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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.
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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