The annual East-West Shrine Game will be held on Saturday at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. Some NFL prospects will hope to get noticed by scouts and some coaches and general managers. While the East-West Shrine Game isn’t as high profiled as next week’s Senior Bowl, they will be many talented players playing in St. Petersburg on Saturday.
The East-West Shrine Game has found hidden gems such as New England Patriots backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, Tennessee Titans receiver Tajae Sharpe and Cleveland Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun, just to name a few.
The Carolina Panthers have huge needs at left tackle, running back and defensive end, but they’re other positions that the team could be looking to target in this year’s NFL Draft. Let’s look at some prospects to keep your eye on.
Avery Gennesy, tackle, Texas A&M
Carolina needs help at the left tackle with the status of Michael Oher is not known because of a concussion that kept him out of the team’s last 13 games of the season. Avery Gennesy is arguably the best offensive linemen prospect that will be at this year’s East-West Shrine Game and he could be a good selection for the Panthers in the second day of the draft.
Gennesy began his college career at East Mississippi Community College before transferring to Texas A&M for his junior season. From there, Gennesy started 26 games after he was redshirted in 2014.
Texas A&M’s offensive line coach Jim Turner is one of the best in college football as he spent a number seasons in the NFL. Gennesy can play every position on the offensive line as his high football IQ will come in handy on someone’s roster. At 6-5, 315 pounds, Gennesy also has the size along with the strength and quickness to make an impact as a rookie.
Ejuan Price, defensive end, Pittsburgh
At 6-0, 255 pounds, several scouts have questions about Pittsburgh Panthers defensive end Ejuan Price at the next level. While they’re some injury concerns, Price’s specialty is rushing the passer.
As a rare sixth-year player, Price missed two full seasons at Pitt because of injury and only played in 20 games from 2011-2014. The last two seasons, however, he was one of the best defensive players in the ACC.
From 2015-2016, Price recorded 23.5 sacks, 40.5 tackles for loss and forced four fumbles. His measurable will likely make Price a day three pick, but he could potentially be a steal for some team down the line.
Joe Williams, running back, Utah
Joe Williams will have one of the oddest stories of any prospects this draft season. Williams briefly retired from football after the Utes second game of the season. He later returned to the team after they had lost three straight games in October.
After he returned to the Utes, Williams finished the season with 1,407 yards and 10 touchdowns. Williams has a violent running style as he loves to punish defenders. Questions about his commitment linger, but Williams would fit in well with the Panthers running scheme and could be a great value pick on the third day of the draft.
Brian Cox Jr., defensive end, Florida
If the name Brian Cox sounds familiar, well it should. Brian Cox Jr. is the son of former NFL linebacker and current defensive line coach Brian Cox Sr.
Cox Jr. had his best season as a junior when he recorded 46 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss. In 2016, Cox missed five games, most of them due to an ankle injury. He finished the season with only 19 tackles, 0.5 sacks and 1.5 tackles for loss in eight games.
Cox isn’t the fasted linemen at 6-3, 260 pounds, but he uses his strength very well off blocks to create movement off the ball. He is better against the run as Cox has a relentless motor. Cox could be a good pick on day three of the draft as he could be used a rotational player in his rookie season.
Treston DeCloud, cornerback, Oregon State
In the age of teams going towards bigger cornerbacks on the outside, Oregon State’s Treston DeCloud could be a player NFL teams could target in the latter stages of this year’s draft. At 6-3, 208 pounds, DeCloud has a frame of an NFL safety.
In 10 games in 2016, DeCloud recorded 58 tackles, two interceptions and 10 pass breakups. While his size is exactly what NFL scouts want, DeCloud will need to prove he has the speed and quickness to keep up with NFL receivers. Carolina struggled in pass coverage last season as they gave up an average of 268.2 yards through the air, which ranked 29th in the league in 2016.
Stacy Coley, receiver, Miami (Fla.)
While his 40 time isn’t known, Miami Hurricanes receiver Stacy Coley has enough speed to take the top off defenses at the next level. With Ted Ginn Jr., scheduled to become a free agent in March, the Panthers could draft a younger replacement for him.
2016 was Coley best season in Coral Gables as the receiver recorded 63 catches for 754 yards and nine touchdowns. He will also give the team that selects him value on special teams as Coley can be used as a kickoff and punt returner.
Coley could be a good receiver in the slot in the NFL as he is dangerous when he catches the ball out in space. During his time at Miami, Coley averaged 13.4 yards per catch.
Twitter: @antwanstaley
