FRISCO, Texas — Things are rolling right along here in Dallas at the Cowboys’ practice facility for the 99th edition of the East-West Shrine Bowl.
This year, myself, Josh Carney, Dr. Melanie Friedlander, and Tony Calderone are in Dallas to cover the Shrine Bowl for Steelers Depot. The crew jumped on a hotel shuttle and headed over to The Star and the Ford Center in the Dallas area for the second day of the East-West Shrine Bowl.
Below is a compilation of our notes from Sunday’s second practice for the West and East teams.
JOSH CARNEY’S NOTES:
WEST TEAM —
With a rather loaded linebacker group on the West team, I spent much of the morning session with the West team watching the linebackers, which features Penn State’s Curtis Jacobs, Toledo’s Dallas Gant and Ohio State’s Steele Chambers. Jacobs looks the best of the bunch. He has a great frame (6010, 236) with light, quick feet and just flies around. He certainly looks the part, and his college career backs that up.
Chambers (6004, 234) and Gant (6024, 224) are really impressive, too. Former teammates at Ohio State, they have taken naturally to lining up next to each other this week. Both have played well in coverage and really bring an impressive athletic ability to the table at the position.
When the West team went into a team session, UCLA linebacker Darius Muasau continued to catch my eye. Muasau (5116, 234) flew downhill against the run, popping some pads in the process. He’s the smallest linebacker here, as far as height, but he brings a very serious physical edge.
Not only was I keeping an eye on the linebackers, I found myself watching a bunch of Southern Mississippi running back Frank Gore Jr. (5071, 199). He is built like a tank. He had a great second day of practice, leading the West running backs in every drill. He ran hard, finished every rep and showed off great hands out of the backfield, making a number of plays in the passing game.
After spending some time with the running backs, I made my way to the West offensive line group. Right away, Miami (Fla.) center Matt Lee (6030, 288) stood out from a leadership standpoint. He was very confident and vocal with the group, making sure guys understood assignments, were communicating well and keeping each other’s energy levels up throughout the day. He’s a bit undersized, but he really understands the leadership aspect of the game.
One guy that had a tough day in the offensive line group was Howard offensive tackle Amin Dankwah (6072, 362). At one point, West OL coach Greg Austin of the Jacksonville Jaguars had to fix Dankwah’s stance, making sure he had his feet positioned correctly. That shouldn’t be happening at a big event like the Shrine Bowl, but it just shows how much of a project he’s going to be despite having some jaw-dropping size.
Once the West team went into the team session, BYU tight end Isaac Rex (6050, 250) stood out. He’s a fluid route runner, one who understands spacing and tempo. He consistently found himself open and had his quarterbacks trusting him. He just made plays all day long.
So, too, did the shifty, explosive receivers that the West team has, including Virginia’s Malik Washington (5081, 192), USC’s Tahj Washington (5097, 177) and Mississippi State’s Lideatrick Griffin (5097, 175). He might be the fastest player here, period.
Toronto Argonauts cornerback Qwan’Tez Stiggers had a fantastic day. He had a number of pass breakups and closed the day in impressive fashion, knocking away a pass intended for UTSA’s Josh Cephus in man coverage, causing the defensive sideline to erupt. Stiggers (5113, 203) struggled at times on Day 1, but he was a force Sunday. Very impressive day overall.
The West defense had a dominant showing overall and closed it with a pick-six by Texas Tech safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (5110, 189), who is off to a great start here in Dallas. Smaller safety but plays much bigger than his size with great confidence. Can handle box, slot, and deep-safety roles. Name to watch.
EAST TEAM —
Once the East team hit the field, I found myself watching the offensive line group once again. It is the best OL group here in Dallas, and I continue to find myself gravitating towards Penn State’s Caeden Wallace (6043, 322). Wallace was primarily a right tackle at Penn State but got a lot of work at left tackle on Sunday.
