The 2023 Hula Bowl will take place in Orlando on Saturday on the campus of UCF. The game will kick off at Noon eastern.
This will be the 77th edition of the all-star game, making it the second oldest in existence. It boasts a historical roster with over 60 players that are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and 200 in the College Football Hall of Fame. Scouts from the NFL, CFL, XFL, and USFL will be in attendance. Both coaching staffs will be made up of former NFL coaches.
Today, I will look at the Hula Bowl roster, position by position.
2023 HULA BOWL: ROSTER BREAKDOWN
QUARTERBACKS
Chase Brice, Appalachian State
Holton Ahlers, East Carolina
Tanner Morgan, Minnesota
Tim DeMorat, Fordham
Adrian Martinez, Kansas State
Sean Clifford, Penn State
There is a lot of experience in this quarterback group but I don’t see a draftable passer in the lot. The only player that I am intrigued to see is Fordham QB Tim DeMorat. The 6’4” 220-pound passer is the only one I don’t have a firm grasp on who they are at the next level.
RUNNING BACKS
Charles McClelland, Cincinnati
Christopher Brooks, BYU
Elijah Dotson, Northern Colorado
Isaiah Bowser, UCF
Jaleel McLaughlin, Youngstown State
Jordan Mims, Fresno State*
Khalan Laborn, Marshall
Toa Taua, Nevada
Calvin Tyler Jr., Utah State
Of the players that will play in this game, BYU RB Christopher Brooks is the top prospect. Brooks isn’t the player that Tyler Allgeier was but he is solid. Fresno State RB Jordan Mims will attend the Hula Bowl but not play. Khalan Laborn did a great job stepping up for Marshall after Rasheen Ali stepped away. Toa Taua and Isaiah Bowser are both solid short-yardage backs.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Amare Jones, Georgia Southern
Ryan Miller, Furman
Deuce Watts, Tulane
Ed Lee, Rhode Island
Elijah Cooks, San Jose State
Keylon Stokes, Tulsa
Keytaon Thompson, Virginia
Sam James, West Virginia
Tre’Shaun Harrison, Oregon State
Trea Shropshire, UAB
Tyler Hudson, Louisville
Jesse Matthews, San Diego State
Matt Landers, Arkansas
Jared Wayne, Pittsburgh
Kade Warner, Kansas State
The production levels of the receiving group are great. Elijah Cooks was tremendous at Nevada before coming over to SJSU this season. Keylon Stokes was one of the FBS leaders in receptions this season. I love Jesse Matthews in 50/50 situations and he is a touchdown-maker. I love the versatility of Virginia’s Keytaon Thompson.
TIGHT ENDS
Case Hatch, Arizona State
Ben Sims, Baylor
Caleb Warren, Rhode Island
EJ Jenkins, Georgia Tech
Jamal Turner, Toledo
Julian Hill, Campbell
Kemore Gamble, UCF
Lachlan Pitts, William & Mary
Mike Ezeike, UCLA
Trent Thompson, UTEP
Luke Ford, Illinois
There isn’t a top name in this group. EJ Jenkins has been intriguing to me over the last two seasons but his production hasn’t followed. Last year, Youngstown State TE Andrew Ogletree emerged in this game. Hopefully this year one of the FCS guys will emerge.
OFFENSIVE LINE
CENTERS
Corey Luciano, Washington
Brad Cecil, South Florida
Erik Sorensen, Northern Iowa
GUARDS
Dillan Gibbons, Florida State
Eric Abojei, Wyoming
Grant Miller, Baylor
Khalil Keith, Baylor
LaQuinston Sharp, Mississippi State
Chris Toth, Aurora
Johari Branch, Maryland
JD DiRenzo, Rutgers
OFFENSIVE TACKLES
Adonis Boone, Louisville
Alex Jensen, South Dakota
Anderson Hardy, Appalachian State
Dylan Wonnum, South Carolina
Jarrett Horst, Michigan State
Joshua Lugg, Notre Dame
Mason Brooks, Mississippi
Samuel Jackson, UCF
Tyler Beach, Wisconsin
Noah Henderson, East Carolina
The top candidates to be drafted in this group are likely Mason brooks (Mississippi) and Joshua Lugg (Notre Dame).
