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Shrine Game Day 1 practice blog

By Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl


Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl are at the Shrine Game practices and are sending notes throughout the workouts on who's doing well and who's struggling. Keep refreshing to get all the news and notes from the Day 1 practices.


The right call
Arizona OT Adam Grant has a strong punch, and when he gets his hands on a defensive lineman, that guy isn't going anywhere. But one concern about him is that he overextends on the outside and can get beat on the inside. He's not able to recover. In fact, both Grant and LSU's Joe Barksdale are showing that they are right offensive tackles. They both show the same issues as far as sliding laterally and recovering after making false steps. They just can't do it, which is why they'll be on the right side rather than protecting the QB's blind side as left offensive tackles.

Klug keeps after it
Iowa's Karl Klug lined up at DT and DE during one-on-one drills. The downside is he doesn't appear to have the burst to turn the corner while playing DE, and he doesn't have the power to drive opposing linemen in the pocket while playing DT. The plus side is, and one of the reasons we liked him on film, is he's a high-effort guy with active hands, and those help make up for his weaknesses. He's not a prototype for either position, but his motor, hands and athletic ability help make up for that. He's the kind of player who can contribute to a defense despite some limitations.

Looking good
Oklahoma State Orie Lemon looks the part. He's got a very thick build and a strong lower half. He takes on blocks well, and we like his instincts. He's exposed in space a little but looks like a pure linebacker.

Switching it up
Nevada's Dontay Moch is playing some linebacker, and he's doing well with his hand up and playing in space. He's showing good lateral quickness and a very good closing burst. It'll be worth watching him to see if he keeps developing as he converts from DE to OLB.

Aloha, Alex Green
Hawaii RB Alex Green is undersized, but we like his quick feet. He has a great short-area burst and gets through the line of scrimmage quickly and runs downhill immediately. He's also catching the ball well. Green is pretty good in space and could be a change of pace back. He's having a good day so far.

Great Scott Maryland RB Da'Rel Scott has a good build at 5-11 and 205 pounds. He is a strong runner and runs behind his pads well. He has a good feel for the vertical cut and gets through the hole and through the line of scrimmage quickly.

Two against one
Tough start for Mississippi DT Farell Laurent. The 6-1, 303-pounder was just driven back 5 yards by a double-team during team drills.

Taking charge
Wisconsin QB Scott Tolzien is the leader of the West team so far. He has a limited arm, but he's in charge, is making good decisions and is the most comfortable quarterback on the team.

Just an observation It seems as though half the Boise State defense is on the West roster, with SS Jeron Johnson, CB Brandyn Thompson, OLB Winston Venable and DE Ryan Winterswyk all on the West team.

End game
Iowa's Karl Klug is 6-3, 270 pounds, but he looks like a defensive end. He has a linear build.

Bringing it early
There's a higher intensity for the offensive line at practice. Utah OG Caleb Schlauderaff and Fresno State OG Andrew Jackson are really coming off the ball during one-on-one offensive line work. You can hear the pads popping.

West getting ready
The West team is stretching and getting ready for their practice. We'll have updates from this practice as soon as they break into groups for drills.

A change will do him good?
Oregon DE Kenneth Rowe is a late add to the roster (obviously, since they put him on the East team). On the first day, he looks undersized (6-1½, 226 pounds) for a defensive end. He had a hard time holding up against the run during 9-on-7s. He doesn't have a great anchor (goes back to his size) and he has to win with quickness against both the run and pass. In 1-on-1s, anytime he was not able to win with his first step, he got beat. It was like he didn't know how to counter if his speed wasn't enough. During one drill, he stopped moving his feet before the drill was over. It wasn't for lack of effort, but almost as if he didn't know what to do now that he couldn't beat the lineman with his speed. Based on the fact that he's undersized for DE and has a hard time stopping the run and doesn't have the elite burst to turn the corner at the NFL level, we'll be spending the next few days to see if he has the athletic ability to move to 3-4 OLB. We'll be watching how he moves side-to-side, if he has to drop and open his hips in drills, how well he moves in bag work. Everything and anything to see his athletic ability to help us determine if he can make the move.

Slow start
Never want to read too much into QB play on Day 1, but Delaware's Pat Devlin struggled some. He was late on a lot of his reads and the ball took a nose dive anytime he was throwing into the wind. Again, it's just the first day and all QBs tend to struggle at the beginning, but there is a lot of room for improvement here.

