2015 East-West Shrine Game Day 3 Scouting Notebook

There aren't always diamonds. Sometimes the rough is just rough.

Without being overly negative, 2015's East-West Shrine Game crop left me with two distinct impressions. First, I'm not sure anyone will get a "call-up" to the Senior Bowl on Jan. 24 after Saturday's game in St. Petersburg, Florida—some could, but there are no locks as there have been in the past.

Second, the NFL is going to have a rough time finding guys who can be impact starters right away, as the roster is packed with either talented players who need polishing or polished players who have high floors but low ceilings. 

That latter thought could probably be said about any all-star game roster and even draft classes in a broader sense, but this group reminded me of the proverbial piece of coal that will never turn into a diamond with all the polishing in the world. 

Yet, at least a handful of guys from this group will end up proving me wrong. But this might be my first time in six years coming out of the Shrine practices without a group of guys I would positively want on a team I was building. 

• Notes from Day 1
• Notes from Day 2

Day 3 Scouting Notes

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

•I had been excited to see Syracuse offensive tackle Sean Hickey but came away (mostly) disappointed in someone who should be a lot more polished and who overextends way too much for a guy of his body type (6'5", 291 lbs). The tools are there, but they come with a lot of awfully bad habits. 

•Michigan wide receiver Devin Gardner is "all in" on the switch from quarterback, and that's good because he's got a ways to go, per Cecil Lammey. That said, he improved every single day during the practices and has some natural ability in things like shedding defenders trying to press and changing gears to create separation. 

•South Florida kicker Marvin "Money" Kloss is one of the better and more unheralded kickers in this draft class. But one of my favorite litmus tests for specialists is how the ball sounds coming off their foot. Kloss has the leg and accuracy to make an NFL team, but he doesn't seem to have the same pop as recent Shrine Game kicking stars like the Minnesota Vikings' Blair Walsh. 

•A few days ago, I noted how Washington wide receiver Kasen Williams' star has fallen. His speed and overall athleticism have been sapped, and he's just not the same player he once was. He still has some incredible polish, however, and he made several good catches over the week. 

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

•I'm not sure fans have ever asked me about a specific prospect as much as North Dakota State running back John Crockett. Dude is fast. We're talking gears on top of gears. Numerous NFL teams would surround him after every practice, and he's almost assured of a spot on a roster in a few months. He's a bit of a straight-up-and-down runner, but he's got enough lateral athleticism to make guys miss even if he's providing a bigger target. 

•Speaking of teams talking to players, this bears repeating: It doesn't matter! So often, you'll see fans get bent out of shape or cling to things like, "well so-and-so talked to so-and-so at the Shrine Game." But the truth is that every franchise will talk to everyone. That's how the process works, and a reason area scouts attend the game is to get that one-on-one time with the players they've been scouting all year. 

•Eagles head coach Chip Kelly attended practice on Day 3. The number of high-level personalities at the Shrine Game has definitely improved in recent years. It used to just be Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson as the lone decision-maker in the crowd. 

Quote of the Day

RICH SCHULTZ/Associated Press

"Woody Johnson can go f--k himself and the horse he rode in on." —A former Jets employee

I don't include this quote just because I almost fell down laughing as I passed the person who said it, nor do I think it's something crazy or incredible or anything but what it was: a fired employee venting to a friend about a former employer. 

I include it, however, to highlight one of the more interesting aspects of events like the Shrine Game. The mingling of fans, media, coaches, personnel guys and plenty of people looking for work makes for some interesting interactions and some great stories told over adult beverages. 

Whom to Follow on Twitter

One of the ways I keep notes during practices is on Twitter. Yet, I'm not the only set of eyes out there, and one person can only see so much. Here are some other vetted, talented types I'll be bumming around the sidelines with:

• Cecil Lammey, Bleacher Report Featured Columnist/ESPN Radio Denver
• Josh Norris, Rotoworld
• Dane Brugler, CBS
• Greg Auman, Tampa Bay Times 
• John Owning, Bleacher Report FC/Football Insider
• Charlie Bernstein, Football Insider
• Emory Hunt, Football Gameplan
• Dan Hope, Bleacher Report Featured Columnist

Food Recommendation

On the way back from St. Petersburg, Charlie Bernstein, John Owning and I stopped into Four Rivers Smokehouse in Orlando. I've probably driven past that exit a number of times as it's only about 40 minutes from home, and I've eaten at every exit around it coming back from the airport. But I had no idea this restaurant existed, and it's actually a chain with a number of franchises in Central Florida. 

The idea of a chain barbecue restaurant isn't something that sounds very appealing, as the best smoke joints tend to be the very opposite of something one can easily duplicate. But this was some of the best barbecue and sides I've had in a while. 

Grab the three sliders and pick a variety of meats, but make sure you get the burnt ends and the mac and cheese. Bernstein also recommends the smoked jalapeno poppers, and not getting them myself is a mistake I'll probably have to atone for soon. 

What Others Are Saying 

Michael Schottey is an NFL National Lead Writer for Bleacher Report and an award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America. Find more of his stuff on his archive page and follow him on Twitter.