ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Northwest football alumnus and Kentucky cornerback Brandin Echols has accepted an invite for the 96th East-West Shrine Bowl, the event organizers announced on social media last week. 

Echols is one of numerous current college football standouts invited to the annual event, which benefits Shriners Hospitals for Children and also provides seniors with a chance to showcase their skills for professional scouts.

Although this year's game will not take place due to COVID-19 concerns, Echols and other student-athletes will participate in virtual training sessions in conjunction with the National Football League in order to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft. The student-athletes will participate in various virtual training/informational drills with current NFL coaches and members of the NFL Operations staff. Some 2021 selections will also participate in various virtual experiences with Shriners Hospitals for Children patients, in recognition of the game's nearly century-long commitment to supporting the health care system's life-changing mission.

A native of Southaven, Echols played in all 10 of Kentucky's games this fall, tallying 47 total tackles, two tackles-for-loss and two pass breakups. His career stats with the Wildcats include 101 total tackles, 11 passes defended, 4.5 tackles-for-loss, two forced fumbles and a sack. 

Echols was also named to the Reese's Senior Bowl Top 250 before the start of the 2020 season, joining former Northwest teammate and Ole Miss defensive lineman Tariqious Tisdale.

Prior to his time in Lexington, Echols was part of a strong secondary unit at Northwest from 2017-18 and boasted first team All-MACJC and All-Region 23 honors, before earning second team NJCAA All-American accolades in 2018. He posted 83 total tackles during his two seasons in Senatobia, along with 17 pass breakups and nine interceptions.

Echols was one of many Northwest defensive backs to sign or walk-on at the Division I level, a list that includes former teammates Joshua Norwood (West Virginia), Marlon Character, Jr. (Louisville), Jerrick Reed II (New Mexico), Devin Rockette (South Alabama), Malik Sanders (UMass/Mississippi State) and Chris Stamps (Middle Tennessee).

Thousands of East-West Shrine Bowl players have gone to the NFL in the past century, including 78 who went on to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Last year's East-West Shrine Bowl saw more than 100 of its participants land a spot on NFL rosters for the 2020 season. Some of the many college all-stars who played in past games include Tom Brady, Gale Sayers, John Elway, Lawrence Taylor, Pat Tillman, Brett Favre, Dick Butkus, Mike Ditka, Frank Gifford and Roger Staubach.