Two Mountaineers to Play in East-West Shrine Bowl Thursday Night

Catch a couple of former Mountaineers in action tonight on NFL Network.
West Virginia University defensive lineman Sean Martin (5).
West Virginia University defensive lineman Sean Martin (5). / Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

The West Virginia Mountaineers will be well represented in this year's East-West Shrine Bowl as cornerback Garnett Hollis Jr. and defensive lineman Sean Martin will be participating in the game in front of NFL scouts, coaches, and front office personnel. The game will kick off at 8 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on the NFL Network.

CB Garnett Hollis Jr.

West Virginia University cornerback Garnett Hollis Jr.
West Virginia University cornerback Garnett Hollis Jr. / Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

Hollis struggled during his lone season with the Mountaineers, but his length and size will be appealing to NFL scouts. He showcased his ability to be a solid cover corner at Northwestern, finishing his time there with 78 tackles, six pass breakups, and a pair of interceptions. For whatever reason, he just never looked comfortable in Jordan Lesley's defensive scheme. He did have some good outings, it just wasn't consistent enough. He finished the 2024 season with 46 tackles, six passes defended, one tackle for loss, and one fumble recovery.

DL Sean Martin

West Virginia University defensive lineman Sean Martin.
West Virginia University defensive lineman Sean Martin. / Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

Sean Martin's name never really populated the stat sheet on a weekly basis, but he made a lot of football-winning plays by setting the edge and allowing his teammates to create negative plays in the run game. While he never developed into a premier pass rusher, the tools are there for him to be a three or four-sack-per-season guy in the NFL. He finished his career at West Virginia with 100 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks.

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Schuyler Callihan
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN

Publisher of Mountaineers Now on FanNation/Sports Illustrated. Lead recruiting expert and co-host of Between the Eers, Walk Thru GameDay Show, Mountaineers Now Postgame Show, and In the Gun Podcast.