The East vs. West Shrine Bowl was held this past Saturday and it showcased some of the lesser known talent coming out of college football this season. Several players made a big name for themselves after this game while others may have hurt themselves a little bit in this game. Here is a look at a few players that both helped and hurt themselves in the East vs. West Shrine Bowl.
The game was pretty low scoring and most of the action took place in the second half.
The West team got the first score of the game, in the second quarter, when kicker Hunter Lawrence kicked a 47 yard field goal to put them up by three. The East team would tie it up when kicker Joshua Shene booted a 44 yard field goal still in the second quarter. Eventually they would go ahead by three when Shene kicked a 40 yard field goal. It was 6-3 at the half with the East team in the lead.
There was no scoring in the third quarter but things got hot in the fourth quarter as West quarterback Max Hall hit Ryan Moya on an eight yard touchdown pass to make it 10-6 in favor of the West. But the East offense, led by quarterback Mike Kafka, marched down the field and took the lead and grabbed the win when Kafka hit wide receiver Andrew Quarless on a two yard touchdown pass. The East went ahead 13-10 and that is how the game would end.
Dennis Pitta-TE-BYU-Pitta ended up being quarterback Max Hall’s favorite target on the day and showed us that he has great size and speed for the tight end position. He could be a good second tight end in the NFL.
Max Hall-QB-BYU-Hall looked pretty shaky to start the game and it was said that he had a bad week of practice. He did play better in the second half and could be on the radar of some NFL teams heading towards the draft.
O’Brien Schofield-OLB/DE-Wisconsin-It was said that the coaching staff asked Schofield to make the switch from outside linebacker to defensive end and he did well in making the switch. This could help him out a lot in the draft.
Mike Kafka-QB-Northwestern-Kafka was named the most valuable player in this game and looked good all the way around. Early in the game he showed poise and accuracy on his passes and ended the game with a game winning drive. He looked good both passing and running the ball and made some smart decisions. He was a good leader on the field and showed a lot of poise. He should have easily raised his stock in the eyes of many NFL scouts.
Andre Anderson-RB-Tulane-Anderson showed some great skill returning the ball on special teams and should get a look or two leading up to the draft.
Hunter Lawrence-K-Texas-Lawrence had a steady career at Texas and made a long field goal in this game. He should get a look by any team that is need of a kicker during this offseason.
Todd Reesing-QB-Kansas-Reesing exhibited some good running skills for a quarterback and has a good head on his shoulders but his mechanics are off a little bit. He threw the ball sidearm a few times and made a poor decision on an interception close to the end of the first half. He may have hurt himself a little in this game.
Daryl Clark-QB-Penn State-Clark had a pretty good game and exhibited some good decision making and a strong arm. He also showed patience in allowing receivers to get open and then throw the ball to them. He should get a few strong looks before the draft in April.
Blair White-WR-Michigan State-White ended up being a Mr. Everything in this game and showed that he is a reliable wide receiver. He is a good route runner and catches the ball very well. He improved his draft stock a lot in this game.
Overall, the East defense played pretty well early in this game.
A Second Opinion:
Devin Ross, CB, Arizona covered well from what I saw. If he got burned, I did not see it.
Rahim Alem DE Louisiana State 3rd round
Alem showed the pass rush ability that will propel him to the 3rd round of the draft. He twice hurried the QB into bad passes and caused an interception by hitting the qb just as he was delivering the ball. He has good but not great moves. He struggles to get low around the corner of the O line but will get better as a pro. He needs to anchor better against the run.
O'Brien Schofield OB Wisconsin (Torn ACL 5-6 round)
Schofield had been a DE at Wisconsin. This was his first game at LB. He did an excellent job dropping into coverage and showed ball skills in picking off a pass. He also showed his pass rush ability. He was 2nd in Division 1 last year in sacks. He did well pursuing the rush outside but needs work on anchoring the run on the edge. He also was good on special teams. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL and will probably miss his rookie year in the NFL.
Blair White WR Michigan State 4th
White could be a steal in the 4th round. He could go higher if he betters the 4.54 40 that he has been projected to run. He is a Welker type receiver that just gets open in small spaces. Even when doubled, he got open and showed good awareness at the sideline. He also has above average hands. The other value he brings is the ability to catch bad balls. He catches high or low without letting the ball getting to his body.
Lindsey Witten DE Connecticut 4th
Whitten was active against the pass. He was able to consistently push the O line back into the QB. He also was effective against the outside run but does not show up as often as you would like on a run up the gut.
Freddie Barnes WR Bowling Green State 5th
Freddie is considered a FA by some but I like him despite the fact he is not fast or big. He is a slot receiver that runs crisp patterns and can get open vs. man or zone. He also is able to fend off very close coverage to catch the ball as he is getting hit. He has very soft hands and is aware of the out of bounds or line to gain.
James Ruffin DE Northern Iowa 5th
Ruffin is one of the lesser known linemen. He got a sack and a hurry and was active against the pass. He is not as effective against the run. At 264 he will have to beef up to play end at the next level. Otherwise he is a prospect as a pass rush specialist.
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