Packers Huddle

2) Dylan McMahon, OL, North Carolina State (6-2 7/8, 295)

McMahon has been the best lineman in Frisco this week. He played some guard in earlier practices but starred at center Monday, stuffing big tackles like Auburn's Justin Rogers in one-on-ones, even though he gave up over 40 pounds. McMahon's powerful base allowed him to sit in his stance against Washington's Tuli Letuligasenoa in team work, which is no mean feat. The quickness and strength of his hands into the body of his man after the snap were impressive; once engaged, McMahon sticks on his man throughout plays in team or position drills with balance and footwork. He looked like an eventual NFL starter.

3) Darius Muasau, LB, UCLA (5-11 7/8, 236)

Muasau was all over the field during the West team's practice Monday, just as he was at Hawai'i and UCLA. He's a leader in the middle, calling out plays and moving linemen so he could attack a gap in the run game. His drops into coverage were of good depth, and he quickly smothered running backs over the middle and heading to the flat. Muasau always managed to get a slight bump on his target to show he would take care of business during the game. He drew a flag in a one-on-one rep for being a bit too physical, but NFL teams will live with that aggression.

5) Trajan Jeffcoat, Edge, Arkansas (6-4, 266)

Even though Jeffcoat measures 6-4, he plays with a low pad level to control his blocker. On Monday, he beat his man in one-on-one tackles by winning the outside shoulder, and then on the next rep, he bulled the tackle to his backside. During team play, he was tough in the run game but also displayed the change of direction to stop his advancement to the passer and track down a screen play. Whether on the edge or playing five-technique, Jeffcoat showed the strength, length (33 1/2-inch arms) and quickness to excel in multiple defensive schemes.

6) Sundiata Anderson, Edge, Grambling State (6-3 1/2, 249)

The two-time first-team All-SWAC pick has more than stood up to offensive line prospects from FBS schools during Shrine practices. He is fast and smooth off the snap but is strong enough to bull tackles towards the quarterback. If unable to reach the passer, he gets his hands into throwing lanes. Anderson caused an interception Monday morning by beating his man and bumping into Maryland QB Taulia Tagovailoa, causing a fluttering downfield pass that was intercepted. Anderson may be a designated pass rusher to start his career but has an all-around game that could lead to a larger role in time.

7) Cam Little, K, Arkansas (6-0 7/8, 173)

When an elite kicker takes the field in an all-star game, the sound of his strike on a field-goal try is just different. The thud on contact is noticeable, as is the strong plant foot, smooth speed of his hips through the kick, and the trajectory of the attempt. Little's short tries during special teams reps cleared the top of the goalposts. And while he didn't make every kick this week, his 56-yarder (which would have been good from 60-plus yards) to end Monday's session even brought defenders like cornerback Tulane's Jarius Monroe over the line to congratulate him.

8) Jabari Small, RB, Tennessee (5-8 3/8, 205)

Small only received 95 carries in 2023 at Tennessee, which has strong depth at the position, but scouts saw how his compact build and acceleration can be effective during Monday's practice. In red-zone reps, he took an outside toss, cut inside a nice block from his right tackle and found the end zone with ease. After an inside run where he just put his head down to get what he could, Small came off his center's block, cutting outside to open space for a potential score. His efforts backed up the nose for the end zone he showed in 2022, when he scored 13 times on the ground.

3) Jarrian Jones, CB, Florida State (6-0, 192)

Jones was one of the more energetic, communicative players on the field Tuesday, hopping around between reps and talking to teammates and coaches. Throughout Shrine practices over the past four days, he showed his skills in the slot, plastering smaller receivers with physicality and quickness. Jones also displayed that he's an effective zone defender on Tuesday, initially showing man but instead reading the quarterback to deflect a high throw. During drills, he looked natural while high-pointing passes, too. Jones will be a plus for some NFL team, on the field and in the locker room.

