15 Potential 2013 NFL Draft Picks in Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game

You may not have known until now, but the college football postseason all-star bowl circuit for senior 2013 NFL draft prospects begins Friday night with the Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game in Tucson, Ariz.

This game falls in the lower tier of college football all-star games, featuring far fewer likely draft picks than the Senior Bowl or East-West Shrine Game. The game does, however, have some players with a shot of being Day 3 draft selections.

The game is in its second year. Six draft prospects who played in last year’s game were selected in the 2012 draft: the highest draft selection among them was Delaware center Gino Gradkowski, who the Baltimore Ravens chose at No. 98 overall.

The action can be watched on ESPN3 at 9 p.m. ET. If you decide, the following 15 players are worth keeping an eye on, as they could all potentially follow in the footsteps of Gradkowski and others as selections in this year’s draft.

Dexter McCoil, S, Tulsa

The prospect in this game with the highest upside appears to Tulsa safety Dexter McCoil. Standing at 6’3” and at more than 220 pounds, McCoil has the size of a linebacker yet is also a skilled cover safety.

McCoil has very good instincts and ball skills, and has 18 interceptions in his Tulsa career as a result. He is also a very sound tackler on the back end and has good playmaking range.

He does not have great speed and will have to become more fluid in coverage at the next level, but he has real upside as both a safety and special teams playmaker. McCoil is comparable prospect to George Iloka, who was a fifth-round pick in last year’s draft out of Boise State, and could end up as a sixth-round choice.

Isi Sofele, RB, California

California running back Isi Sofele’s numbers in terms of both carries and yards went down in his senior season, but he is a good complementary back who could continue to be at the next level.

Sofele finds holes well with both quick feet and good vision, and he has good speed. He is a small back at only 5’8”, and he won’t run anyone over, but he is an athletic back who is also willing to take on contact and pick up blocks, and has a shot to make it as a team’s third running back.

Chris Jacobson, G, Pittsburgh

In a year where there seems to be an especially high demand for offensive linemen around the league, Pittsburgh guard Chris Jacobson has a good shot of sneaking into the late rounds of the draft. He is a strong guard who is best as a run blocker, but has good feet.

Jacobson does a very good job of turning defenders to open up holes, and he is a physical guard who holds his ground well both in the ground game and in pass protection. However, he is undersized and is not great at picking up blocks in the open field. Nonetheless, he would be a solid choice in the last two rounds of the draft.

Bojay Filimoeatu, OLB, Utah State

One of the best talents on either roster in this game is Utah State outside linebacker Bojay Filimoeatu. He was an inconsistent performer for the Aggies, but with a good combination of size and athleticism, strong tackling and good pass-rushing ability, he has the positional versatility to play outside linebacker in any defensive scheme.

Filimoeatu is an effective run defender, can bring pressure into the backfield and is solid in coverage, although he doesn’t have great speed. What could keep him undrafted, unfortunately, are injury concerns: he tore his meniscus earlier this week according to an unconfirmed tweet from Josh McDonald. If that is the case, he will not be playing on Friday night.

Terence Garvin, OLB, West Virginia

West Virginia’s Terence Garvin is undersized for an NFL linebacker, but he is a good athlete with a nose for the football. Garvin is good at getting out in space and making plays, is a good blitzer and has been a productive playmaker and leader for the Mountaineers’ defense for the past three seasons.

Unfortunately for Garvin, he doesn’t fit any NFL position particularly well: he doesn’t have the size to be a three-down player at linebacker, and he doesn’t have the coverage skills to play safety at the next level. Where he has the most potential is on special teams, and could be a worth a shot in the late rounds or as an undrafted free agent off of a very good collegiate career.

Stacy McGee/JaMarkus McFarland, DT, Oklahoma

Both Oklahoma defensive tackles playing in Friday night’s game have a shot at being late-round draft picks.

Stacy McGee has good measures for a defensive tackle with good length and quickness, and is a good penetrator. But while McGee has shown flashes of brilliance, he has never put together consistent play, including for much of an injury-riddled senior season.

JaMarkus McFarland is a solid defensive tackle who has been a productive starter and a sound run-stopper against Big 12 competition, but is not much of a difference-maker. He is undersized for the position and does not have much explosiveness, which leaves him projected to be little more than depth at the next level.

Aaron Tipoti, DE, California

California defensive end Aaron Tipoti isn’t a big playmaker, but he is a physical lineman with some moves, giving him some potential as a 5-technique defensive end in a 3-4 defense.

Tipoti has clean technique and a good spin move, and is a very solid run defender at the point of attack. His biggest issue is measurables: he lacks height, will need to bulk up to play on the interior line and does not have the speed to play at defensive end.

Injuries have also been a problem for Tipoti over the years. As a late-round selection, however, he could have a skill set worth developing as a rotational defensive lineman.

Marvin Burdette, ILB, UAB

UAB’s Marvin Burdette became a tackling machine in his senior season, finishing the season with 157 tackles in 12 games, the highest tackles per game for any FBS player this season according to CFBStats.com.

