The East-West Shrine Game is tonight in Arlington, Texas. Here are 15 players to watch for the Patriots.
Jordan Phillips, DT, Maryland, 6’1.5 318: Phillips had a good week of practice. Explosive with strong hands, he proved he can stick and stack blocks and shed and make plays. Phillips plays with good lean and bend as a pas rusher. Length could be an issue however.
Hollis Pierce, OT, Rutgers, 6-8 342: A big right tackle type who is athletic for his size and has good length. Pierce has been impressive this week at practice, especially as a pass blocker.
Antwuan Powell-Ryland EDGE Virginia Tech, 6-2.5 253: Classic five technique Edge who proved this week he can play on or off the ball. Twitchy athlete with an explosive first step. APR proved this season that he has the speed and redirection skills to be an elite pass rusher. Just ask Boston College.
Thomas Perry, OG, Middlebury, 6’3 311: The Division III all NEPSAC guard had a good week adjusting to a higher level of competition. Perry plays with functional strength at the point of contact and he displayed some legitimate snap and pop as a center as well. Perry also showed an ability to anchor and sustain blocks as a short area pass blocker.
Jack Conley, OT, Boston College, 6’7 325: Conley’s versatility was on full display all week as he repped at guard and tackle. He profiles more as a right tackle or guard. Conley has the functional strength to win one on one blocks and get movement. He also proved he can take over double blocks and come off and block defenders in space. Conley holds his own against bull rushers but has struggled at times against wide five technique speed rushers.
Xavier Truss, OT, Georgia, 6’7 320: Truss was a three year starter at Georgia. The former Bishop Hendricken Hawk has good length and footwork and offers swing potential as both a left and right tackle. Needs to show he can bend more naturally and sustain blocks but he project as a late day two, early day three prospect who would be a good fit for what the Patriots want to do schematically.
Fadil Diggs, EDGE, Syracuse, 6’5 260: More of your classic nine technique to the tight end, Diggs has long arms and uses them well as a pass rusher. He covers a lot of ground with his first step and he has the requisite lateral quickness necessary to play along the line of scrimmage.
Theo Wease, WR, Missouri, 6’2 205: Wease was productive both at Oklahoma and Missouri. Long and lean, he is a good athlete who gets in and out of cuts cleanly and has strong hands. He needs to be more consistent catching the ball at times but he knows how to find space in zone coverage and has enough of a second gear to separate and gain big yards in space.
Isaiah Neyor, WR, Nebraska, 6’4 220: A big target who profiles more like an X receiver. Mike Vrabel likes big bodied receivers on the outside. Neyor has proven he runs good routes, can separate in breaks and can consistently win in contested catch situations. Neyor needs to prove he can separate once he gets into the open field. He doesn’t have top end speed.
Rocket Sanders, RB, South Carolina, 6’0 220: A big back in the same mold as Rhamondre Stevenson. Sanders is a one cut downhill runner who has a second gear in the open field and can make defenders miss laterally. Needs to show more as a receiver who he is a fundamentally good pass blocker who sticks on defenders once he’s engaged.
Luke Newman, OG, Michigan State, 6-4 315: The former Holy Cross Crusader can play guard or tackle or could even play some center. He projected as a guard on Sundays and he proved this week that he can get consistent movement on single blocks and play in space on double teams and in the screen game. He won’t wow the Patriots physically but his toughness and versatility are traits Vrabel will like.
Timothy McKay, OG/OT, N.C State, 6’5 312: McKay reminds me a little of Joe Thuney is that he can play guard or tackle. He is physical at the point of attack k and gets consistent movement. McKay has good feet as a pass blocker and shows the ability to naturally bend. He is an intriguing day three prospect.
Gareth Warren, OT, Lindenwood, 6’6 328: A massive right tackle type who proved this week that he can hold his own against better competition. He needs to bend better and his footwork is sluggish at times but there is a lot to work with from a developmental standpoint.
Ja’Cory Brooks, WR, Louisville, 6’3 195: Another long, lean receiver who runs clean routes, can separate at the top of breaks and has strong hands. Brooks proved this week that he can make plays in contested catch situations but he needs some refinement and polish to his game.
Terrell Hemingway DT, South Carolina, 6’3 288: Three technique type tackle who good first step quickness and can recreate the line of scrimmage. Plays with strong hands and stick and shed but he does struggle to consistently get blocks at times, especially double teams.