Finding Broncos: 8 Shrine Game Prospects Flying Under the Radar
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As NFL teams scout the Shrine Game practices underway, a few players were flyring under the radar entering the week. However, with a few practices down, some have already started to stand out.
The Denver Broncos have dipped into Shrine Game prospects often over the last few years, and there are some good options for them again this year. Here's a snapshot of eight sleepers to monitor.
East Offense
Leonard Taylor | TE | Cincinnati
Teams like the Broncos, needing a blocking tight end to compliment an athletic receiving tight end, should be watching Taylor closely. He has solid blocking technique and did quite well there. Also, 962 of his 1,580 career snaps in college came as a blocker, so he got a good amount of exposure.
John Ojukwu | OL | Boise State
Ojukwu has a good combination of size and athleticism while having a suitable frame and length. However, his footwork and base must be improved while showing a more vital anchor. This is an excellent environment to answer those questions.
West Offense
Jake Bobo | WR | UCLA
Bobo is a big-bodied wideout that doesn't have great long speed, but he is of the mold of a reliable possession receiver. He has 10 drops in five seasons while catching 50% of his contested catches in his career, including a 59.7% rate in 2022.
Jacky Chen | OL | Pace
There isn't much out there about Chen, which is understandable coming out of Pace. However, this is a massive opportunity for Chen to stand out and get some attention.
East Defense
D'Shawn Jamison | CB | Texas
Jamison is a highly physical corner, despite coming in at 5-foot-9 and 186 pounds. He plays much bigger than he is, largely thanks to his 31.25-inch arms. Entering the week, he was under the radar, but with a couple of excellent practices, he may not be anymore.
Keondre Coburn | IDL | Texas
Coburn isn't a long defensive lineman, but he is stout and big, weighing in at the Shrine Game at 344 pounds. He is a powerful nose tackle that doesn't offer much as a pass rusher, but he can eat up blocks and space as a run blocked, opening up plenty of room for the linebackers.
West Defense
Drake Thomas | LB/Edge | North Carolina State
Thomas is a football player that plays hard and physically but doesn't have great traits, which will hurt his draft stock. However, he has some solid versatility to attack off the edge, play as an off-ball linebacker, and work hard downhill. In addition, he has shown awareness and solid coverage ability in certain coverages. Thomas is the type of player football coaches love, even as a depth piece and special teams contributor.
Mohamoud Diabate | LB | Utah
Diabate has all the traits to be a successful coverage linebacker, but he has to speed up his process and improve his spatial awareness in coverage. On top of that, there can be issues with Diabate coming downhill against the run. That said, the traits he has are worth taking a gamble on to try and develop, and a solid week at the Shrine Game can go a long way to help his stock.
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