The East-West Shrine Bowl was played on Thursday night after a week of practices and concluded a productive week. There were plenty of players who put out some good tape and here are five of the biggest defensive Shrine Bowl risers.
Here Are Five NFL Draft Prospects Who Became Defensive Shrine Bowl Risers With Their Performances
EDGE Elijah Ponder, Cal Poly
Ponder was one of the biggest small-school standouts of the week and simply looked like a superior athlete on the field. His quick first step and explosion around the edge led to a solid amount of one-on-one rep wins. He’s built well and moves better than most edge rushers with excellent bend and violent hands.
The FCS defender more than just survived against solid FBS offensive linemen and showed he can win with multiple techniques. He was a major bright spot during team periods as well and smoothly meshed within different pass-rush sets.
Potential Team Fit: Indianapolis Colts
DL Jordan Phillips, Maryland
An interesting case of a true junior declaring for the draft with little production to his name, Phillips was a hot topic on social media leading up to the week. When he got to the practices, he proved that entering the draft early could be a wise choice. He was an absolute problem when isolated and thrashed his way to a ton of easy wins. His power and advanced hand technique gave him consistent early leverage over linemen and was in the backfield seemingly every snap.
Potential Team Fit: New York Giants
LB Chris Paul Jr., Ole Miss
Paul Jr. offers one of the most intriguing linebacker profiles in the draft cycle and was on a different level than most of the offensive players he went up against. He survived on islands in coverage against running backs and tight ends and showed the quick-twitch skills to be a legitimate second-level asset. His sideline-to-sideline movement skills and ability to impact both run and pass plays were on full display for scouts. He was able to be lined up all over the field and never looked uncomfortable or out of place.
Potential Team Fit: Seattle Seahawks
Read More: Chris Paul Jr. Scouting Report
DB Cobee Bryant, Kansas
Bryant has been a star for the Kansas Jayhawks’ defense the last two years and was lockdown at Shrine Bowl practices. Despite being listed at 175 pounds, he stayed heavily physical in coverage and dominated the catch point. He’s visibly feisty and a wildly competitive defender, making waves with his trash talk and stare downs after forcing incompletions. His stock steadily climbed as the week progressed and was arguably the best defensive player on the field for either team.
Potential Team Fit: Kansas City Chiefs
DB Robert Longerbeam, Rutgers
Longerbeam has been a relatively quiet prospect to this point in the draft process, but that’s beginning to change with his Shrine Bowl performance. He showed high-level read-and-react ability and was a coverage savant in the red zone. The Scarlet Knights DB flashed advanced patience and footwork, likely making his name a much more coveted one following the week’s conclusion.
Potential Team Fit: San Francisco 49ers
Main Photo Courtesy of Matt Bush – Imagn Images
