Just like that, the East-West Shrine Bowl has come and gone as the pre-draft process continues to roll along at a mind-blowing pace.
On Thursday night at the Ford Center, the West team cruised to a 23-11 win over the East team at the Ford Center, home of the Dallas Cowboys’ practice facility in the Dallas-Frisco area. That win for the West team wrapped up a terrific week for the more than 100 players who showed up in Dallas looking to put on a show as they are one step closer to reaching the NFL.
Steelers Depot was represented by myself, Joe Clark, Melanie Friedlander, and Tony Calderone in Dallas to cover the week. With the week in the rearview now, the crew put together their top two winners and losers coming out of the event.
JOSH CARNEY’S WINNERS AND LOSERS
WINNERS —
Jarius Monroe, DB, Tulane — (6005, 204)
Monroe had a fantastic week in Dallas, standing out right from the very first day. After playing quite a bit of cornerback for Tulane over the last two seasons, Monroe played primarily safety at the East-West Shrine Bowl and put together an impressive showing. Monroe was a vocal leader throughout the week, bringing serious juice to the West team.
Throughout the week of practice, Monroe showed off his range and versatility, and that showed up again in the game. Monroe had a key interception in the game and earned Defensive MVP in the West’s win. He has good size for a versatile safety and has great athleticism and range for the position. With the game transitioning more towards versatility and position-less play, especially defensively, Monroe is a name to remember throughout the draft process.
Frank Gore Jr., RB, Southern Mississippi State — (5071, 199)
After a slow start on the first day of practice, Southern Mississippi running back Frank Gore Jr. broke out in a big way throughout the week in Dallas. The son of Frank Gore, the third leading rusher in NFL history, Gore Jr. showed off great hands out of the backfield, a tough, physical style of running just like his Dad, and outstanding footwork for the position.
That work throughout the week translated to the game as Gore ripped off a 49-yard run touchdown run on the first drive of the game, opening the scoring. Entering the week, Gore Jr. was projected as a Round 7-Priority Free Agent in the draft class. But he certainly outperformed that during the week in Dallas and looks like a legitimate NFL running back who could pair nicely in the NFL with an experienced veteran.
LOSERS —
Anim Dankwah, OT, Howard — (6072, 389)
Coming into the week, there was a lot of interest surrounding Howard offensive tackle Anim Dankwah due to his size. He then checked in at 6072 389 pounds with an absurd 35 3/4″ arms. He looked every bit the part. And then the pads came on. Dankwah had a rough week, struggling to get into a proper stance and needing 1-on-1 work on the side from position coach Greg Austin.
He struggled in 1-on-1 situations against more polished pass rushers and had no answer for speed. In team sessions, he looked a bit lost, too. Then, he was inactive for the game and never had a chance to show if he learned anything during the week. He has the size and the length, but he’s a major project moving forward.
Jack Plummer, QB, Louisville— (6040, 216)
Throughout the week, Plummer was an intriguing quarterback with good size, a decent arm, and a good football IQ. He stood out in team sessions, running the East team rather well compared to some of the other quarterbacks throughout the week, taking advantage of his experience and leadership. Then, things came apart in the game.
Plummer was a mess, completing just 4-of-10 passes for just 40 yards. He was also sacked twice and had a long of just 12 yards on the night. Pocket presence was a disaster, too, though he got no help from the offensive line. Still, the ball didn’t come out quick enough, and he looked unsure of himself, turning in a disastrous performance.
JOE CLARK’S WINNERS AND LOSERS
WINNERS —
Myles Murphy, iDL, North Carolina— (6037, 312)
Murphy was a beast all week in Dallas and was a player to watch all week long. He was able to come up with a big sack in the game, costing the East team 11 yards. A likely Day Three pick, Murphy boosted his stock with his performance this week. He has some good pass-rush juice and can also plug the middle and stop the run.
Murphy is a name to watch for Pittsburgh in the mid-late rounds of the draft, and his sack on Thursday night was impressive, one of three from the East team (UCLA EDGE Grayson Murphy had the other two). He’s someone who will continue to rise if he can keep showing out like he did in Frisco.
