Four Shrine Bowl Prospects the Raiders Should Target in the 2023 NFL Draft
The Shrine Bowl is one of the first stops during the pre-draft process. It’ll be hosted at the Las Vegas Raiders’ home, Allegiant Stadium. Over recent years, this all-star game has elevated the stock of several prospects. In 2022, impact rookies such as Brock Purdy (SF), Jack Jones (NE), and Isiah Pacheco (KC) made a name for themselves in the league.
As far as the Raiders go, the new front office selected one player from the 2022 Shrine Bowl. Matthew Butler, a former Tennessee defensive lineman, came off the board at No. 175 in the 2022 NFL Draft. Butler failed to see consistent playing time, but he will have a chance to earn more reps in Year 2.
Four Shrine Bowl Prospects the Raiders Should Target in the 2023 NFL Draft
Peeling things back a little more reveals another trend. The New England Patriots drafted three players from last year’s Shrine Bowl rosters. General manager Dave Ziegler spent nearly a decade in the Pats front office, so expect the regime to keep a close eye on this week’s activities.
The talent in this year’s game is arguably the best it has ever been. A handful of potential day-one prospects are in attendance, alongside dozens of players hoping to hear their names on day two. Who makes the most sense for the Raiders? Who should you monitor as practices commence?
Prospect No. 1: Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
•Strengths: Route Running, YAC Ability, Strong Hands, Work Ethic, Elite Body Control
•Weaknesses: Size, Catch Radius
The most popular name at the 2023 Shrine Bowl is Zay Flowers. Flowers excels as a route runner, using a quick first step and otherworldly body control to shake off defenders downfield. He tracks the ball better than any receiver in this class and consistently snatches it out of the air rather than letting it travel to his chest.
