East-West Shrine Game 2017 live stream: Time, TV schedule, and how to watch online

The historic All-Star game is an important opportunity for over 100 NFL hopefuls.

Jan 21, 2017, 1:00 PM UTC

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Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images

Just months ahead of the draft, 120 NFL hopefuls have accepted their invitation to participate in the 92nd Annual East-West Shrine Game. Looking to follow in the roughly 265 current NFL players before them, these collegiate standouts are now hoping to make a lasting impression on more than 300 scouts and team representatives.

Some of the nation’s best talent has spent the week preparing with former opponents and current NFL coaches for a game that will have a big impact on their draft stock. While not a definitive view of their pro-readiness, the East-West game offers one of the last opportunities for scouts to watch players compete on the field and not just in drills or in the weight room.

Coaching staffs are chosen by the NFL among current assistant coaches who are not advancing through the playoffs. Once coaches are nominated and selected, they then have to fill 12 “staff” vacancies with other assistants around the league who have been nominated by their franchise. The ultimate goal is to develop both the best NFL prospects and coaches with this opportunity.

This year’s teams will be led by Arizona Cardinals defensive line coach Brentson Buckner (East) and Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator George Edwards (West). Buckner is in just his fourth year as a coach in the league, but he was an All-American defensive tackle for Clemson (1990-1993) before being drafted by the Steelers to start his 10-year career. Edwards has 19 years of NFL coaching experience following a four-year linebacker career for Duke in the late ‘80s.

Quarterback alumni from the Shrine Game include Tom Brady and Brett Favre. This year’s passers include Gunner Kiel (Cincinnati), Wes Lunt (Illinois), and Zach Terrell (Western Michigan) for the West team.

After the first day of practice, NFL draft expert Mike Mayock noted that Kiel has “some zip on the ball.”

For Team East, the quarterbacks are Nick Mullens (Southern Miss), Cooper Rush (Central Michigan), and Alek Torgersen (Penn). Will Worth of Navy was also on the roster for the East, but he is recovering from foot surgery and won’t play.

It’s not just quarterbacks who get their start from the long-running All-Star game, either. NFL offensive rookie contributors from last year’s game include Titans WR Tajae Sharpe and Patriots guard Joe Thuney. Other notables for Mayock from this year’s class were TE Eric Saubert (Drake), OL William Holden (Vanderbilt), OT Sam Tevi (Utah), and TE Michael Roberts (Toledo).

With so much talent on both sides of the ball, there is a lot to keep track of during the busy week ahead of the big game. Two of last year’s standout defenders, Steelers defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and Broncos safety Justin Simmons, made their mark in their first year in the league. Hoping to follow in their footsteps is a host of secondary talent in a crowded defensive back class. A few to watch are Jeremy Cutrer (Middle Tennessee State), Fish Smithson (Kansas), Tedric Thompson (Colorado), and Treston Decoud (Oregon State).

Both players and coaches will be on display Saturday, as they all try to impress NFL front offices and scouts.