With the NFL conference championships now over, most of the league has already shifted focus to the 2022 NFL Draft. An important part of the pre-draft process is the annual East-West Shrine Bowl, a chance for two teams of NFL prospects to showcase themselves in front of many NFL scouts. These are four wide receivers to watch in the 2022 Shrine Bowl.
Wide Receivers To Watch In The 2022 Shrine Bowl
Charleston Rambo, Miami (FL)
Charleston Rambo had a bit of a career resurgence this year with Miami after he transferred there from Oklahoma. The former four-star recruit broke the Miami single-season reception record with 79 catches and finished the year with 1,172 yards and seven touchdowns. It was a big step forward for Rambo, who, in his previous three seasons with Oklahoma, combined for just 1,180 yards.
At this point, Rambo is expected to be more of a mid-late day three pick, but he does have a good opportunity to make some noise at the 2022 Shrine Bowl this week. He’s a crisp route runner with great footwork and above-average speed making him a great deep threat. However, he has struggled with some drops, and with his lighter build, it’s unclear how he will deal with the physicality of the NFL cornerbacks.
Kyle Phillips, UCLA
Probably the most intriguing wide receiver in this group. Kyle Phillips put together a really solid season with the UCLA Bruins, finishing with 739 yards and 10 touchdowns. He finished his collegiate career with 1,821 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Phillips is primarily a slot receiver, mainly running shorter routes and being a chain mover. He’s a very good route runner and has great field awareness, often finding the quiet spots in the middle of the field to pick up first downs. He is also very effective after the catch, but his size limits him from being able to play much outside. When watching Phillips play I could see some similarities in playstyle to Julian Edelman. Phillips right now projects as a potential late day-two prospect and should be a receiver to keep an eye on not only in the Shrine Bowl but throughout the whole pre-draft process.
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Tyquan Thornton, Baylor
Tyquan Thornton wasn’t really on anybody’s radar before this season. But his solid 2021 campaign brought him into the draft conversation and earned him a spot to showcase his talents at the Shrine bowl. Thornton finished the season with 948 yards and 10 touchdowns, despite having some really inconsistent quarterback play at times.
At 6’3, Thornton really thrives on the outside, using his length and body control to make difficult catches. He also has underrated ability after the catch. However he has struggled against more physical cornerbacks, so that will be something to keep an eye on in the Shrine Bowl. If your team is looking for an outside receiver on day three to add some depth, Thornton should be a name to keep an eye on.
Jerreth Sterns, Western Kentucky
Jerreth Sterns will be a fun player this week. He and quarterback Bailey Zappe wreaked havoc on defenses this year. Sterns finished the year with 1902 yards and 17 touchdowns. He’s only 5’9, but he is an electric player that really fit in with Western Kentucky’s pass-heavy offense. Sterns is a legitimate deep threat, runs very crisp routes, and has the ability to just find ways to get open. He also has great hands and does not shy away from attacking the ball instead of waiting for it to come to him.
Because of his size and not really having seen him against top competition, it’s unclear if Sterns will get drafted in 2022, if he does it will be very late. But he is a very entertaining player and absolutely has potential. He has a great opportunity in the Shrine Bowl to prove he can be productive against some better competition. The potential and the ability are there, we’ll see if a team gives him a chance.
To see these prospects in action, the 2022 Shrine Bowl will be played on Thursday, February 3rd, and televised on NFL Network.
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