Las Vegas, NV – Two-time Northeast Conference (NEC) Defensive Player of the Year honoree and Wagner football standout Titus Leo has accepted an invitation to play in the prestigious East-West Shrine Bowl.
The 98th edition of the game will take place at Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders, on Feb. 2, 2023. Both teams will be coached by members of the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots coaching staffs. The game will be broadcast on NFL Network.
Leo becomes the first Wagner player to be invited since current NFL players Cam Gill and Chris Williams participated in the game in 2020. In 2018, Greg Senat became the first NEC player ever to participate in the prestigious event.
Normally an exclusive domain for draft eligible NFL prospects from top FBS programs the likes of Ohio State, Alabama, etc., Leo will have an opportunity to test his skills with, and against, some of the nation's best players both in the game itself, as well as the practice sessions leading up to the event.
Leo, who was previously invited to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, finished third in the NEC in tackles for loss with 1.27 per game en route to earning First Team All-NEC distinction this past season. He was tied for the team lead with 65 total tackles on the season while leading the Seahawks with three sacks.
Leo departs Wagner and the NEC as one of the most decorated defensive players in school and league history. The three-time All-NEC first team member compiled 234 total tackles, 41 tackles for loss, 13 sack, and six forced fumbles during his five-year career.
Leo was named to the watch list for the 2023 Reese's Senior Bowl. Leo joins an elite list comprised of the best seniors and graduate students across all of college football. He also earned a spot on the Stats Perform Buck Buchanan Award Watch List, which recognizes the national defensive player of the year in college football's Division I subdivision.
Since 1925, the East-West Shrine Bowl has benefited Shriners Children's and its mission while showcasing the next generation of NFL legends. An invitation to take part in the annual East-West Shrine Bowl is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the best senior collegiate football all-stars in the country to showcase their talents in front of top representatives of NFL teams. A strong performance in the game greatly impacts a player's chances of a career in the NFL. Many of professional football's most recognized and decorated players, including Tom Brady, Walter Payton, Lawrence Taylor, John Elway, Gale Sayers and Jimmy Garoppolo, played in the East-West Shrine Bowl.