Good and bad with Hines
Ohio State's Jermale Hines is a good-sized safety (6-2, 212 pounds). He's not huge but he's better against the run. We saw that on film and saw that some here as he takes good angles. But he is limited in pass coverage, and you saw that in 1-on-1s as he has slow feet in his pedals.

Little guys playing big
Division III Mount Union WR Cecil Shorts is a good-looking athlete. He has a solid build (6-1, 195 pounds) and while his hands aren't great, they are good. He has good concentration and does not let the ball get into his body. He does occasionally drop a ball, but we think he has a chance to play in the league. He gets separation and could be a No. 4 slot receiver.

Richmond CB Justin Rogers might not have the athletic ability or speed of some of the other prospects, but he showed great effort, was instinctive and jumped some routes. He was always in good position.

Playing center hardly a snap
Connecticut OG Zach Hurd is lining up at center, which is a good thing for him and shows his versatility. He looked good in the 9-on-7s (a running drill) and did a nice job blocking, but he was not nearly as quick getting set in the 1-on-1s. It looks like snapping the ball slowed him down a little. He had a hard time getting set, and the defensive linemen were already into their moves before he could get set. He struggled in pass-protection drills, but again, we think it had more to do with snapping then ball than his ability. It's not that he can't do it, it looks like he just needs more reps at center and snapping the ball.

Anchoring in
Illinois OG Randall Hunt looks very tall (6-6, 310 pounds) and got into trouble in pass-protection drills when he set too high. Early on, defensive linemen were having success driving him back, but as the drill progressed and he got more reps, he did a better job of sinking his hops; when he did that, he was very stout. He did the best job of all the interior linemen anchoring against Marvin Austin's power moves.

Tale of two linebackers
Georgia LB Akeem Dent (6-2, 238 pounds) has a nice build. He's been great at taking on and shedding blockers. He looks like a 3-4 inside linebacker. He shows some tightness in space, but after seeing him get rid of blockers, he looks perfect for a 3-4 defense.

Syracuse OLB Douglas Hogue showed quick feet and good agility moving side-to-side laterally. He's a little light in his frame (6-3, 230 pounds), however, and had problems taking on and shedding blockers.

Good feet, bad hands
Syracuse RB Delone Carter stood out during the inside run drill. We like the way he attacks the line of scrimmage. He has good leverage and runs behind his pads. He's a no-nonsense, one-cut runner. While he did well in the running drills, his hands are marginal. He had a lot of drops in passing drills. He has hard hands and let's the ball get into his chest.

Cooper starts strong
Miami RB Graig Cooper looks quick today. He did a good job of getting vertical in 7-on-7s and did a good job getting through the line. We also like the way he catches the ball. He showed good hands. The one thing to watch will be how he holds up. He had a knee injury heading into the year, and ankle issues also slowed him down some during his senior season.

Jean making an impression
Florida Atlantic WR Lester Jean is having a good day. He is a big (6-2, 200 pounds), good-looking athlete with deceptive speed. He finished the season strong, playing well against Texas DB Aaron Williams, and that is carrying over here today.

Austin not in football shape
One of the players everyone is watching in North Carolina DT Marvin Austin. The 6-foot-3, 315-pounder, who is rated as the No. 6 DT right now, was suspended by the NCAA for the season. He's doing all the right things so far -- he's first in line for all the drills, giving encouragement and high-fiving teammates -- and looks to be in shape, but it's clear that he is not. You can see it hitting him as drills go on, specifically in the heavy bag club-and-rip drill, where his legs seemed to give out a little at the end of the drill.

Coach 'em up
One of the big things is how players respond to coaching. Missouri State OG David Arkin and Clemson OT Chris Hairston are listening to coaches and working on their technique during individual offensive line drills on pass protection.

Game on
While yesterday's outdoor practice got rained out -- the teams did walk-throughs in the hotel ballroom -- and it's overcast so far today, the East team is out on the field and ready to go.
 
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Shrine Game Day 2 practice blog

By Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl


Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl are blogging from the Shrine Game practices. Keep checking in to see who's doing well and who's struggling. .


Sparty power
Michigan State S Eric Gordon is a late add, but he's been physical in coverage, maybe a little too physical at times, but he's been doing well. He made a nice play during team drills working against Purdue TE Kyle Adams. The QB was flushed out of the pocket and Adams, who's 6-5 and 250 pounds, tried to work back toward the QB. As the ball was thrown, Gordon, 6-feet and 230 pounds, laid out and knocked the ball down with his left hand.

