The 2025 college football season is over, but all-star bowls will be occurring over the next few weeks. The most prominent of these bowls are the Hula Bowl, the American Bowl, the East-West Shrine Bowl, and the Senior Bowl. This post will focus on the Shrine Bowl.
These events are used primarily as camps with a game at the end. Invited players get officially measured and weighed upon checking in. Then, there are a few days of practice with NFL coaches. The practice time for players is really at the heart
of these events.
This is due to the time players and coaches can spend together honing their craft collaboratively. It gives players a chance to be evaluated by coaches who know the NFL game. What better way to understand where and how to improve than to hear it from the source? Receiving this feedback can give the players an edge as they head into their training for the NFL Combine or their respective Pro Day.
Finally, this gives players a chance to stand out. If a player was overshadowed on his team by other talented individuals, wasn’t featured in his offense, or, in the case of those in this article, played in a Group of 5 conference, they have the opportunity to open the eyes of the coaches with their play and jump onto the radar before draft time. While the combine and pro days are also good opportunities for this, the more chances coaches have to see one play and compete, the better position they put themselves in.
This year, two players from the Mountain West is participating in the Shrine Bowl. Below, we will provide a brief description of each player and illustrate what kind of showing they need to improve their draft stock.
Note: Sometimes players are not on initial rosters and pop up during practices or the game. Due to this, some players may be on the roster but are not featured here. We relied on player or team accounts to announce their participation. They will be featured in the stock report following the game.
East-West Shrine Bowl Schedule:
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
- 6:00 pm (Central time) The NFL Network
The Players:
EDGE Keyshawn James-Newby (New Mexico)
KeyshawnJames-Newby has earned the right to accept an invitation to the Shrine Bowl and this will provide him a great opportunity to enhance his status among the NFL Draft prospects.
James-Newby has the potential to be a big-time player when he is playing at the highest level and that includes his ability to create chaos with his speed off the snap, and the combination of his length and strength, which will allow him to disrupt plays both in pursuit of a quarterback, or pursuing the ball carrier as part of a run.
What also stands out about James-Newby on film is his consistent energy. He consistently appears to play with the physicality that NFL evaluators are looking for in a defensive prospect.
To have success at the Shrine Bowl, the key for James-Newby will be to show a high level of consistency against other elite-level defenders — win his individual battles on the field, set a strong edge vs. the run, and prove he can link together multiple moves as a pass rusher as opposed to being able to make only athletic plays.
If James-Newby shows versatility, discipline, and coachability throughout the week and creates positive impressions in practice sessions and during games, he will surely create an enduring memory for the scouts evaluating him.
When the lights come on and it’s time to play, Newby has a knack for delivering in the biggest moments, consistently making impact plays when his team needs a stop. The same aggressive, high-energy approach he brings on the opening snap is the intensity he carries through the final whistle. He’s a high-character competitor who doesn’t rely on talk or theatrics — instead, he plays with a quiet confidence, letting his performance speak for itself.
OL Caden Barnett (Wyoming)
One of the enforcers along the offensive line during his time at Wyoming, Caden Barnett, was recognized at the end of the 2025 season with a Mountain West All-Second Team selection. He started all 12 games this past year and in 2024, while starting 10 in 2023. In all, he appeared in 48 games during his collegiate career, and hardly ever had to deal with a substantial injury that sidelined him. Barnett is a classic Cowboy offensive lineman who bullies smaller opponents who attempt to skate by with their maneuverability. When he competes at the Hula Bowl, the biggest thing to watch for is how he maintains leverage later and later in reps, and if he is able to stay connected with defenders. Similar to Denver Broncos Frank Crum, Barnett could be a Day 3 draft pick given the chance to prove himself before September to make the 53-man roster.
Note: The weaknesses or questions describing each player below aren’t necessarily the views of the contributors or the site, but rather what could be questions or concerns NFL scouts, talent evaluators, or the media have about them, which are still worth discussing, as they can have ramifications.
