https://theathletic.com/5243973/2024/02/02/nfl-draft-2024-shrine-bowl-prospects/ Part 1 Below are 15 of the most intriguing players from this year’s event … (The following players did not practice this week due to injury, but were available for NFL team interviews: Texas RB Jonathon Brooks, Texas TE Ja’Tavion Sanders, Miami DT Leonard Taylor, Texas A&M LB Edgerrin Cooper, Utah edge Jonah Elliss, Washington edge Zion Tupuola-Fetui, Florida State QB Jordan Travis.) Malik Washington (5-foot-8 1/2, 192 pounds), WR, Virginia Washington was likely the best overall prospect in Frisco — and certainly the best receiver. His foot speed and athletic fluidity were too much for most defensive backs in team or one-on-one situations. Size will be a concern here, but Washington has tape to back up what we saw, as he finished the year with 11 contested catches (and 34 for his career at Virginia). A very good football player. Fabien Lovett (6-3 3/8, 307), DT, Florida State Lovett dominated the first day of practice, and I’m not sure anyone blocked him clean in any situation. He was consistently the fastest player off the ball, winning with his hands and power. He blew up runs and created pressures over the ball with his 84-inch wingspan (and 10 3/8-inch mitts). He and Christian Mahogany (who’s also on this list) had some really good fights. Though Lovett didn’t maintain an impressive level of dominance throughout the week, his performance was good enough not to forget. A multi-year captain for the Seminoles after transferring ahead of the 2021 season, Lovett loves football — and it shows. Tahj Washington (5-9 7/8, 177), WR, USC The book on Tahj Washington isn’t much different than the one on Malik Washington, but the former is even lighter. While he’ll be more limited in the NFL in terms of what he can do, the burst and body control are for real. Washington is also very competitive in the air and made more than a few acrobatic catches on off-target throws downfield this week. A quality player, Washington finished at 3.06 yards per route run last season with Caleb Williams as his QB. Darius Muasau (5-11 6/8, 234), LB, UCLA The best linebacker at the Shrine Bowl, Muasau (more than 50 combined starts between UCLA and Hawaii) led a stingy Bruins defense with 38 run stops last season. He showed great burst and fluidity in coverage this week and was the most physical in the group via run fits. He ran alongside Penn State linebacker Curtis Jacobs — a very fast defender — in most individual drills. Muasau also was the loudest linebacker on the field and seemed to be the most in control setting defenses during team periods. He could be bigger, but he’s a quality high-floor linebacker prospect. Dylan McMahon (6-2 7/8, 295), C, NC State Don’t get lost in the measurables here. Despite a small frame and less-than-ideal length, McMahon is an explosive, balanced athlete who’ll jump very well — he was a member of Bruce Feldman’s 2022 Freaks List. I didn’t see him lose a padded rep in team drills. McMahon’s hand speed and general burst off the snap was too much for just about everyone he encountered, in protection or in the run game. One of his first reps of the week came against Auburn bull rusher Justin Rogers (6-2, 338). McMahon got his hands on Rogers first, maintained leverage and ate the former five-star recruit’s best shot with great anchor and balance throughout the rep.
