Finding Broncos: 8 Shrine Game Prospects to Watch
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The Shrine Game week is underway, as scouts, coaches, and draft prospects go through a week of practices that can dramatically affect the prospects' stock. Even without a head coach, scouts of the Denver Broncos are there and keeping a close eye on the prospects. It's also a chance to meet with the prospects and get to know them.
Last year, the Broncos drafted multiple players from the Shrine Game in defensive linemen Eyioma Uwazurike and Matt Henningsen, along with center Luke Wattenberg. Could Denver find multiple options again this year?
Here are eight prospects the Broncos could be intrigued by at the Shrine Bowl.
East Offense
Tavion Thomas | RB | Utah
Due to a toe injury, Thomas missed the end of the season and the 2022 season as a whole wasn't what people were expecting, especially after a strong 2021 season. The Shrine Game week can be huge for him, as he needs to show more consistency and ability on passing downs to help boost his draft stock. Fumbling was an issue in college, and a fumble in practice or the game could be highly damaging.
A.T. Perry | WR | Wake Forest
Perry is a versatile receiver with tremendous size. He can line up in any receiver position and has been pretty reliable. This week's practices can help Perry greatly, especially if he can flash his tremendous catch radius and aggressively attack the ball. It will also be an excellent time to get exposure against press coverage, which he didn't often face in college.
West Offense
Dorian Thompson-Robinson | QB | UCLA
Robinson is an experienced athlete with plenty of mobility to be a threat with his legs. However, despite his experience, he made some of the same mistakes in college throughout his career. Cutting back on those mistakes while also showing key improvements in certain technical aspects could help him.
Zay Flowers | WR | Boston College
Flowers is a tremendous route runner and one of the best prospects in the game. As things currently stand, months ahead of the NFL draft, Flowers is already looking like a day-two pick. During college, he had 24 drops with an 11% drop rate and will need to show improvement with his hands and securing the catch during the week, as well as to show his release package against press coverage, which he wasn't exposed to a lot in college.
East Defense
Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson | CB | TCU
Size is always going to be mentioned when talking about Hodges-Tomlinson. At the Shrine Game measurements, he came in at 5-foot-7 and around 170 pounds. He is small, and he is light. On tape, he plays bigger than he is, but it was still an issue. Not letting his size dictate things at the Shrine Game will be vital as he looks to improve his draft stock.
Robert Beal Jr | Edge | Georgia
There wasn't a lot of exposure in college for Beal, who only played 1,012 snaps total with 524 as a pass rusher. It's clear that the former five-star recruit didn't live up to expectations. However, Beal has the traits to work as an edge rusher, and this week would be an excellent time to show that he is more than those traits. Showing improved and consistent techniques that work with his athletic traits is vital.
West Defense
Benton Cox Jr | Edge | Florida
During the 2022 season, Cox left the Florida Gators to prepare for the NFL draft. He has a great combination of size, speed, and athleticism and has shown it often during his college career, especially in the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Cox needs to show technical development on the field, but answering some tough questions off the field, particularly about his departure, could also boost his stock.
Trey Dean II | S | Florida
Dean is a big-bodied safety that loves to be physical, though he can be too physical or grabby. He is a former corner that moved to safety and has shown he can be a versatile piece on the backend. The Shrine Game week will be an excellent time for him to show improvements with his timing, as well as reads of play-action.
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