Texas Tech’s Brooks, Conyers to Compete in East-West Shrine Bowl

LUBBOCK, TX — Texas Tech running back Tahj Brooks and tight end Jalin Conyers will play in a Texas Tech uniform one final time when they compete in the 100th East-West Shrine Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., with television coverage on NFL Network.

Brooks and Conyers have spent the past week in the Dallas-Fort Worth area preparing for the game, which annually attracts scouts and personnel from all 32 NFL teams. The Shrine Bowl has produced numerous future NFL standouts, including Texas Tech alumni such as Wes Welker (2003), Louis Vasquez (2008), and Cody Davis (2012).

Last year’s Red Raider participants made immediate impacts in the NFL, with Dadrion Taylor-Demerson appearing in all 17 games for the Arizona Cardinals and Tyler Owens contributing on special teams for a Washington Commanders team that reached the NFC Championship Game. Taylor-Demerson’s Shrine Bowl performance helped elevate his draft stock before the Cardinals selected him in the fourth round last April.

Brooks and Conyers have already impressed scouts during practices this week. Both were named to the Shrine Bowl’s West All-Practice Team on Thursday morning, with Brooks recognized as the top running back and Conyers as the top tight end.

Brooks, Texas Tech’s all-time leading rusher, capped his career with 4,557 rushing yards after totaling 1,505 yards and 17 touchdowns in just 11 games this past season. He became the first Red Raider and only the third Big 12 player in history to record multiple 1,500-yard rushing seasons. His 11 100-yard rushing games in 2024 set single-season and career records for Texas Tech.

Conyers, in his lone season with the Red Raiders, caught 30 passes for 320 yards and five touchdowns while contributing to one of the nation’s top offenses. Texas Tech ranked fourth nationally in scoring (37.6 points per game) and ninth in both total offense (462.7 yards per game) and passing offense (296.7 yards per game). Conyers also rushed for two touchdowns and was graded as the third-best run-blocking tight end among power conference players, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Shrine Bowl is the first of two all-star games featuring Red Raiders this week. Offensive lineman Caleb Rogers will compete in the Reese’s Senior Bowl on Saturday as part of the National Team. The Senior Bowl kicks off at 1:30 p.m. on NFL Network.