Showing versatility
Penn State RB Evan Royster did a very nice job adjusting to the ball and catching it with his hands today. There are some concerns about his ability to run with power -- he can dance around a little in the backfield -- so he needs to show he can contribute as a third-down back, and he did that today.

Mr. Rogers' neighborhood
Richmond CB Justin Rogers continues to make plays. At 5-10, 181 pounds, he's limited and needs to get stronger, but he's very instinctive and plays the angles well. He's made a couple interceptions, including one where he tracked the deep ball, elevated and snagged the ball at its highest point.

Thomas struggling
Buffalo CB Joshua Thomas is not having a good day. He's tight in his backpedal, and it takes him time to transition and break forward. He also struggles at times to find the ball. He's in position, but he just struggles to get his head around and locate the ball. When he does find it, he shows great hands and can make plays. One time, he made a nice over-the-shoulder grab.

Shorts' day cut short Mount Union WR Cecil Shorts went down with what looked like a hamstring injury. He was having a good day. He has a good, athletic build. He is strong but undersized at 6 feet and 187 pounds. He has good quickness and burst, and you saw his savvy today when he found the open windows to sit in against zone coverage. He can also go up and make catches.

Toliver makes his mark LSU WR Terrence Toliver is having a better day. He's making some plays, using his body and going up to catch the ball well. He's a little inconsistent at times, but during red zone 1-on-1s he was very hard to stop. He was using his 6-5 frame to shield defenders and made a one-handed catch on a fade route. He showed good ability to adjust there.

He also had a nice catch on a back-shoulder fade during 7-on-7s in which he open his hips, adjusted to the ball and brought it in. More importantly, he's taking coaching well. WRs coach Shawn Jefferson has been working with him about staying lower on his release. The coach told him he had been coming out too high and allowed defenders to get into his frame, and Toliver has been listening and applying the lessons learned immediately.

Stay low
Inside linebackers Akeem Dent out of Georgia and Greg Lloyd out of Connecticut are filling hard, but they are playing too high and allowing blockers to get into them easily.

Sherman tank
Connecticut FB Anthony Sherman is not a great athlete, but he's runing hard inside and catching the ball well.

Lose control
Delaware QB Pat Devlin is having a better day today. Don't like that he'll miss targets at time and his arm strength is above average at best, and while he's playing in control sometimes you just wish he would let it rip more. It's like he's almost trying to aim it. You just want him to let it go and let 'er rip.

Strong start
Virginia Tech QB Tyrod Taylor was very accurate during 7-on-7s today, but remember that is when there is no offensive line. It will be interesting to see how he does when those big linemen get back in front of him.

Getting better all the time
One of the concerns about Syracuse RB Delone Carter after the first practice was his ability to catch the ball. He did not have a good day yesterday doing that. Today, he's off to a much better start. He's doing a better job of catching the ball with his hands. He double-clutched one pass and had to slow down on another to secure the ball, but he has yet to drop a ball today. So he's making progress in that area. It's always good to see players able to adjust and improve from day-to-day.

Day 2 under way
We're off and running for Day 2. The East team has the field to start. A couple of quick notes: Miami RB Graig Cooper showed good vision and made a nice cut to get upfield during 9-on-7 drills. He had a solid Day 1, and he's picking up where he left off.

Army outside linebacker Josh McNary is doing a nice job of setting the edge and keeping outside containment.
 
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Good feet, bad hands
Syracuse RB Delone Carter stood out during the inside run drill. We like the way he attacks the line of scrimmage. He has good leverage and runs behind his pads. He's a no-nonsense, one-cut runner. While he did well in the running drills, his hands are marginal. He had a lot of drops in passing drills. He has hard hands and let's the ball get into his chest.

He's one of my pet cats. He needs some coaching up with his pass catching skills, but he'll be drafted in the later rounds.
 

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Shrine Game Day 3 practice blog

By Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl


Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl are blogging from the Shrine Game practices this week. Here's a look at the Day 3 practice.


It was just shorts and shells today, so it was a lighter workout. Still, some performances caught our scouts' eyes.


West team

• We were really impressed with how well Wisconsin QB Scott Tolzien threw the ball today. He put a lot more zip on his passes and the ball was really coming off his hand well. He showed better than expected arm strength.

• SMU WR Aldrick Robinson did drop a pass during drills, but he continues to make plays during team periods. He finds ways to get open underneath and around the field.

• Southern Illinois CB Korey Lindsey made an interception during team period, but overall he does not have good ball skills. Even with that pick, you could hear it thud off his pads. He had another chance during team drills for an interception and he missed it. Even during individual drills when they were throwing balls at them, he dropped several balls he should have caught.

