War Room's Shrine Bowl week coverage....

By Russ Lande
For Sporting News


ORLANDO — With East-West Shrine Game practices to begin Monday, here is a look at some players NFL scouts and personnel men will be paying extra attention to this week:


Marvin Austin, DT, North Carolina

Austin is a big tease, a much better athlete than football player. He is a smooth and fluid athlete for such a big, strong defensive lineman, but he lacks the production to merit first-round consideration. He does have the body and natural talent to be a good NFL starter. This week, he must prove he can play with aggressiveness and intensity on every snap and use good technique more consistently. He also must prove he can play tackle in a 4-3 scheme or end in a 3-4 defense.


Brandon Bair, DE/DT, Oregon

Bair's value varies greatly, depending on NFL teams' scheme. He has little value in a 4-3 defense because he lacks the size and strength play inside and lacks the explosiveness and athleticism to be a pass-rush end. Coaches using a 3-4 scheme like him because he fits well as a strong and athletic end. He is not an elite prospect -- viewed now as a fourth- or fifth-rounder -- but could make a bold move up draft boards with a big week of practice.


Jordan Cameron, TE, USC

Cameron (6-3 3/4, 235) is an intriguing prospect because of his height and athleticism, but he didn't do much in college. He went to BYU as a basketball player but transferred to USC. When unable to win a starting job in basketball, he then tried football. He didn't produce much on the football field but did register some highlight-reel catches on off-target passes. With his athleticism and hands, he could skyrocket up draft boards this spring.


Graig Cooper, RB, Miami

Cooper is a muscular and well built with good quickness, athleticism and speed, but he has struggled to stay healthy. With a good week of practice and if he checks out medically, he could be one of the rare players who is drafted much higher than his college production merits.


Pat Devlin, QB, Delaware

After transferring from Penn State, Devlin lit up Division I-AA competition but has much to prove to be drafted before the fourth round. He has the size, athleticism and arm strength to make all the NFL throws when using good technique. However, his mechanics are inconsistent. This week, Devlin must an accelerated delivery and stride into throws much more consistently or risk sliding way down draft boards.


Nathan Enderle, QB, Idaho

He is one of the most frustrating prospects we evaluated this season. Enderle has good size and arm strength, and he shows good mechanics to make quick throws. However, his accuracy was wildly inconsistent in '10 and his decision-making skills leave a lot to be desired. He does not seem to have good pocket presence or correctly read defenses.


Jerrod Johnson, QB, Texas A&M

Johnson is tall and athletic and has all the physical tools to be a top-flight QB. However, elite QB prospects don't get benched during their senior season. He appeared to be a rising prospect in '09 but failed to improve a lick as a senior. His decision-making and accuracy actually got worse. Some team likely will take a late-round gamble on his physical tools, like the Cardinals did last year with QB John Skelton.


Jeffrey Maehl, WR, Oregon

Maehl has outstanding hands, natural receiving skills and good height, but scouts wonder about his athleticism quickness and speed. He is smart and instinctive and knows how to get open. He adjusts well to catch off-target passes and shields defenders well to make tough catches. This week, he must prove he can get in and out cuts sharply and has the burst to separate from man-to-man coverage.


Cliff Matthews, DE, South Carolina

Matthews is tall and well built, and he shows the quickness and athleticism NFL coaches covet. He shows good strength at the point of attack, holding his ground and able to maintain outside containment responsibility. He has the speed to chase down running backs, too. He flashes pass-rush skills but is inconsistent. He has the physical talent to play in the NFL but was terribly inconsistent in college.


Dontay Moch, OLB, Nevada

Moch has caused many debates in scouting circles. He is no doubt strong and fast, but scouts wonder about his athleticism and instincts. This is why he wasn't invited to the Senior Bowl. He is productive vs. the run but wildly inconsistent as a pass rusher and a liability in coverage. He must show better athleticism in drills and show an improved ability to correctly read plays.


Michael Mohamed, MLB, Cal

Mohamed's stock is volatile. He could fly up draft boards this week or perhaps fall off altogether. Personnel men are split about his athleticism and ability to shed NFL blockers. He is not all that muscular, but he can be physical at the point of attack. He flashes quickness, agility, athleticism and speed to make plays in the open field and shows the closing ability to break up passes in front of him. Scouts hope to learn this week whether he fits best in a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme.


Brian Rolle, MLB, Ohio State

If general managers considered only athleticism and production, Rolle would be a likely first-round pick. However, he is short and can be engulfed by blockers. He also is so aggressive and fast he tends to get a little out of control and thus misses some tackles. This week is important because he must prove that his size will not limit his NFL potential.


