Cal Poly edge rusher Elijah Ponder officially accepted his invite to the 100th East-West Shrine Bowl, announced on Monday.
Ponder was named to the Shrine Bowl 1000 watchlist over the summer after leading the Big Sky Conference with 10 sacks in 2023.
The Shrine Bowl is considered one of the top college football all-star games played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Shrine Bowl consists of players solely from the 2025 NFL Draft Class.
Notable players throughout all of college football, such as the University of Colorado’s Shadeur Sanders, have accepted invites.
Ponder ends his Cal Poly career earning Big Sky first-team all-defense after garnering seven sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss and 14 quarterback hurries. Ponder ended this season as third all-time in program history in career sacks with 27.
His 44 quarterback hurries put him at first all-time.
Ponder also participated in the 2025 Hula Bowl last Saturday in Orlando, Fla., getting more looks from scouts as he prepares for the 2025 NFL Draft in April. No Mustang has been drafted to the NFL since 2012.
