Players to watch for Patriots fans at the 2025 Shrine Bowl

The first postseason step of the pre-draft process takes place this week in Dallas, with showcase games. Of the two major showcase games the Shrine Bowl starts first, with the first practice this weekend.

Much like the Senior Bowl (which begins early next week), the Shrine Bowl brings together many of the top prospects in the upcoming NFL Draft class. It's a chance to see those players against top competition, as they compete against each other in three practice sessions and then again in the game on Wednesday. The practices and game can be an important tool for scouts, especially for players with limit in-game experience and/or from smaller schools.

For Patriots fans, the Shrine Bowl is certainly an event to be aware of. The team has drafted multiple players from the game in each of the last three drafts. Fans who want to follow along closely can watch the practices on Lights Out Sports TV.

Full rosters for the event can be found here. Here are a few players from that list that stand out as potential Patriots fits, for varying reasons.

As we highlighted earlier this week, under Josh McDaniels the Patriots could go back to splitting up their running back reps by 'early-down backs' and 'passing down-backs.' McDaniels typically likes a bruiser in the early-down role, and if he doesn't trust Rhamondre Stevenson after the fumble issues last year he could look elsewhere. Mafah would fit the bill. At 6-foot-1, 230 pounds he's a punishing runner but also has good vision and patience in the backfield.

Like Mafah, Sanders would be a good target if the Patriots want to add a powerful downhill runner to their running back room. The 6-foot, 230 pound Sanders returned from a knee injury this year to rush for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns in 12 games. While he is a bruiser, he also has the explosiveness to pull away from defenders for big runs when he gets into the open field.

Nash will be one of the most talked about players in Dallas this weekend. Nash is a converted quarterback who made the move to wide receiver in 2023. After a steady season that year he broke out in 2024 and became just the fourth player in FBS history to win the receiving triple crown leading the nation in catches (104), yards (1,382) and touchdowns (16). Nash's size (6-foot-3, 195 pounds), quickness, and ability to read a defense make him an intriguing prospect as a big slot receiver. At the same time he does have the speed to keep defenders honest vertically. Expect some comps for former Patriots wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.

Another star Mountain West receiver, White showed an ability to regularly separate from coverage over the last two years with UNLV. As a 6-foot-1, 190 pounds he has the potential to be a big play threat from multiple alignments although he'll probably be best as a Z/slot in the NFL. One of the biggest questions is how he'll fair against higher level competition, making this a big week for him. White is also a special teams standout - he blocked four punts just in 2024 alone and was named the Mountain West special teams player of the year.

All three receivers from Colorado will probably get plenty of attention in Dallas, but we'll single out Sheppard (who is joined by LaJohntay Wester and Jimmy Horn Jr.) as a Patriots fit. Western and Horn profile very similarly do DeMario Douglas, while Sheppard is the true 'X' receiver the Patriots are lacking. He's a good route runner for his size, and has the ball skills and body control to make him a mismatch at 6-foot-2, 195 pounds. He's not the most explosive receiver, but has the tools to be a contested catch and red zone threat.

We highlighted Evans as a player to watch during the College Football Playoff, and he certainly impressed. After being used mostly as a blocker this season in Notre Dame's run-heavy offense, he got to show off what he can do as a receiver. If he can continue to do that in Dallas this week, he could start to separate himself from some of the other project tight ends in this draft - a group the Patriots should be looking at with Hunter Henry turning 30 and Austin Hooper a pending free agent.

Also included in that project tight end group is Lachey, who comes from the tight end factory that is Iowa. He has the size (6-foot-6, 247 pounds) and athleticism teams covet at the position, and has shown promising flashes as both a pass catcher and a blocker. However his production is limited - he's never had more than 28 catches or 398 yards in a season and all four of his career receiving touchdowns came in the 2022 season.

A developmental center wouldn't be a bad add for the Patriots this offseason, with David Andrews year-to-year. They already have Ben Brown and Cole Strange, but adding another player to the mix in Day 3 of the draft should be in play. Kendall, a three year starter at BC, could fit the bill. He's a high-IQ, rangy center who was a three-year starter and captain for the Eagles in 2024.

The Patriots may not find their starting left tackle at the Shrine Bowl, but depth at both tackle spots is a need too. Enter Crenshaw-Dickson, who is a true swing tackle. He started on the left side at San Diego State, then transferred to Florida and started on the right side last year. He's a big, powerful blocker at 6-foot-7, 322 pounds. Speed rushers give him a bit more trouble, and he'll need to improve his lateral movement in the NFL. With all that he profiles more as a right tackle in McDaniels' traditional offense and could compete with Caedan Wallace for the starting job, but his ability on the left side adds value as a two-way backup as well.

Part of the latest class of standout Georgia defensive linemen, Stackhouse is a run game player who clogs up the middle at 6-foot-3, 320 pounds. He's powerful coming off the ball and can either occupy offensive linemen or go through them to make plays in the backfield. As a pro he'll likely be limited to an early down role, but for a Patriots team that struggled to stop the run last year he could be a helpful addition as a rotational player.

Roberts is another player we highlighted for the College Football Playoff. One of the most productive pass rushers among Power Four players this year, Roberts wins with power, leverage, and a high motor. Struggles against the run will likely make him a situational pass rusher in the NFL, at least initially.

An under-the-radar need for the Patriots this year is a true third down, coverage linebacker. While there are players that fit that bill, it would help to get one that also has the size to handle some of the more traditional linebacker assignments the Patriots' defense asks for. That could be Paul, who is a plus athlete with good movement skills at 6-foot-1, 235 pounds. Paul, who transferred from Arkansas to Ole miss last year, was a three-down player for the Rebels and excelled covering running backs and tight ends.

After a strong 2023 season at Washington, Muhammad transferred to Oregon instead of entering the NFL Draft early. He had another solid season for the Ducks, playing more on the boundary and less in the slot. He doesn't bring the size in coverage the Patriots need at 5-foot,10, 183 pounds but he's a better run defender than his size suggests. Muhammad's ability to play both positions would be valuable to a Patriots team in need of cornerback depth, especially behind Marcus Jones in the slot.

Sauls' college career has been up-and-down. He didn't take over the starting job until 2022, when he hit 20 of his 24 kicks including going 8-of-9 from 40 to 49 yards and 1-of-2 from 50-plus. In 2023 he took a step back hitting just 11 of 16 kicks including a 5-of-10 mark from 40+plus. Last year he bounced back in a big way, hitting 21 of his 24 kicks and proving to be one of the best distance kickers in college football - he was 7-of-9 from 40-49 yards and 6-of-7 from 50-plus with a long of 58.

From a Patriots point of view, Sauls has experience kicking in inclement weather, which is something the team has valued historically. He went to high school in Ohio and spent his entire career at Pitt, where he kicked at one of the toughest buildings for kickers in the NFL in Acrisure Stadium. If the Patriots plan on moving moving on from Joey Slye, they could call Sauls.