2019 East-West Shrine Game: Winners and Losers.
2019 East-West Shrine Game: Winners and Losers.
The 94th edition of the East-West Shrine Game was the final chance for a lot of college players to improve their draft stock. Though the Senior Bowl receives more publicity, there is no shortage of future Hall of Famers to have played in the Shrine game. The west won by a score of 21-17. In this article, I will go over which players improved their draft stock, as well as the players who unfortunately damaged their stock.
Winners
David Blough, QB, Purdue. East Team.
With the East down 21-0 in the third quarter, Blough made a game of it by completing 10-15 throws for 149 yards and two touchdowns. The comeback ultimately fell short, but there was a lot to like in Blough’s game. If he wasn’t already on NFL scouts radar he should be now. He may have vaulted himself into a late-round pick in this year's draft.
2. Terry Godwin II, WR, Georgia. East Team.
The recipient of Blough's aforementioned touchdown passes, Godwin showed off great route running and the ability to adjust to the ball in midair. He did have a costly fumble in the second quarter but that was his only blemish on the day. He was named offensive MVP of the Shrine game
3. Justin Hollins, OLB, Oregon. West Team.
Now onto the defensive MVP of the game. Hollins was all over the field Saturday finishing the game with 10 tackles, 3 TFL, and 2 Sacks. He used his speed and pass rushing arsenal to terrorize the backfield while also staying committed to the run game. No one on defense improved their draft stock more than Hollins.
4. Tre Watson, OLB, Maryland. East Team.
Watson followed a strong week of practice with a great performance on Saturday. In all, he tallied 9 tackles and a sack while showing scouts he can be more than the backup he is currently projected as.
5. Brett Rypien, QB, Boise State. West Team.
Rypien was the most consistent quarterback of the game and consistently marched his team down the field. He finished the game completing 10-14 passes for 134 yards and a touchdown. Early in the first quarter, he hooked up with LSU RB Nick Brossette on a 22-yard touchdown in which he placed the ball perfectly over Brossette's shoulder for an easy score. He also displayed good pocket presence and the ability to keep his eyes downfield when moving out of the pocket.
Losers
Taylor Cornelius, QB, Oklahoma State. East Team.
No one damaged their draft stock more on the day than Cornelius. He threw two bad interceptions and looked lost out there on most plays. A QB many considered a sleeper to be drafted on day two, Taylor now looks more like a day 3 type of player.
2. Marcus McMaryion, QB, Fresno State. West Team.
Admittedly, there weren’t a lot of expectations going into this game for McMaryion. That being said he only completed 3 of 11 passes for 27 yards and it would appear that he does not have an NFL future unless he can catch on a teams practice squad.
3. Jordan Ellis, RB, Virginia. East Team.
While Ellis only got 6 carries in the game, he turned those carries into 17 yards for a paltry 2.8 ypc. It’s hardly fair to judge a player off of limited touches, but that is always the case in all-star games as the teams leading rusher only had 10 carries himself. There were no splash plays or flashes from Ellis to suggest that he is anything more than a late-round flier.
-By: Russell Muhs