East-West Shrine Game 2015: Highlights, Top Performers Who Boosted Draft Stock
The East-West Shrine Game is an annual college football showcase pitting some of the best prospects in the nation against each other in a postseason exhibition that has now become perhaps an unofficial kickoff to the NFL draft season.
The 2015 version of the game was hardly an affair worth dwelling on, as a disjointed East team defeated the listless West 19-3 on Saturday.
This is a game in which six total quarterbacks combined to complete just 26-of-50 passes for 185 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions. The West averaged 2.3 yards per carry, while the East toted the ball for 3.5 yards per attempt. A kicker, South Florida's Marvin Kloss (playing for the East, naturally), won the offensive MVP award with four made field goals.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
With little in the way of offense to speak of, the defensive players stood out during the game itself.
However, 95.7 The Game's John Middlekauff reminded us and all the nervous skill players who may feel a golden opportunity has passed them by that it's perhaps unwise to put too much stock into the 60 minutes of football played on Saturday:
The Houston Texans provide a link to the game highlights:
While Deadspin could find but one play worthy of distinction as a highlight:
Then again, this nifty first-down jaunt from shifty North Dakota State running back John Crockett was fairly noteworthy:
A contest bereft of highlights to be sure, but getting bogged down in the narrative of the game would lose sight of the ultimate purpose, which is giving players another chance to shine in front of NFL scouts and observers with a game and a few days of practice.
Players such as William & Mary wideout Tre McBride and LSU running back Terrence Magee certainly stood out during the week of practice leading up to the event, but the game tape could go a long way toward determining the fate of some of these mid-tier prospects. Here is a look at three players who did themselves a favor with strong performances in the Shrine Game.
2015 East West Shrine Game Top Performers
Za'Darius Smith, DE, Kentucky
Alvin "Bud" Dupree will likely be the first Kentucky product to hear his name called on draft day, but fellow pass-rusher Za'Darius Smith and his high-motor playing style might not be far behind after an excellent Shrine Game showing.
Smith elicited praise from multiple observers for his pass-rushing acumen. Bleacher Report's Dan Hope noted his strong work prior to the game, while NFL Network's Charles Davis praised his performance in the first half of the Shrine Game:
NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah put himself in an NFL scout's shoes and singled out Smith as the player to take note of from this contest:
Smith was a disruptive force on the edge all game long—just like he was during the 2014 season. Smith racked up 34 tackles (seven for a loss) and 4.5 sacks as a senior. His long arms help him to maintain leverage and bully the opposition.
He could be a bit undersized as an NFL 4-3 defensive end, but if he can add some muscle and maintain his explosiveness there is nothing to hold him back from becoming a solid NFL rotation player.
CBS Sports currently has Smith projected as a third or fourth-round pick but don't be surprised if the Wildcat builds on this star turn in the Senior Bowl and the NFL combine.
Anthony Chickillo, DE, Miami (Fla.)
Smith wasn't the only standout East pass-rusher garnering praise during this contest. Miami's Anthony Chickillo put on the type of display that could have scouts wondering why his college numbers were so pedestrian.
Like Smith, Chickillo made his presence felt on several first-half plays. NBC Sports' Josh Norris noted he got some help from Smith on a first-half sack:
CBS Sports' Rob Rang passed along an interesting comparison for Chickillo:
The 6'4", 282-pound Chickillo hasn't received too much attention coming into the draft; not an unsurprising development considering he registered just three sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss in 2014. There could be a place for him in the NFL, however, if he is drafted into the right scheme.
Chickillo seemed grateful for the opportunity to perform in a 4-3 system that is best suited to his skill set, per South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Omar Kelly:
At Miami, he was perhaps miscast in a shifting, 3-4-based scheme. Chickillo had a fifth- to sixth-round projection from CBS Sports coming into this weekend. Look for him to scale the rankings after an excellent Shrine Game showing.
John Miller, OG, Louisville
In a game where the trench battles were often the the only part worth watching, Louisville guard John Miller had himself a fine day of run blocking.
DraftBrowns.com's Justin Higdon and SB Nation's Jason Marcum noted Miller's strong work in the trenches on the day:
Miller's solid work wasn't enough to spring too many big runs in this contest—the East offense spun its wheels for the majority of the afternoon—but he likely did enough to prove his grit and determination will translate well to the NFL.
CBS Sports has Miller as the ninth-rated guard in a fairly weak draft class for the position, but his nasty streak and ability to bulldoze a path in the running game could prove to be a nice pickup for a team looking to get younger and add depth to the interior of the offensive line.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