EDGE RUSHERS
Andrew Farmer, Lane
Brevin Allen, Campbell
Brock Martin, Oklahoma State
DJ Coleman, Missouri
Jordan Ferguson, Middle Tennessee
Kelle Sanders, UAB
Spencer Waege, North Dakota State
Jalen Harris, Arizona
After watching the Hawaii Bowl, I came away impressed with MTSU’s Jordan Ferguson. Ferguson has been productive as a collegian and has a chance to be drafted. DJ Coleman thrived at Jacksonville State and then had success this year at Mizzou. Every time I watched North Dakota State this season, Spencer Waege stood out. I have heard a ton of positives about Campbell’s Brevin Allen, so I want to see him play in the Hula Bowl.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Caleb Sampson, Kansas
Cory Durden, NC State
Darel Middleton, Bethel (TN)
Devonnsha Maxwell, Chattanooga
Jeffery Johnson, Oklahoma
Jerron Cage, Ohio State
Robert Cooper, Florida State
TK McClendon, Eastern Kentucky
Ami Finau, Maryland
D’Anthony Jones, Houston
I loved Jeffery Johnson as a prospect at Tulane but his tape didn’t equal that this season. Devonnsha Maxwell was a game-wrecker this season for Chattanooga. I think Jerron Cage, Ami Finau, and Robert Cooper are Power 5 prospects who could compete for NFL roster spots in August.
LINEBACKERS
Austin Ajiake, UNLV
Caden McDonald, San Diego State
Colby Reeder, Iowa State
Liam Anderson, Holy Cross
Merlin Robertson, Arizona State
Patrick O’Connell, Montana
Ryan Greenhagen, Fordham
DaShaun White, Oklahoma
Dyontae Johnson, Toledo
Brandon Bouyer-Randle, UConn
Ryan Smenda, Wake Forest
Santrell Latham, Southern Miss
Merlin Robertson was highly thought of when the 2022 NFL Draft process started. However, he has really fallen off since. Austin Ajiake and Caden McDonald were two highly productive LBs in the Mountain West this year. Speaking of productivity, the Hula Bowl features two from the FCS level, Ryan Greenhagen (Fordham) and Liam Anderson (Holy Cross).
CORNERBACKS
Anthony Cook, Texas
Art Green, Houston
Avery Young, Rutgers
Christian Braswell, Rutgers
Jaylin Williams, Indiana
Jeremy Lucien, Vanderbilt
Nehemiah Shelton, San Jose State
Steven Gilmore, Marshall
Tre Hawkins III, Old Dominion
Tre Wortham, Uconn
Tyler Richardson, Tiffin
Jarrick Bernard-Converse, LSU
Justin Ford, Montana
Tyon Davis, Tulsa
One of the bright spots on the LSU defense this year was corner Jarrick Bernard-Converse. I thought the length and ball skills of Montana’s Justin Ford may see him on the Senior Bowl radar. Their loss is the Hula’s gain. Nehemiah Shelton had a great year and he also has the requisite length. Shelton is slated to play in the Shrine Bowl as well. The younger brother of former NFL All-Pro Stephon Gilmore, Steven has a chance to earn time as a nickel early in his career. Avery Young struggled this season and may be transitioning to safety. The talent is there but the tape didn’t hold up.
SAFETIES
Alex Cook, Washington
Benny Sapp, III, Northern Iowa
Darius Joiner, Duke
Divaad Wilson, UCF
Erick Hallett II, Pittsburgh
Jaydon Grant, Oregon State
Jordan Jones, Rhode Island
Kenderick Duncan Jr., Louisville
Latavious Brini, Arkansas
Christian Izien, Rutgers
Tanner McCalister, Ohio State
I was impressed by Washington’s Alex Cook this year and will be my highest-graded safety in this game. Latavious Brini played well for the Hogs after transferring over from Georgia. Also, don’t sleep on Northern Iowa’s Benny Sapp III.
SPECIALISTS
KICKERS
Christopher Dunn, NC State
Jack Podlesny, Georgia
Tanner Brown, Oklahoma State
LONG SNAPPERS
Alex Ward, UCF
Chris Stoll, Penn State
Evan Deckers, Duke
PUNTERS
Andy Vujnovich, Wisconsin
Ethan Evans, Wingate
Shane McDonough, NC State
The 2023 Hula Bowl will be telecast live on CBS Sports Network.