---
slug: "east-west-shrine-bowl"
title: "East-West Shrine Bowl"
depth_tier: entry
side: UNIVERSAL
category: "Draft & Scouting"
source_id: "DFT-0026"
created: 2026-04-14
updated: 2026-04-19
canonical: https://learningfootball.xyz/terms/east-west-shrine-bowl
aliases:
  - Shrine Bowl
  - Shrine Game
---
# East-West Shrine Bowl

## Short Definition

A pre-draft college all-star game where NFL coaches run practices—a key discovery event for mid-round talent and prospects from smaller programs.

## Definition

The East-West Shrine Bowl is a college all-star game held each January that serves as one of the NFL's key pre-draft evaluation events. Like the Senior Bowl, it features NFL coaches running practices—each team coaching one squad—and scouts observing practices and the game to evaluate prospects in a competitive setting against NFL-caliber peers.

The Shrine Bowl has particular value as a discovery event. Prospects who weren't heavily recruited in the early evaluation cycle or who played at smaller programs often earn significant draft attention through Shrine Bowl week performance. The event's roster includes players from a wider range of programs than the Senior Bowl, making it an important complement to the senior-focused evaluation pipeline.

The game has been played since 1925, making it one of the oldest all-star games in football. Its long history gives it credibility in the scouting community as a legitimate evaluation event—not a secondary event but a meaningful data point in the pre-draft process.

## Example

"He played at a small school and wasn't on many radars early. Shrine Bowl week changed that. He lined up against a projected first-round defensive tackle every day and held his own. By the end of the week he had third-round buzz from teams that hadn't been watching."

## Common Confusion

The East-West Shrine Bowl and the Senior Bowl are both all-star draft evaluation games but serve different roster profiles. The Senior Bowl is generally considered the higher-profile event featuring the top senior prospects. The Shrine Bowl tends to feature a broader mix of prospects including players who might not have been on the Senior Bowl radar, making it a key discovery event for mid-round and later talent.

## Related

- senior-bowl
- nfl-scouting-combine
- pro-day
- riser
- prospect

---
Source: https://learningfootball.xyz/terms/east-west-shrine-bowl