He has great athleticism with quick feet and heavy hands. It showed during his time at left tackle. Though he had some issues in 1-on-1 drills with Clemson EDGE Xavier Thomas (6016, 244), Wallace had a good day overall and looked comfortable at left tackle after the first few reps.
I also found myself watching Kansas State interior offensive lineman KT Leveston (6035, 337). He has some great size, intriguing power and good athleticism for such a big dude. He handled center and guard reps very well and quietly has had a great first two days.
Penn State center Hunter Nourzad (6026, 319) had the best practice of the bunch, dominating throughout the day. He was a force in the team session and was outstanding in the 1-on-1 drills, handling pass rushers with ease. He showed quick, powerful hands to get inside pass rushers and completely shut them down. Very impressive stuff.
After spending time with the offensive line, I kept a close eye on the cornerbacks and linebackers for the East team. Syracuse’s Isaiah Johnson (6027, 207) is listed as a safety, but he got a lot of work at cornerback on the day. He was really impressive for his size. Fluid athlete, strong hands, light feet and smooth backpedal. The size is very intriguing.
Air Force safety Trey Taylor (6004, 213) also really caught my eye. He profiles as more of a box safety, but he was very good in 1-on-1 drills against tight ends in coverage. He came downhill against the run well in the team session and was very vocal when on the field. There’s just at real juice to his game and a maturity that is standing out big time.
JOE CLARK’S NOTES:
WEST TEAM —
One of the players that stood out to me again after making an impact on Day One of practice was UCLA LB Darius Muasau. He gets downhill and brings a lot of pop and energy to the field. He has some Elandon Roberts in his game, although he is a little bit smaller.
UTSA WR Josh Cephus made some nice plays again, showing good body control with an impressive toe tap along the sideline. His footwork and route running stood out when I watched the receivers.
Penn State CB Daequan Hardy forced a fumble and played with good technique throughout the day. I liked the way he ball-searched on the fumble and thought he had a solid day.
Southern Miss RB Frank Gore Jr. was the best running back of the group, showing off a lot of power and excelling throughout the day.
UCF OT Tylan Grable had a pretty solid day, showing good pop in his hands and driving his defender to the ground in 1-on-1 drills.
South Dakota State OG Mason McCormick has a good base and generates lower-body power. Has quietly been a solid performer over the last two days.
BYU TE Isaac Rex has good hands, is a fluid mover and a big target. The best tight end participating this week
Auburn DL Justin Rogers had a good bull rush against Holy Cross OL C.J. Hanson, but Hanson was able to adjust and recover and win the next rep. Hanson has been practicing snapping and has taken a lot of reps at center over the last two days.
Arkansas EDGE Trajan Jeffcoat has a really quick spin move that he can win with going inside or outside. He does a good job getting depth to set up the blocker. He had multiple wins.
Howard OT Anim Dankwah again struggled with speed and had to get his stance adjusted during individual drills. He did have a good rep against USC EDGE Solomon Byrd, who beat him twice yesterday, but Byrd was able to get the better of him on another rep. Dankwah moves pretty well for his size, but he’s clearly still a project.
UCLA EDGE Grayson Murphy had a huge day today, batting a pass in team drills with a lot of really good reps in 1v1. He has a quick get off and active hands.
North Carolina DL Myles Murphy showcased a good long arm and initial punch and was able to win with multiple pass rush moves. Solid day for an intriguing prospect.
Miami C Matt Lee still struggled a little bit in 1v1 against size, but he made adjustments and had a good day. He’s a vocal, natural leader at center, which is awesome to see.
Toronto Arognauts CB Qwan’Tez Stiggers had an awesome day, was really sticky in coverage and showed off closing ability and ball skills.
BYU QB Kedon Slovis struggled with accuracy all day.
Texas Tech DB Dadrion Taylor-Demerson had an interception on a gift from Slovis. He’s a vocal, physical player who could be a good hybrid safety/slot at the next level.
Tulane CB Jarius Monroe flashed again with solid ball skills. He’s a fun player to watch, very active and excited to be here.