• Boise State CB Cortez Allen is clearly a Cover 2 cornerback. He just doesn't have the hip fluidity or quickness to hold up in a base, man scheme. He allows too much separation out of breaks, but he has the size and physical style of play to develop into an effective Cover 2 corner.

• Speaking of Boise State, Broncos CB Brandyn Thompson may have had his best practice of the week. We're impressed with his ability to read the QB and anticipate the route while still in his backpedal. He's limited in terms of burst and top end speed, but he shows good instincts and breaks on the ball earlier, which helps make up for the physical limitations.


East team

• Oregon's Kenneth Rowe and Florida's Justin Trattou stood out during the defensive line drills. But again, that's to be expected when it's just shorts and shells, as both are lighter defensive ends, and drills that focus on athletic ability and agility play to their strengths. Both looked good dropping in coverage -- they had ends dropping in angles in coverage, where defensive tackles would drop straight back like a middle spy -- and showed their athleticism.

Speaking of the coverage drills, USF DT Terrell McClain was good in his drops and showed good hands. He might have had the best return on an interception when he picked off a pass and used a stiff-arm on a return. North Carolina's Marvin Austin was also good in his drops, as was Richmond's Martin Parker.

On the flip side, Tennessee's Chris Walker and Penn State's Olong Ogbu looked a little stiff.

• After watching film earlier in the week on Indiana WR Terrance Turner, we were impressed with his hands, but he's had a disappointing week. We haven't seen what we saw on film. He dropped two passes today and either ran wrong routes -- he ran inside, the ball went outside -- or had some miscommunications with the quarterbacks.

• Terrence Toliver had another good day. Although it was a limited and light workout that wasn't at full speed, Toliver made the most of the opportunity. He caught the ball well (although he had one body catch) and was going hard, talking trash and working on his blocking.

• Clemson OT Chris Hairston is enormous. The 6-foot-7, 326-pounder has a huge frame and 35-inch arms, and we like his length. When he gets in position, he just engulfs defenders with his size and strength. He doesn't have the greatest feet and has problems with sudden movement or double moves. He is a right tackle thanks to his limited athleticism.

• Austin was the only lineman who wore down some during the day. Again, it's a matter of getting in better shape. He slowed flashes at time with his hand quickness and short area power.

• Of the three East tight ends -- Purdue's Kyle Adams, Texas' Greg Smith and Michigan State's Charlie Gantt -- Adams did the best job of catching the ball. He is the most consistent route-runner and shows good focus in traffic. Gantt is the best blocker of the three. Smith, 6-4, 250 pounds, looks small for the position. The only time he's effective blocking is when he's out in the second level, and he has not caught the ball well this week. He moves the best, but that's to be expected with his size. Adams and Gantt have a chance as late-round guys, but we don't know whether Smith with join them.

• Syracuse LB Douglas Hogue is not practicing, and no word was given why he was out.

• Georgia LB Akeem Dent has shredded this week. He is big and strong and looks the part. He has good instincts and seems to be the most NFL-ready of all these guys. Dent is not a great athlete and fits inside only in a 3-4 scheme, where he can be protected. He needs to keep playing low, but we can see him developing into a good backup or even a solid starter in a 3-4 scheme down the line.
 

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Best of the best

Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.


ORLANDO, Fla. -- With only a walk-through remaining, it's time to look at which player at each position has helped his stock the most this week.


Quarterback: Idaho's Nathan Enderle
He had the strongest arm and he improved every day. He also showed better mobility throughout the week. The hardest part of being a QB here is working with receivers, knowing routes and the timing. Today, he was comfortable with the receivers and getting the ball out earlier. He was more decisive and more accurate. He also has the strongest arm and spins it real well.


Running back: Hawaii's Alex Green
He is quick, doesn't dance in the backfield, gets downfield and finishes hard. We also noticed his hands. He is real smooth catching the ball out of the backfield. The only question is his anticipation and vision. Sometimes he's doesn't feel the hole. We didn' t have a draftable grade on him heading into this week, but we're going to take another look at him now. Any guy who weighs 227 pounds but runs like he's 210 has a chance.


Wide receiver: Florida Atlantic's Lester Jean
He's tall and well built. He's still learning to run routes and not the most sudden guy, but he drives guys off the line well and is physical and muscled defenders around. He also can catch the ball well vertically.


