2023 East-West Shrine Bowl Notebook: Film Study Observations (EAST)
The 2023 NFL Draft season is in full throttle with a highly active all-star circuit and the NFL Scouting Combine just a few weeks away. The East-West Shrine Bowl has fielded a highly talented roster full of under the radar prospects sure to shine at the next level.
Below are ten players from the East roster who stood out throughout the week of practice at the 98th East-West Shrine Bowl in Las Vegas, Nevada, this past week. Be sure to tune in to the East-West Shrine Bowl Game on NFL Network Thursday, February 2nd, at 7:30 pm eastern time.
Remember, updated scouting reports will be made available in the official 2023 NFL Draft Bible coming soon, pre-order your copy here!
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EAST TEAM
#16 QB Aidan O’Connell, Purdue [Height: 6030 | Weight: 212 | Hand: 0978 | Arm: 3200 | Wing: 7638]
This is one gunslinger looking to earn some respect out west in Las Vegas and thus far, O’Connell has come out firing. He looks to be in total command of the huddle, confident in his pre-coverage calls and has risen as the alpha quarterback in attendance. The most appealing about O’Connell is his attention to detail, you can tell he really puts in the time to do the little things well. He demonstrated the ability to get the defense to jump offsides with his hard count, displayed fundamentally sound footwork and carried out all his fakes. O’Connell is able to work the short-to-intermediate part of the field well because he knows where to go with the football and can zip it in the window faster than a New York minute. The Purdue signal-caller practices like a pro and has a very good chance of becoming the best quarterback in this year’s draft if not chosen in round one.
#3 QB Tanner Morgan, Minnesota [Height: 6004 | Weight: 205 | Hand: 0958 | Arm: 2958 | Wing: 7268]
It has been a good week for Morgan to remind scouts of all the good he possesses. Despite appearing in just nine games this past season and being labeled as a ‘smaller’ quarterback, he brings a boatload of experience. Morgan has played in 51 games as a starter over the parts of five seasons. His pre-snap reads and adjustments hail from experience. Other areas where he checked off the boxes were in the footwork and scrambling departments, showcasing his ability to extend plays in/out of the pocket. You simply can’t teach the experience of facing live bullets; Morgan has seen a lot of football. He should be one of the top priority free agent quarterbacks immediately following the draft.
A streaky player throughout the practice week, Wilson was a mixed bag. There was plenty to like, such as his fancy footwork and sharp route running capability, enabling him to create separation in short area spaces—all of which should bode well for his draft stock. Other times, he seemed to be lost in translation. He had one pass from O’Connell doink off his facemask and struggled to remember where to line up on the field at other times. Overall, the good outweighed the bad and Wilson capitalized on the opportunity at hand.
#68 OL Earl Bostick Jr, Kansas [Height: 6055 | Weight: 311 | Hand: 0918 | Arm: 3358 | Wing: 8100]
Originally arriving in Lawrence as a tight end, Bostick Jr. has spent the past three seasons starting along the offensive line, primarily at left tackle. He possesses premier athleticism, agility and quickness, to go along with phenomenal footwork. Those attributes were on full display as he demonstrated his ability to mirror defenders at a very high level. However, he’ll need to improve his play strength and balance; he can also tend to get stood up on occasion, so there will be some growing pains. Overall, Bostick Jr. owns the size, quickness and versatility to develop into an extremely valuable swing tackle in the NFL.
#70 OL John Ojukwu, Boise State [Height: 6054 | Weight: 317 | Hand: 1058 | Arm: 3438 | Wing: 8448]
One of the more massive linemen in attendance, Ojukwu possesses tremendous length and toughness, to go along with a tenacious demeanor. The NFL scouts in attendance were sure to note his impressive one-on-one play, holding up well against both speed and power. Ojukwu has an outstanding kick-step that should allow him to sustain at the next level. He consistently controlled the line of scrimmage and was seen serving up several pancake blocks. A five-year starter, Ojukwu was also a track and wrestling standout in high school. His background, experience, technique and production projects as a dependable backup right tackle at the next level.
#71 OL Jordan McFadden [Height: 6020 | Weight: 295 | Hand: 0938 | Arm: 3400 | Wing: 8138]
The NFL Draft process presents prospects that come in all shapes and sizes. McFadden is an unevenly proportioned body type who lacks prototypical height but possesses the necessary arm length to survive in the trenches, on top of being a very good football player. What stands out most about McFadden is his top-notch technique, toughness, smarts and fundamentally sound overall game. His hand placement, understanding of angles and strength inside the trenches could help make for a smooth transition to the pros. A team captain who started the final 39 consecutive games of his Tigers career, McFadden logged nearly 3,000 snaps at the tackle position. A move inside would seem inevitable, no matter what a team’s preference might be, he will be a great value selection in the mid-to-late rounds of the draft.
#60 OL Juice Scruggs, Penn State [Height: 6026 | Weight: 308 | Hand: 1028 | Arm: 3338 | Wing: 8200]
After the past week of one-on-one reps from Scruggs in the trenches, there should be nothing but love for him from within the scouting community. He established himself as a bonafide prospect, constantly stonewalling defenders with his impressive lateral quickness, footwork, balance and outstanding strength. Scruggs possesses a low center of gravity and is stout at the point of attack—unrelenting to give up his position. A severe car accident nearly derailed his career in 2019. Now, the scrappy center has positioned himself to possibly hear his name called come April. The Coaches at Happy Valley vouch for the person and the player, which carries weight inside war rooms.
#98 DL Moro Ojomo, Texas [Height: 6024 | Weight: 293 | Hand: 1028 | Arm: 3438 | Wing: 8338]
A stellar 2022 campaign had Ojomo on the ascend up draft boards coming into Las Vegas and he continued that momentum into practice week, displaying an array of hand combat moves in addition to great strength. He certainly alerted scouts that he is capable of overcoming opponents due to his brute strength, as he packs a major wallop with his bull-rush. There were some concerns as to where Ojomo would play at the next level; he has been moved up and down the defensive line during his Longhorns career. However, he has packed on an additional 15-20 pounds over the last calendar year, which should boost his odds of making his presence felt as an interior force in the NFL. Ojomo looks the part of a top 100 overall prospect.
#33 LB Jeremy Banks, Tennessee [Height: 6010 | Weight: 225 | Hand: 0948 | Arm: 3228 | Wing: 7818]
A converted running back, Banks moves extremely well for a linebacker and covers a tremendous amount of ground. While his frame fits the modern day backer mold, he can get moved around at times by bigger opponents. However, his aggression, superb read-and-react instincts, along with his diagnostic capabilities ensures Banks always shows up around the football. You could see Banks calling out plays and communicating pre-snap adjustments to his teammates during scrimmages and adapting to certain situations accordingly. He also proved to hold up well in pass coverage, making him a potential starter down the road at the next level.
One of the best kept secrets in the 2023 NFL Draft Class, Boykin has shown up and showed out in a big way under the bright lights of Las Vegas. He has made several interceptions, utilizing his instincts and above average change of direction skills. Boykin has shown adequate flip of the hips but is a bit limited athletically, so some NFL teams may view him as a safety. The Chanticleers team captain and Old Dominion transfer were sticky during one-on-one drills, so there is a chance he sticks at corner. Fortunately for Boykin, what happens in Vegas, doesn’t stay in Vegas and he will depart Sin City sure to have risen up draft boards after his performance at the East-West Shrine Bowl.
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