Iowa DL Logan Lee had a would-be sack in team and again showed off his impressive hands. One of my favorite players to watch here.
Grambling State EDGE Sundiata Anderson showed off an array of pass-rush moves and had a batted ball in team drills.
UCF QB John Rhys Plumlee has good pocket awareness and good feet, but it wasn’t a banner day for QBs.
SMU DL Jordan Miller impressed me again, showcasing a really good swim move and good hands/awareness. He also had a tipped pass today.
EAST TEAM —
Clemson EDGE Xavier Thomas is one of the more developed players here. He had a really nice day and moved well, winning multiple 1v1 reps handily.
Charlotte EDGE Eyabi Okie-Anoma, who told me that he’s watched Thomas throughout his college career and taken a lot from him, was another standout. He just moves so fluidly, and he and Thomas were clear standouts.
Air Force S Trey Taylor looked good covering TEs in 1v1 and had some nice players. A player who stood out for sure today.
Colorado State EDGE Mo Kamara once again popped, and he’s a player who fits the Steelers’ mold at EDGE.
Oregon State’s Anthony Gould is small but was the best receiver of the day for the East team. He has a lot of speed and good separation ability.
Kansas State OL KT Leveston has been a quietly solid performer over the last two days. Has a strong base and was able to win 1v1 and had multiple good team reps. He’s also very athletic for his size.
BC OG Christian Mahogany is one of the best offensive linemen here and he showed why again today. Strong hips, good punch and a bully mentality.
Penn State C Hunter Nourzad likely put himself on Pittsburgh’s radar today, if he wasn’t already. He was the best offensive lineman all day, winning his 1v1s and flourishing in team. He has quick, strong hands and got good leverage to stop incoming pass rushers.
EDGE Richard Jibunor from Troy was a stud all day, winning reps in 1v1 and team. Impressive speed to power and good bend around the edge.
Houston EDGE David Ugwoegbu was quick to the ball in the run game and had a nice run stop in team.
TONY CALDERONE’S NOTES:
WEST TEAM —
Tulane CB Jarius Monroe has been a standout over the first two days. He’s brought energy, vocal leadership, and impressive ball skills to this West squad.
Toronto Argonauts CB Qwan’tez Stiggers was the best defensive player of the day for either team. He’s so sticky in coverage and quite fluid as a mover. He’s more than proven he can hang and is likely shooting up draft boards.
Arkansas CB Dwight McGlothern has such natural ball skills; you can really tell that he is a former wide receiver.
The punt returners for the West struggled, but Pittsburgh M.J. Devonshire was vocal on the sideline sharing tips with the rest of the unit.
BYU P Ryan Rekhow had a few absolute boomers, but a few shanks as well. A solid day overall.
Maryland QB Taulia Tagovailoa by far threw the least checkdowns of any West QB in seven-on-sevens. He wasn’t afraid to take shots down the field but had mixed results.
USTA WR Josh Cephus continues to be solid. Nothing spectacular, but his win rate in 1v1 reps seems to be pretty high.
Grambling State EDGE Sundiata Anderson was probably the best defensive lineman I watched today. He was solid in the run game and a standout in the pass rush. He looked good but not great the one time he had to go out and cover an RB in space.
TCU S Mark Perry showed good center-field skills over the top in help coverage.
EAST TEAM —
Penn State C Hunter Nouzard looked really powerful today, consistently winning reps with no snapping issues, something that plagued the West today.
Both UTEP’s Elijah Klein and Boston College’s Christian Mahogany took reps at center today despite being listed as guards.
Kansas St OG KT Leveston looked undisciplined at times in individual drills, garnering a few false starts. He did make some nice adjustments as practice went on.
Mahogany was the best, and really only, communicator on the offensive line in early drills today.
Maryland CB Tarheeb Still had the rep of the day with a diving interception in the back corner of the end zone. He needs to be more consistent and avoid excessive contact, but his highs have been as high as anyone over two days of practice.
