Five 2026 NFL Draft prospects who can improve their stock the most at the East-West Shrine Bowl
Who are the five NFL Draft prospects who could improve their 2026 NFL Draft stock the most at the East-West Shrine Bowl?
The East-West Shrine Bowl is set to begin practices on Friday, and some of the top NFL Draft prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft are gearing up to practice under NFL coaches and meet with NFL scouts over the weekend, with each vying to improve their draft positioning with every rep.
Every year, we see top prospects boost their stock here in Frisco, Texas. Last season, players like Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Oronde Gadsden II, Nohl Williams, Teddye Buchanan, Craig Woodson, and CJ West parlayed a successful outing at the Shrine Bowl into an NFL future. Who can do it this year ahead of the 2026 draft?
Who can improve their stock the most at the Shrine Bowl?
Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson
Cade Klubnik entered the 2026 season with plenty of buzz as the potential first quarterback off the board, but his stock plummeted after a disastrous start to the season, and never seemed to recover in terms of media perception. However, scouts are still intrigued by his physical tools and snappy release.
In a wide-open class with nothing clear behind Fernando Mendoza at the top, Klubnik can make himself plenty of money in front of NFL scouts with a good showing this week.
Harold Perkins Jr., LB/DB, LSU
I wrote about this shortly after he declared, as Harold Perkins is one of the draft’s biggest wild cards. Where do you play him? He’s not a traditional linebacker or pass rusher, given his size and role at LSU, and I actually think he would be better off making the move to safety. Does the NFL feel the same? I have no idea.
That’s why I’ll be paying particularly close attention to where he lines up in drills and how he performs there. Teams love the athleticism and intelligence he brings, but he is a completely unique prospect. If he shines at the Shrine Bowl in whatever role he plays, I have a feeling teams are going to bank on his traits early on come April.
Dontay Corleone, DT, Cincinnati
Corleone has been a frequent name for draftniks over the past seasons, but medicals have limited his NFL stock, and he’s seemingly become a bit of an afterthought entering this year’s draft.
Last year, defensive tackles Jordan Phillips and CJ West dominated the Shrine Bowl and propelled their stocks, and Corleone could do similar this year.
Eli Heidenreich, Yes, Navy
Much like Harold Perkins, this is one where I’m fascinated to see where NFL teams view him. At Navy, Heidenreich rushed for 437 yards and three touchdowns on 67 carries, adding another 877 yards and five touchdowns on 46 catches this season. Is he a running back? Is he a receiver? I think he’s a running back, but I’ve heard both positions.
Coming from Navy, he’s in a fairly “untraditional” role and scheme to project to the NFL. How he handles a different offense and how he looks in a clearly defined role could influence his stock greatly, in either direction.
Brian Parker II, OL, Duke
Brian Parker II had some buzz to start the season, but that buzz quickly cratered as time went on. It became evident fairly quickly that he’s not an offensive tackle and will likely be kicking inside to guard or center. It seems center is his best bet to make the league, similar to former Duke tackle Graham Barton.
How he looks in that role could be the difference in him potentially regaining his stock as a Day 2 player or relegate him firmly into the Day 3 territory.
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