Have you ever imagined an Army Black Knight playing snaps at AT&T Stadium, the home of the Cowboys? Well, linebacker Kalib Fortner and safety Casey Larkin might earn the opportunity this year. The Dream Bowl just released its player watchlist, and both Larkin and Fortner were on it. Larkin joins Jaydan Mayes as defensive backs on all-star games’ radars. Larkin intercepted a team-leading 4 passes and had 51 tackles in 2024. Fortner has been a mainstay on the Army defense since 2023, totaling 149 tackles.
Army fans may be unfamiliar with the Dream Bowl, and that’s okay. The Dream Bowl primarily focuses on lower-division talent, and until recently has been played at relatively small venues in Salem, VA, and Little Elm, TX. However, the Dream Bowl increased its prestige with a move to AT&T Stadium starting with the upcoming postseason. So while the Shrine Bowl has more history, most players would probably prefer playing an all-star game at the Cowboys’ actual stadium over their practice facility.
All things considered, the Dream Bowl probably has the best venue of any game on the all-star circuit. The Hula Bowl — if it even exists this year — plays at UCF’s stadium. The Senior Bowl plays on South Alabama’s home turf. The Tropical Bowl, where wide receiver Casey Reynolds played this past postseason, plays at Bethune-Cookman’s 10,000-seat stadium. Finally, the new American Bowl plays at the home of the NAIA’s Southeastern University.
Compared to all of that, the Dream Bowl looks pretty darned appealing.
These games typically do not draw huge crowds aside from the Senior Bowl, so it will be interesting to see if the Dream Bowl’s move pays off. Regardless, it’s exciting to imagine two of Army’s biggest contributors following in the footsteps of Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.
Let’s talk about it. Would you rather see an Army player play in the East-West Shrine Game due to its history or the Dream Bowl due to its venue?
