the tight end position in this year’s class.

Over the course of his college career with Cal and Texas, the tight end posted 1,376 yards and seven touchdowns. He posted 658 yards after the catch (350 in 2024), while also averaging an ADOT of 6.8. As a blocker, Endries did not allow a sack in his career and only allowed four total pressures in the last two seasons. As a run-blocker, the tight end had his best season, notching a 66.6 PFF grade.

Endries consistently brings effort in both the run game and passing game. And while he needs to find more consistency on the ground, Endries’ athleticism stands out when operating as a pass-blocker. He does a nice job with his hands and knows how to stay in front of defensive ends, despite having a wide array of moves thrown at him.

He is not a perfect player, but Endries has enough skill and potential to find a consistent home at the NFL level. The Shrine Bowl is a perfect place to show that those traits can, and will, carry over to the next level.

Skyler Bell, WR, UConn

A superstar in college, Skyler Bell could be in store for a monster week in Texas.

Playing for both Wisconsin and Connecticut over the course of five years, Bell erupted for top-tier numbers in 2025. Operating as the Huskies’ primary target, Bell posted 1282 yards and 13 touchdowns on 12.6 yards per reception. No matter where he lined up on the field, Bell got the job done. The wideout notched 835 yards after the catch, an ADOT of 8.3, 13 contested catches, and 15 missed tackles forced.

Bell has displayed a great ability to get open in a variety of ways. His releases are impressive, he understands how to create consistent separation, and he knows how to play through contact. A very productive UConn offense essentially funneled their passing game through the wideout for two years, and in return, he gave them some of the best production in program history.

Some may think he is a player who will primarily live in the slot at the NFL level, and others think he will have more versatility. Regardless of where you fall, though, this is certain: Skyler Bell is a playmaker, and he is going to be very fun at the Shrine Bowl.

Eric Rivers, WR, Georgia Tech

Explosiveness is the name of the game for Eric Rivers, and it occurs at an extremely high level.

Over the past two seasons for FIU and Georgia Tech, Rivers’s ADOT has been at least 12.0 or higher. He had a monster 3.57 yards per route run in his All-American 2024 season, followed by a lower, yet still impressive 2.07 mark in 2025. Rivers has accumulated 799 yards after the catch in his career, along with 28 missed tackles forced. More impressively, he took strides with his contested catch game at Georgia Tech. The wideout notched a 42.9-percent contested catch rate compared to his 2024 mark of 33.3-percent.

Even with top-tier speed, Rivers has shown the ability to be a well-rounded wideout at the highest level. He understands how to change up his releases, has crisp footwork with his routes, and does not allow defensive backs to easily pick up on where he is going. Rivers wins deep down the field, creates separation in the middle areas, and has the game feel to make things happen in close quarters.

He is not the biggest receiver, but Rivers has the skills that the modern-day NFL loves to put to use. And in an all-star game environment like the 2026 Shrine Bowl, Rivers has the chance to show them off in a big way. Look out for a show from the FIU and GT product.

De’Zhaun Stribling, WR, Ole Miss

A third wideout? Of course, because Ole Miss wideout De’Zhaun Stribling was too good to leave off this list.

Transferring from Oklahoma State, Stribling posted a very impressive 811 yards and six touchdowns on 55 receptions. He found success at all three levels of the field in 2025, but was a monster in the intermediate range. On 17 targets, Stribling had 12 receptions, 225 yards, two touchdowns, 4-of-6 contested catches, and a superb PFF receiving grade of 99.7. He also only had one drop and notched 400 yards after the catch.

Stribling, especially in the College Football Playoff, displayed impressive contested catch ability and route running for Ole Miss. He made plays happen after the catch and in open space, too. No matter the play-call, Stribling made sure it had a positive outcome if he was targeted. The wideout’s blocking ability is just as impressive, as Stribling plays with grit, toughness, and skill when taking on defenders in the run game. At his frame, the Ole Miss, Oklahoma State, and Washington State product has the ability and potential to make a positive impact consistently in this area.

Like a few other players at the position, Stribling is not the most well-known name. But with his skill in a multitude of different areas, it is simply a matter of time before that changes for the wideout.

Wesley Bissainthe, LB, Miami

One of the captains for the Hurricanes, Wesley Bissainthe recorded 53 tackles, 18 assists, and 40 defensive stops in 2025. Bissainthe only allowed 22 receptions for 176 yards on 34 targets, while also registering an interception. Most impressively, the linebacker played his best when Miami needed him. Bissianthe made plays all throughout the college football playoff and was a big reason the Hurricanes had a shot to win a national title.

When watching Bissanthe, the speed and power immediately stand out. The linebacker utilizes his great instincts to fly all over the field to make plays. He fits gaps in an impressive manner and can hawk down ball carries in the open field. Best of all, he is never afraid to make a big hit. Bissainthe has made some highlight-worthy plays through the full utilization of his skills.

Additionally, Bissianthe has shown the ability to rush the passer and play solid coverage at the linebacker position. Registering at least one interception and two sacks over the last two seasons, the Miami standout has shown that he can use his athletic gifts to be a very well-rounded football player.

While not the event to show off his hit power, Bissainthe will be able to display his coverage skills, pass rushing, and overall instincts throughout the course of the 2026 Shrine Bowl. If he rises to the competition, as he always has in college, the former Hurricane could be leaving this week with a boosted draft stock.