Huge win on a rep for Oregon State WR Anthony Gould over Florida State CB Jarrian Jones. Gould hasn’t had his name tossed around with the top receivers here much, but he was the most impressive guy out there today in my mind. He had multiple great reps and showcased a nice catch-in-traffic ability for someone his size.
Oklahoma WR Drake Stoops continued to look like a great route runner but had a brutal drop that led to an interception.
Florida State CB Renardo Green was the most physical corner of the day, leading to a few nice plays but also at least one obvious penalty in 1v1s.
Alabama State CB Mikey Victor had a great day. He was off and on yesterday but was one of the best cornerbacks today. At 6-3, I wouldn’t be surprised if he is a good Day 3 value.
Kentucky QB Devin Leary was the best quarterback of the day for me, although it was a rough day for QBs overall.
Arizona State CB Ro Torrance had a great play to break up a pass in 7v7s, but probably should have had an interception on it. Still, he looks pretty rangy overall.
I didn’t watch the running backs much but, Monmouth RB Jaden Shirden looked pretty shifty from what I did watch.
MELANIE FRIEDLANDER’S NOTES:
WEST TEAM —
The WRs continue to make plays despite less-than-fabulous QB play. San Diego State twins Jadon and Jaxon Janke both look good but it’s Jadon who has impressed me more. Could it be a coincidence that he’s wearing the No. 80 jersey this week? He reminds me of UCLA’s Jake Bobo. You will hear about Virginia’s Malik Washington, USC’s Tahj Washington and Pitt’s Bub Means from most people watching practice, so I’ll simply say that they deserve the attention they’re getting.
Southern Miss RB Frank Gore Jr (5071, 199) is going to provide highlight-reel plays every day. He’s built like a small tank and combines burst and power with quick feet. He’s also proven that QBs can trust him to catch passes out of the backfield and checkdowns. Fun to watch him. UCLA’s Carson Steele (6003, 228) has stood out with solid play as well, and not just do to his larger stature and shiny gold helmet.
While the Steelers probably won’t be looking at the TEs much, this is a solid group and an upgrade from last year. SDSU’s Zach Heins (6061, 264) and Kansas’ Mason Fairchild (6036, 248) have shown they can block and catch well.
In the secondary, it was a good day for TCU’s Mark Perry (6001, 211). He showed that he can cover those big tight ends and had some nice pass breakups in coverage. the CFL’s Qwan’tez Stiggers put together a great day of practice, including a PBU in team drills that brought cheers from the entire defense. On punt returns, it was a little rough for Penn State’s Daequan Hardy and Pitt’s M.J. Devonshire, who both dropped the ball.
The defensive linemen dominated the offensive line in 1 on 1 drills. UCLA’s Grayson Murphy consistently overpowered his man. USC’s Solomon Byrd showed power and quickness and would have gotten to the QB had there been one.
EAST TEAM —
Western Carolina’s WR David White (6021, 195) is officially my sleeper pick of the Shrine Bowl. He runs crisp routes and is a reliable pass-catcher, including a contested slant in 1 on 1 drills and a leaping athletic grab on a long downfield pass. Michigan’s Cornelius Johnson (6022, 213) shows consistency in his technique, which makes up for a lack of true speed.
For the RBs, it’s Louisville’s Isaac Guerendo’s (5116, 200) world and we’re just living in it. With only four RBs on the roster, there isn’t a lot of competition, but it wouldn’t matter. He is quick and powerful, with great footwork and 100% effort on every snap. Shout-out to Monmouth’s Jaden Shirden (5074, 189), who has been solid and even had a blitz pickup in team drills today.
For the DL and EDGE drills, it was the Colorado State Mo Kamara show (6013, 231). What he lacks in size, he makes up for in power, burst off the line, punch and footwork. Northern Iowa’s Khristian Boyd (6021, 320) has a very effective swim move. Charlotte’s Eyabi Okie-Anoma (6037, 253) is just a beast and dominates his matchups.
