QUINCY, Ill. (WGEM) -Quincy University Left Tackle BJ Wilson has officially accepted an invite to participate in the 98th East – West Shrine Bowl on February 2, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The game will take place at Allegiant Stadium, the home of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Wilson was named to the Shrine Bowl 1000 watch list on July 13th and was one of 29 athletes from Division II and the only athlete from the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
The 6′ 7, 320 pound, Florissant, Missouri native is the only player in QU Football history to be invited to participate in the East – West Shrine Bowl. Wilson was also 2nd team All-GLVC selection and has made 42 career starts.
The 2022 Shrine Bowl saw 23 offensive lineman participate. There were two Division II athletes with one being a defensive back and the other a wide receiver. From last year’s Shrine Bowl class, 20 players are currently under contract with NFL teams, including 2 that are starting as rookies.
In this years’ edition, there will only be 24 linemen in Las Vegas. Wilson will have the chance to be coached by an NFL offensive line coach, an offensive coordinator and get to meet NFL Pro Bowl offensive linemen during the week.
The East-West Shrine Bowl is the longest-running college all-star football game in the nation. An important part of America’s football tradition, the event gives top college players a chance to showcase their talents to NFL scouts and a national television audience. This year, the East – West Shrine Bowl is part of the NFL’s Pro Bowl Week events in Las Vegas.
For more than 90 years, some of football’s greatest athletes and coaches have contributed to the tradition of the East-West Shrine Bowl. Players like Tom Brady, Walter Payton, Lawrence Taylor, John Elway, Gale Sayers and Jimmy Garoppolo, played in the East-West Shrine Bowl along with coaches Don Shula, Dick Vermeil, Paul “Bear” Bryant and Jerry Glanville, to name a few, have supported the East-West Shrine Bowl.
The game will air on Thursday night on the NFL Network.
–QU Release
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