Part 2 Tip Reiman (6-4 3/8, 273), TE, Illinois So, first off, he’s a giant. Reiman measured in this week with 33 1/8-inch arms and 10 3/8-inch hands. Additionally, he was the fastest Shrine Bowl TE on the GPS (18.79 miles per hour). His speed and and ability to separate at his size were very noticeable, and his general movement skills are above-average. He could be better and more consistent at the catch point. But Reiman, who didn’t have a drop last season, is a very interesting pass catcher. He’s also a physical, willing blocker off the snap. Christian Mahogany (6-2 4/8, 318), G, Boston College There was an awful lot to like about Mahogany’s game long before he declared for the Shrine Bowl, and the power he displayed at Boston College showed up over and over this week. When Mahogany wins with leverage at the point of attack, it’s mostly over for the defender. He has real-deal power and the ability to finish against just about anyone. Mahogany showed great communication skills in Texas, too, routinely making sure his teammate heard his calls during double drills and in pass protection. He’s a sturdy Day 2 prospect. Caedan Wallace (6-4 3/8, 322), OT, Penn State The Nittany Lions’ starter opposite likely top-10 pick Olu Fashanu the last two years, Wallace plays with terrific feet and can really move in space — both up to the second level and beyond. He was consistently one of the quickest tackles off the snap in run drills early in the week with pads on, and while he’ll occasionally lunge or fall off a block in the run game, there’s a ton to like here. Wallace measured in with 33 5/8-inch arms and 10 1/2-inch hands and showed the second-highest max acceleration GPS number of any offensive lineman. Khristian Boyd (6-2 1/8, 320), DL, Northern Iowa Boyd had some truly dominant stretches early in the week. That tapered off a bit in further practices, but his best moments were outstanding. Boyd plays with great burst and quick hands off the snap, and he also has terrific grip strength. During a pass-rush rep early in the week, Boyd got his hands inside Mahogany and tossed him to win inside. Boyd had some trouble maintaining consistent leverage later in the week, and got stuck on a few doubles as a result. He’s not long and has to win with burst, but it’s pretty awesome when he does. Eyabi Okie-Anoma (6-3 7/8, 253), Edge, Charlotte A former five-star recruit who also played at Alabama and Michigan before transferring to Charlotte, Okie-Anoma was one of the most explosive pass-rushing edges in padded drills. He also showed one of the more advanced move sets, beatings tackles with spins and inside counter moves without much trouble. Okie-Anoma topped out at 17.35 mph on the GPS. There are issues here, though. He’s nowhere near the same level of player in the run game, and his length is not ideal. But he is a very twitchy athlete who — if put in the right developmental situation — could wind up as an intriguing low-risk add for someone. Clemson’s Xavier Thomas is in a similar bucket. Mason McCormick (6-4, 310), G, South Dakota State One of the Jackrabbits’ several Shrine Bowl standouts, joining OT Garret Greenfield, WRs Jaxon and Jadon Janke, and TE Zach Heins. McCormick more than held his own inside working at guard or center. He plays with good length and quick hands. When he lands his punch and gets his base planted, most reps are over. McCormick, who started 57 straight games, was consistent in team and individual work and also showed a nasty streak, playing through the whistle on everything. Trajan Jeffcoat (6-4, 266), Edge, Arkansas When Jeffcoat lands his punch, it’s like a bus driving through a garage door. He erased a tackle with a bull rush during Sunday’s padded practice, one of the most physically dominant one-on-one reps of the day. Jeffcoat showed up in Frisco about 15 pounds lighter than the weight Arkansas listed him at this season. Another defensive lineman who dropped weight and made waves: Florida Atlantic’s Evan Anderson (6-0, 319). M.J. Devonshire (5-11 1/8, 179), CB, Pitt Long enough (33 1/4-inch arms) to make a few offensive linemen jealous, Devonshire combines elite length with terrific foot speed and patience. He can be effective both in man and zone, and has an ability to explode. He could be faster, but his length helps him make up for it — his controlled, agile approach makes it tough to get on top of him vertically. Devonshire had the fifth-fastest maximum acceleration time of any player at the Shrine Bowl during padded practices. He finished with four picks and nine forced incompletions last season at Pitt. Qwan’tez Stiggers (5-11 3/8, 203), CB, CFL One of the best stories in the 2024 draft. The former Toronto Argonaut and CFL Defensive Rookie of the Year last season did not play a down of college football, but he offers great burst and closing speed, solid ball skills and great fluidity as a zone defender. Stiggers was pesky in man coverage during Shrine Bowl practices, both in press and off-coverage. He got his hands on multiple balls throughout the week. Stiggers heard from all 32 NFL teams at the Shrine Bowl. He’s a willing tackler who has the build to play corner or safety, and he topped out at 19.93 mph on the GPS. Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (5-10, 189), S, Texas Tech Taylor-Demerson had the most impressive play of last weekend’s practices: a terrific pick six off BYU QB Kedon Slovis. Slovis’ throw was errant, but Taylor-Demerson plucked the ball mid-sprint and took it back the other way for a score. There are size limitations here, but Taylor-Demerson plays with terrific closing speed — he hit 20.31 mph during practice and was sticky in man coverage throughout the week. Even if he lost a rep, his speed to close and make a play on the ball was hard to ignore. He’s another defender who was vocal throughout the week as a table-setting free safety. (Photo of Malik Washington: Ryan M. Kelly / Getty Images) Nick Baumgardner is a senior writer/NFL Draft analyst based in Michigan. He co-hosts “One of These Years," a Detroit Lions podcast with Colton Pouncy. He joined The Athletic after stops at the Detroit Free Press, MLive Media Group and other newspapers in Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky. Follow Nick on Twitter @nickbaumgardner ©2024 The Athletic Media Company, A New York Times Company
https://www.nfl.com/news/2024-nfl-draft-six-prospects-who-stood-out-in-east-west-shrine-bowl NOTE: Heights, weights and lengths are official measurements from the event. 1) Frank Gore Jr., RB, Southern Miss (5-foot-7 1/8, 199 pounds) The son of the NFL's third-place all-time leading rusher won the game's Offensive Most Valuable Player award, rushing for 48 of his 87 yards on a score after cutting back left off outside zone. He saw the open field on that play and took the angle from the safety and outside linebacker squeezing inside. He had two more first-down runs for the West team in the second quarter on zone plays (getting coached by his dad on the sideline in between) and also showed toughness, picking up six yards on an inside run without a lot of room. Gore isn't the biggest or fastest back in the draft, but he showed scouts he'll be an effective one in the NFL. 2) Taulia Tagovailoa, QB, Maryland (5-10 2/8, 200) The brother of Miami Dolphins starter Tua Tagovailoa used his legs to his advantage throughout the Shrine Bowl to help the West squad jump out to a lead. He stepped out of the pocket and took advantage of a busted Cover 2 at the beginning of the second quarter, launching a pass to Jadon Janke for a 52-yard gain. He later ran it in from two yards out after avoiding the rush. He then found Josh Cephus for the ensuing two-point conversion. Tagovailoa had a delay of game on third down in the red zone late in the first half and a couple of errant throws, but he still went 9 of 14 for 142 yards, an excellent performance overall. 3) Blake Watson, RB, Memphis (5-9 3/8, 189) Watson was a productive runner and receiver during his time at Old Dominion and Memphis and showed those skills again during Thursday's game. He was a checkdown king during a two-minute drill in the first half, shaking off would-be blockers on two receptions to move the chains. Watson also showed speed and patience on a 25-yard throwback screen to start the second half, following his blocker in the open field. He carried the load for the West as a runner, exploding for big gains when the line created opportunities and taking what he could when blocking broke down. He would have had more than his 111 total yards of offense, but he made the right move late by taking a knee to run the clock in the final minutes. 4) Myles Murphy, DT, North Carolina (6-3 7/8, 312) While cornerback Jarius Monroe was the game's Defensive MVP after securing an interception, Murphy was the West's best defender. He started off strong, blowing up a screen by getting pressure more quickly than expected. He beat his man to force a field goal attempt late in the first quarter, though quarterback Jack Plummer's helmet was askew after Murphy placed a hand on his facemask. He challenged linemen throughout the rest of the game, winning gaps with quickness off the ball and forcing double-teams to prevent him from making plays. Murphy also hustled downfield, including when he caught tight end Mason Pline following a reception late in the third quarter. 5) Anthony Gould, WR, Oregon State (5-8, 172) Gould had the longest play of the Shrine Bowl, taking a punt back 80 yards for the East's only touchdown after Ryan Rehkow booted a punt too far for his coverage. Gould fielded the ball and made the gunner miss before heading straight upfield, spinning off contact and turning on the jets for the score. The receiver did not miss much action on offense and improved on the practice field each session, adding to his résumé as likely a solid Day 3 pick. 6) Cam Little, K, Arkansas (6-0 7/8, 173) Kickers were limited to three-step approaches on kickoffs and were not allowed to kick extra points, but Little made an impression by making both his field goal attempts for the West squad. The first was a short 26-yard yarder, but the second required a conversion from 48 yards. That kick snuck inside the left upright. It also crossed the goal post near the top, suggesting the ability to make kicks from 60 yards or more at the next level.
