Falcons Shrine Bowl Day 4 Recap: Risers, Fallers & Notes from Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS -- The Atlanta Falcons coaching staff, led this week by special teams coordinator Marquice Williams, led its fourth and final practice session of the week Tuesday ahead of Thursday's East-West Shrine Bowl.
Following three days of practice at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas' Fertitta Center, the Falcons took over the Las Vegas Raiders practice facility - which New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick described as the "Taj Mahal" of such venues - for the finale.
The Falcons-led East team practiced indoors, like the Patriots-led West team, as the temperature sat in the low-to-mid 30s, but unlike New England, Atlanta's sessions featured pads and physicality as opposed to a traditional walkthrough.
Here are the final takeaways from the East team's final practice of the week ...
Risers
Coastal Carolina cornerback Lance Boykin turned in a stellar day, highlighted by a pass breakup in coverage of Clemson wideout Joseph Ngata and a session-ending interception in team drills.
A pair of defensive tackles in Texas' Moro Ojomo and West Virginia's Dante Stills continued their strong weeks, winning one-on-one matchups with both power and hand usage.
Boise State offensive tackle John Ojukwu finished the week with a strong final few days, marked by a dominant rep in run blocking drills where he drove the defender into the ground.
Similarly, Wake Forest defensive tackle Kobie Turner made his presence felt Tuesday, winning with quickness at the line of scrimmage in one-on-ones.
A pair of pass catchers in Cincinnati tight end Leonard Taylor and Maryland receiver Jacob Copeland had impressive outings. While Taylor had his first drop of the week, he had perhaps his most productive session in terms of separation, while Copeland showed functional athleticism and consistent hands.
Fallers
Ngata, who one source says is not at 100 percent, had a difficult time gaining separation in one-on-ones, as Boykin proved. While Ngata had a solid week of catching passes, he looked heavy legged following a week at the NFLPA game.
Oregon offensive lineman Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu had a difficult week in Las Vegas, losing several one-on-ones. He enjoyed a standout Monday but took a step back Tuesday, in part due to facing the buzzsaw that is Stills. Aumavae-Laulu played both guard and tackle during the week, and while that versatility will surely help his draft stock, his work in drills left a bit to be desired.
Notes
Newly hired Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen was present for the second time this week; he had a lengthy talk with coach Arthur Smith and also chatted with offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford.
During West practice, a Falcons scout paid particularly close attention to the defensive backs, watching agility drills up close by the sideline. Among the standout players there are UAB cornerback Starling Thomas V, Southern Miss corner Eric Scott Jr. and Minnesota corner Terrel Smith.
Falcons offensive coordinator Dave Ragone returned to his quarterback roots, tossing passes to receivers on endzone drills. During his warmup, Ragone, a former signal caller, airmailed a pass to another assistant.
East defensive line coach Lanier Goethie spoke with Ojomo following one of several wins in one-on-ones; while it was certainly a coaching moment, it's not hard to see Atlanta being particularly intrigued by Ojomo come April's draft.
Similarly, East offensive line coach Mario Jeberaeel had strong words for Indiana offensive tackle Luke Haggard and Auburn offensive tackle Kilian Zierer. Jeberaeel seemed to like versatile Maryland lineman Spencer Anderson, who had a strong week of practice.
The East-West Shrine Bowl is scheduled to kick off at 8:30 p.m. (EST) on Thursday night inside Allegiant Stadium. The game will be televised live on NFL Network.
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