By ISU Sports Information
TAMPA, Fla. – Illinois State senior defensive back and All-American candidate Davontae Harris has accepted an invitation to play in the 93rd East-West Shrine Game.
The game will be held January 20, 2018, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. and will be broadcast live on the NFL Network and the East-West Shrine Game Radio Network.
Harris is the third Illinois State player selected to play in the prestigious game, joining Chad Pegues (1998) and Boomer Grigsby (2004). The Wichita, Kansas, native also joins an elite list of football greats, such as Tom Brady, John Elway, Brett Favre, and 74 NFL Hall of Famers, who have played in the East-West Shrine Game, in addition to more than 265 East-West Shrine Game alumni on NFL rosters each year.
“Accepting an invitation to play in the East-West Shrine Game means I have another opportunity to prove my place in the NFL Draft,” Harris stated. “It’s a great platform to establish myself in a prestigious bowl against top talent. Most of all, it’s a blessing and I wouldn’t be in this position without the grace of God, support of my family, and support of the Illinois state football program. I’ll represent this University with pride.”
A two-time All-Missouri Valley Football Conference First-Team selection, Harris led the Redbirds and tied for second in the MVFC with 14 passes defended (12 PBU, 2 INT) during the 2017 season. He also ranked third on the team with 57 tackles, including two sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss, and was credited with three quarterback hurries.
A strong performance at the East-West Shrine Game can greatly impact a player’s chances of a career in the NFL. More than 100 players from last year’s game signed with professional teams this spring, and more than 70 made final NFL rosters.
“The most important element of the East-West Shrine Game has always been supporting Shriners Hospitals for Children,” East-West Shrine Game Executive Director Harold Richardson said. “But during game week, it also affords our players an unmatched opportunity to showcase their talents and get their first taste of a potential career in the NFL.”
While the teams are divided by East and West, the players come together for the beneficiary of the event, Shriners Hospitals for Children®, an international pediatric specialty health care system that treats children in orthopedics, spinal cord injuries, cleft lift and palate, and burns, regardless of the families’ ability to pay.