Offensive line: Fresno State's Andrew Jackson
He is really strong and showed really good footwork this week. He has good balance and is patient getting in his sets. And he has strong hands. When he gets hold of a defender, it's over. He has a strong punch and can anchor. Everything is compact from his steps to his hands, which are always in tight. He was one of the top linemen here this week.


Tight end: USC's Jordan Cameron
He did an excellent job of getting off the line of scrimmage. He has quick hands and quick feet. He's not the most polished route runner, but he's smooth and fluid. He's very natural adjusting to passes thrown outside the frame or extending on lower passes. He clearly has the most natural ability of all the tight ends.


Defensive line: USF's Terrell McClain
He is strong at the point of attack and just doesn't give ground. He controls blockers with his hands. He has violent hands to get off blocks and he has a power rush.


Linebacker: Nevada's Dontay Moch
He played defensive end in college, but came here and proved that he could play standing up. He's raw, but he's shown he can make the adjustment. We knew he was a good athlete and he showed it this week. He showed excellent ability to change of direction and has good, quick-twitch athleticism for his size. He's a bit raw in his understanding of passing lanes, routes and angles, and had a lack of anticipation in the passing game. But he took coaching well, worked hard and got a little bit better every day. He looks like he'll be able to play WILL linebacker in a 4-3 scheme, in which he can run around and make plays. He'll also bring value as a situational pass rusher off the edge with his quickness and speed.


Defensive back: Richmond's Justin Rogers
He looked comfortable with these guys, no worries about the fact he played at a small school. He has some limitations athletically and with his size, but he's smart, instinctive, opportunistic and plays the ball well. He took coaching well, learned from his mistakes and spent the week trying to be better.
 

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Todd McShay's top performers

East: Connecticut FB Anthony Sherman
He's undersized (5-11, 240 pounds) and fullbacks border on extinct in the NFL, but I was impressed with Sherman. He's competed all week. He's tough and has some power at the point of attack. He also has good hands. He caught the ball smoothly and got up the field. It's a pretty good fullback class and right now he's No. 6 in the class. He's a longshot to get drafted yet he's done nothing but help himself this week.

West: Nevada TE Virgil Green
Green has strong hands, a powerful upper body and is confident. On Wednesday, TE coach Jimmy Johnson implemented a drill for contact catches, draping himself all over the tight ends to see who could catch with defenders literally on them. Green was the strongest. He was catching the ball and bringing it in to his body despite Johnson being all over him. In another drill that focused on catching the ball on the sidelines and staying in bounds, Green was plucking it and tucking it.


Steve Muench's top performers

East: Virginia Tech QB Tyrod Taylor
It was a light practice and this really showcased Taylor's athleticism. He didn't complete a pass of more than 15 yards but was accurate. He really shined during the two-minute drill. He was accurate making passes and took control of the offense. But remember, there weren't any big offensive linemen in front of him to make it tougher to find throwing windows. Still, on a day when the intensity level was down, Taylor made the most of practice.

Idaho QB Nathan Enderle
It wasn't a perfect day for Enderle. He missed a couple throws during the two-minute drill and was not as effective when they had him move his feet, but he is a lot more mobile than we thought he was heading into the week. He also showed off good arm strength and touch. He zipped a rope to the TE in a tight window on one play, and on goal-line drills, he threw back-to-back perfect back-shoulder fades, one to the right and one to the left.


Kevin Weidl's top performers

East: Clemson OT Chris Hairston
It was tough to evaluate linemen in just shorts and shells, but Hairston showed good feet and I liked how he set up. He stepped back in his sets, showed good balance and did a good job shuffling his feet, sliding and mirroring defenders. He has good hands. He kept his hands inside, had quick contact, a good punch and good hand placement. He had good angles as a run blocker and a good inline power base. He had a good day and is one of the better offensive linemen at this game.

West: UCLA DT David Carter
We like his initial quickness, strength and wide lower half. He has good feet and good hands, and does a good job of using them when battling offensive linemen. He made a few plays throughout the day, especially in team drills, disengaging, then redirecting or stopping the run on the interior. He showed a good swim and inside rip move to win as a pass rusher.
 

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Saw the Clemson OT Hairston. I think many fewel that he will project to be a guard rather than an RT.
 

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Matchups to watch

Scouts Inc.


ncf_i_chrishts_200.jpg

Clemson's Chris Hairston has played well this week in practices, but still has some things to prove in Saturday's game.


