Every year, the Shrine Game offers the most draft picks from an all-star game excluding the Senior Bowl. The Senior Bowl’s “little brother”, the 2015 Shrine Game lacks in quarterbacks year-to-year, but usually offers more than a few unique opportunities for seniors to thrive.
The offense for both teams is lead by small school options like Taylor Heinicke, John Crockettt, and Tre McBride, as well as high-upside players like Malcolm Brown, Kasen Williams and Devin Gardner.
Quarterbacks
- Taylor Heinicke, Old Dominion
The loan small-school quarterback, Heinicke was certainly productive at Old Dominion. Heinicke needs work: his release point starts too low, his footwork could be quicker and more balance under pressure and timing of the rush will lead to more sacks than necessary. But his vision and multiple read ability, velocity control in the mid-field, consistently catchable ball, poise when adjusting post-snap, and ability to generate ample velocity when necessary gives Heinicke the appeal of a potential long-term NFL back-up and spot starter with time to clean up his game at the next level.
- Cody Fajardo, Nevada
Expected to take a substantial jump in his senior year, Fajardo’s slight improvements in footwork in the pocket didn’t outweigh his slowish release, poor balance when throwing outside his initial read, and miss-timed interior routes. He’ll need to show more controlled improvisation ability and be able to cut the ball through the wind during practices. If he has trouble with mid-field timing routes, his athleticism may not outweigh his struggles as in interior, none timing-based passer.
- Taylor Kelly, Arizona State
An injury during the year combined with inconsistencies from the pocket lead to a less than stellar final season at Arizona State. However, his athleticism in the pocket, subtle movement in traffic and controlled release when forced off-balance should still give him back-up quarterback looks. If he can show adequate velocity, confidence in the pocket despite being undersized and the type of controlled style of play he showed as a junior, he could emerge as a legitimate draftable option.
- Anthony Boone, Duke
- Hutson Mason, Georgia
- Dylan Thompson, South Carolina
Running Backs
- Malcolm Brown, Texas
One of the best one-cut power runners in the 2015 NFL Draft, Brown’s plus plant and cut speed along with balance once he picks up speed. With ideal size and built, Brown does a great job of finishing broken tackles and adjusting his upper half to take on more tacklers. He lacks great initial speed, and struggles to adjust laterally after the first cut, but his explosive cut upfield and size give him the tools to emerge as the Shrine’s best runner.
- Johnathan Crockett, North Dakota State
A respected small school runner at one of the country’s best FCS schools, Crocket has carried the load for the Bison the past two seasons. Able to gain speed quickly initially, Crockett is a fluid athlete in space to adjust against tacklers and elude at the second level. He keeps his hips tight through an initial hole, but does play a bit sporadic laterally when initial hole isn’t apparent, and could stand to be more patient as he works on the edge more.
- Zach Zenner, South Dakota State
With highly impressive upper body break tackle ability, adequate top end speed and decisive steps in the open field, Zach Zenner is more than productive runner at the FCS level. His plus patience and ability to control his speed is what should allow him an NFL career as a rotational back. His lack of great lateral quickness is what likely holds him back from being more.
- Kenny Hillard, LSU
- Terrence Magee, LSU
- Dominique Brown, Louisville
Wide Receivers
- Kasen Williams, Washington
After a broken leg and foot injury in 2013, Williams hasn’t been able to get back to his early junior season form. However, after a season that say sporadic games of production, Williams has a chance to show that his ideal NFL build, strong hands away from his frame, body control when attacking vertically, and explosiveness after the catch (and as a returner). If his injury is fully healed, he could develop into one of the class’s top pass-catchers.
- Ezell Ruffin, San Diego State
If not for Williams’s upside, Ruffin would be the 2015 Shrine Game’s best receiver prospect. With remarkable body control, timing to the ball, and elite ball skills, Ruffin has the natural receiver skill sets to last in the NFL for a long time. He reacts well after catch to turn into a runner, and his polished smoothness as a receiver and runner gives him the tools to be effective inside and out. What he lacks in top end size or athleticism, he makes up for in NFL-readiness, polish, and reliability.
- Tre McBride, William & Mary
With plus burst and control off the snap along with high level finishing skills as a pass-catcher, McBride is a reliable slot threat in the NFL. His focus as a route runner at the second level and blocking effort will win him over with scouts on film, but he’ll need to showcase his lateral shiftiness and transition as a runner as well as separation from his above average routes to emerge as a top-100 contender.
