Utah State QB-WR Duo Named to East-West Shrine Bowl Watch List

One of the Mountain West’s most intriguing quarterback/wide receiver combinations has received more recognition heading into the 2024 season.

Each year, the East-West Shrine Bowl offers college football players the chance to practice and compete in an all-star game in front of NFL scouts and coaches. Before the season, the Shrine Bowl releases a list of 1,000 draft-eligible players who are strong candidates for the game itself. That 2024 list was released this week and includes Utah State QB Spencer Petras and wide receiver Jalen Royals.

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Petras joined the Aggies this offseason after five seasons at Iowa, where he played in 37 games and threw for 5,199 yards. He was named Utah State’s starter this spring. The Royals, a senior, was recently named to the All-Mountain West preseason team and was named to the league’s all-conference team at the end of last season. The Royals caught 71 passes for 1,080 yards and 15 touchdown catches, a program record, in 2023.

Utah State will enter the 2024 season under interim head coach Nate Dreiling after Blake Anderson was fired from his post as the program’s leader earlier this month due to Title IX compliance violations. The Aggies open their new campaign on Aug. 31 when they host FCS Robert Morris.

The East-West Shrine Bowl will take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX on January 30, 2025.