ORLANDO, Fla. -- Finally, the players will get a chance to hit someone new. After a week of beating up on each other in team drills, here are matchups to watch when the East faces the West in the Shrine Game on Saturday.


East OT Chris Hairston (Clemson) vs. West OLB/DE Dontay Moch (Nevada)
Hairston, 6-foot-7 and 326 pounds, has great size, but the concern is how he handles a speed rusher and Moch will be a great test. Moch has made the change from defensive end to linebacker this week, which is where he will need to play in the NFL, but he still provides a great deal of speed when turned loose off the edge as a pass-rusher. It will be interesting to see how Hairston handles Moch in third-down situations. We'll watch if he sits low, how quickly and how wide he gets set and if he's able to ride the speed rusher Moch outside the edge and past the pocket.


East WR Lester Jean (FAU) vs. West CB Cortez Allen (Citadel)
Jean's hard work has paid off so far this week, but now we're interested to see him get challenged by a taller corner. We'll want to see how he catches the ball -- he's been a little inconsistent in this area -- and how he handles a longer corner like Allen (6-2, 186 pounds), who lacks good bulk but is adept at pressing wide receivers at the line of scrimmage.


East OG William Rackley (Lehigh) vs. West DT David Carter (UCLA)
Carter's done a great job of using his lateral quickness, quick hands and burst to beat some sluggish interior O-linemen this week. Rackley has done a great job of staying poised in his sets and not overreacting. He's been letting it come to him, been stout at the top of his sets and solid as a run-blocker. Carter will be challenged by Rackley, while Rackley, a small-school prospect, can help himself out by handling the quick DT from UCLA.


West TE Jordan Cameron (USC) vs. East S Jermale Hines (Ohio State)
Cameron is clearly the most athletic tight end on the West squad, but he's a better athlete than football player at this point. Defenders who get physical with Cameron usually take him out of his game. Hines is a physical safety who will test Cameron in that regard. Cameron is also known for being a better practice player than game producer, so it will be interesting to see if his strong showing during drills this week translates into live action on Saturday. Hines, on the other hand, is better in run support than he is in coverage. He lacks ideal fluidity and he tends to have trouble versus more athletic pass-catchers. Essentially, each player in this matchup has the skill set to exploit his opponent. So what wins -- athleticism and quickness or physicality and aggressiveness?


West WR Aldrick Robinson (SMU) vs. East CB Justin Rogers (Richmond)
Robinson has done an excellent job of using his silky smooth athleticism and savvy to consistently separate from coverage this week. The one area Robinson has had problems is against some corners who get physical with him. Rogers is not big but he's tough enough to push Robinson around from time to time. Rogers has excelled this week with sound technique, smarts and anticipating receivers coming out of their breaks. He'll need to do all of that against Robinson, who has better top-end speed and can out-run Rogers -- as a route-runner and/or after the catch -- if given the opportunity.
 

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Todd McShay's player to watch - Miami RB Graig Cooper

After suffering a major knee injury in 2009, Cooper struggled to regain his form in 2010. He got stronger as the season progressed and it has seemingly carried over here, but is he back to the full form of '09 (we gave him a late first-round grade based on his junior-season game tape)? No. Not by a long shot. But he has shown better burst and cutting ability than we saw of him during most games for the Canes this fall. He also continues to be one of the most natural pass-catchers in the 2011 running back crop. Now he'll be in game situations and getting hit. How does he respond?


Steve Muench's player to watch - Fresno State OG Andrew Jackson

With Jackson's strength, we expect him to dominate as a run-blocker. He's powerful, has a mean streak and look for him to get a good punch, lock on to the defender then finish him off with his lower body strength. We will be looking to see how he holds up in pass protection. He's been good in that area, but where he has excelled this week is how well he recovers after he is beat initially. We'll want to see how he battles in pass protection in the game.


Kevin Weidl's player to watch - Virginia Tech QB Tyrod Taylor

Taylor has reiterated that he is strictly a quarterback and has only taken snaps at that position this week. While we feel he has shown sufficient arm strength and touch, his below-average height as a pocket passer remains a significant concern. Taylor checked in at just under 6-foot-1 and he struggled to find passing windows throughout the week of practice during 11-on-11 sessions. We will be keeping a close eye on how well he throws from inside the pocket on Saturday. He'll face bland looks and won't see a lot of dynamic coverages, so he'll need to be accurate, get the ball out in time. He could have a great day in the eyes of the fans, with lots of good runs, or making passes on rollouts, but if he doesn't stay in the pocket, go through his reads and make passes over taller linemen to prove he can play QB at this level, then the week will not have been a success
 

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Delone Carter wins MVP as East rolls

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Marvin Austin kept mostly a low profile in the practice sessions leading up to the East-West Shrine Game.

