NFL Draft

2025 East-West Shrine Bowl Primer: EDGE Defenders To Watch

By Josh Carney

Posted on January 21, 2025 at 3:00 pm

The 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl in Dallas will get underway on Jan. 25 with the first set of practices at the University of North Texas in Denton.

There will be quite a few big-name players preparing for the 2025 NFL Draft and their future shot in the pros, whether that’s in the NFL, CFL or UFL. A week-long opportunity at the Shrine Bowl in front of scouts, coaches and media members will do wonders for the players.

If you don’t have a quarterback, you’re trying to address the most important position in sports. If you have one, chances are you’re trying to do everything you can to protect them, making offensive linemen very valuable. On the flip side, you’re also doing everything you can to get after the opposing quarterback, which makes pass rushers invaluable.

Today, we take a look at the top EDGE defenders to watch at the East-West Shrine Bowl next week, and there are quite a few productive pass rushers set to put their talents on display during practices and then the Jan. 30 game at AT&T Stadium.

Below are the top EDGEs at the Shrine Bowl in Dallas next week.

EDGES TO WATCH

TYLER BARON — MIAMI (FL)

Age: 23
Year: Redshirt Senior
Height/Weight: 6-5, 260
PFF Position Rank: EDGE20 (No. 107 overall)

A transfer from Tennessee, Baron parlayed a strong 2023 season with the Volunteers into a solid season with the Hurricanes. Baron recorded 5.5 sacks for the Hurricanes and added 11 tackles for loss, tying for the team lead on the season.

That production after a good career at Tennessee earned Baron an All-ACC honorable mention accolade this season. Prior to his one season with Miami (Fla.), Baron finished his Tennessee career with 101 total tackles, 27 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks across 48 games. Baron played 61 games in college in five seasons total.

A former four-star recruit, Baron finished his collegiate career with 139 tackles, 38 tackles for loss, 19 sacks, two forced fumbles and four pass breakups.

QUE ROBINSON — ALABAMA

Age: 23
Year: Redshirt Senior
Height/Weight: 6-5, 241
PFF Position Rank: EDGE17 (No. 93 overall)

A key special teams piece from 2021-23 for the Crimson Tide, Que Robinson worked his way into the starting lineup in 2024 and was a productive, consistent player for the Crimson Tide before suffering a season-ending injury against LSU. Prior to his injury, Robinson was a force, totaling 23 tackles, a team-high seven tackles for loss and four sacks (-34 yards).

Before becoming a key piece defensively, Robinson was stout on special teams and provided some juice as a rotational pass rusher, totaling 31 tackles and two sacks across the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

A four-star recruit and the No. 1 high school player in Alabama in 2019, Robinson was slow to make an impact for the Crimson Tide, but he seemingly put it all together in the 2024 season before injury hit. Now, he’s looking to show he’s recovered and worthy of a selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, starting this week in Dallas.

BRADYN SWINSON — LSU

Age: 22
Year: Senior
Height/Weight: 6-4, 250
PFF Position Rank: EDGE22 (No. 151 overall)

A second-team All-SEC pass rusher, Bradyn Swinson took off in his second season in the Bayou. Following two seasons at Oregon, Swinson transferred to LSU and had a quiet 2023 season. But in 2024, he took off under position coach Kevin Peoples. Swinson earned second-team All-SEC honors after recording 13.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and 12 quarterback hurries.

In three seasons at Oregon, Swinson had just three sacks and didn’t see much playing time defensively. But at LSU, that all changed. Swinson finished his five college seasons with 128 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks, five forced fumbles and 11 passes defensed.

Swinson started the 2024 season fast but cooled down after a fast start. He had three sacks in September against South Carolina and two the next week against UCLA. After that, Swinson had just 3.5 sacks over the next nine games.

ANTWAUN POWELL-RYLAND — VIRGINIA TECH

Age: 22
Year: Redshirt Senior
Height/Weight: 6-3, 252
PFF Position Rank: EDGE25 (No. 203 overall)

A first-team All-ACC defender and a second-team All-American, Virginia Tech’s Antwaun Powell-Ryland is a name to know in the 2025 pre-draft cycle at the EDGE position.

Powell-Ryland dominated in 2024, recording 16 sacks to finish second in the ACC in that category and third in the FBS. That came one year after he recorded 9.5 sacks in 2023. Over the last two years, Powell-Ryland has become a force off the edge.

Thanks to his impressive 2024 season, Powell-Ryland was a semifinalist for the Lombardi Trophy, the Bednarik Award, and the Walter Camp Player of the Year. Prior to his time in Blacksburg, Powell-Ryland spent three seasons at Florida. Across five college seasons, Powell-Ryland finished with 117 tackles, 41 tackles for loss, 30 sacks, nine forced fumbles, and one pass breakup.

TYLER BATTY — BRIGHAM YOUNG

Age: 24
Year: Redshirt Senior
Height/Weight: 6-5, 275
PFF Position Rank: EDGE23 (No. 171 overall)

A team captain and a 2024 first-team All-Big 12 defender, Tyler Batty enters the Shrine Bowl as the oldest edge prospect after having spent three seasons on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Malaga and Madrid, Spain.

Once back on the football field, Batty was impactful. Across five seasons at BYU, Batty finished with 224 tackles, 33.5 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, four pass breakups and two interceptions.

Batty is viewed as more of a ‘tweener due to his size, with some believing he could bulk up and play more of a 3-4 defensive end role or a true 4-3 defensive end, rather than as a standup EDGE at the next level. He’s more of a run defender than a pass rusher entering the NFL, which could serve him well out of the gate as he searches for playing time.

Other EDGEs participating in 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl: