The NFL playoffs are only eight teams left. This means that for 24 of the 32 NFL teams, it is draft season. Some of the signature events of draft season, such as the Senior Bowl and the East-West Shrine Bowl, are coming up, as well as lesser-known college football all-star games that also serve as NFL Draft showcases.
Here is a list of players with Cincinnati links participating in these games:
East-West Shrine Bowl
The game: 8 p.m. Thursday, January 30 on NFL Network from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
This year’s edition of the East-West Shrine Bowl will be the 100th edition of this annual game. This year’s roster is filled with stars, including players such as Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Nick Nash, who led the FBS in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns at San Jose State in 2024. Past participants in the game include Bengals defensive end. Trey Hendrickson, Pro Football Hall of Famers such as Brett Favre and Dick Butkus and even a former President of the United States, Gerald Ford.
Local actors
RB Corey Kiner, Cincinnati (Roger Bacon): The former Ohio Mr. Football winner just completed his third season with the Bearcats after transferring from LSU ahead of the 2022 season. In 2024, Kiner has rushed 204 times for 1,153 yards (5.7 yards per carry) and four touchdowns.
LB DeShawn Pace, UCF (Colerain): The former Cincinnati Bearcat and brother of Ivan Pace, a former undrafted free agent who was a starting linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings in 2024, recorded 61 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two passes defensed in his first season with UCF in 2024.
OL John Williams, Cincinnati: The redshirt senior from Bolingbrook, Illinois, started every game at left tackle for the Bearcats in 2023 and 2024, and last season he allowed just one quarterback hit in 823 snaps.
Senior Bowl
The game: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, February 1 on NFL Network from Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.
Arguably college football’s most high-profile postseason all-star game, the Senior Bowl has been played in Mobile since 1951. This season’s roster includes stars such as Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo, Bowling Green tight end. late Harold Fannin Jr., Oklahoma State quarterback Ollie Gordon II and both quarterbacks scheduled to start the College Football Playoff national championship game next Monday, Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard and Ohio State’s Will Howard .
Senior Bowl alumni include myriad Pro Football Hall of Famers such as Terry Bradshaw, Dan Marino, Thurman Thomas, Derick Brooks and LaDainian Tomlinson.
Local actors
Database Malik Verdon, Iowa State (Hamilton): Verdon had an excellent career at Iowa State, earning second-team All-Big 12 honors in 2024 and honorable mention All-Big 12 honors in 2023. Last season he had 76 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss , a sack, an interception. and two forced fumbles.
Hula Bowl
The game: noon Saturday, January 11 on CBS Sports Network from FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
The Hula Bowl began in 1946 and ran until 2008, being played in Hawaii in each of those years. The game was revived for early 2020 and played in Halawa, Hawaii, until 2021. Since 2022, the game has been played in Orlando, Florida. Although the sport is no longer played in the Aloha State, the teams have the same Hawaiian names they have had since 2000, Aina (meaning land) and Kai (meaning ocean). This year, Team Aina won 10-3, marking its first victory since the match was canceled in 2008.
Recent Hula Bowl alumni include Pro Football Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson, Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees and current New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy.
Local actors
OL Jacob Gideon, Western Michigan (Ryle): The former first-team All-Northern Kentucky offensive lineman played in 51 games during his five-year college career at Western Michigan, earning first-team All-Mid-American Conference (MAC) honors in 2023 and 2024.
WR Xzavier Henderson, Cincinnati: In his second season with the Bearcats after transferring from Florida, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound Henderson caught 59 passes for 738 yards and four touchdowns.
OL Reid Holskey, Miami (Ohio): Holskey’s career spanned 55 games in Miami, with the Pataskala, Ohio, native earning All-MAC recognition the past two seasons.
OL Luke Kandra, Cincinnati (Senior): Kandra had an incredible two-year career for the Bearcats after transferring from Louisville before the 2023 season. He earned All-Big 12 and All-American honors in both seasons with the Bearcats.
WR Cade McDonald, Miami (Ohio): McDonald was traded to the RedHawks ahead of the 2023 season from Michigan State and recorded nearly 1,000 yards and six touchdowns on 80 catches during a solid two-year career with Miami.
K Graham Nicholson, Alabama (National Summit Day): Nicholson, who won the Lou Groza Awardwho annually honors the best college placekicker, in 2023 with the Miami RedHawks, made 8 of 10 field goal attempts and was perfect on 53 extra point attempts for the Crimson Tide in 2024.
OL Dartanyan Tinsley, Cincinnati: Tinsley began his college career at Kentucky Christian before transferring to UC for the 2022 season. He played in 31 games for the Bearcats and was a starter in 2023 and 2024.
LB Jaheim Thomas, Wisconsin (Princeton): The senior began his career at Cincinnati and spent a year at Arkansas before finishing his college career at Wisconsin in 2024. He recorded 53 tackles and a sack for the Badgers.
Tropical Bowl
The game: 11 a.m. Sunday, January 19 on All America TV from Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Since its debut in 2016, the Tropical Bowl has been played every year in Florida. Alumni of the game include Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz, former Pro Bowler and Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II and Danny Etling, who was with the New England Patriots for the 2018 season when they beat the Los Angeles Rams at the Super Bowl.
Local actors
DL Darian Varner, Cincinnati: In 2024, Varner’s only season in Cincinnati after transferring from Wisconsin, he played in all 12 games for the Bearcats, recording 11 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one fumble recovery. He earned first-team All-American Athletic Conference honors in 2022 at Temple.
Gridiron College showcase
The event: Friday, January 10 through Sunday, January 12 in Fort Worth, Texas.
The College Gridiron Showcase, in operation since 2015, primarily involves off-field exercises and training. Notable alumni include Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo, Super Bowl champion Sebastian Joseph-Day and former All-Pro punt returner Gunner Olszewski.
Local actors
WR Jamoi Mayes, Cincinnati: Mayes, who spent the first four years of his college career in Chattanooga, recording over 2,000 receiving yards with the Mocs, caught 29 passes for 349 yards and a touchdown in his lone season with the Bearcats.
This article originally appeared on the Cincinnati Enquirer: 2025 NFL Draft Previews: Players with Cincinnati Ties Participate