After sitting out this past season following his involvement in the agent scandal that rocked North Carolina's football program, he had a lot to prove Saturday in the annual showcase for college seniors.

So grabbing a late-game fumble recovery for a touchdown to punctuate a 25-8 victory for the East over the West more than made his week in Orlando worthwhile.

"I sat the whole season out. Everybody knows it," Austin said. "People thought I was going to feel sorry for myself. ... A lot of people talk about my talent. They don't see the work I put in to try to be the best. They [the NFL] say they just want me to be confident and keep playing hard."

That workhorse spirit was exhibited throughout an East team that dominated the first major all-star game of the draft season.

Syracuse running back Delone Carter ran for a touchdown and was selected the offensive MVP and Richmond tackle Martin Parker had a pair of sacks and forced a fumble to take defensive MVP honors.

The East scored 19 points in the first half and recovered three fumbles. It also had a team safety.

Carter finished with 54 yards on 11 carries, while Virginia Tech's Tyrod Taylor had the best passing day for the East, going 4 of 5 for 59 yards.

Austin's highlight came with 3:41 left in the fourth quarter when West quarterback Jerrod Johnson of Texas A&M was sacked by Tennessee's Chris Walker inside the 2. The ball trickled into the end zone and was recovered by Austin.

Parker had 96 tackles this past season and 5½ sacks. He was projected to be a late-round pick, but said he ignored all of that this week.

"My goal coming down here was just to play a solid game and just show the scouts, [and] show the people what I could do," Parker said. "It never crossed my mind that I would go out there and be defensive player of the game. I'm really thankful and grateful for it."

The West managed just 14 yards rushing and had just eight first downs. Its lone score came on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Idaho's Nathan Enderle to Portland State tight end Julius Thomas with 2:44 left in the second quarter. The pair also hooked up for a 2-point conversion pass. Enderle was 6 of 12 for 45 yards.

The West's best effort on defense came from Oklahoma State linebacker Orie Lemon, who finished with eight tackles. He said he will let his play speak for itself regarding the future.

"I put it all in God's hands and I'll let him do his will," Lemon said. "Wherever he takes me, that's where I'm going."

The East led 19-8 at halftime, dominating the time of possession in the opening 30 minutes and riding the play of a stingy defense that had a pair of fumble recoveries.

West running back and Hawaii product Alex Green fumbled on the opening play of the game to set up a 16-yard touchdown run by Carter.

The lead grew to 9-0 with 8:59 left in the first quarter when Wisconsin quarterback Scott Tolzien was sacked at his own 5 by Oregon defensive end Kenny Rowe. The ball rolled into the end zone and was recovered by Illinois' Randall Hunt for a safety.

Following the free kick, the East capped the first extended drive of the day with a 4-yard touchdown run by Penn State's Evan Royster.

Auburn kicker Wes Byrum, who had the winning kick in the Tigers' national championship game win over Oregon, connected on one of three field goal attempts in the first half. He hit from 25 yards and had misses from 27 and 44 yards.

The East held the ball for 18:32 in the first half, compared to just 11:28 for the West. The East also had 11 first downs, to just four for the West.
 

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Stock report

Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.


ORLANDO, Fla. -- After watching a week's worth of practices and the game itself, here is a stock report from the Shrine Game:


Stock up

Syracuse RB Delone Carter
Of all the running backs here, Carter showed the most quickness and was the most consistent runner. While he still has weaknesses in his game -- he dances around too much at times and is not a great pass catcher -- he runs hard. He's very competitive and fights for extra yards. Much more than we saw on tape, he also showed a good initial burst to turn the corner. We gave him a fourth-round grade off game tape and if nothing else, he showed he is worthy of being picked in the mid-rounds after this week.


Idaho QB Nathan Enderle
Enderle had the most consistent week of any of the QBs. He has the strongest arm of the group and can make all the NFL throws. But the thing we liked best was that he got better every day as the week progressed. Each day he got more and more confident. He is still far from a finished product with his footwork and he can struggle with his accuracy and decision making, but he took coaching well, worked hard every day and has all the tools to develop in the NFL. He's still a mid-to-late round guy, but he helped himself out this week.