Taulia Tagovailoa, QB, Maryland— (5102, 200)
Tagovailoa’s size is the biggest knock against him, but he was one of the best quarterbacks on the field Thursday night. He went 9-14 for 142 yards and also used his legs to scramble for a touchdown. He has a lot of experience as a three-year starter at Maryland and could be a nice developmental late-round fit for somebody.
His size is going to cause him to stay a late-round pick, but he was decent in practices and then really stood out in the game. The Big Ten’s career passing yards leader, Tagovailoa showed off his high-level experience and arm talent and helped the West build an early lead that they wouldn’t relinquish. Definitely a name to watch going forward, with the Steelers potentially adding to the quarterback room.
LOSERS —
Jalen Coker, WR, Holy Cross — (6012, 218)
Coker makes the list just due to injury. He got hurt on the second day of practice after a solid first day and was unable to make a big impact on his draft stock on the sidelines. He couldn’t suit up for the game on Thursday, and after an impressive performance at the Hula Bowl, he wasn’t able to improve his draft stock.
It’s unfortunate for Coker, as he was one of the players who I think a lot of teams were excited to watch perform against guys who had played at a high level in college. He still has an opportunity to boost his stock at the NFL Combine, but he couldn’t build anything in Dallas due to injury, which unfortunately lands him on the losers list.
Marcellas Dial, CB, South Carolina — (5113, 185)
Dial had a nice season for South Carolina, stepping up to replace the losses of Darius Rush and Cam Smith. But he never really stood out in Dallas and was overshadowed by a lot of other defensive backs. In the game on Thursday, he got burnt by South Dakota State’s Jadon Janke for a 52-yard reception.
Dial did make some plays against the run, finishing with five total tackles, but he didn’t do much to help himself out this week. Janke’s reception was the longest play of the game, and Dial was completely overmatched in coverage. Coupled with his inability to stand out in practice, he lands on the losers list.
TONY CALDERONE’S WINNERS AND LOSERS
WINNERS —
Anthony Gould, WR, Oregon State — (5080, 172)
Gould had a good, but not great, week at practice, and it was tough for him to stand out in a solid receiver group, especially on the East squad. When you are his size, any impact on special teams you can make at the next level is crucial. And despite not looking like the best punt returner of practice (I thought it was Illinois WR Isaiah Williams), his 80-yard punt return last night was really the only spark of the game for the East. If he can provide value as a punt returner, his chances of getting drafted will only increase.
John Rhys Plumlee, QB, UCF — (5116, 200)
While a lot of the quarterback attention will be on Taulia Tagovailoa after his impressive performance, Plumlee actually had the best passer rating of the night at 100.4 and also ran for a touchdown. He had eight completions on ten attempts for 81 yards and showed some good poise in the pocket. He also looked natural running the read option, something that teams might look to use with him in the NFL, as he possesses elite athleticism. The football and baseball star at UCF is a sneaky Day 3 option who can provide a team with a lot of flexibility.
LOSERS —
Julian Pearl, OT, Illinois — (6054, 314)
UCLA’s Grayson Murphy gave Pearl fits all night, especially on one play where he burned him for a red zone sack. Pearl didn’t have a ton of flashes at practice this week but had a chance to stand out among a generally weak tackle group in the game itself. Unfortunately, he just couldn’t stop the speed rushers once again, a problem that will only compound in the NFL.
Renardo Green, CB, Florida State — (5114, 187)
Green started the Shrine Bowl week as one of the higher-regarded prospects at the event, specifically at the corner position. But I thought he was outshined by guys like Tulane DB Jarius Monroe and Toronto CB Qwan’tez Stiggers, and the fact that he missed a day of practice due to injury didn’t help. He committed a real rough pass interference category in the end zone on 3rd and 16, leading to a touchdown for the West. I still think he gets drafted, but a missed opportunity for him to really help his stock.
MELANIE FRIEDLANDER’S WINNERS AND LOSERS
WINNERS —
