Mike Martz’s National team beat Jim Zorn’s American team 27-7, but this was more about the players showcasing their skills for NFL scouts in attendance. There were just about 200 scouts in attendance at the StubHub Center, which will be the home of the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017. There were plenty of players who benefited from practicing this week and this game as the NFL Draft gets closer. Some of these guys will not get drafted, but it does not hurt to have former NFL players and coaches endorse them as someone worth signing.
“I told my players don’t think of this as an all-star game, think of it as a job interview,” Martz stated.
Martz gave Philip Nelson a ton of praise. Coach believes he can make all the throws and be a starter in the league. He completed 11 of 18 passes for 101 yards and scored on a sneak. He moved around in the pocket to find throwing lanes and looked comfortable doing so. Greg Ward Jr. struggled as a passer, but he had two long runs that electrified the stadium. Unfortunately, his day ended early when he injured his ankle on a horse collar tackle.
The running backs and offensive linemen for the National team flexed their muscles all afternoon. Taquan Mizzell ran the ball 10 times for 96 yards, which was a game record. He showed great speed in the open field with the ability to make the first guy miss. Mizzell was shaking guys out of their cleats and lowered his shoulder a few times. Lenard Tillery and TJ Logan had good games as well as the trio ran for 213 yards. They showed off their versatility as they caught passes out of the backfield. Coach Martz highlighted Tillery’s intriguing skill set.
“He’s a good returner, lead blocker, and he broke some runs out there. He’ll make someone’s team, at worst, as a special teamer,” Martz exclaimed.
The American team quarterbacks struggled in this one. They would get a first down or two and then the drive would stall around midfield. Sean Maguire made some good throws and showed toughness as he completed a dart over the middle to Zach Pascal. Mitch Leidner and Ryan Higgins struggled under center as they took snaps. Higgins threw two interceptions in the second half.
Teriyon Gipson had a great week of practice for the American team and that translated to Saturday’s game. He exhibited enough speed to test the edge on sweeps and acceleration in between the tackles. Gipson scored late in the fourth on a 13-yard run and had 96 total yards. The offensive line for both teams impressed me, as they were able to open holes big enough for a Mack truck.
Defensively, DJ Jones and Lucas Wacha had solid week of practice and it carried over to the game. Jones teamed up with Grover Stewart on a sack. Wacha played like a man with his hair on fire as he made a bunch of tackles.
Lorenzo Jerome of St. Francis (PA) had the best performance. He showed his ability to cover the deep third like a NFL safety as he picked off Ward Jr. twice. His strong performance earned him the game’s MVP even though his team lost. Jerome prides himself on recognizing plays before the snap and being a ball hawk. He had 18 career interceptions as a member of the Red Flash. Jerome went on to say who he models his game after.
He said, “My best friend in college. His name is Bishop Neal. He played linebacker for us and he was a dog. And Sean Taylor.”
There were plenty of players that stood out this week in practice. The offensive linemen and tailbacks for both sides will start to get more attention from NFL teams. Jerome and Nelson did a great job of absorbing what their coaches taught them this week. The path toward a NFL opportunity started this week for these guys as they got the needed exposure.
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