Trio of LSU wideouts accept invites to the East-West Shrine Bowl

A trio of LSU wideouts accepted invites to the East-West Shrine Bowl this week. Zavion Thomas, Aaron Anderson, and Chris Hilton will all participate in the Texas-based bowl game. Those three will join linebacker Harold Perkins as the four LSU Tigers to accept invites.

After transferring in from Alabama for the 2023 season, Anderson racked up 1300 yards on 106 catches during his three years in Baton Rouge. His most successful season came in 2024 when he tallied 864 yards and accounted for five touchdowns. 

Zavion Thomas transferred to LSU in 2024 after spending two seasons at Mississippi State. Thomas totaled nearly 1200 yards receiving during his four-year career and was featured in the run game during his two seasons at LSU, tallying 5.1 yards per carry. 

Chris Hilton leaves LSU as one of the more tenured players. During his five-year career, he battled injuries, playing double-digit games in a season just twice. Hilton tallied 713 yards on 38 catches and six touchdowns. 

While Hilton and Thomas have exhausted eligibility, Anderson did have one year remaining. Traditionally, entering one of these postseason bowl games signals the end of your college career. 

History of the East-West Shrine Bowl

The East-West Shrine Bowl is the longest-running college all-star football game in the nation. An important part of America’s football tradition, the event gives top college players a chance to showcase their talents to NFL scouts and a national television audience.

For more than 90 years, some of football’s greatest athletes and coaches have contributed to the tradition of the East-West Shrine Bowl. Players like Tom Brady, Walter Payton, Lawrence Taylor, John Elway, Gale Sayers and Jimmy Garoppolo, played in the East-West Shrine Bowl along with coaches Don Shula, Dick Vermeil, Paul “Bear” Bryant and Jerry Glanville, to name a few, have supported the East-West Shrine Bowl.

Watch live on NFL Network, or experience the action in-person on game day.

Since 1925, the East-West Shrine Bowl has benefited Shriners Children’s and its mission to provide excellent specialty care for children. This unique health care system provides excellent care for children with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate, regardless of the families’ ability to pay for services. This special game helps raise the profile of Shriners Children, so that we can continue to offer hope and healing and reach more kids in more places. Through the experience, everyone connected with the East-West Shrine Bowl gains a deeper understanding of the amazing patients who receive care at Shriners Children’s and the ways that they can support the health care system.