Bears' East-West Shrine Bowl Watch List

Malik Washington led the FBS with 110 receptions in 2023 which set a school record at Virginia. Washington ranked 4th in the FBS with 1,426 receiving yards and a team-high nine reception touchdowns. The first-team All-ACC recipient will be playing on the West team and lining up against Hightower's squad on Thursday.

Washington has already been making a name for himself throughout the week leading up to Thursday's game. He's certainly been lifting his stock in a class dominated by a top-tier group of wide receivers and is quickly making his name stand out among the second tier at the position.

The Bears will be in desperate need of adding some wide receivers to offensive coordinator Shane Waldron's offense. Currently, the team only has DJ Moore, Tyler Scott, and Velus Jones Jr. as returning starters at the wide receiver position in 2024.

Air Force S Trey Taylor

Trey Taylor was awarded with the Jim Thorpe Award in 2023 as the nation's top defensive back. The Air Force safety  had three interceptions and four pass breakups while allowing a 47.2 passer rating in coverage according to Pro Football Focus.

The first-team All-Mountain West recipient will be playing on the East team on Thursday led by defensive coordinator Dave Borgonzi, who is also the Bears linebackers coach. Borgonzi will be getting a good look at the top safety prospect who could find himself playing on Matt Eberflus and Eric Washington's defense.

The Bears might be in the market for a new and young safety this offseason with veteran Eddie Jackson expected to have a $18.14 million cap hit in 2024. If the Bears elected to move on from Jackson, Taylor could be a prospect worth looking into.

Louisville RB Isaac Guerendo

Isaac Guerendo set career-highs in rushing yards (810) and rushing touchdowns (11) during his first season at Louisville in 2023. The former Wisconsin transfer also was named as a honorable mention All-Big 10 player in 2022 as a kick returner.

Guerendo will be playing under Hightower on the East team later this week and it'll be interesting to see how much of the workload he gets on Thursday. The East team also includes running backs Deshaun Fenwick, Jaden Shirden, and Tyrone Tracy Jr.

The Bears will enter into the 2024 season with running backs Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson, and Travis Homer under contract. If the team opts to add another back to the rotation in 2024, Guerendo is a great option who also adds some experience in the return game as well.

USTA WR Joshua Cephus

Joshua Cephus set a school record with 1,151 receiving yards and had 10 receiving touchdowns in 2023 while earning first-team All-AAC honors. Since 2021, Cephus ranks 5th in the FBS with 2,939 receiving yards.

Cephus will be joining Malik Washington on the West team facing off against Hightower and Borgonzi's defense. The two Bears assistant coaches will get a good look at both wide receivers throughout the week and especially on Thursday.

Cephus is just yet another wide receiver prospect the Bears could potentially have on their radar to potentially select at some point during April's draft. With a good impression and a solid performance throughout the week, he can really make an impact on some of the top scouts and front office executives in attendance.