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 Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game

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El-Gonzo Jackson

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PostSubject: Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game   Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game EmptyFri Jan 22, 2016 7:15 pm




Top 10 most intriguing East-West Shrine Game prospects


By Chad Reuter
Draft analyst
Published: Jan. 15, 2016 at 01:42 p.m.




Next week's East-West Shrine Game, held in St. Petersburg and televised by NFL Network, is the first step in the postseason NFL draft process. More than 100 players get their chance to leave an impression with NFL scouts, showing off their athleticism against top-level competition while proving to league personnel men that they can take coaching and absorb new information in a short period of time.

Even among the best college football players in the country, league general managers and scouts have special interest in a few prospects with something to prove in an all-star game. It could be someone expecting to make a position change in the NFL, lacking great size or speed but still quite productive, adjusting to a higher level of competition after starring in FBS, Division II or Division III, or showing off their athleticism that wasn't always utilized to its fullest in their offense or defense.

Here are the top 10 players most intriguing to NFL scouts in this year's Shrine Game:

1. Keenan Reynolds, RB, Navy: The FBS all-time career leader in touchdowns, rushing touchdowns, and rushing yards by a quarterback is making the official move to the running back spot for Shrine Game practices. Considering he ran twice as often as he threw as the Midshipmen's quarterback (977 rushes versus 462 passes), some could argue this isn't really a position change. He showed toughness and agility as a runner in the triple-option throughout his four years in Annapolis, but the Heisman candidate will have to show scouts he can find holes and take advantage of them in a pro-style offense.

2. Vernon Adams, Jr., QB, Oregon: Anyone who watched the Ducks this year knows that the team was completely different with anyone other than Adams leading the way (see their Alamo Bowl loss to TCU). He learned Oregon's offense quickly after coming over from Eastern Washington for his final collegiate season, gaining the respect of his teammates right off the bat. He kept that respect by trying to play through injuries multiple times. Adams is not a run-first passer by any means, can calmly look for second and third options in the pocket, delivers an accurate and catchable ball, and has a very good arm. If he can become a leader of his teammates in a short practice week and stick in the pocket to make NFL-caliber throws to receivers with whom he's just met, teams will have an even higher regard for his skills.

3. Devon Cajuste, WR/TE, Stanford:
This large receiver (6-foot-4, 227 pounds) wasn't utilized as much as he could have been by the Cardinal this year -- partially because they needed to feed Christian McCaffrey as much as possible. But when given the chance to shine, Cajuste did just that; he made five catches for 125 yards and a touchdown against Notre Dame. Much like last year's second-round pick, Devin Funchess, Cajuste is destined for the Y-spot in an NFL offense, utilizing his height and hands over the middle and in the red zone. A big week in St. Pete, along with strong workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine, could cement a top-100 draft grade.


4. Javon Hargrave, DT, South Carolina State: This two-time Associated Press FBS All-American had 29.5 sacks and 45.5 tackles for loss the past two seasons for the Bulldogs. But now he's going to face three potential mid-round picks in Cincinnati's Parker Ehinger, Michigan State's Donavon Clark and N.C. State's Joe Thuney every day in practice. A strong performance by Hargrave attacking gaps and holding the point when necessary could take Hargrave from intriguing small-school star to valued mid-round interior defender.

5. Paul McRoberts, WR, Southeast Missouri State: Another exceptional talent at the FCS level, McRoberts (6-3, 197) displays quickness off the line and excellent hands and concentration to high point passes. He's scored nine times in each of the last three seasons, catching the attention of NFL scouts. McRoberts and similarly sized UMass receiver Tajae Sharpe will have their hands full with talented cornerbacks such as Brian Poole (Florida) and D.J. White (Georgia Tech) during practice, so they'll get a chance to prove their ability to be physical on short routes and gain separation downfield.