Burdette certainly has a knack for getting in position and making plays, but there is nothing that stands out about his game. He is undersized at only 5’11” and 230 pounds, is not a great athlete and is not particularly disruptive. He did not perform particularly well against top competition (Ohio State and South Carolina) this season, and makes most of his tackles upfield.

Considering his impressive rate of making plays and coming up with tackles, he is certainly worth a look in this game. As far as he projects to the next level, however, he will probably have to make his home on special teams and may end up going undrafted.

Brandon Ogletree, ILB, BYU

Another skilled but undersized linebacker in this game is BYU’s Brandon Ogletree. Ogletree is an instinctive player, sound tackler and physical hitter, but at only 5’11”, his height is a significant detriment to his draft stock.

While a consistent tackler, he is not exactly a great athlete or big playmaker, and he would likely struggle in coverage at the next level given subpar height and speed. He has some potential, however, as middle linebacker depth and as a special teams player, and should at least get a shot as an undrafted free agent.

Dwayne Woods, OLB, Bowling Green

As is the case for most of the top linebackers in this game, Bowling Green’s Dwayne Woods is a talented player who was productive as a collegiate player, but being an undersized player from a mid-major school could keep him undrafted.

Woods is a good athlete, a sound tackler, an effective blitzer and does a good job tracking down runners. He is also decent in coverage, but he is not a major difference-maker, and without a skill set that will make NFL teams overlook his lack of size at only 5’11”, he will be a seventh-round pick at best.

Josh Hill, FS, California

Josh Hill was one of California’s most productive defensive players this season, and is another Golden Bear with a shot of making it to the NFL. He is an undersized safety at only 5’10”, but he is a solid tackler with decent athleticism.

Hill doesn’t have great playmaking ability and may not have the speed to cover at the next level, but as a solid tackler who can move decently well, he has a shot to make it as a special-teams player and backup safety. He could garner interest as a seventh-round pick or as a priority free agent.

Matt Austin, WR, Utah State

Matt Austin is a physical outside receiver who has led Utah State in receiving each of the past two seasons. But while he is a reliable target with good hands and who can be a downfield playmaker, he may not have the athleticism to separate at the next level, nor is there anything special about him in terms of size or route-running ability.

If Austin can make plays on special teams, he could have a home at the next level as a fourth or fifth receiver. He has had enough productivity to garner interest as a potential seventh-round pick, but his game as an NFL prospect does not stand out.

Mike Shanahan, WR, Pittsburgh

Mike Shanahan’s NFL success will likely never come close to matching that of his unrelated namesake in coaching, but the Pittsburgh wide receiver does have next-level potential. He has very good size (6’4”, 225 pounds) and is a good athlete, which enabled the Panthers to use him effectively as both a wide receiver and tight end.

Shanahan is not much of a blocker, so playing tight end likely isn’t an option at the next level, but with his size and leaping ability, he could be a solid red-zone/short-yardage receiving threat. He does not have great speed and won’t make defenders miss in the open field, but if he is able to contribute on special teams, he has a shot to make it at the next level as a fourth or fifth receiver and as last-string depth at tight end.

Nicholas Edwards, WR, Eastern Washington

Coming into his senior season, Eastern Washington wide receiver Nicholas Edwards looked like a solid Day 3 selection. His production regressed in his senior season, however, and as teammate Brandon Kaufman stole the spotlight as the best receiver in FCS football, Edwards dropped off of the draft radar.

But while a long shot now to be drafted, Edwards still has some upside. He is an athletic wide receiver who uses his size well, and can be a big downfield playmaker.

Edwards is not much of an open-field playmaker, however, and will have to overcome concerns of inconsistency against a lower level of competition. The odds are against him being drafted, but he could garner consideration in the seventh round.

Honorable Mentions

Some other players who are long shots to be drafted, but are worth watching and could potentially make it in the NFL:

Brandon McManus, K, Temple

Zach Brown, K, Portland State

The two kickers in this game have both been consistent performers and have strong legs. Neither is likely to be drafted as a placekicker, but either could warrant a training camp invite as an undrafted free agent.

Larry Black, DT, Indiana

Black has been a productive interior lineman for the Hoosiers, but does not have the size, power or quickness to be particularly disruptive at the next level.

Tristan Okpalaugo, OLB, Fresno State

Okpalaugo was never a big playmaker at Fresno State, but he has good length and could be a raw developmental prospect as an outside linebacker for a team with a 3-4 defensive scheme.

Chris McDonald, G, Michigan State

A three-year starter at right guard at Michigan State, McDonald could draw interest as an undrafted free agent from a team in need of depth on the interior line.

Garrett Hoskins, TE, Eastern Michigan

Hoskins is a skilled receiving tight end who led Eastern Michigan in receiving this season. He does not have great height, blocking ability or speed, but could be worth a shot as an undrafted free agent.

Myles White, WR, Louisiana Tech

White was overshadowed at Louisiana Tech by one of the nation’s best wide receivers in Quinton Patton, but he is a skilled receiver in his own right. There is nothing particularly special about the small receiver’s game, however, making him best suited to be an undrafted free agent signing.

Dan Hope is an NFL draft Featured Columnist and the New England Patriots game-day correspondent for Bleacher Report.

Follow @Dan_Hope