Cecil Shorts, WR, Mount Union

As a small school receiver, scouts are excited to see Shorts work against better competition. He has good size and build, but scouts hope to get a better feel for his quickness, explosiveness and speed. He if shows he can separate from better cornerbacks this week, he could move into the middle rounds.


Terrence Toliver, WR, LSU

Toliver entered the '10 season as one of the best senior prospects, but he dropped a lot of easy passes and even showed a lack of top-end speed. However, he shined in LSU's blowout of Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl. With a productive week, he could begin to regain some of his lost draft stock and ultimately be a second- or third-round pick.


Justin Trattou, DE/OLB, Florida

Trattou is an undersized end who lacks explosiveness off the snap to beat NFL offensive tackles around the corner and lacks the size and strength to be an effective power rusher. He has been a productive pass rusher in the open field and is a consistently productive chasing down running backs. Scouts hope to get a good feel this week about whether he has the athleticism to be an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. If not, he might not be drafted at all.

Draft Dish: Texas A&M QB Johnson must overhaul delivery

By Russ Lande
Sporting News


ORLANDO, Fla. -- As the rain poured down Monday, the players at the East-West Shrine Game were forced inside, to go through no-pads practices in a hotel ballroom. Some news, notes and observations from the weigh-ins and practices:

-- Texas A&M QB Jerrod Johnson looked outstanding during the weigh-in at 6-5 and almost thin for a 250-pound man. In practice, he showed the same elite arm strength that excites NFL coaches but he also showed a long, windup delivery that must be totally reworked to make it in the NFL.

-- Mississippi State C J.C. Brignone (6-1, 304) started the day badly when he measured in as shorter than expected and with only 29 3/4-inch arms. It's an issue because NFL linemen with arms shorter than 30 inches usually struggle. In practice, those short arms were an issue because he couldn't jolt or and get a hold of defensive linemen and was beaten consistently. He must perform well the rest of the week in pads to make amends.

-- Stanford WR Ryan Whalen (6-1, 204) looked the part on film and during the weigh-in, and he showed good hands making some tough catches up near the wall in the ballroom between two defenders.

-- Wisconsin QB Scott Tolzien (6-2, 209) showed a much stronger arm Monday than we had seen on film. He must continue to throw well the next two days to improve his draft stock.

-- There are concerns about Oklahoma State MLB Orie Lemon's athleticism, but there is no doubt about his strength after he measured in at a muscular 6-0 1/2 and 244 pounds. His lack of athleticism will hinder his draft stock, but coaches using a 3-4 defensive scheme will like his ability to take on blockers.

-- Nevada TE Virgil Green (6-3, 248) is bigger than he appears on game film. He showed a good build, easing concerns about whether he was big enough to be an effective blocker.

-- Ohio State LB Brian Rolle (5-9 1/2, 227) was highly productive in college, showing the quickness, athleticism and speed NFL coaches covet in a coverage linebacker. However, fears were confirmed when he measured in so short and his draft stock could really fall despite his on-field production.

-- Nevada OLB Dontay Moch (6-1 3/8, 229) is muscular, but he is not a big linebacker and likely will struggle to add much weight to his frame.

-- Hawaii RB Alex Green (6-0, 219) measured in nicely but still looks surprisingly thin, raising concerns about his ability to be a durable NFL back.

-- Oregon WR Jeffrey Maehl was outstanding in the national championship game, almost helping the Ducks upset Auburn. On film, he is a smooth and fluid athlete with natural hands. On Monday, though, concerns about his long-term durability were heightened when he measured only 6-0 and 181 pounds.

-- Queens (Ontario) College OT Matthew O'Donnell definitely grabbed scouts' attention Monday when he measured in at 6-9 and 335 pounds with 35-inch arms. He is an unknown commodity, so he must shine the next two days on the practice field to be anything more than a tall curiosity.

Draft Dish: Enderle shows off his skills

By Russ Lande
Sporting News


Matt Littlefield reports from Orlando, Fla., on the first day of practice for the East-West Shrine Game:

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The players at the East West Shrine Game, after weathering the storms, finally got on the practice field Tuesday and several were quite impressive to the collection of NFL scouts, personnel men and coaches.


EAST

Michigan State TE Charles Gantt. He was the best blocker of all the tight ends. He showed good hands, knee bend and hips to seal off the edge. He had one pass thrown to him, but it was broken up by the defender. He allowed the ball to get too close to his body, instead of catching it in his hands out away from his chest.