6. Nate Sudfeld, QB, Indiana: In some ways, Sudfeld is a known quantity to NFL scouts. He started parts of two seasons and then stayed healthy as a senior, earning consensus third-team All-Big Ten honors (3,573 passing yards, 27 TD, 7 INT). However, passers such as Sudfeld with NFL size (6-6, 240), arm strength, and some mobility will be highly scrutinized at an all-star game. In a quarterback class full of question marks, a good week for Sudfeld could push him up boards for at least a couple of teams looking for a future starter.

7. James Cowser, DE, Southern Utah: The Thunderbirds have relied on Cowser to bring the heat off the edge for four years. He produced 42.5 sacks during his career among his 80 tackles for loss, using strength and hustle to dominate lesser tackles at the FCS level. If he regularly beats East team tackles Brandon Shell (South Carolina), Keith Lumpkin (Rutgers), Taylor Fallin (Memphis) and Fahn Cooper (Ole Miss), scouts will believe he can make a significant contribution on Sundays.


8. Darion Griswold, TE, Arkansas State
: The Red Wolves ranked 85th in the FBS with 207 passing yards per game in 2015, so it's not really a surprise that he had just 13 catches and 187 yards and two scores. Given the growing importance of athletic tight ends in the NFL game, however, Griswold has a great opportunity to show off strong hands and agility in drills and scrimmages throughout practice week.

9. Stephane Nembot, OT, Colorado:
One of the more interesting personal stories in the draft class, Nembot (name-bot) grew up in Cameroon and came to America to play basketball. But as his frame filled out (6-7, 315), it was clear that the offensive line was where he belonged. He took over at left tackle for the Buffaloes halfway through his senior year after playing on the right side for two-plus seasons. No matter where the Shrine Game coaches line him up, scouts who haven't seen his rangy frame and tenacity as a run blocker should be colored impressed.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000623096/article/top-10-most-intriguing-eastwest-shrine-game-prospects
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El-Gonzo Jackson

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PostSubject: Re: Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game   Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game EmptyFri Jan 22, 2016 7:21 pm

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- More than 100 hopefuls for the 2016 NFL Draft made their final practice impressions on NFL scouts Thursday before playing in Saturday's East-West Shrine Game at Tropicana Field (4 p.m. ET on NFL Network), and quite a few of them performed well enough to, at the least, buy themselves a closer look from the NFL clubs that took notice. College Football 24/7 takes a look at seven players from the East-West Shrine Game who have a strong chance to be selected in the 2016 NFL Draft:

1. Javon Hargrave, DT, South Carolina State

Hargrave was consistently a headache for East offensive linemen during the practice week with first-step quickness that created backfield disruption. Hargrave is a primarily 3-tech defensive tackle prospect for a 4-3 defense, and made an early impression on NFL Media analyst Mike Mayock. Analyst Daniel Jeremiah, in fact, found Hargrave to be the best player at the entire event. Following practices, Hargrave was a popular introduction for NFL scouts on hand. He once had six sacks in a single college game and is shaping up to be an attractive draft sleeper who could surprise at next month's NFL Scouting Combine.

2. Graham Glasgow, C, Michigan

The Michigan center had a strong week and was clearly one of the most dominant offensive linemen on either Shrine roster this week. He took command on the offensive front and should have a fun battle Saturday with the likes of Shrine West DT Luther Maddy of Virginia Tech. Mayock saw him as a future NFL starter, and NFL Media's Lance Zierlein regarded Glasgow among the top players he saw in St. Petersburg, as well.

3. Devon Cajuste, WR, Stanford

Cajuste's size (6-foot-4, 227 pounds) was a problem for the West secondary all week, and he caught the ball away from his body all week, as NFL receiver coaches prefer. NFL Media analyst Lance Zierlein named Cajuste his top performer for the practice week. Also, an NFC personnel executive was high on the former Cardinal, noting he would have been a better fit for the more competitive Reese's Senior Bowl next week.

4. Geronimo Allison, WR, Illinois


NFL Media analyst Bucky Brooks named Allison as his top player of the week, and Shrine West coach June Jones was equally impressed. "He's got a chance to be a good one, because he's got size, great concentration on the ball, and he's smart. That's a good combination," Jones said. A NFC scout told College Football 24/7 that Allison is the Shrine Game's most polished prospect at the wide receiver position.

