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ORLANDO, FLA. — A quick look at 10 intriguing prospects playing in this weekend's East-West Shrine Game:
EAST TEAM
•Kam Chancellor, S, Virginia Tech. He entered the '09 season as a highly regarded prospect but was terribly inconsistent as a senior. This week in practices and then in Saturday's game, NFL scouts and personnel men want to see if he can play with the athleticism he displayed in '08. He must show better awareness in coverage all week to overcome the concerns about his instincts and ability to dissect plays quickly and correctly.
•Richard Dickson, TE, LSU. He is athletic and versatile, contributing as an in-line tight end, H-back, fullback and slot receiver at LSU. He shows consistent hands to make big catches. He lacks ideal bulk for an in-line tight end and thus struggles to block well. This week, scouts want to learn where Dickson fits best in the NFL. Does he have the athleticism, speed and receiving skills to make an impact as a receiver from an in-line alignment? Or is he best suited to be an H-back or a fullback?
•Greg Hardy, DE, Ole Miss. He is the most interesting prospect in the East-West game. Hardy long had been viewed as a potential top-10 pick but failed to produce to that level the last two years. He has the quickness, athleticism and speed to explode off the snap and beat pass blockers around corner. He also shows quick pass-rush moves, but he lacks intensity far too often. He also has struggled with injuries and must prove he is close to 100 percent to overcome his doubters.
•
Arizona's Devin Ross needs to prove to scouts he's physical enough for the NFL.Kevin Haslam, OT, Rutgers. He has flown under the radar for the most part because he's the "other" tackle at Rutgers, playing opposite possible top-10 pick Anthony Davis. Haslam shows good quickness and athleticism, flashing the ability to be a productive pass blocker who adjusts well to secondary pass-rush moves. NFL coaches want to get a better gauge on his technique and figure out whether he has the footwork to protect the corner against NFL speed rushers. Additionally, they want to see if he can block consistently all week because he was a tad inconsistent at Rutgers.
•O'Brien Schofield, DE/OLB, Wisconsin. He had an excellent '09 season and really shined in the Champ Sports Bowl vs. Miami (Fla.), but scouts wonder if he can be as productive in the NFL. He is an undersized pass rusher, and personnel men aren't quite sure where he fits. Does he have the frame and strength to play defensive end in a 4-3 scheme? Does he have the athleticism to be a rush linebacker in a 3-4 scheme? Since so many Wisconsin defensive ends have failed at the NFL level, he must prove scouts who are skeptical about his explosiveness wrong.
WEST TEAM
•Ryan Moya, TE/FB, UCLA. He lacks the talent to become an NFL starter, but scouts still are trying to figure him out. He shows surprising athleticism and versatility to contribute as an in-line tight end, H-back and fullback. He must prove he has the receiving skills and blocking ability to find a home and develop. Right now, he is a jack of all trades and master of none. Regardless of how he performs this week, Moya will not be able to move into the first three rounds but could assure himself of being drafted.
•Devin Ross, CB, Arizona. He is an athletic corner with natural ball skills, but personnel men have real concerns about his size and speed. This week, he must show he has the strength to hold up in physical coverage and is willing to make tackles in run support. This game should provide a good opportunity for Ross to prove he has legit athleticism to be a future NFL starter.
•Darrell Stuckey, S, Kansas, & Larry Asante, S, Nebraska. Stuckey and Asante are tough, hard-nosed safeties who attack plays
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.in front of them and do not hesitate to deliver violent hits, showing good quickness and closing burst. However, both must prove they have the athleticism to be effective in deep pass coverage. Both are viewed as tough, in-the-box safeties who are much better in close quarters than in the open field.
•Keith Toston, RB, Oklahoma State. He is a tough and aggressive ballcarrier who shined in '09, his first season as a featured back. He shows good instincts and vision to locate holes, and he shows the athleticism to make one sharp cut and hit it quickly and aggressively. He runs hard, consistently able to gain yardage after contact. This week, he must prove he has the agility and footwork to change directions to make would-be tacklers miss; right now, he seems more of a straight-line athlete. He also must prove he has the receiving skills to catch passes out of the backfield and be an every-down back.
Former NFL scout Russ Lande evaluates college players for Sporting News' Pro Football War Room and GM Jr. Scouting LLC.
