The New Orleans Saints will have a heavy presence at this year’s East-West Shrine Bowl, which makes sense given how many future NFL players have participated in the event. And the 2024 draft class is following that pattern.
Three Saints assistant coaches have been assigned to work with draft prospects at this year’s Shrine Bowl, all on the West Team. It’s as good an opportunity for future pros to work with NFL coaches as it is for each of these men to advance their careers.
Here’s a quick look at them and the players they’ll be working with:
Jahri Evans
The Saints’ assistant offensive line coach under Doug Marrone has strong credentials; he’s a finalist for consideration in this year’s Pro Football Hall of Fame class after earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro recognition with New Orleans as a player. Now he’s looking to continue his career as a coach.
Here are the West Team offensive linemen he’ll be coaching:
- OT Anim Dankwah (Howard)
- OT Josiah Ezirim (Eastern Kentucky)
- OT Tylan Grable (UCF)
- OT Garret Greenfield (South Dakota State)
- OT Matt Goncalves (Pittsburgh)
- OG CJ Hanson (Holy Cross)
- OG Donovan Jennings (South Florida)
- OG Mason McCormick (South Dakota State)
- OG Doug Nester (West Virginia)
- OG Willis Patrick (TCU)
- OC Matt Lee (Miami)
- OC Dylan McMahon (NC State)
- OC Nick Samac (Michigan State)
Matt Giordano
An assistant coach in the secondary, Giordano played for Dennis Allen a decade ago on the Raiders and did well working with New Orleans’ defensive backs last season. The Saints intercepted 18 passes after picking off just 7 of them a year earlier.
The defensive backs Giordano will be coaching at the Shrine Bowl include:
- CB Beanie Bishop (West Virginia)
- CB MJ Devonshire (Pittsburgh)
- CB Myles Harden (South Dakota)
- CB Daequan hardy (Penn State)
- CB Dwight McGlothern (Arkansas)
- CB Jarius Monroe (Tulane)
- CB Christian Rolland-Wallace (USC)
- CB Ja’Quan Sheppard (Marylannd)
- CB Quann’tez Stiggers (Toronto Argonauts)
- S Dominique Hamptonn (Washington)
- S Jaylen Key (Alabama)
- S Tyler Owens (Texas Tech)
- S Mark Perry (TCU)
- S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (Texas Tech)
- S Ryan Watts (Texas)
Adam Gristick
Gristick has worked as an assistant linebackers coach with the Saints, but he could be in for a larger role if Michael Hodges leaves for a promotion on the New England Patriots’ staff.
He’ll be coaching these West Team linebackers:
- Levelle Bailey (Fresno State)
- Steele Chambers (Ohio State)
- Dallas Gant (Toledo)
- Curtis Jacobs (Penn State)
- Darius Muasau (UCLA)
Saints' history with the Shrine Bowl
The Saints added eight players (nearly nine) from last year’s Shrine Bowl rosters, including two draft picks: Minnesota safety Jordan Howden and Wake Forest wide receiver A.T. Perry. Both of them were late-round picks who outperformed expectations, and they should each be in line for larger roles this year.
Other players who were either signed to the offseason roster for training camp or brought onto the practice squad include wide receiver Shaquan Davis, linebacker Anfernee Orji, and offensive lineman Mark Evans II (each of whom signed lucrative undrafted free agent contracts with the Saints) as well as defensive tackles Jerron Cage and P.J. Mustipher, plus running back Jordan Mims. A ninth Shrine Bowl player, tight end Joel Wilson was going to sign with the Saints but couldn’t be medically cleared after an injury.
