Standouts from the first day of practices

The 100th annual East-West Shrine Bowl kicked off today at the indoor facility at the University of North Texas. The first practice went to the East roster and then the West roster followed. Some players that didn’t participate in practice between both squads were the following:

• Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders
• Colorado DB Shilo Sanders
• Michigan IDL Kenneth Grant

We do know that Shedeur Sanders opted out from participating and will be using the Shrine Bowl to only interview with teams. He was on the field supporting his teammates from the West roster. It was reported from Art Stapleton that Sheduer met with the Giants and Titans yesterday.

As for the players that did practice, there were plenty of standouts between both teams. Let’s dive into some of the players that caught my eye from the first day of practice.

Pittsburgh WR Konata Mumpfield 

Nobody made a bigger impression on day one than Pittsburgh receiver Konata Mumpfield. He checked in at 5’10” and 188 pounds and was by far the most fluid receiver on the field. Often targeted from Missouri quarterback Brady Cook, Mumpfield was able to win deep and over the middle of the field. One particular rep stood out where Mumpfield ran a post route and made a tough grab with a safety coming downhill at him. If he’s able to put together multiple good days at practice, we could see a potential riser for the 2025 NFL Draft.

Virginia Tech EDGE Antwaun Powell-Ryland

Speaking of draft risers that impressed on day one, there may not have been a better pass rusher than Powell-Ryland from Virginia Tech. He checked into the Shrine Bowl at 6’2″ and 253 pounds but he’ll certainly get knocked for his lack of arm length. He only had 31 1/8″ arms so creating separation on a consistent basis will be tough. Especially when playing against the run. However, Powell-Ryland was impressive with his quick get-off and his spin move was put on display today. Over the last two seasons for the Holies, he’s compiled 34 tackles for loss and 25.5 sacks.

Eastern Washington WR Efton Chism 

It was short notice for Chism to be part of the Shrine Bowl practices but he flashed consistently on the first day of practice. Checking in at 5’10” and 195 pounds, there were no size or movement concerns for the Eagles standout receiver. Chism was fluid in and out of his breaks and was able to create separation multiple times during the 1-on-1 portions of practice.

Last week, Chism participated in the Hula Bowl and immediately…