Lee, Watson to Play in 92nd East-West Shrine Game
12/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeFB)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest senior linebacker Marquel Lee and senior cornerback Brad Watson have accepted invitations to participate in the 92nd East-West Shrine Game. The game will be held on Jan. 21, 2017 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. and will be broadcast on NFL Network.
Lee and Watson become the first Demon Deacons to be invited to play in the East-West Shrine Game since A.J. Marshall in 2014.
Lee leads the Demon Deacons in tackles this season with 98 while also recording a team-leading 19 tackles for loss. He also paces the Deacs in forced fumbles (3) and quarterback hurries (4), and ranks second in sacks with 7.5.
Watson ranks fourth on the team with 56 tackles on the season and second in interceptions with two. He is second on the team with six pass breakups and two fumbles forced. Watson also has one blocked kick on the season.
The East-West Shrine Game is a showcase for up-and-coming NFL talent as national media and scouts from every professional team spend the week in St. Petersburg to review the players. More than 100 players from last year's game were invited to NFL training camps and more than 70 made NFL rosters. Any given season there are about 265 East-West alumni on NFL rosters. More than 70 alumni have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, having showcased their talents on the East-West gridiron before launching their professional careers.
More than just a game, since 1925, the East-West Shrine Game has helped raise money and awareness for Shriners Hospitals for Children, a health care system with 22 locations dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing pediatric specialty care, innovative research and outstanding teaching programs for medical professionals. Children up to age 18 with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate are eligible for care and receive all services in a family-centered environment, regardless of the families' ability to pay.
About Shriners Hospitals for Children
Shriners Hospitals for Children is changing lives every day through innovative pediatric specialty care, world-class research and outstanding medical education. The 22 locations in the United States, Canada and Mexico provide advanced care for children with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate.
Shriners Hospitals for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and relies on the generosity of donors. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law. To learn more about Shriners Hospitals for Children, please visit shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.
