The East-West Shrine Bowl features several of the best college football players in the nation, but HBCU standout Jarod Washington is leading the pack.

Washington has proven to be one of the fastest players at the Shrine Bowl, as he's clocked in at 21.33 mph. That places him ahead of LSU's Xavion Davis, who clocked in at 20.96 miles per hour, and Toledo's Avery Smith, who clocked in at 20.47 miles per hour. His speed and ability to make plays made him a standout as a defensive back for South Carolina State and a key contributor to their championship team.

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He finished the season with 35 total tackles, 32 of them solo tackles, one forced fumble, two interceptions, and 21 pass breakups. His play earned him the opportunity to compete in the East-West Shrine Bowl as he was given an invitation. He took it, and he tallied one pick-six—a 51-yard touchdown return.

His play earned him the title of MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, and also the 2025 Aeneas Williams Award. He was also a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award and the Stats Perform HBCU National Player of the Year. Washington looks to become the latest HBCU player to be drafted, as only one player was selected out of an HBCU last season: Alabama A&M offensive tackle Carson Vinson.