In a major coup for the longest-running all-star game, Houston Cougars quarterback Clayton Tune has accepted his invite to the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl.
Tune became the first quarterback announcement of the all-star game cycle, giving the Shrine Bowl a highly productive senior passer and a natural on-field leader who should attract significant attention in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Clayton Tune Officially Accepts 2023 Shrine Bowl Invite
Tune officially became the first accepted quarterback invite of the 2023 all-star game cycle with the announcement that he will head to Las Vegas for the East-West Shrine Bowl.
The Houston quarterback has been the focus of national attention this fall, with his pocket-passing ability, creative capacity, and leadership qualities making him an easy prospect to evaluate as it pertains to NFL transition.
Now, he gets to showcase his talents to NFL decision-makers up close and personal at the only all-star game with full NFL coaching staffs.
Over the past two seasons, Tune has proven to be one of the most efficient passers in the nation. After completing 68.3% of his pass attempts for 3,544 yards, and 30 touchdown throws last fall, he has amassed 28 passing scores this season, completing 67.8% of his attempts while averaging over eight yards per attempt for the third time in his career.
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Through Week 10 of the college football season, the Houston quarterback has thrown 92 career touchdowns to just 38 interceptions.
This season, he’s only thrown seven interceptions, made more impressive by the fact he’s routinely having to force the issue to overcome some defensive difficulties that the Cougars have faced this season. Tune has repeatedly had to put the team on his back and lead them to victory, a quality that has endeared him to scouts across the nation.
His combination of talent and leadership made him a prime target for Shrine Bowl staff early in the process. Following the Cougars’ wild Week 1 win over UTSA, Director of Football Operations and Player Personnel Eric Galko spoke highly of Tune to Pro Football Network.
“Knowing Clayton’s background, knowing what he’s overcome on the football field, and knowing who he is as a person — a guy who says ‘yes sir, no sir,’ but will also make jokes. He’s very confident, he’s a great learner — I saw him with Jordan Palmer, picking up three or four new things in just two days. I think he has a lot of those things that every GM and owner is going to like.
“When everything’s going right, he’s the guy that everyone wants to go to, and he’s gonna play it cool. When things are going wrong, he’s gonna be right there as well. I’m bullish on what Clayton Tune can be on the field. But most importantly, I think every NFL team is going to be bullish on what he provides in the locker room as a leader.”
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Some weeks later, and with several close thought contests under his belt during this 2022 college football season, Galko revisited Tune during his Monday Morning GM segment for Pro Football Network.
“Despite their record, Clayton Tune has largely done his part to keep Houston close in every one of their games, if not in position to win all of them,” Galko said. “Tune’s composure and demeanor as a pocket passer and improvisor fits exactly what NFL teams covet at the position, and his ball placement throughout the second-half comeback highlighted that. Despite adversity and issues on his own team, Tune can make the big throw when his team needs it over and over again.”
There’s a common theme that emerges when Tune is discussed. The Houston quarterback boasts the requisite physical and mental tools to command attention at the next level.
Discussing 2023 NFL Draft risers following Week 9 of the college football season, Pro Football Network’s Chief Draft Analyst Tony Pauline bemoaned the lack of national respect for the ascending senior prospect.
“It’s surprising Clayton Tune was ignored by scouts before the season and still gets little love in the scouting community,” Pauline wrote about the Houston quarterback. “Tune possesses a next-level arm, delivers an accurate pass, and has done nothing but produce the past three seasons at Houston.”
Talent. Leadership. Mental fortitude. Tune ticks the boxes of quarterback evaluation like few others in this senior quarterback class. The acceptance of a place in Las Vegas at the 2023 Shrine Bowl is a major coup for the longest-running all-star game.
However, it’s also a huge opportunity for the Houston quarterback to showcase that he has the talent to take his game to the next level.