5) Blake Watson, RB, Memphis (5-9 3/8, 189)

Watson stood out with his quickness and hands out of the backfield at Shrine practices. The two-time 1,000-yard college rusher is not afraid of working inside despite his smaller stature, protecting the ball and keeping his feet moving to feel the crease, even during Tuesday's light workout. Watson also displayed the strong hands that caught 90 passes over the past two seasons at Memphis and Old Dominion. He snared throws away from his body on Tuesday, both in the flat and over the middle, smoothly transitioning into YAC mode with a quick turn to pick up first downs. I believe he can have a notable role on an NFL offense as a rookie.

6) Kaitori Leveston, OG, Kansas State (6-3 5/8, 337)

Leveston played minimal snaps at guard for the Wildcats because they needed him at left tackle. His improvement playing left and right guard during this week should catch the eye of offensive line coaches looking for a powerful force inside. By Tuesday, Leveston looked like a natural, moving well for his size and bringing heavy hands to bags and opposing defensive tackles. When fully indoctrinated into the position, he'll be a one-man duo block, moving DTs with his powerful upper body on run plays. And his raw strength will allow him to anchor versus rugged opponents in pass protection.

8) Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, S, Texas Tech (5-10, 189)

DTD's measurements may not wow scouts, but underestimate him at your peril, just like similarly sized NFL starters Damontae Kazee and Jordan Whitehead. He lined up deep during team play on Tuesday, looking natural while reading and attacking the run and getting to the sideline from the middle of the field without an issue. Earlier in the week, Taylor-Demerson took on Virginia WR Malik Washington and other slot receivers without much of an issue and had a pick-six, plucking the ball from the air and running to the end zone to the delight of his teammates.

East-West Shrine Bowl Day 2 notes
West Winner: The biggest winner of Shrine Bowl week so far is likely South Dakota State’s Mason McCormick. Going into the week I had an undrafted free agent grade on him but that changed for several reasons after seeing him perform in Frisco. One of those reasons is he showed he has the power to shut down FBS talent, and should be a natural fit in a gap-blocking scheme. The second reason is that he showed good versatility playing center on day two. Yet another reason why I think he improved his stock greatly is that he plays with impressive intensity down after down.

East winner: While Mason McCormick was the most impressive player on the West team, linebacker Kalen DeLoach stood out on the East team. What was so impressive about DeLoach was how athletic he was. He is by far the most athletic linebacker at this game and will likely test out as one of the more impressive athletes in the 2024 NFL Draft. He shows fluid hips and does a great job of opening up in coverage. He also shows tremendous speed and great range overall.

Consistent performance: One of the more consistent players at this week’s East-West Shrine game was center Matt Lee. He didn’t have a single bad snap that I saw and played with good technique overall. He also showed good mobility, which is why he will likely fit best in a zone-blocking scheme.

One of the more underrated players: Going into the season I named Pittsburgh cornerback MJ Devonshire to my All-Underrated team and now that I have seen him person I stand by that pick even more. Today he showed fluid hips and was sticking like glue to the receivers he was covering. One more benefit with Devonshire is that he has been one of the better punt returners in college football, having been named second-team All-ACC as a return man in 2022.

Impressive vision: One trait that stood out to me about Memphis running back Blake Watson, was his impressive vision. He found open running space on several plays when the original hole was clogged with a defender. In addition, to displaying this trait he also made several impressive catches which combined with the 53 passes he caught this season shows he is a reliable passing target out of the backfield.

Switching positions: One player who moved positions since arriving at the Shrine Bowl is TCU’s Andrew Coker. Coker played both right and left tackle in college but was moved to offensive guard in this game. This move makes sense as he lacks the quick feet to play tackle at the next level.

lupedafiasco wrote: ↑

30 Jan 2024 10:09

You can dump the 23rd highest paid non QB in the league right now. Bak was a great player but we are about to come up on his 3rd season off an injury with no guarantee he can stay on the field. Every one of these surgeries hes had "The doctors finally figured it out." At this point you just need to move on. You have a competent OT duo in Walker and Tom and this is a strong OT class and Bak just cant be trusted.

I loved what Nagler had to say recently. He said Gutenbumst needs to be ruthless this offseason. That means not bringing back underachievers (mistakes made in the past resigning King/Lewis) like all of these safeties and Dillon. That means moving on from bad contracts (mistakes made in the past like pushing money on Dean Lowry/Billy Turder) and getting rid of Campbell and Bak.

