Broncos Shrine Bowl Prospects to Watch: West Team

The Shrine Game rosters were announced, and there are a few prospects to interest the Denver Broncos.

The NFL draft process is fully underway, and one of the first steps is the Shrine Game. While the Senior Bowl is the bigger stage, this year's Shrine Game rosters have some highly-touted prospects currently projected to be top 64 picks. 

This year, the Denver Broncos received a slight advantage in the offense when QBs coach Davis Webb was named the offensive coordinator for the West Team. That could give the Broncos extra insight into the players that we are looking at. 

So, let's get to our look at the key names on the West Team.

Quarterback

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• John Rhys Plumlee: UCF 
• Kedon Slovis: BYU

Slovis was a highly-rated prospect at one point, but he has plummeted over the past couple of years. After moving around at the college level, he is currently projected as an undrafted free agent. There are concerns about his arm talent for the NFL and his decision-making and athleticism. 

As for Plumlee, he missed time over his collegiate career and threw 29 touchdowns to 16 interceptions in the last two seasons. He doesn't have an ideal size, and there are questions about the arm talent for the NFL level. Like  Slovis, he is also currently viewed as an undrafted free agent. 

Running Back

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• Jonathon Brooks: Texas 
• Frank Gore Jr: Southern Miss
• Carson Steele: UCLA 
• Blake Watson: Memphis 

All four of these running backs are interesting, and all are currently projected to get drafted somewhere during the third day. 

Brooks stepped up with Bijan Robinson leaving for the NFL. He posted a 6.1-yard average on 204 carries during the 2023 season. There isn't a concern with his mileage, and he can fit in most schemes. 

Ball security is a concern with Gore, but he ran the ball for almost 4,000 yards during college, posing over 1,100 yards each of the last two seasons. He is smaller but electric. 

Steele is a bigger back who brings solid power to the rushing attack. His style might be a little redundant for the Broncos with Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine. Ball security is also a concern with Steele. 

Watson transferred to Memphis after a couple of dominant years at Old Dominion. He has 27 touchdowns over the last three seasons, with 14 in 2023. He's a smaller electric back who can bring some explosive playmaking ability. 

Wide Receiver

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• Jalen Coker: Holy Cross
• Ryan Flournoy: SE Missouri St
• Lideatrick Griffin: Mississippi St 
• Jadon Janke: S Dakota St
• Jaxon Janke: South Dakota State 
• Bub Means: Pitt
• Tahj Washington: USC 
• Malik Washington: Virginia 

I have yet to get around to studying most of these receivers. So, this game will be a first impression that they hopefully make the most of. Of course, NFL teams and scouts will have some idea about these players entering the practices. 

The one receiver I have watched is Tahj Washington. He's a small, explosive playmaker who can add to the return game. In the 2023 season, his average yards per catch was 18.0, and he had a long of over 50 yards in five games. 

Tight End

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• Zach Heins: S Dakota St 
• Isaac Rex: BYU
• Ja'Tavion Sanders: Texas 
• Andrew Coker: TCU

Sanders is the lone tight end here I am familiar with. He is viewed as a second-round prospect who can enter the first round with athletic testing. 

There isn't much there as a blocker; this will be a good week to show improvements there. However, as a receiver, Sanders can bring a lot to the passing game. 

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Offensive Tackle

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• Anim Dankwah: Howard 
• Josiah Ezirim: Eastern Kentucky
• Tylan Grable: UCF 
• Garrett Greenfield: S Dakota St
• Matt Goncalves: Pitt

Goncalves is a highly thought prospect currently projected to hear his name called somewhere on Day 2. There's enough for him to start immediately, but ideally, you give him a year to develop before putting him in as a starter. 

Interior Offensive Line

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• CJ Hanson: Holy Cross
• Donovan Jennings: S Florida
• Mason McCormick: S Dakota St
• Doug Nester: West Virginia
• Willis Patrick: TCU 
• Matt Lee: Miami
• Dylan McMahon: NC State 
• Nick Samac: Michigan State

This will be my first impression of all the interior offensive linemen on the West Team. It's good that Coach Webb has a chance to work with them directly, as the Broncos can look to improve their depth on the interior. 

Interior Defensive Line

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• Logan Lee: Iowa  
• Jordan Miller: SMU
• Myles Murphy: North Carolina  
• Nathan Pickering: Mississippi St
• Justin Rogers: Auburn

Pickering is a solid run defender, but there isn't much to work with as a pass rusher. This will be a good chance to show more in that area of his game. Murphy is much of the same, but his technique seems more developed than Pickering's. 

The Broncos can use help at nose tackle, and Rogers is a 340-pound nose who can hold his own against double teams. He doesn't offer anything as a pass rusher, but he can boost the run defense. 

Edge

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• Sundiata Anderson: Grambling State 
• Solomon Byrd: USC
• Javontae Jean-Baptiste: Notre Dame Trajan Jeffcoat: Arkansas
• Zion Tupuola-Fetui: Washington

Tupuola-Fetui was once a highly-rated prospect, but he has fallen some over the past two seasons. He will be a 24-year-old rookie with athleticism and power to work with. There is a chance he can be a solid rotational piece. 

Solomon Byrd is a capable pass rusher and a solid run defender from the edge. He can bolster the depth, but the Broncos have good depth; they need a legit number-one rusher off the edge. 

Linebacker

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• Levelle Bailey: Fresno State 
• Steele Chambers: Ohio State
• Dallas Grant: Toledo 
• Curtis Jacobs: Penn State
• Darius Muasau: UCLA 

As a more undersized linebacker, Muasau does well against the run. Sometimes, he can get caught on blocks and struggle to get off, but for the most part, he sorts through the trash quite well. 

With his weight, Jacobs is right there with the modern size for linebackers, but the length might be slightly concerning. He doesn't excel in any area but is solid in each. 

The final linebacker I am familiar with is  Chambers, who doesn't have the ideal size for modern linebackers. He also doesn't excel in any one area and might find himself limited in the NFL while contributing to special teams. 

Cornerback

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• Beanie Bishop: West Virginia  
• MJ Devonshire: Pitt
• Myles Harden: S Dakota 
• St Daequan Hardy: Penn St
• Dwight McGlothern: Arkansas  
• Jarius Monroe: Tulane
• Christian Roland-Wallace: USC  
• Ja'Quan Sheppard: Maryland
• Qwan'tez Stiggers: Toronto Argonauts

Roland-Wallace has good size and length and did well at USC after transferring from Arizona. He allowed one touchdown, with two interceptions and eight passes broken up. 

Monroe did well in shutting down receivers, allowing only 48.5% of targets to be completed. He has great size and length and uses his physicality well throughout routes. His change of direction may be a bit of a concern. 

For a slot corner, Hardy is the one to watch. He has a lot of experience and has done well over the years. Despite being smaller, he plays big and physical, though that, at times, wasn't enough. 

Safety

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• Dominique Hampton: Washington  
• Jaylen Key: Alabama
• Tyler Owens: Texas Tech 
• Mark Perry: TCU
• Darion Taylor: Demerson Texas Tech 
• Ryan Watts: Texas

Key is a bigger safety who brings decent versatility to the secondary. He doesn't have excellent range but can work in a two-high or even come down and work in the box.

Perry is likely more limited to a box safety-type role with severe limitations on his range. Also, the farther away from the line of scrimmage he is, the more problematic his run fits become. 

The draft process is still early, but these games always provide more insight, and having a coach working with them directly adds extra insight into these prospects. 

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