East-West Shrine Bowl Watchlist
FRISCO, Texas – Slippery Rock University offensive tackle
Joe Cooper was one of just 10 players from NCAA Division II to be named to the 2026 East-West Shrine Bowl watchlist that was announced Monday.
The Shrine Bowl watchlist includes 1,000 of the best players from all levels of college football. It is compiled by the staff of one of the premier senior showcase games in the country with the intent of selecting the best 1,000 players in college football entering the 2025 season. The list will be used a starting point for staff to evaluate pro prospects throughout the 2025 season before selecting the teams for the Shrine Bowl.
The East-West Shrine Bowl is a best-in-class all-star event that will take place at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas Jan. 27, 2026. The Shrine Bowl teams are coached by NFL coaches, in an NFL facility, and will have access to NFL-level resources, facilities, player-friendly schedules and opportunities at the highest level. For more information about the East-West Shrine Bowl, please click
HERE.
Slippery Rock has not sent a player to the East-West Shrine Bowl since Marcus Martin played in the 2018 game in Tampa Bay. Martin, the all-time NCAA sack leader, played on both sides of the ball in that game and caught a touchdown pass from Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett.
A senior left tackle from East Berlin, Pennsylvania, Cooper is one of just two players from Super Region One and is the only player from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference to be included on the Shrine Bowl Watchlist. The only other player from the region to be included on the watchlist is Virginia State offensive tackle Bruno Onquazor.
Cooper, at 6-foot-7 and 310 pounds, will enter his senior season with high expectations after earning a pair of All-America honors in 2024. He was named to second team All-America plaudits by both the Associated Press and the D2 Conference Commissioner's Association. Those honors followed first team All-Region and All-PSAC recognition.
Cooper has started the last 28 straight games for The Rock, helping the program to a run to the national quarterfinals in 2023 and a trip to the national semifinals in 2024. He played 14 games at right tackle in 2023 before moving over to the left tackle position for all 14 games in 2024.
The Rock's offense has excelled with Cooper patrolling the line of scrimmage, as evidenced by quarterback
Brayden Long being named as a national finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy in both 2023 and 2024. SRU has ranked in the top 10 nationally in numerous offensive categories over the last two seasons.
The Rock closed the 2024 season ranked No. 3 in the final Division II national rankings, marking the highest postseason rank in program history. Slippery Rock is set to open the 2025 season on the road at Franklin Pierce University Sept. 5. The 2025 schedule is available
HERE.
NCAA Division II Players on Shrine Bowl Watchlist
Jaylen Cottrell, WR, Central Oklahoma
Flynn Schiele, WR, Colorado School of Mines
Reggie Retzlaff, WR, Colorado State-Pueblo
Samuel Garcia, OG, Davenport
Ryne Buttz, OG, Indianapolis
Jack Strand, QB, Minnesota State-Moorehead
Joe Cooper, OT, Slippery Rock
Bruno Onquazor, OT, Virginia State
Colby Taylor, DE, West Florida
Ricky Freymond, DL, Western Colorado
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