USF tight end Mitch Wilcox invited to East-West Shrine Bowl

Bulls fifth-year senior tight end Mitch Wilcox, widely considered the top draft prospect on the 2019 team, has accepted an invitation to play in the East-West Shrine Bowl on Jan. 18.

The game again will be played at Tropicana Field and broadcast on the NFL Network. Kickoff is at 3 p.m.

A Tarpon Springs High alumnus and 2018 first-team All-American Athletic Conference pick, Wilcox is ranked the No. 6 tight end prospect in the 2020 draft by ESPN’s Mel Kiper. NFL.com senior analyst (and former Cowboys longtime executive) Gil Brandt ranked him the No. 4 prospect earlier this year.

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Wilcox owns every significant Bulls tight end receiving record including career receptions (97), receiving yardage (1,314) and touchdown catches (11). His numbers this season (25 catches, 338 yards, five TDs) have diminished somewhat from 2018 (43 catches) in new coordinator Kerwin Bell’s system, but his skills as a blocker have been showcased in some contests.

USF has had at least one representative in the Shrine Game every year since 2007.