5. Victor Ochi, DE, Stony Brook

There was plenty of scouting chatter about the 6-2, 255-pound defensive end during the week, and Shrine West defensive coaches took to Ochi, as well. He impressed both Jeremiah and Zierlein during the week, while Mayock liked the way he controlled blockers with his hands. Ochi figures to be a key factor in Saturday's game.

6. Hunter Sharp, WR, Utah State

Jeremiah found Sharp to be one of the best five players on hand, and his coach took notice, as well. "He had an unbelievable day Wednesday," Shrine West coach June Jones said, adding that Sharpe missed practice with an injury Thursday and isn't expected to play Saturday. "Undersized guy, but what acceleration." Click here to see one of Sharp's most impressive plays of the week.

7. De'Vondre Campbell, LB, Minnesota

Campbell was one of most physically impressive players on either roster at 6-5, 239 pounds, and could be a nice immediate special teams help for an NFL team with the flexibility to draft a developmental linebacker. Campbell had a nice pass breakup in coverage Thursday on an out route thrown by Indiana QB Nate Sudfeld. An NFC college scouting director took notice.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000626526/article/javon-hargrave-three-wrs-grab-attention-at-shrine-bowl
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El-Gonzo Jackson

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PostSubject: Re: Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game   Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game EmptyFri Jan 22, 2016 7:25 pm

TAMPA, Fla. -- It's been a great week of practice here at the East-West Shrine Game. This game produces NFL starters and, on occasion, superstars. The Cardinals' John Brown (2014) and Panthers' Josh Norman (2012), who will face off on Sunday in the NFC Championship Game, are just a couple of the players that have used the Shrine Game as a launching pad for the their NFL careers in recent years.

Here are five players who stood out to me during the week of practice:

» South Carolina State defensive tackle Javon Hargrave has been the best player here. He has an excellent combination of quickness and power. He dominated the one-on-one drills.

» UMass WR Tajae Sharpe has been outstanding this week. He's big, smooth and athletic. He's a very precise route runner. He was the toughest matchup for opposing cornerbacks.

» Utah State WR Hunter Sharp had an up-and-down week. He's sudden off the line of scrimmage and he can separate down the field. The issue has been his hands. He'll make an impressive, extended catch and then follow it up with an easy drop. I'm excited to study him more on tape. Unfortunately, Sharp missed Thursday's practice and won't play in Saturday's game due to injury.

» Manitoba DT Ebuka Onyemata garnered a lot of attention for his play this week. He has a big frame and he has some shock in his hands. We've seen Canadian players (Akiem Hicks) vault up draft boards because of their performance at this game. He could be the next one.

» Arkansas State TE Darion Griswold had a solid week of practice. He has ideal size for the position and he's a smooth, easy mover in the passing game. He can extend and attack the ball, as well as track it naturally over his shoulder. This is a weak tight end draft class and he really helped himself this week.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000626747/article/javon-hargrave-tajae-sharpe-lead-shrine-game-standouts
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El-Gonzo Jackson

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PostSubject: Re: Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game   Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game EmptyFri Jan 22, 2016 7:40 pm

This Darion Griswold kid could be interesting later round pick. 6'5" 264 lbs. Was all conference basketball and football in highschool. Used a lot to block in space on bubble screens at Ark St. but is a good athlete and might be a developmental gem.
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pczach

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PostSubject: Re: Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game   Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game EmptySat Jan 23, 2016 5:58 am

It's that time of year again!

Thanks for the info. Here's where we start finding out how some of these guys handle things when they're out of their element.

How do they respond to coaching? How do they react playing in different systems? How do they do in individual matchups with the best players in the country? How do the players from smaller schools that don't have the talent level in their conferences hold up against talent from big schools? Who is able to learn quickly and retain what they have learned, and bring it to the field? Who has great technique and footwork, and who relies on pure athletic ability and reactions? Who is polished and ready, and who is not?

