Elite UH safety named to college football showcase preseason watchlist

HONOLULU – The pros have eyes on Hawaii.

University of Hawaii safety Peter Manuma was named to the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 on Monday, the lone Rainbow Warrior to appear on the preseason watchlist. The senior looks to be the first UH player in fourth-year head coach Timmy Chang’s tenure to be selected to the final roster of the annual college all-star showcase.

A three-time all-Mountain West honorable mention, Manuma made an instant impact after joining the Rainbow Warriors as a true freshman in 2022. The ‘Ewa Beach native was the only freshman in the country to accumulate 70+ tackles, 2+ interceptions and a sack as he racked up 13 starts in his debut campaign.

His sophomore season continued the elite on-field production with another three picks and a team-leading 87 tackles (5.5 TFLs) as he started all 13 contests on the way to another all-conference honor to end the year. Manuma missed nearly three full games due to injury as a junior but still was recognized by the conference thanks to his elite coverage and production when on the field.

UH has not had a player on a final Shrine Bowl roster since 2022 when former RB/WR Calvin Turner suited up for the 97th edition of the all-star showcase. If Manuma is selected to play in the game, he would become the 21st Rainbow Warrior to take part in the event.

Hawaii saw both Steven McBride and Virdel Edwards II named to the preseason watchlist last year, but Edwards missed 2024 due to injury and received a medical hardship waiver to return this season while McBride did not suit up for the Rainbow Warriors after becoming ineligible.

Players who are eligible college seniors with potential to make an NFL roster qualify for consideration to make the final roster for the all-star game, regardless of which collegiate division (i.e. Division I, II, III, JUCO, etc.) they compete in. The 1,000-player list will be sliced down into a pool of around 150 finalists for the game at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas on January 27, 2026 with the help of input from all 32 NFL teams.

51 Shrine Bowl participants from the 2025 event heard their names called during April’s NFL Draft. Boise State EDGE Ahmed Hassanein (R6, P196 – Detroit Lions) and UNLV WR Ricky White III (R7, P238 – Seattle Seahawks) both were invited to this past season’s Shrine Bowl and saw their draft stock rise after the event.

Manuma would be just the third-ever defensive back from the University of Hawaii to play in the game, joining Kelvin Millhouse (’04) and Ryan Mouton (’09). The Shrine Bowl (and other all-star events) can increase chances at securing an invite to the NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis where various athletic tests and face-to-face meetings with teams are conducted.

Other Hawaii Football X Shrine Bowl fun facts

• The first UH player to appear in a Shrine Bowl was Bruce Cruickshank, way back in 1928 in just the fourth-ever iteration of the all-star event.
• 20 Rainbow Warriors have taken part in the longest running football all-star game.
• Calvin Turner (’22) is the only UH player to ever play for the East Team in the game; the other 19 participants played for the West Team.
• Two current Rainbow Warrior coaches are Shrine Bowl alumni, head coach Timmy Chang (’05) and associate head coach Chris Brown (’03).
• Chang is the only UH quarterback to participate in the event.
• The Shrine Bowl’s longest stretch without UH player on the roster was 27 years between the 25th and 51st games (1949-1976).
• The trenches have produced the most invites for Hawaii, with 12 of the 20 players coming from either the offensive or defensive line.
• Hawaii sent at least one player to the event in four straight years from 2002-2005 and had representation in 9-out-of-11 games from 2002 through 2012.

20 players for UH who played in Shrine Bowl:

• Calvin Turner (97th Shrine Bowl, 2022)
• Dejon Allen (93rd Shrine Bowl, 2018)
• Vaugn Meatoga & Kaniela Tuipulotu (87th Shrine Bowl, 2012)
• Alex Green & Laupepa Letuli (86th Shrine Bowl, 2011)
• Ryan Mouton (84th Shrine Bowl, 2009)
• Jason Rivers (83rd Shrine Bowl, 2008)
• Tala Esera (82nd Shrine Bowl, 2007)
• Timmy Chang & Chad Owens (80th Shrine Bowl, 2005)
• Kelvin Millhouse (79th Shrine Bowl, 2004)
• Chris Brown (78th Shrine Bowl, 2003)
• Manly Kanoa (77th Shrine Bowl, 2002)
• Taase Faumui (69th Shrine Bowl, 1994)
• Jason Elam (68th Shrine Bowl, 1993)
• Faliniko Noga (59th Shrine Bowl, 1984)
• John Woodcock (51st Shrine Bowl, 1976)
• Harry Kahuanui (25th Shrine Bowl, 1949)
• Bruce Cruickshank (4th Shrine Bowl, 1928)