Courtesy of WKU Athletics
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Six WKU Football players have been selected to the Shrine Bowl 1000 Watchlist, the East-West Shrine Bowl announced Tuesday.
Representing the Hilltoppers on the list are defensive backs Upton Stout and Anthony Johnson Jr., offensive lineman Quantavious Leslie, receivers Dalvin Smith and Kisean Johnson, and quarterback TJ Finley.
The list recognized the top 1,000 all-star game eligible players in college football.
Smith enters his sixth season with the WKU Football program and is expected to be a big contributor in the receivers room. Smith appeared in 11 games with nine starts at receiver during the 2023 season for the Hilltoppers and finished as WKU’s second-leading receiver with 513 yards and six touchdowns on 50 catches. He posted a season-high three touchdowns in the Famous Toastery Bowl win, including two one-handed grabs, as well as a season-high nine catches.
Stout put up big numbers in an injury-shortened season in 2023. He appeared in seven games with six starts for the Hilltoppers during the 2023 season and was a big-time play maker in the secondary. Despite missing five games to injury, he finished the year with 29 total tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, an interception, five quarterback hurries, and eight pass breakups. His interception came in the 52-22 victory over Houston Christian, and he returned the ball 53 yards for a touchdown. He posted his second defensive touchdown of the season in the regular-season finale at FIU on Nov. 25 when he recovered a fumble and returned it 16 yards to the end zone.
Anthony Johnson Jr. capped off his first season at WKU last year with Famous Toastery Bowl Defensive MVP honors. He appeared in 10 games with nine starts at cornerback in 2023. He recorded 44 total tackles – fifth-most on the team – with one tackle for loss, a fumble recovery, four interceptions, five pass breakups, and one blocked kick. Johnson had a season-high eight tackles and a crucial interception in the Famous Toastery Bowl. Johnson’s four interception on the season led WKU and his 0.4 interceptions per game led Conference USA – WKU’s 26 turnovers gained led CUSA and were tied for seventh nationally – while his 0.9 passes defended per game ranked fourth in the league. Johnson received CUSA All-Conference Honorable Mention honors.
Leslie has been a longtime contributor at left guard for the Hilltoppers and enters his fourth year as a starter. In 2023, he started all 12 of the team’s regular-season games, helping the Hilltoppers finish second in Conference USA and tied for ninth nationally in sacks allowed with just one per game.
Finley is entering his first season at WKU after stops at Texas State, Auburn, and LSU. He spent last season with the Bobcats and received All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention, Phil Steele All-Sun Belt Fourth Team, Manning Award Watch List, and Davey O’Brien Award Midseason Watch List recognitions. He was named Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week after leading Texas State to a victory at Baylor in Week 1, he was a two-time Manning Award Star of the Week, and a Davey O’Brien Great 8 selection during the 2023 season as well. He finished the year throwing for 3,439 yards and 24 touchdowns to just eight interceptions on 279-of-414 passing while starting all 13 games. He also rushed for 81 yards and five touchdowns. Finley set the Texas State program record for passing yards in a season, finished 17th in the country in passing yards, ranked 23rd in the nation in passing yards per game and passing touchdowns, ranked 16th in the country in completion percentage, and was 23rd in passing efficiency. He helped the Bobcats have the 15th-best offense in the country (457.6 yards per game) and the 28th-best passing offense (270.9 yards per game). He led Texas State to its first-ever win over a Power Five team with the victory against Baylor and to the program’s first bowl win with a 45-21 win over Rice in the First Responder Bowl.
Kisean Johnson also enters his first season with the Hilltoppers this fall after being Alabama State’s most productive receiver over the past two seasons. He was named an All-America Third Team member by FCS Football Central and a First Team All-SWAC selection after leading the league in receiving yards (819/24th FCS), receiving yards per game (81.9/18th FCS), receptions per game (6.2/15th FCS), and receiving touchdowns (7). He was fourth in the SWAC in scoring with 4.8 points per game and fourth in total touchdowns with eight.
Each year, hundreds of the top collegiate stars are either taken in the NFL Draft or sign as free agents, and the East-West Shrine Bowl provides these NFL hopefuls with an excellent opportunity to showcase their skills while supporting the life-changing mission of Shriners Children’s.
The 100th East-West Shrine Bowl is scheduled for January 30, 2025, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Several former Hilltoppers have played in the East-West Shrine Bowl in recent years, including quarterback Austin Reed in 2024, defensive lineman Brodric Martin and Kahlef Hailassie in 2023, and Jerreth Sterns in 2021.
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