2025 East-West Shrine Bowl Day 2 notes and observations: Falcons appear to be on the hunt for defenders

The rosters are loaded with intriguing talent on defense, and the Falcons appear to be taking note.

Day 2 of the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl has concluded, and plenty of defenders stood out to me and perhaps the Atlanta Falcons staff. The Falcons were well-represented today, with more than a handful of scouts in the building. Even Thomas Dimitroff made an appearance.

From what I could tell, most of their attention was directed at the defense, and that’s no surprise, as Shrine is likely to produce some more-than-viable options on that side of the football. Here are the notes and observations from Day 2.

Standouts in the interior

For the second day in a row, Maryland IDL Jordan Phillips made himself a lot of money. He is in line to be the highest-drafted player in attendance (outside of Shedeur Sanders, who is not practicing in practice sessions).

Nebraska IDL Nash Hutmacher was unknown to me when I came in, but I quickly became a fan of his. He is the definition of a power player, comes with an edge each rep, and his nickname, The Polar Bear, suits him well. Zeek Biggers out of Georgia Tech is the kind of athlete Terry Fontenot covets. Measuring in at 6’5” 320lbs with 35” arms! The big man slimmed down after playing around 360 in college, looking as lean and mean as they come.

Middlebury standout Thomas Perry continued his good play on Day 2 and was able to stonewall the Polar Bear–a feat I have yet to see others pull off. He’s been working with Duke Manyweather of OL Masterminds as he transitions to center.

Someone else making a transition is Kansas OL Bryce Cabeldue. While he was a tackle at Kansas, scouts and coaches have been having him work inside here, and it’s easy to see why. His versatility could be seen as a big plus for teams needing depth.

EDGES and LBs I am Noticing

I talked about BYU EDGE Tyler Batty in my 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl preview, and the Cougar has not disappointed me. Batty never lost two reps in a row and showed that his pass rush bag is deeper than many realized. Syracuse EDGE Fadil Diggs flashed in pass rush drills today, and his 6’4” 258lb frame matched with 33 ⅝” arms line up with the profile Fontenot has sought out in pass rushers.

Ole Miss LB Chris Paul Jr looks like a legit WILL and is someone I cannot wait to dive deeper into once the all-star festivities have concluded. He is a smooth mover in space, and the lateral speed is there to cover the necessary range to play the position. Miami LB Francisco Mauigoa drew my attention today due to his movement and instincts in run drills. He’s someone else I’ll be doing a deeper dive into, but he has noticeable traits that intrigue me.

Memphis LB Chandler Martin has made splash plays at both practices, is chirpy, and loves to compete. He supplies the energy, and his presence energizes his teammates. Love the way he approaches the game.

Playmakers in the Secondary

Kansas DB Cobee Bryant continues to make plays and let everyone know about it. Today, he had a one-handed interception that got the entire defense hyped up. He’s been the best defensive back through two practice sessions, and it’s unlikely he’ll be dethroned. North Carolina DB Alijah Huzzie wasn’t too far behind Bryant today. Huzzie gave plenty of pass catchers problems in the slot and may have quelled some concerns over his stature.

Cal DBs Nohl Williams and Marcus Harris both stood out today. I think Williams has potential as an overhang player. He showed the ability to run fit and has good size. Marcus Harris flashed some nice click and close ability and is another player I’d like to see more of.

Were there receivers and running backs that looked good here? Yes. Are we going to talk about them? No (except LaJohntay Wester, who’s been exciting).

The 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl has been run like a well-oiled machine, making evaluating players here a breeze. This roster has NFL talent at every position, and the trip to Frisco, TX, has been worth the cold symptoms I’ve collected in my travels. Keep following along here, on Twitter, and on Bluesky for all the latest updates as we get ready to congregate in Mobile later this week.