East-West Shrine Game: How to watch, top prospects for Giants, more

The East-West Shrine Game is America’s longest-running college football all-star game and will play its 98th all-star showcase this year. The game, which features some of the best NFL Draft-eligible players, not just seniors, will take place on Feb. 2, 2023, at the home of the Las Vegas Raiders as part of NFL Pro Bowl week.

Players like Tom Brady, Walter Payton, Lawrence Taylor, John Elway, Gale Sayers, and Jimmy Garoppolo have played in the East-West Shrine Game, so there will be talent on the field. NFL scouts and coaches have been in attendance for practices since the weekend. The East-West Shrine Game practices were led by NFL coaches as this year’s game is coached by the staffs from the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons. 

How to Watch:

• Date: Thursday, February 2nd 
• Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
• Channel: NFL Network

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK

Get a $1,500 First-Bet Offer!

CLAIM NOW

PROMO CODE:

AMNY1500

21+ and present in Participating states. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.$1,500!
FIRST-BET OFFER!CLAIM OFFER

So when the game kicks off on Thursday night, who should Giants fans be watching?

Players to Watch

Deneric Prince, RB Tulsa

Running back doesn’t seem to be an immediate need for the Giants, but at this time it’s unclear if Saquon Barkley will be back or for how long. Backup Matt Breida is also a free agent, so adding some young talent to the running back room is not a bad idea. Prince showed good burst and balance in East-West Shrine Game practices over the weekend and displayed solid route running and good hands during one-on-ones versus linebackers. His stats don’t jump off the page, but he showed enough explosiveness and three-down receiving ability to make Giants fans take note in the game. 

Mohamed Ibrahim, RB Minnesota

I mocked Ibrahim to the Giants in my full team mock, which you can read here. In that article, I said: “He is an instinctive runner, who is low to the ground and can move the pile between the tackles. He seems to have a knack for earning extra yardage for himself due to his vision and ability to make cuts in the backfield. He never was a real speed threat, so he’s not going to break a huge run, but he can be a solid complement to Saquon to keep the Giants’ star rested and healthy.”

Tavion Thomas, RB Utah

Thomas is a huge running back, measuring in this week at 247 pounds. However, he also showcased quick feet and showed some shiftiness in East-West Shrine Game practices. Obviously, he hits the hole hard and is a load to bring down, bringing to mind vintage clips of Jerome Bettis. He could make an intriguing complement to Barkley. 

A.T. Perry, WR Wake Forest

Perry was a force at Wake Forest, notching over 1,000 yards and double-digit touchdowns in back-to-back years. He runs good routes and has true long speed, which is huge since he’s also 6’5″ and can go up and high point a pass. He has been the quarterback’s go-to guy throughout East-West Shrine Game practices, so it will be interesting to see what he can do in a game situation. 

Jalen Moreno-Cropper, WR Fresno State

Cropper has been steady at Fresno State across four seasons, and this season, he went over 1,000 yards for the first time in his career. He showed that he could be a team’s main weapon with an average usage rate of 26.4%, and he has the ability to play both inside and outside at 6’0″ and 175 pounds. He displays real shiftiness and the ability to win against press coverage, which makes him an intriguing and versatile weapon. 

Jadon Haselwood, WR Arkansas

Haselwood was a bit more under-the-radar than the other two wide receivers before practices since he had just 700 yards receiving for Arkansas this year. However, the Oklahoma transfer has good size at 6’3″ and 200 pounds and showed solid acceleration and fluidity during practices. With good speed as well, he could be a player who has a better pro career than a college career. 

Ricky Stromberg, IOL Arkansas

The Giants need some help on the interior of their offensive line, and Haselwood’s Arkansas teammate could fit the bill. Stromberg was a center at Arkansas but has the size and strength to move to guard if needed. As of now, he’s a better run blocker than a pass blocker, but he’s physical and uses his arms well to engage in the running game, which could be a big asset for New York as a versatile interior blocker. 

Chandler Zavala, IOL North Carolina State

Zavala was not somebody many were paying attention to before practices, but he has shown great strength in practices, which has made him a really difficult matchup for interior defensive linemen during the one-on-one portion of practices. If he proves he can handle speed moves inside as well in the East-West Shrine Game, you could see his stock rise. 

Brenton Cox, EDGE Florida

It seems to be a trend for Florida players, but Cox is an incredibly talented athlete who never quite lived up to his ability in school. At 6’3″ and 250 pounds, he has great size and tremendous speed and agility off of the edge. In some moments of practice, he was in the backfield as soon as the ball was snapped, which makes sense since he had 120 total pressures over his college career and Pro Football Focus has him with a pass-rush win percentage of 15.5%, which is pretty enticing. 

BJ Thompson, EDGE Stephen F. Austin

Thompson is a small school player, but one who has the athleticism to compete at higher levels. He’s shown the ability to drop into coverage and has the hips and speed to turn the corner on his pass-rush moves. He has long arms and good power and registered 30 total pressures this season, which included 20 quarterback hurries, and five sacks. 

D’Shawn Jamison, CB Texas

The first thing that stands out about Jamison is that he’s undersized at 5’9″ and 186 pounds, but he plays with a competitive fire. He’s smart about when the back off to not draw penalties, but he’s not afraid to get into a wide receiver’s face and create issues at the line of scrimmage. He also showed good instincts in making plays on the ball, breaking up a number of passes in East-West Shrine Game practices. 

Tre’vius Hodges-Tomlinson, CB TCU

Tomlinson is another small corner at 5’9″ and 180 pounds, but he has become one of the biggest risers in this cornerback class. He allowed just 28 receptions for 365 yards all year and forced 21 incompletions. That’s pretty impressive while playing in a pass-happy conference like the Big 12. He has the ability to play both outside and in the slot and could be a great value in the NFL Draft. 

Kei’Trel Clark, CB Louisville

Clark has really stood out during the East-West Shrine Game practices. He has looked good during the one-on-one portion of practices, mirroring the routes of wide receivers, and he also displayed strong tackling ability in run support during team drills. He brings a physicality and a solid all-around game that could raise him up NFL draft boards.

For more NFL Draft coverage, like this East-West Shrine Game article, visit amNY Sports