{"id":702906,"date":"2026-01-25T02:20:14","date_gmt":"2026-01-25T02:20:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/702906\/"},"modified":"2026-01-25T02:20:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-25T02:20:14","slug":"which-shrine-bowl-measurements-fit-what-the-bucs-look-at-on-defense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/702906\/","title":{"rendered":"Which Shrine Bowl measurements fit what the Bucs look at on defense?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jan. 24, 2026, 4:12 p.m. ET<\/p>\n

With East-West Shrine Bowl practices beginning January 23, 2026, and the game scheduled for Tuesday, 27 Jan 2026, the focus now shifts from college resumes to evaluation. Measurements matter during all-star weeks, not as much as deal-breakers, but as indicators of how players could project into NFL roles and schemes.<\/p>\n

For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers<\/a>, head coach Todd Bowles has shown consistent tendencies when it comes to defensive body types. He prioritizes role fit, length, and functional strength, especially in the front seven, while remaining flexible in the secondary when traits justify it.<\/p>\n

Below is a position-by-position breakdown of Bowles\u2019 preferred size ranges, followed by Shrine Bowl defenders who fall cleanly within those bands, sit on the edge as trait-based exceptions, or present size-based questions.<\/p>\n

EDGE (Outside Linebacker)<\/p>\n

What Bowles looks for:<\/p>\n

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Edge players who can set the edge on early downs, survive inside stunts, and affect passing lanes. Length and mass matter more than pure speed.<\/p>\n

CategoryPlayerSchoolHtWtClean FitAnthony LucasUSC6\u20194\u215d\u201d267Clean FitEthan BurkeTexas6\u20196\u201d269Clean FitMarvin Jones Jr.Oklahoma6\u20194\u00bc\u201d257Clean FitPatrick PaytonLSU6\u20194\u00bd\u201d251ExceptionMalachi LawrenceUCF6\u20194\u201d247Size FlagKeyshawn James-NewbyNew Mexico6\u20191\u00be\u201d240Interior Defensive Line (IDL)<\/p>\n

What Bowles looks for:<\/p>\n

Penetration-first interior defenders in the 290\u2013315 pound range, with quickness to win in games and simulated pressures.<\/p>\n

CategoryPlayerSchoolHtWtClean FitJames Thompson Jr.Illinois6\u20195\u00bc\u201d301Clean FitDeMonte CapehartClemson6\u20194\u215d\u201d314Clean FitAaron HallDuke6\u20193\u00bd\u201d296ExceptionTyler OnyedimTexas A&M6\u20193\u215c\u201d290Size FlagDarrell Jackson Jr.Florida State6\u20195\u215b\u201d328Linebacker (Off-Ball)<\/p>\n

What Bowles looks for:<\/p>\n

Linebackers who can cover space, blitz, and handle traffic, typically between 225\u2013245 pounds, with enough length to disrupt passing lanes.<\/p>\n

CategoryPlayerSchoolHtWtClean FitLander BartonUtah6\u20193\u215d\u201d233Clean FitJaden DuggerLouisiana6\u20194\u00bd\u201d240ExceptionEric GentryUSC6\u20196\u215c\u201d221ExceptionHarold Perkins Jr.LSU6\u20190\u00bc\u201d222Safety<\/p>\n

What Bowles looks for:<\/p>\n

Safeties capable of run support, slot coverage, and pressure responsibilities, typically in the 200\u2013215 pound range.<\/p>\n

CategoryPlayerSchoolHtWtClean FitMiles ScottIllinois5\u201911\u215c\u201d208Clean FitDQ SmithSouth Carolina6\u20190\u00bc\u201d212ExceptionBishop FitzgeraldUSC5\u201910\u215e\u201d205Size FlagMyles RowserArizona State5\u201911\u00be\u201d184Cornerback<\/p>\n

What Bowles looks for:<\/p>\n

This is his most flexible group. Physicality, processing, and tackling matter more than height alone.<\/p>\n

CategoryPlayerSchoolHtWtClean FitAndre FullerToledo6\u20190\u00bd\u201d201Clean FitDomani JacksonAlabama6\u20190\u00bd\u201d192ExceptionMarcus AllenNorth Carolina6\u20190\u215e\u201d179Why this matters during Shrine Bowl week<\/p>\n

Measurements don\u2019t determine outcomes, but they frame opportunity. As practices unfold and reps stack up, players who already fit Bowles\u2019 preferred physical profiles will naturally be evaluated through a more favorable lens when paired with strong on-field performance on game film.<\/p>\n

With practices now underway and the Shrine Bowl set for Tuesday, this week offers a valuable chance to see which defenders pair NFL-ready frames with NFL-ready play, a combination that consistently finds its way onto Bowles-led defenses.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Jan. 24, 2026, 4:12 p.m. ET With East-West Shrine Bowl practices beginning January 23, 2026, and the game…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":702907,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2077],"tags":[95878,211,7,6,96509,96860,95882,96027,95896,95888,95895,95906,96099,95902,95883,96239,704,250,2597,2596,95881],"class_list":{"0":"post-702906","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tampa-bay-buccaneers","8":"tag-accessfree","9":"tag-buccaneers","10":"tag-football","11":"tag-nfl","12":"tag-sstssportsnflbuccaneers","13":"tag-sstsnbuccaneers","14":"tag-tagamerican-football","15":"tag-tagcollege-sports","16":"tag-tagnational-sports","17":"tag-tagnfl","18":"tag-tagnfl-hub","19":"tag-tagoverall-positive","20":"tag-tagsec-conference-football","21":"tag-tagsport-scores-statistics","22":"tag-tagsports-news","23":"tag-tagtampa-bay-buccaneers","24":"tag-tampa-bay","25":"tag-tampa-bay-buccaneers","26":"tag-tampabay","27":"tag-tampabaybuccaneers","28":"tag-typestory"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/115953351194263025","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/702906","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=702906"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/702906\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/702907"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=702906"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=702906"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=702906"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}