NFL Draft
1/24/25
8 min read
2025 NFL Draft: Ranking Top 10 Prospects Attending East-West Shrine Bowl
Friday marks the opening events of the 2025 East-West Shrine Week, serving as the first major wave of "offseason" events in the buildup to April's 2025 NFL Draft.
The Shrine has been a major destination for outgoing college talent for years — with prominent talents like Kam Chancellor, Andrew Whitworth, Logan Mankins, Wes Welker, Jared Allen, Steve Smith, and Tom Brady representing the All-Century Team alumni since 2000. Pro Football Hall Of Famers like Dick Butkus, Walter Payton, Joe Greene, and Larry Csonka have also passed through over the teams — among a number of others.
Who are the best talents scheduled to be in Dallas this upcoming week as a part of the 2025 festivities? Here are 10 of the highest-ranked players currently listed on the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl's roster.
Ranking Shrine Bowl's Biggest Sleepers
Ranking Top Prospects at 2025 Shrine Game
1. Shavon Revel, CB, East Carolina 
Shavon Revel is not expected to participate in the actual game or practices as he continues to rehab a knee injury that cut his fifth and final season of college eligibility short in September. Still, his presence at the event serves as a key opportunity to have more face time with the NFL scouts and decision-makers who will help determine his fate in April.
He's got a great story — he worked at an Amazon warehouse while playing JUCO to help make ends meet while pursuing his dream. Now? He's on the doorstep of the NFL with all the elite traits that defensive coaches will surely drool over.
Shavon Revel's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
2. Kenneth Grant, IDL, Michigan 
The buzz around Michigan defensive tackles is usually directed at Mason Graham — and for good reason. However, Kenneth Grant's ability to play the point of attack as an interior defender is good enough to change the math for an NFL defense.
Grant is a powerhouse talent with explosiveness; he was recognized as a member of Bruce Feldman's annual Freaks List for how special his athleticism was as a supersized tackle.
Kenneth Grant's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
3. Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado 
The story on Shedeur Sanders is well documented. Sanders, the son of NFL legend and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, leads many Buffaloes prospects into Dallas.
Shedeur is in contention to be the top quarterback drafted in this year's class and is generally considered, at worst, to be QB2. Seeing what he does with his opportunities this week will be fascinating — although the interviews are just as big, if not bigger than any on-field work at this position.
Shedeur Sanders' Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
4. Zy Alexander, CB, LSU 
Z'Zyrian "Zy" Alexander has had an indirect path to the NFL. He was a high school quarterback and wide receiver from Louisiana and committed to playing his college ball at SE Louisiana.
Alexander found himself on the defensive side of the ball and earned FCS All-American honors in 2022 before transferring to LSU. He's a big corner with speed; those usually don't wait long to get drafted.
5. Chris Paul Jr., LB, Mississippi 
The Mississippi defense was, in a word, explosive. And Chris Paul Jr. played in the heart of the group. A few teams hit the transfer portal, like Lane Kiffin's Rebels, and Paul Jr. was a prized addition from Arkansas ahead of the 2024 season. He was named Second Team All-SEC this season, thanks partly to his speed, athleticism, and coverage skills.
An All-Star event can make it tough for linebackers to stand out unless, of course, you can run like the wind and play in space. Expect Paul Jr. to look the part and for plenty of glowing practice reviews as a result.
6. Jay Higgins, LB, Iowa 
Jay Higgins isn't quite the athlete that Paul Jr. is, but he's a super cerebral linebacker in the middle, and he took a major leap forward with his game-changing plays in 2024.
Higgins posted four interceptions on the season, with a missed tackle rate in single digits. This is the kind of player who may not blow the doors off his testing but should endear himself to scouts with his interviews and football intelligence.
7. Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse 
The quarterback class of 2025 needs some names to step up to the plate and seize the moment. Few players did that with their 2024 opportunities quite like Kyle McCord. McCord left Ohio State to play at Syracuse and promptly set the ACC single-season record for passing yardage — enjoying the offensive scheme with the Orange that took advantage of his play processing and quick decision-making.
McCord's ability to throw the football will not wow anyone. However, the whiteboard talks can help sell him to teams as a viable NFL option on Day 3.
Kyle McCord's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
8. Oronde Gadsden II, TE/WR, Syracuse
McCord's teammate, Oronde Gadsden II, is listed on the roster as a tight end, but in reality, he's a super-sized wide receiver. He is the son of former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Oronde Gadsden and plays in many ways just like his pops — with super-strong hands and a massive catch radius.
Given that he doesn't appear to be a prominent separator as a route runner, he needs to demonstrate more involvement as a contributor in the run game. If he can find his edge as a blocker in space, he can absolutely be a worthy mismatch role player in the NFL. That transition could start this week in Dallas.
Oronde Gadsden II's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
9. Que Robinson, EDGE, Alabama 
Per some early reports, Que Robinson is expected to be an interview participant only on account of injury.
However, Robinson is a fascinating prospect whose time spent with the scouts in Dallas will be important nonetheless. His physical ability is painfully obvious, but things never really got put together for him during his time at Alabama.
Robinson is a fifth-year senior who more than doubled his career totals for sacks and tackles for loss in 2024 alone before a season-ending injury. With the traits he possesses as a long, twitchy pass rusher, teams will want to know where his instincts are to determine when to take a gamble on his traits.
10. Kaden Prather, WR, Maryland 
Prather split his college career between West Virginia and Maryland. Having spent the last two seasons with the Terrapins, Prather flashed ability both as a big play target (more than 16 yards per reception in 2023) and as a volume receiver (career-high 56 receptions in 2024).
He's a bigger receiver at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds. His open-field strides are effortless, and he's developed a reputation for his body control and ball skills at the catch point. This year's wide receiver class is a bit down at the top but filled with intriguing options throughout the middle rounds. Prather, with a good week, could jostle in front of some of them as teams start to stack their boards.
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