EAST TEAM
•Kam Chancellor, S, Virginia Tech. He entered the '09 season as a highly regarded prospect but was terribly inconsistent as a senior. This week in practices and then in Saturday's game, NFL scouts and personnel men want to see if he can play with the athleticism he displayed in '08. He must show better awareness in coverage all week to overcome the concerns about his instincts and ability to dissect plays quickly and correctly.
•Richard Dickson, TE, LSU. He is athletic and versatile, contributing as an in-line tight end, H-back, fullback and slot receiver at LSU. He shows consistent hands to make big catches. He lacks ideal bulk for an in-line tight end and thus struggles to block well. This week, scouts want to learn where Dickson fits best in the NFL. Does he have the athleticism, speed and receiving skills to make an impact as a receiver from an in-line alignment? Or is he best suited to be an H-back or a fullback?
•Greg Hardy, DE, Ole Miss. He is the most interesting prospect in the East-West game. Hardy long had been viewed as a potential top-10 pick but failed to produce to that level the last two years. He has the quickness, athleticism and speed to explode off the snap and beat pass blockers around corner. He also shows quick pass-rush moves, but he lacks intensity far too often. He also has struggled with injuries and must prove he is close to 100 percent to overcome his doubters.
•
Arizona's Devin Ross needs to prove to scouts he's physical enough for the NFL.Kevin Haslam, OT, Rutgers. He has flown under the radar for the most part because he's the "other" tackle at Rutgers, playing opposite possible top-10 pick Anthony Davis. Haslam shows good quickness and athleticism, flashing the ability to be a productive pass blocker who adjusts well to secondary pass-rush moves. NFL coaches want to get a better gauge on his technique and figure out whether he has the footwork to protect the corner against NFL speed rushers. Additionally, they want to see if he can block consistently all week because he was a tad inconsistent at Rutgers.
•O'Brien Schofield, DE/OLB, Wisconsin. He had an excellent '09 season and really shined in the Champ Sports Bowl vs. Miami (Fla.), but scouts wonder if he can be as productive in the NFL. He is an undersized pass rusher, and personnel men aren't quite sure where he fits. Does he have the frame and strength to play defensive end in a 4-3 scheme? Does he have the athleticism to be a rush linebacker in a 3-4 scheme? Since so many Wisconsin defensive ends have failed at the NFL level, he must prove scouts who are skeptical about his explosiveness wrong.
WEST TEAM
•Ryan Moya, TE/FB, UCLA. He lacks the talent to become an NFL starter, but scouts still are trying to figure him out. He shows surprising athleticism and versatility to contribute as an in-line tight end, H-back and fullback. He must prove he has the receiving skills and blocking ability to find a home and develop. Right now, he is a jack of all trades and master of none. Regardless of how he performs this week, Moya will not be able to move into the first three rounds but could assure himself of being drafted.
•Devin Ross, CB, Arizona. He is an athletic corner with natural ball skills, but personnel men have real concerns about his size and speed. This week, he must show he has the strength to hold up in physical coverage and is willing to make tackles in run support. This game should provide a good opportunity for Ross to prove he has legit athleticism to be a future NFL starter.
•Darrell Stuckey, S, Kansas, & Larry Asante, S, Nebraska. Stuckey and Asante are tough, hard-nosed safeties who attack plays
Related Links
War Room supplies all your draft needs
Super 99 draft prospects
Suh sits atop latest mock draft
.in front of them and do not hesitate to deliver violent hits, showing good quickness and closing burst. However, both must prove they have the athleticism to be effective in deep pass coverage. Both are viewed as tough, in-the-box safeties who are much better in close quarters than in the open field.
•Keith Toston, RB, Oklahoma State. He is a tough and aggressive ballcarrier who shined in '09, his first season as a featured back. He shows good instincts and vision to locate holes, and he shows the athleticism to make one sharp cut and hit it quickly and aggressively. He runs hard, consistently able to gain yardage after contact. This week, he must prove he has the agility and footwork to change directions to make would-be tacklers miss; right now, he seems more of a straight-line athlete. He also must prove he has the receiving skills to catch passes out of the backfield and be an every-down back.
Former NFL scout Russ Lande evaluates college players for Sporting News' Pro Football War Room and GM Jr. Scouting LLC.