During the East-West Shrine Bowl, more than 100 college players get an opportunity to showcase their game and impress NFL scouts.
Practices run from Jan. 20 to Jan. 28, and then the 100th annual East-West Shrine Bowl will be played at AT&T Stadium on Jan. 30. The game will air on NFL Network at 8 p.m. ET.
Atlanta Falcons special teams coordinator Marquice Williams will coach the East team, and New York Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen will coach the West team. Let’s examine the top running backs to watch during the Shrine Bowl.
Phil Mafah, RB, Clemson
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 230
Player Archetype: The Springy Bully
Phil Mafah’s 230-pound frame suggests he might be bouncing heads off the ground à la Derrick Henry at the NFL level, but the Clemson RB has more to his game than pure violence.
Mafah is patient and effective as a zone runner with an eye-catching wiggle to find a crease and make defenders miss. He doesn’t have the explosiveness to be a consistent big-play creator, but his consistent ability to drive the sled on contact makes him a fun early-down and short-yardage committee candidate.
Corey Kiner, RB, Cincinnati
Height: 5’9″
Weight: 215
Player Archetype: Burst and Balance
I implore everyone to sit down and watch Corey Kiner sacrifice his entire body for his QB in pass protection. There are reps of him getting absolutely pulverized in the name of temporarily slowing down 300-pound human beings in the passing game.
But with the ball in his hands, Kiner displays his own impressive level of violence. He easily runs through arm tackles by reducing his strike zone and blasting by with an impressive burst.
The LSU transfer was a four-star recruit for a reason, and it showed in the Big 12. Kiner ranked high in missed tackles forced and 10- and 15-yard runs.
Raheim Sanders, RB, South Carolina
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 225
Player Archetype: Three-Down Back
At one point at Arkansas, it looked like Raheim “Rocket” Sanders might be a potential top-50 pick in the NFL Draft. Injuries snapped a bit of his top gear away from him, though, leaving Sanders lacking some of the breakaway speed that made him a Round 1 candidate.
Nevertheless, Sanders still finds ways to break off chunk plays, and he’s one of the most impressive receiving backs in the class.
South Carolina often aligned him outside in empty sets, and he even flashed a bit of toe-drag swag in 2024.
Jaydon Blue, RB, Texas
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 200
Player Archetype: Pass-Catching Back
Texas running back Jaydon Blue is a must-watch player in this year’s Shrine Bowl. Blue is a third-year running back who has played in 37 games with five starts and was on the 2024 preseason watch lists for the Doak Walker and Paul Hornung Award.
The 6’0, 200-pound prospect from Houston had a solid 2024 season. Blue appeared in 15 games this season, logging 134 carries for 730 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 5.4 yards per attempt. He also added 42 receptions, 368 yards, and six scores out of the backfield.
Blue has excellent hands and can get attention as a pass-catching back in the draft.
