Photo courtesy: Mississippi State Athletics

A pair of Canadian prospects are slated to participate in the inaugural American Bowl all-star game this week in the hopes of raising their draft stock with NFL teams.

Defensive tackle Rene Konga and offensive lineman Albert Reese IV will take part in the event, which is slated to begin practices on Sunday at the University of Central Florida. The game will take place on Thursday at Victory Field in Lakeland, Fla.

Konga has spent the past two seasons at the University of Louisville, where he earned second-team All-ACC honours as a senior in 2025. The native of Ottawa, Ont., appeared in 23 games for the Cardinals, recording 49 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, four sacks, and six batted passes.

The six-foot-four, 300-pound interior defender began his collegiate career at Rutgers University in 2020. He played 21 games over four seasons at the school before transferring, notching 14 defensive tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, two batted passes, and a forced fumble.

Reese spent the entirety of his college career at Mississippi State University, where he appeared in 48 games and made 22 starts. The six-foot-seven, 330-pound blocker primarily saw action at right tackle and took home the Kent Hull Trophy in 2024 as the top collegiate lineman in the state of Mississippi.

A native of Edmonton, Alta., Reese is the son and namesake of former CFL defensive lineman Albert Reese, who played five seasons with the Green and Gold. In 84 games, he compiled 154 defensive tackles, 17 sacks, and a forced fumble, hoisting the Grey Cup in 2003.

Reese was the fifth-ranked prospect on the first edition of the CFL’s Scouting Bureau rankings, while Konga came in at number seven. Both players are expected to have some form of NFL interest.

The American Bowl was launched this season to fill the void left by the collapse of several other collegiate all-star games in recent years, including the NFLPA Bowl and the Tropical Bowl. The Guardians team, which features both Canadians, will be coached by former Atlanta Falcons bench boss Mike Smith, while the opposing Warhawks are led by former Baltimore Ravens head coach Brian Billick.

The game will be broadcast on NFL Network, with kickoff slated for 8:00 p.m. EST on Thursday, January 22.