Clean up the cap once and for all. Be extremely competitive next year with another large rookie class but come out incredibly strong in 2025 with a healthy cap and keep our developed assets.

Labrev wrote: ↑

02 Feb 2024 13:33

Gute just said that Bak is "a ways away."

The guy is donezo. A sad end to a great career and great player, but that leg is FUBAR.

Labrev wrote: ↑

02 Feb 2024 13:40

lupedafiasco wrote: ↑

30 Jan 2024 10:09

I loved what Nagler had to say recently. He said Gutenbumst needs to be ruthless this offseason. That means not bringing back underachievers (mistakes made in the past resigning King/Lewis) like all of these safeties and Dillon. That means moving on from bad contracts (mistakes made in the past like pushing money on Dean Lowry/Billy Turder) and getting rid of Campbell and Bak.

APB wrote: ↑

02 Feb 2024 14:57

lupedafiasco wrote: ↑

30 Jan 2024 10:09

I loved what Nagler had to say recently. He said Gutenbumst needs to be ruthless this offseason. That means not bringing back underachievers (mistakes made in the past resigning King/Lewis) like all of these safeties and Dillon. That means moving on from bad contracts (mistakes made in the past like pushing money on Dean Lowry/Billy Turder) and getting rid of Campbell and Bak.

lupedafiasco wrote: ↑

08 Feb 2024 07:19

Tevin Wallace is a LB I want badly. That guy is going to be a star. Not sure why he isn’t higher on big boards.

YoHoChecko wrote: ↑

08 Feb 2024 11:42

lupedafiasco wrote: ↑

08 Feb 2024 07:19

Tevin Wallace is a LB I want badly. That guy is going to be a star. Not sure why he isn’t higher on big boards.

Noted. Will examine

The best draft prospect on this team.
His major positive is that he is a beast of an athlete and can make great tackles in the open field.
His minor positive is that he can play the zone well, and if you need him to sack the QB, he can do it.

His only real negative is that he is subpar in man coverage as he has not done it a lot to fully master it.

go pak go wrote: ↑

08 Feb 2024 11:47

YoHoChecko wrote: ↑

08 Feb 2024 11:42

lupedafiasco wrote: ↑

08 Feb 2024 07:19

Tevin Wallace is a LB I want badly. That guy is going to be a star. Not sure why he isn’t higher on big boards.

Noted. Will examine

From a Kentucky fan

The best draft prospect on this team.
His major positive is that he is a beast of an athlete and can make great tackles in the open field.
His minor positive is that he can play the zone well, and if you need him to sack the QB, he can do it.

His only real negative is that he is subpar in man coverage as he has not done it a lot to fully master it.

YoHoChecko wrote: ↑

08 Feb 2024 13:32

go pak go wrote: ↑

08 Feb 2024 11:47

YoHoChecko wrote: ↑

08 Feb 2024 11:42

Noted. Will examine

From a Kentucky fan

The best draft prospect on this team.
His major positive is that he is a beast of an athlete and can make great tackles in the open field.
His minor positive is that he can play the zone well, and if you need him to sack the QB, he can do it.

His only real negative is that he is subpar in man coverage as he has not done it a lot to fully master it.

Ok just watched a 7 minute video. Almost no coverage on this one, so no comment there.

But man, people stop moving when he makes contact. It doesn't look like a big collision or anything, but he just has really strong tackling.

Seems to be really good at seeing where to go and knifing in there--tons of plays in the backfield and around the line of scrimmage. Definitely has more than enough speed to go sideline to sideline in pursuit, as well--plus to close in on ballcarriers/QBs in a hurry.

What you can't tell from a highlight film like this is does he almost always get it right and make the right read and play in the right gap--or does he shoot and knife forward into the wrong hole a bunch and therefore give up some plays? No way to tell from the one video, so I'll keep listening, learning, and reading. But a strong first impression for sure.

Scott4Pack wrote: ↑

08 Feb 2024 17:17

Here are some more bodies to consider.

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