Under the Radar Winners of the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl

Liam Blutman
Colby Sorsdal
Photo Credit: @WMTribeFootball on Twitter

Sup. As you may or may not know, I was fortunate enough to cover the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl in Las Vegas. For the entire week, I stayed lowkey and opted to share bits and pieces of my favorite interviews with you all. Today is different. After being able to take in this all-star game for an entire week, I’d like to think I learned a lot. I’ll be sharing three winners from the week. It’s my honest assumption that these three guys haven’t received the attention that they deserve after such stellar showings.

Michael Jefferson WR – Louisiana

I’ll start by going way off the board here. Nobody really talks up Michael Jefferson and I don’t get why. For anyone who is hopping off the Quentin Johnston hype train, might I please direct you to this Day 3 wideout that will certainly be making plays in the NFL. Jefferson measured in at 6-foot-3 and 202 pounds. His practices were full of highs but didn’t result in much exposure. There’s a reason that one of the first things I told Michael when interviewing him was, “Tell people why they need to stop doubting you.” His answer was straight forward: “I’m going to be a good receiver just because I’m coachable, and I haven’t reached my ceiling yet. And I’m ready to learn and be in the building. I got length, I can run, I can catch, and I can play special teams. I can really do it all. At the end of the day, I just need the right coaching staff that’s willing to work with me and push me to my limits.” I think there’s so much untapped potential here, and I loved everything I saw from him in Vegas. He got hurt early on in the week and kept grinding through it. The roster sheet listed him as a DNP for the game. Next thing you know he’s got two catches for 32 yards after being listed as OUT. That toughness and determination is something I just love, and I hope NFL teams were impressed by it this week. As a player, Jefferson is super smooth at 6-foot-3 and boasts exceptional ball skills. He’s got stellar upper body strength and is an avid blocker. His 2022 production at ULL was solid — 810 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 51 snags. If given the opportunity in the NFL he can easily prove to be a much better pro than college player. He deserves to get on the field early thanks to his blocking abilities and effort. They don’t mess around at Louisiana; if you don’t play with physicality you don’t see the field. I think he’s learned a lot and has such a good base to grow from.

I’ll just warn you about Michael Jefferson. He’s gonna be a ballplayer in the NFL and he’s gonna make some big-time plays. His name isn’t a hot commodity now but it will be some day.

Colby Sorsdal OL – William & Mary

There aren’t too many people who knew about Colby Sorsdal coming into the week. And truthfully I’m included in that group. I saw bits and pieces of his 2022 season while watching William & Mary QB Darius Wilson. Sorsdal checked in at 6-foot-5 and 301 pounds. I spoke to Colby on Jan. 27, and he told me the skill he wants to work on most is pass protection. It’s safe to say that Sorsdal impressed many with his pass protection skills and the traits that come with it. He adjusts to a pass rusher very well. I really like his ability to recover. Having super strong legs and stellar footwork goes a long way. It sure does help when you’re such a prolific athlete at that size and can move so gracefully, and bend like a straw. The upper half was full of more strengths for Colby and that’s what he was most focused on coming into the week. And of course, we saw even more promise in this blossoming offensive line prospect. His hand placement was great, and he packed quite the punch. 

Sorsdal was a huge winner this week, and I’m stoked to see where he goes in the 2023 NFL Draft. I say it with extreme confidence that we’re looking at a guy that can win often at the next level whether it be at tackle or guard. The future is bright. Whoever takes this kid is getting a steal, no doubt in my mind.

Liam: At the beginning of the week you told me you wanted to improve your pass protection skills as you’re blocking for the million-dollar quarterbacks now… How do you think you fared as a pass protector in Vegas?

Colby: Overall, I feel as though I improved my pass protection as the week progressed. I started feeling comfortable using my hands/punch, staying square in my set, etc., which was definitely exciting for me. Lots of room to improve though, especially in scenarios where I have to sit down a bull rush and long arm. Excited to continue to work on these things.

Liam: What kind of feedback did you receive from NFL teams/personnel during or after the week in Vegas?

Colby: I received lots of positive feedback. Without getting into too much specifics, my goal for the week was to turn heads and make a name for myself, and I believe I achieved that. Once again, lots of things to improve on, but I’m pleased with my performance and overall response from NFL teams.

BJ Thompson EDGE – Stephen F. Austin

Let’s shine the light on another FCS product that walked into the week with few fans and exited with a devoted fanbase that would go to war for him. BJ Thompson made a heck of a lot of money this week. I believe he was one of the top risers on the entire circuit. BJ weighed in at 6-foot-5 and 238 pounds. I spoke with him on Jan. 31, and he told me he wants to be known for one thing — being a freak athlete. His athletic background is deep as we’re talking about a guy that played cornerback, safety, wide receiver, and was an all-state tight end. He played football. The background goes even deeper as I was told by Shane Coughlin that Thompson was a menace on the baseball diamond and stud on the basketball court too. When I asked BJ about his skillset and how he wins, the answer was simple. SPEED. And we saw that all week in practices and the game. Thompson racked up 1.5 sacks and two TFL in the Shrine Bowl. His get off is wicked quick too. I love watching Thompson win off the edge with his speed as he tracks down the quarterback like a homing missile. His closing speed is crazy. If he can add some more power and violence to his finishing… it’s gonna get SCARY!

It’s mad annoying that he doesn’t have an invite to the NFL Combine as I’m writing this. We need to get that fixed.

BJ Thompson killed it in Vegas and saw his stock rise a ton. I won’t be surprised one bit when he’s drafted in the third round. And I definitely won’t be surprised when he’s collecting sacks in the NFL and cashing those checks.

About the author

Liam Blutman
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I am a diehard UCLA fan that has enjoyed (?) mediocrity year after year. My favorite CFB moment was witnessing UCLA comeback from 34 down against Texas A&M. Being at the Rose Bowl for that historic moment is something I’ll never forget. I have written about CFB since I was 14 and my favorite thing to do is give under-the-radar athletes the recognition they deserve. You might know me from @NoContextCFB !

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