- Devin Gardner, Michigan
While he’s become known as the inadequate and hesitant Michigan quarterback, he was one of the offense’s feature weapons at receiver earlier in his career. His off-field character, his length, natural fluidity and athleticism in space, and flashes as a sophomore could push him into mid-to-late-round discussion if he can transition back to receiver.
- Jordan Taylor, Rice
The well-built, lean pass-catcher, Taylor has the size and physical tools to develop into an outside receiver in the NFL. While he lacks great lateral quickness or initial burst, he plays well when dealing with physical defensive backs, finishes catches in air with plus-timing, and works back towards his quarterback well. He’ll likely be a quarterback favorite early in practices.
- Austin Hill, Arizona
- Kenny Bell, Nebraska
- Keith Mumphrey, Michigan State
- Andre Davis, South Florida
- Deon Long, Maryland
- Darren Waller, Georgia Tech
- Addison Richards, Regina
Tight Ends
- Wes Saxton, South Alabama
Saxton was a chess piece for the Jaguars, playing an H-Back role in the backfield and the slot more than a true tight end alignment. A plus-runner and athlete after the catch, Saxton possesses unique speed to the position and forces defenses to treat him as a big-bodied interior receiver than a usual tight end. His route-based separation and finishing ability in traffic could use some work, as he’s still raw and will struggle in those areas early in his NFL career.
- AJ Derby, Arkansas (injured, out for the game
The best athlete of the tight end class at the 2015 Shrine Game, the H-Back Derby has plus-lateral quickness, body control as a )pass catcher, and positions himself in the seam effectively to give his quarterback a window. He’ll potentially get work at fullback as well to further showcase his versatility.
- MyCole Pruitt, Southern Illinois
Used at all four tight end-esque positions frequently, Pruitt will likely be viewed as more of a slot receiver and H-Back at the NFL level. While he doesn’t have great route quickness and slow build-up speed, Pruitt is clearly a comfortable athlete in space, and works more as a receiver in the offense. He’ll need to show he can provide as run blocker effectively and he can navigate the seam with more consistent success than he did at the FCS level.
- Blake Bell, Oklahoma
- Gerald Christian, Louisville
Offensive Linemen
- John Miller, Louisville (OG)
With strong hands and a plus anchor in pass protection, Miller does a great job in pass protection thanks to his initial hand placement and controlled lateral movements. As a run blocker, while he lacks great body control in space, Miller shows a quick pivot, powerful upfield pop, and a willingness to finish blocks through the ground.
- Sean Hickey, Syracuse (OT)
With limited flexibility on the perimeter and a susceptibility to be off-balance too easily against active power rushers, Hickey may not be a great option at left tackle in the NFL. However, in quick passing, high volume running offenses, Hickey can be effective at right tackle with plus punch in initial pass protection and is controlled laterally as works in the run game. His over-aggressiveness to reach his block is a concern.
- Brandon Vitabile, Northwestern (OC)
Vitabile hails from a program known for churning out high IQ players, and he fits that mold as a poised, controlled center who’s effective with plus hand technique and adjustments for his entire line before the snap. He struggles with lower and quicker rushes off the line, but his body positioning and engagement in pass protection leads him to consistent success against most interior linemen at the college level.
- Greg Mancz, Toledo (OG)
Mancz has excellent footwork and has even better awareness on the field. With all his experience he is great in combo blocking and coming off on the second level. In pass protection he has great ability to anchor and mirror and doesn’t get beat very often. He’ll likely get work at multiple spots during the week of practice, including center.
- Jamon Brown, Louisville (OT)
He played both tackle spots as a senior, but his best position at the NFL level may be at right tackle or guard. As a pass protector, he tends to over-step initially and needs to adjust to inside rushers with more success. However, as a guard prospect, his strong hand punch, initial anchor and control, and slide-punch combination in the short area in both run and pass blocking players is what could still make Brown
- Terry Poole, San Diego State (OT)
- Brett Boyko, UNLV (OT/OG)
- Ben Beckwith, Mississippi State (OG)
- Adam Shead, Oklahoma (OG)
- Dillion Day, Mississippi State (OC)
- Collin Rahrig, Indiana (OC)
- Miles Deffenbach, Penn State (OG)
- Darrian Miller, Kentucky (OT)
- David Andrews, Georgia (OC)
- Mickey Baucus, Arizona (OT)
- Jon Feliciano, Miami (FL) (OG)
- Mark Glowinski, West Virginia (OT)
- Cameron Clemmons, Western Kentucky (OT)
- Shane McDermott, Miami (FL) (OC)
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