Richmond CB Justin Rogers. He showed good reaction time and acceleration closing on passes. He flipped his hips well to turn and run with receivers. He was the best player in seven-on-seven drills. He sinks his hips well and reacts quickly, but he seems to lack good recovery speed in press coverage.

Delaware QB Patrick Devlin. He has great size and mechanics, but he consistently stared down his primary receiver and was inaccurate to all levels throughout practice. He threw late for an interception during team drills. He has only average lateral quickness within the pocket. He lacks the athleticism to make plays with his feet.

Oregon DE Kenny Rowe. He appeared to be overmatched during practice. He is too small and lacks any special athletic qualities to develop at the NFL level. He could not shed run blockers, and he lacked the speed to get around the edge as a pass rusher.

Fairmont State WR Perry Baker. He is built like a toothpick, but he was the best route-runner and showed the best hands throughout practice. He has excellent quickness and decisiveness. He consistently extended his arms and snatched the ball away from his body.

North Carolina DT Marvin Austin. He got upright and straight-legged too quickly out of his stance. His pad level allowed offensive linemen to control and knock him back on his heels. He had a couple strong bull rushes early on during one-on-one drills, before appearing to get tired.

Georgia ILB Akeem Dent. He played the run well and showed strong awareness in coverage. He uses his hands well vs. tight ends in coverage but shows hip stiffness to turn and run in man-to-man down the seam. He also struggled to follow the coaches' instructions.


WEST

UCLA DT David Carter. He had multiple wins during one-on-one pass-rush drills. He uses good change-of-direction skills and a strong swim move. He showed the ability to shed run blockers. He also held the point of attack vs. double-teams. He had a sack on a bull rush during the team drills.

USC TE Jordan Cameron. He is an aggressive blocker who uses his hands to control his man. He is a fluid athlete who can stretch the field vertically. He has the quickness to run the entire route tree. On Tuesday he escaped jams well, attacked the ball at its highest point and caught the ball quietly.

Idaho QB Nathan Enderle. He showed the most natural and consistent passing mechanics. He also was a strong ballhandler and play-action faker. Enderle displayed good field vision and quickly went through progressions. He was polished and consistent with all the techniques.

Calgary WR Anthony Parker. He has the best combination of size, speed and quickness. He has a natural ability to track and adjust to the ball in the air, and he has soft hands. Parker also showed strong run-after-catch ability; he was quick to become a runner and was elusive in the open field.

Hawaii OT Laupepa Letuli. He played center, right guard and right tackle during practice, but he fits best at center because of his lack of length and quickness. He is a tough interior blocker; he uses violent hand action to strike and lock out defenders, while maintaining his balance.

Central Michigan ILB Nicholas Bellore. He is a really aggressive player who always hustles. He showed deceptive speed with a definite burst to close quickly. He showed fluid hips to drop into zone coverage and to run with tight ends downfield. Bellore also is a hard hitter, and he has exceptional instincts vs. the run, often beating the back to the hole.

East-West Dish: Rowe, Taylor can still improve

By Russ Lande
For Sporting News


ORLANDO -- While a number of players had strong weeks of practice and helped themselves during East-West Shrine Game practices, others struggled and need to step up in Saturday's game to salvage the week. Here are six players who need a solid performance:

Oregon DE/OLB Kenny Rowe. Rowe (6-2, 232) was a highly productive undersized end at Oregon, showing the quickness, speed and competitiveness to consistently pressure the QB and make plays against the run. In Orlando, he didn't show the athleticism many expected. He looked stiff and had many scouts thinking he wouldn't be able to make the move to linebacker. Rowe needs to really shine Saturday and prove he is athletic enough to convert to outside linebacker and that he is worth drafting. After all, 232-pound ends don't last long in the NFL.

Virginia Tech QB Tyrod Taylor. An excellent athlete, Taylor (6-0 3/4, 213) improved a great deal during his senior season at Tech and had many believing he could make it as a backup QB along the lines of Seneca Wallace. However, after a bad week of practice -- his technique was fine, but his accuracy was poor -- he could end being moved to another position if he doesn't throw much better Saturday. That's a tough path to take because there are many former college quarterbacks trying to make that switch.

Oregon DE/DT Brandon Bair. A 3-4 end, Bair (6-6 3/8, 268) came to Orlando as a possible third- or fourth-round prospect with the potential to be a solid NFL starter. Throughout the week, however, he didn't show the quickness, athleticism, power or burst that scouts expected. Now, scouts are talking about him sliding to the seventh round or out of the draft altogether. He needs to step up Saturday and show that he has the strength, athleticism and sound technique to be an effective 3-4 end, which is where he would fit best in the NFL.

