Marquan McCall accepts invitation to play in Shrine Bowl

The Kentucky football team has a bunch of individuals that will need to make NFL Draft decisions soon. Senior nose tackle Marquan McCall is one of those.

On Wednesday, the Detroit native accepted an invitation to play in the 2022 East-West Shrine Bowl.

TOUGH!😤

The #ShrineBowl is excited to announce that @UKFootball DT Marquan McCall has accepted his invite to the 2022 East-West Shrine Bowl! @MccallMarquan, we'll see you in Vegas! @ShrinersHosp | #ShrineBowlRoadToVegas🚘 pic.twitter.com/8FCa0HuLqN

— East-West Shrine Bowl (@ShrineBowl) December 22, 2021

One day after super senior Luke Fortner accepted an invitation, McCall will join his teammate out in Las Vegas for the college all-star game. The former top-200 recruit was Kentucky’s highest-ranked signee in the class of 2018.

After backing up Quinton Bohanna for three seasons, McCall stepped into a starting role as a senior. However, injuries played a part as the veteran zero-technique missed games against LSU, Georgia, Mississippi State, and Tennessee. However, when in the lineup, McCall has been a force and one of the best nose tackles in the SEC.

Heading into the Citrus Bowl, McCall has seven tackles and 3.5 non-sack tackles for loss as a two-gapper that constantly demands double teams.

Kentucky’s outlook at nose

Marquan McCall still needs to make a final decision, but accepting this invitation would seem to point to the senior moving on after the season. Kentucky certainly recruited that way in the class of 2022.

Both Quentel Jones and Deone Walker were signees who Kentucky brought in to play at the nose spot. The former will arrive on campus for the spring semester to participate in spring practice.

Currently, on the roster, sophomores Josaih Hayes and Justin Rogers platooned at nose tackle while McCall was out of the lineup this season. Each has gotten some pivotal playing experience and could be primed for breakthrough seasons as juniors in 2022. Expectations are still high for the former blue-chippers.

Long-term, Kentucky is in a good spot at nose if McCall decides to chase his NFL dreams following the Citrus Bowl.