Anthony Lucas, EDGE, USC

In a fun edge rusher class, Anthony Lucas is a player who brings a high floor in some key areas.

A massive presence off the edge, the USC product had his best collegiate season in 2025. Lucas posted 27 tackles, seven assists, 23 pressures, three sacks, and 17 defensive stops. In previous seasons, Lucas’s pass-rushing ability popped off the page. From 2023-2025, the edge rusher did not record a PFF pass-rushing grade under 60.

When watching the USC product, it is clear that he is a very smart football player. As a run defender, Lucas does a great job holding the edge and not letting ball carriers outside of him. As a pass-rusher, Lucas combines power with great hand usage. He understands how to shed blocks, moves with burst at the snap, and has even shown a pass rush move set that includes a spin move.

Lucas has continued to get better every year in this category, and at his frame and size, he will likely be a player multiple NFL teams are keeping a close eye on in Texas. And if he dominates at the 2026 Shrine Bowl, the stock will be soaring for the USC product heading toward the NFL Combine.

Tyreak Sapp, EDGE, Florida

Even with a dip in production this year, Tyreak Sapp still notched 18 pressures and two sacks on 200 pass rushing opportunities. He provided a high floor as a run defender, notching 17 defensive stops, 21 tackles, and a 68.8 PFF run defense grade. Two of his best games of the season came against LSU and Texas. He had his best passing and rushing game of the year against the Tigers, while he shone as a run defender in both games.

The intriguing aspect about Sapp is not if he can play at a high level, but if he can tap into the dominance he showed in 2024. Sapp posted eight sacks and 26 pressures, earning an 82.2 PFF pass rushing grade. The Florida standout was even better against the run, notching 30 tackles, 29 defensive stops, and a monster 88.7 PFF run defense grade.

At his best, Sapp plays with fantastic power. He can stalemate offensive linemen in the run game, allowing him to make big plays in the backfield once getting past them. As a pass-rusher, Sapp can get into the backfield from the edge or on the interior. The Florida product has displayed a great feel for how to attack offensive linemen.

The biggest question Sapp has to answer is whether 2025 was the outlier or the start of a trend. He has all of the talent to succeed in any game or practice, but he just has to show it. How he fares at the 2026 Shrine Bowl will have a pretty decent-sized impact on how his draft stock rises or falls for the rest of the process.

Darrell Jackson Jr., DL, Florida State

A gigantic presence on the interior of Florida State’s defensive line, Darrell Jackson Jr. has the ability to be an instant impact player at the NFL level.

Jackson was a force of a run defender in 2025 for the Seminoles, posting 24 defensive stops, 28 tackles, and only four missed tackles. He only had one game where he posted a PFF run defense grade under 60, which allowed him to notch an overall grade of 81.3 on the year. And while it was a down year as a pass rusher for him, Jackson Jr. has shown impressive prowess in this area, too. In his 2024 campaign, the Florida State product registered 30 pressures and five sacks on 246 pass-rushing snaps.

Despite his size, Jackson plays very light on his feet. And with his hands, he can hold offensive linemen at bay, which he then sheds to make plays laterally or in the backfield. He can be inconsistent as a pass rusher, and uses that same burst and power in his hands to get after the passer.

Jackson’s week in Texas will not change his high floor at the NFL level. But depending on how he operates as a pass rusher and in the various drills of the practices, the Florida State product could make himself some money at the 2026 Shrine Bowl.

DQ Smith, SAF, South Carolina

In the 2026 defensive back class, DQ Smith fills a very fun role on the field. And, he likes to play very physical.

Throughout his four-year college career, the South Carolina product has totaled 177 tackles, 51 defensive stops, and three forced fumbles. Smith has also lowered his missed-tackle rate throughout his career, with his 10.7-percent mark in 2025 being his best. DQ is no slouch in coverage either, as he has recorded at least one interception in all four seasons. His 2024 and 2025 seasons were the best coverage years of his career, showcasing steady improvement from the South Carolina safety.

Smith is an absolute missile downhill in the run game, whether as a blitzer or coming from depth. Thanks to his plethora of college experience for the Gamecocks, the safety understands what he is seeing and can react quickly to make plays in every area of the game. This applies to his coverage ability, too. Even with his speed and quickness, Smith’s knowledge allows him to react and play faster than his peers.

He may not be the best safety in the class, but Smith is a player who should provide an instant floor to whatever team picks him up. And at the Shrine Bowl, the South Carolina product should be able to show off why that is the case.

Brent Austin, CB, Cal

No matter where he has played, Brent Austin has produced high marks at the college level on a consistent basis.

While starting his career at JMU, Austin’s seasons at USF and Cal have been where he has truly displayed his ability. In 2025, the cornerback was the best coverage player for the Golden Bears alongside FIU transfer Hezekiah Masses. Austin posted 12 pass breakups, 16 forced incompletions, and only allowed 22 receptions on 48 targets. In 2024, Austin led the Bulls with 13 forced incompletions, had 11 pass breakups, and notched two interceptions.

An awesome athlete, Austin does a great job mirroring wideouts in both the slot and out wide. He understands how to play different types of coverage and does a great job of forcing incompletions in all areas of the field. And despite a smaller stature, Austin brings great effort in the run game. He had 41 tackles and 11 defensive stops for Cal in 2025.