You really start getting a feel for guys that could really play.....and some that can't.

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PostSubject: Re: Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game   Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game EmptySat Jan 23, 2016 6:27 am

Practice week commentary


http://footballgameplan.com/fbgps-2016-east-west-shrine-game-coverage-east-team-practice-awards/

http://footballgameplan.com/fbgps-2016-east-west-shrine-game-practice-awards-west-team/

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El-Gonzo Jackson

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PostSubject: Re: Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game   Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game EmptySat Jan 23, 2016 7:26 am

Victor Ochi could be a later round OLB prospect. Nasty and physical at setting the edge in the run game apparently.
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pczach

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PostSubject: Re: Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game   Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game EmptySat Jan 23, 2016 10:01 am

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:
Victor Ochi could be a later round OLB prospect.  Nasty and physical at setting the edge in the run game apparently.


I agree. He has looked awesome in practice all week and looking unblockable. He shows explosiveness off the ball and the ability to use his hands, shows great body lean, and the ability to turn the corner and get to the quarterback. If he could do that consistently, he will have a great chance to take that to the next level and be a consistent threat. He has good size and strength as well. We'll find out more at the combine about the exact measurables and wingspan, but he looks the part from what I've seen of him.

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BlackAndGold

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PostSubject: Re: Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game   Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game EmptySun Jan 24, 2016 12:30 am

Ochi has a 7th round grade from most draft sites, but if he test well and shows he can stand up as a 34 OLB we're talking about a potential 3rd-4th rounder.

Steelers have had a lot of luck with small school guys at LB(Harrison, Porter, Lloyd etc) maybe he'll intrigue the FO?

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BlackAndGold

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PostSubject: Re: Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game   Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game EmptySun Jan 24, 2016 12:32 am

If we didn't have needs and had more draft picks I'd be find drafting Vernon Adams in round 3. But doubt he gets past SF in round 2.

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pczach

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PostSubject: Re: Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game   Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game EmptySun Jan 24, 2016 7:36 am

BlackAndGold wrote:
Ochi has a 7th round grade from most draft sites, but if he test well and shows he can stand up as a 34 OLB we're talking about a potential 3rd-4th rounder.

Steelers have had a lot of luck with small school guys at LB(Harrison, Porter, Lloyd etc) maybe he'll intrigue the FO?


They may have had him as a 7th rounder, but after watching him all week at practice and his performance in the game he's going to move up on everyone's boards.

He is so quick off the ball. He has that explosion to get the advantage at the snap and be able to blow by the OT or get him off balance to be able to easily counter him inside. His pass rush ability is obvious to the eye the first time you see him come off the ball. He's built thick too, with powerful arms like Harrison. He's listed at 6'2" 255.

I like him. The combine will tell us the real numbers, but when watching him on the field you can see the kid can play. He completely dominated a large number of the snaps from whoever was lined up against him from a few big schools.

We definitely need to keep our eyes on him.


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PostSubject: Re: Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game   Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game EmptySun Jan 24, 2016 7:41 am

BlackAndGold wrote:
If we didn't have needs and had more draft picks I'd be find drafting Vernon Adams in round 3. But doubt he gets past SF in round 2.


He does have a Russell Wilson quality about him. He's very athletic but is also very accurate throwing the ball.

When Wilson came out, I stated that he was going to be the steal of the draft. I'm not ready to say that yet about Adams. He's a little smaller than Wilson, particularly his hands, which will impact his play depending on the weather situation in the city of the team that drafts him. Wilson has huge hands for a man his size. It helps him grip the ball much better in bad weather.

But there is a lot to like about him.

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PostSubject: Re: Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game   Intriguing Prospects at East West Shrine Game EmptySun Jan 24, 2016 9:08 am



I happened to see some third tier all-star game... the National team versus the American team... the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl game or something.  

Two 7th round players:  
-Jatavis Brown, CB, Akron  
-Marquis Lucas, OG, WVU  

(Apparently, Brown played OLB at Akron, be he lined up as a CB in this game.)


.
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