The East-West Shrine Bowl hits a special milestone this offseason as it kicks off its 100th anniversary. Tennessee will also have a presence at the festivities in the coaching ranks. While the Titans have hired a new general manager, the front office will undoubtedly be in attendance. Who are the Shrine Bowl defensive prospects that Tennessee Titans fans should watch for in this guide?
The guide for offensive prospects that Titans fans should be interested in can be found here.
Shrine Bowl Defensive Prospects Guide For Tennessee Titans Fans
EDGE
Tyler Baron | Miami
Baron had one of the more interesting transfer sagas of the portal era. He initially committed to Ole Miss and Louisville before transferring to Miami last spring. The Hurricanes’ pass rusher was a consistent producer, with 11.5 sacks and 22 tackles for loss in the past two seasons. Baron was part of a tremendous defensive line group that should net at least three prospects drafted. He’s a great athlete with high effort but has fundamental issues to tackle before seeing the field. Tennessee desperately needs help in the EDGE room behind starters Harold Landry and Arden Key. The Miami product could be that depth as he gets better as an overall pass rusher.
Antwaun Powell-Ryland | Virginia Tech
APR thrived after transferring to Virginia Tech from Florida after the 2022 season. His tackle production was consistent for the last two campaigns, but the sacks skyrocketed to 16.5 in 2024. There were signs of the incoming explosion in 2023 when he posted 9.5 sacks for the Hokies. He’s an explosive athlete with a lightning-quick first step. The former Hokie is a versatile athlete who could rise on the boards with a good week in the DFW. The Titans would be wise to continue investing in building their depth in the EDGE room. APR would be an excellent addition to Tennessee’s defense as a key reserve. The Titans need to keep an eye on him as the defensive end to watch at the Shrine Bowl.
Linebacker
Jay Higgins | Iowa
The consensus All-American is the latest and greatest linebacker prospect from the Hawkeyes’ defensive factory. He’s a monster producer with 295 combined tackles, 3.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss, five interceptions, and nine passes defended in two seasons. Higgins is a classic inside linebacker with above-average athleticism that could fit in four- and 3-man fronts. His lateral quickness won’t blow anyone away, but he is fast enough to do the dirty work. Instincts and football IQ will be his calling cards in the league. Tennessee has a significant need for inside linebackers after Kenneth Murray was ineffective/injured, Jack Gibbens was injured, Jerome Baker was inconsistent, and Ernest Jones was traded. Higgins would do well as a Murray replacement next to Cedric Gray. Higgins was graded as the sixth-best linebacker by PFF with an overall score of 89.1. He also was the second-highest graded coverage linebacker with a score of 92.1.
Jamon Dumas-Johnson | Kentucky
JDJ transferred to Kentucky for his final collegiate season to learn under defensive guru Mark Stoops, which has paid off. The former Bulldog garnered some hype as a potential Day 2 draft pick before things fell off as a junior due to injury. He’s a terrific athlete for the position but is technically raw, so he needs a monster Shrine week to get back on the radar as an early Day 3 selection. His potential is there to mine, though.
Francisco Mauigoa | Miami
The Hurricanes star linebacker began his career at Washington State before transferring to Miami in 2023. He blossomed into a tackling machine in Coral Gables, posting 178 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks. He’s a tremendous athlete who should test well at the Combine and Pro Day. Miami used him in various roles, including at EDGE and off-ball roles in multiple schemes. He needs a big week to offset some tackling concerns but is generally thought of highly. Tennessee could use a linebacker with versatility like Mauigoa has in spades for depth purposes. Mauigoa is a tad light at a listed 220 pounds, however.
Chris Paul, Jr | Ole Miss
Paul is one of the best off-ball linebackers in the class, and his tape shows it. He transferred to Ole Miss after spending his first three seasons at Arkansas. The prospect is a sufficient athlete for the position and is one of the class’s most instinctive and technically savvy. His tackle production improved every season while notching 3.5 sacks and an interception in 2024. Paul, Jr is a name for Titans fans as the team needs depth and/or a starter if the franchise moves on from Kenneth Murray. He can climb into the Day 2 range if he can continue his good form. PFF graded him as the seventh-best draft-eligible linebacker with an overall 82.7 defense score.
Cornerback
Mello Dotson | Kansas
Dotson formed an impressive duo with another Shrine Bowl participant, Cobee Bryant. He’s a ball-hawking cornerback prospect with 12 interceptions, four of whom went for touchdowns. The former Jayhawks star has the positive attributes of height, weight, and length to be a great corner in the league. If he can show off his skills in the DFW, he’ll quickly rise on the boards into a Day 2 selection. Tennessee needs a cornerback or two to fill out its depth chart, and Dotson isn’t a bad option.
O’Donnell Fortune | South Carolina
During the last two seasons at South Carolina, Fortune turned the corner and developed into a worthy Day 3 selection. He is an immensely productive cornerback prospect with five interceptions and nine passes defended in two seasons. The former Gamecock improved upon his numbers every season as well. If he can have a great week of practice, he can fly up the boards in a good cornerback class. South Carolina’s defense was stout in 2024, and Fortune was a big part. PFF rated him the seventh-best draft-eligible corner with a pass coverage grade of 90.2.
Jason Marshall, Jr | Florida
The former five-star recruit hasn’t had the career some might expect for a player of that caliber at Florida. He missed most of the 2024 season due to injury, so teams will closely examine the medical. Shrine allows Marshall one last opportunity to put the doubters to rest and move up the boards in a game-like situation. When healthy, he has exceptional ball skills and a nose for the ball, with 25 career passes defended. Instinctually and athletically, he could be something special. The medical has to check out for him to climb up the boards again.
Nohl Williams | Cal
Williams is a cornerback prospect not many know about. With a great offseason process, he can accelerate up the boards. He has the right size and speed to play the position and is experienced. Williams is a three-year starter who transferred to Cal after the 2022 season from UNLV. Primarily an outside corner by trade, he does have slot reps, so it’s not entirely new to him. Williams upped his game at Cal under the tutelage of DC Peter Sirmon and HC Justin Wilcox. The former Golden Bear finished his career with nine interceptions and 15 passes defended in two seasons. Tennessee needs to upgrade its corner depth, as it discovered with the L’Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie injuries.
Safety
Alijah Clark | Syracuse
Clark transferred to the Orange after the 2021 season from home state Rutgers. He excelled for Syracuse as a three-year starter since then. The safety elected to return for the 2024 season and thrived under defensive back specialists Fran Brown and Elijah Robinson. Clark possesses the size and speed to play all over the secondary but could be the ideal big nickel that Titans DC Dennard Wilson is looking for. The former Orange standout should be the class of his position group at the Shrine Bowl.
Main Photo: [Ricardo B. Brazziell] – USA Today Sports
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