Indiana WR Terrance Turner. With his hands, smarts, leadership and deceptive athleticism, Turner (6-2, 203) looked like he could be a late-round pick who could stick as a backup receiver and special teams player in the NFL. However, he struggled all week and had scouts thinking he won't make it in the NFL. He showed little explosiveness, ran bad routes and, worst of all, dropped way too many passes. If he doesn't shine Saturday, Turner will likely slide through the draft and will have to hope he gets signed as a free agent.

Missouri State OT/G David Arkin. Arkin (6-5, 302) arrived in Orlando as a small-school sleeper, and scouts were eager to see him against much better competition. But Arkin struggled in all areas. He had trouble sliding to handle quick pass-rush moves, and because of his short arms, he couldn't jolt pass rushers. As a result, he was driven backward by bull rushers. Arkin needs a good performance Saturday, or he'll be regarded as a small-school player who couldn't handle the step up in competition and probably will go undrafted.

Central Florida OT Jah Reid. Scouts were initially excited to see Reid (6-7, 324), who had shown flashes of real talent in his college career. However, he had a difficult week. He showed good athleticism at times, but too often looked raw and not athletic enough. If he hopes to be drafted before the seventh round, he needs to step up Saturday and show that he has the natural athleticism to be a good developmental prospect.

East-West Dish: Winners and Losers

By Russ Lande
For Sporting News


ORLAND0 -- a look at the players who helped and hurt themselves the most in the East's 25-8 victory in the East-West Shrine Game Saturday:


WINNERS

Richmond DT Martin Parker. After a solid week of practice, Parker (6-2, 300) shined in the game and was named defensive MVP. He showed the strength to jolt and control opposing linemen as a pass rusher and the strong, quick hands to free himself from blockers. He displayed better quickness and athleticism than he did during the week and clearly helped his draft stock. Parker was viewed as a likely free agent before arriving in Orlando, but his performance Saturday -- he had two sacks and forced a fumble -- puts him in position to be drafted.

Syracuse RB Delone Carter. As the offensive MVP, he had a solid day with 54 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown. Carter (5-8 1/4, 216) displayed better quickness and acceleration to full speed than expected, enabling him to turn the corner. He also exhibited the ability to run with good body lean and deliver a blow to tacklers. Carter is not an elite prospect, but he is a strong back who has flashed starting ability and likely will be a mid-round pick.

Idaho S Shiloh Keo. He impressed scouts with his aggressiveness in run support and ability to consistently avoid and defeat blocks to make tackles. Keo (5-11 1/2, 223) further helped his cause by making an impact on special teams -- he blocked an extra point attempt and was solid as a kickoff returner. Although we still have concerns about his ability to be effective in deep coverage, his play solidified his spot as a fifth- or sixth-round pick.

Portland State TE Julius Thomas. Thomas (6-5, 251) capped a strong week of practice with a good game in which he proved he has the athleticism to play with the big-school boys. He showed the strength and quickness to run good routes and caught the ball well on Saturday. His performance all but assured him of being drafted.


LOSERS

Idaho QB Nathan Enderle. Enderle (6-5, 242) is a physically talented QB who has shown the ability to make all the NFL throws. But in Saturday's game, he showed why he isn't a highly regarded prospect despite his physical tools. He wasn't nearly accurate enough, completing 6 of 12 passes for 45 yards, and displayed his bad habit of holding the ball way too long in the pocket. He needs to be quicker and more decisive reading defenses and getting rid of the ball.

Texas A&M QB Jerrod Johnson. His performance Saturday showed why he was benched this season. His mechanics were sloppy and slow, and his fumble on a sack gave the East a defensive touchdown. Johnson (6-5, 250) also demonstrated poor decision making by putting a ball for up grabs when he was pressured. It was easily intercepted. Despite his excellent size, elite arm strength and top-notch athleticism, Johnson is not likely to be drafted. At best, he's a long-term developmental prospect.

Queens OT Matthew O'Donnell. He proved Saturday that despite his rare size (6-9, 335) and great arm length, he doesn't have what it takes to play in the NFL. He is slow and lacks the flexibility to block with leverage and can't slide well enough to adjust in pass protection. With his thin frame, he can also be pushed around by power rushers. In the game, he was consistently beaten and looked out of place, which means he isn't likely to be drafted or signed as a free agent.