Canadian offensive lineman Kyle Hergel has received a late invitation to the Shrine Bowl.
The six-foot-two, 315-pound blocker is draft-eligible on both sides of the border after finishing up his collegiate career at Boston College in 2023. He is currently the fifth-ranked prospect in the 2024 CFL Draft.
The Toronto native made Bruce Feldman’s Freak’s List in August as he reportedly leaped 34 inches in the vertical jump along with a nine-foot, four-inch broad jump. He previously started at Texas State and the University of North Dakota and was named third-team All-Sun Belt in 2022 as a member of the Bobcats.
Established in 1925, the Shrine Bowl is the oldest college football all-star game and has 78 Pro Football Hall of Fame alumni. The event invited at least one U Sports prospect for the past 38 years, though this practice was ended in 2024. Despite the change, there are still a few names for Canadian football fans to keep an eye on aside from Hergel.
Anim Dankwah, an offensive tackle from Brampton Ont., is set to participate following a standout career at Howard University. Another player taking part in the event is Toronto Argonauts’ cornerback Qwan’tez Stiggers, the CFL’s reigning Most Outstanding Rookie. The 22-year-old never attended college and received permission from the Argos to take part in the showcase game after declaring for this year’s NFL draft.
This year’s game is set to take place at Ford Center in Frisco, Tex. on Thursday, Feb. 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on NFL Network.