USC TE Jordan Cameron
Cameron is far from a finished product. He started at BYU in 2006 as a basketball player, transferred to a junior college and played football and basketball in 2007. From there, went to USC in 2008 and played both sports. He gave up hoops in 2009 and played wide receiver and moved to tight end this year. So he's still raw and has a long way to go (he needs to add bulk, get stronger and improve as a blocker), but he showed a lot of positives for a guy who had just 16 catches this season. The trend in the NFL is to get the basketball type of athlete at TE (Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates and Jimmy Graham, to name a few) and Cameron is a good athlete, moves around well and caught the ball well all week. He has strong hands (making one-handed catches during drills) and has a lot to work with here. If he had been playing football the last four years and he was maxed out, we wouldn't be as excited about him, but considering where he was in 2006 to where he is now, it leads you to believe his best football is still ahead of him.


Richmond DT Martin Parker
Parker was very much under the radar coming into this week, but he took advantage of his opportunity. He never looked uncomfortable despite coming from a smaller school and showed quickness, agility and was very light on his feet. He's not the most powerful guy, but he plays with leverage and uses his hands well. Capturing the defensive MVP award put an exclamation point on a good week for Parker.


Stock down

Cincinnati WR Armon Binns
Binns, 6-3 and 204 pounds, is a big receiver but not very physical and it showed this week as he had a hard time getting off press coverage. He also lacks quickness and suddenness in his routes and had a hard time creating separation, which was one of the concerns we had about him heading into the week. While he flashes and makes acrobatic catches, he'll too often have mental lapses and drop balls he should be catching.


Penn State RB Evan Royster
Royster has adequate vision, good balance, hits the hole and rarely gets tackled for loss. But what's concerning is his monotone running style. There's no burst or quickness. He can run through the hole and pick up yardage, but he lacks the ability to create yardage on his own. He has versatility and can catch the ball out of the backfield, but we'd like to see him create some yards on his own.


Oregon WR Jeff Maehl
We expected more from Maehl this week. We knew going in that he doesn't have the size, but we expected more savvy after watching him on film. He has a lack of burst out of his breaks, a limited strike zone and we saw some uncharacteristic drops. He is a one-speed route runner and doesn't have the speed to stretch the field. He also lacks suddenness and tempo in his routes. We just wanted more from him this week.


Texas A&M QB Jerrod Johnson
For a QB who is 6-6 and 250 pounds, Johnson has a surprisingly below-average arm. This was apparent from Day 1. His ball doesn't have a lot of zip or pop and falls apart in the air. He made poor decisions when improvising on the run, which resulted in bad throws and picks. This was something we saw on film as well and that's not a good trend. His struggles in decision making, his poor arm and his struggles as a game manager mean he's likely a free-agent prospect.


Verdict not in yet

Virginia Tech QB Tyrod Taylor
Taylor said all week he wanted to be a QB. He flashed adequate arm strength at times, threw a good ball and had nice touch on deep throws, but there are concerns about his ability to see the whole field because of his size (he measure at just under 6-foot-1). He struggles to see the field, work through his progressions and throw accurately from the pocket with bigger defensive linemen in front of him. You rarely see him just drop back and confidently go through his reads. Instead, he'd bail out and he just doesn't seem natural or comfortable as a pocket passer. Considering he has the size and explosiveness to play in a slash-type role, we would have liked to have seen him work out some as a returner or receiver. Even if it wasn't full time, it would have been nice to see him field some kicks or punts or run a few routes. We've seen this before where players don't want to give up playing QB. He might have leverage now, but when he's drafted and teams start paying his salary, he might not have same leverage to say he wants to be a QB only.


North Carolina DT Marvin Austin
Austin got better every day this week. He seemed to get his legs under him a little more (he was out of football shape at the start of the week) and that's when we saw the talent he has. He was by far the most talented prospect here. He flashed the quickness and explosiveness to beat blockers, created penetration throughout the week and had his best showing Saturday during the Shrine Game, which is a good sign. Still, he was inconsistent at times and his motor seems to run hot and cold. His off-field behavior mirrors his play on it -- he's inconsistent.


Delaware QB Pat Devlin
There are a lot of things to like about Devlin -- his poise in the pocket, ability to go through his progressions and accuracy on short-to-intermediate routes. But we have concerns about his arm strength. Can he drive the ball to the deep part of the field? Also, everything seems so tight, like he doesn't want to make a big mistake. We'd like to see him let it rip and play a little more carefree. He wasn't as accurate this week as we saw on film and his lack of mobility is a concern, but we also know he is very poised and a very good decision maker. Give him time and he'll pick you apart.
 
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