8 Players Steelers Will Be Watching at East-West Shrine Bowl
The Pittsburgh Steelers will have their eyes on two All-Star games this week.
The East-West Shrine Bowl doesn't typically draw as much media attention as the Senior Bowl, but the gap between the two All-Star games is closing from a talent perspective.
Plenty of notable names from last year's events such as Tyquan Thornton, Jack Jones, Isaih Pacheco and Jelani Woods made massive contributions during their rookie season. It's also worth mentioning that Brock Purdy, currently in the midst of an improbable rise and potential run to the Super Bowl, also participated in this event last season.
The good news for Steelers fans is that this year's roster is even more loaded with plenty of intriguing prospects. Here are a few to keep your eye on.
WR Zay Flowers (Boston College)
It's not often that you see a player with this much talent at this particular event. Flowers is only 5-9, 170 pounds but he's getting first-round buzz and seems like a lock to hear his name called sometime during day two of the NFL Draft at the very latest.
Flowers is a smooth, three-level separator who's a big play machine with the ball in his hands. He's been a constant producer throughout his collegiate career regardless of quarterback play and has the necessary skill to be a day-one starter as a slot receiver at the next level.
Flowers is hands down the best player on this roster and should dominate the competition this week.
T Carter Warren (Pittsburgh)
Warren had quite a few fans in the NFL Draft community but unfortunately went down with a season-ending injury back in October. Prior to that, Warren had collected 39 starts, all of them coming at left tackle, primarily blocking for current Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett. Beyond the experience and familiarity with the organization, Warren has the ideal size and plus length that you generally look for in starting tackle prospects.
He's been a very reliable pass protector while also being a bully in the run game, capable of getting to the second level with ease. In a below-average tackle class, Warren could boost his stock into the potential day two range with a strong week.
TE Luke Schoonmaker (Michigan)
A tall Michigan tight end seems like deja vu but Schoonmaker actually makes a lot of sense for a team like the Steelers in search of a complimentary tight end piece. Schoonmaker is well put together at 6-6, 250 pounds and is a willing in-line blocker with plenty of experience in that regard. While he was never a featured part of the Wolverines' passing attack, he is a solid athlete with enough functional athleticism to work up the seams against zone coverage.
With Zach Gentry hitting free agency, it's possible that they'll be in the market for someone to complement Pat Freiermuth. It's a surprisingly talented tight end class this year which doesn't play in his favor, but Schoonmaker could make a team very happy on day three of the NFL Draft weekend.
NT Keondre Coburn (Texas)
Being a run-stopping defensive tackle is one of the least appreciated positions in the NFL as a whole, but those players still serve a purpose, offering plenty of value for a defense. This is the exact role that Coburn has played for the Longhorns' defense over the course of his career.
Coburn has the mass to take two blockers with him on any given play, allowing linebackers behind him to run free untouched. His production as a pass rusher has always been the missing link to his evaluation, but he finished with a career-high 31 pressures last season, signaling significant growth in that regard.
The Steelers are among many teams that will be searching for that anchor up the middle on early downs, and Coburn feels like one of the more attractive options found later in the draft even if the upside isn't astronomical.
EDGE Yasir Abdullah (Louisville)
Abdullah has been a constant pass-rushing threat for the Cardinals' defense for several seasons now and put it all together as a senior, notching a whopping 59 pressures and 11 sacks, according to PFF.
He's on the smaller side for a traditional edge rusher, only 6-1 and about 245 pounds but he makes up for that with explosiveness. After seeing James Houston dominate as a rookie in a designated pass rusher role, it's possible to envision Abdullah having a similar impact for a team early on in his career on passing downs.
The Louisville product has a motor that doesn't stop, can generate speed to power, and bend through contact at the top of his rush. He's a day three prospect that can make a lot of noise (and money) with a good week in Vegas.
CB Mekhi Garner (LSU)
This year's cornerback class is flat-out awesome with plenty of depth but what stands out is how much length and size this group has to offer. Garner is no different in that regard, 6-2, 215 pounds with 33-inch arms. A transfer from Louisiana Lafayette, Garner took his talents to LSU this past season and proved he could hang with SEC-level competition.
He excels more in zone coverage when he can get his eyes back on the quarterback and offers plus length to affect passes at the catch point as evidenced by his 19 career pass breakups. Smooth, physical corners with this much size and length offer a bit more upside than your traditional day three selections. With plenty of receiving talent at the event this week, Garner has an awesome opportunity ahead of him and is someone to keep an eye on during 1v1s.
S Trey Dean (Florida)
Speaking of defensive backs with massive frames and length, Florida's Trey Dean is another exciting player to watch this weekend.
Dean has plenty of positional versatility, having spent time at both safety spots, playing centerfield and in the box after transitioning from corner following his freshman season. The thing to take note of with Dean is his physicality, he's a player who plays with violent intentions on every snap.
He's been extremely inconsistent on a snap-to-snap basis for the Gators' defense despite playing a lot of snaps, but the athletic tools are there for him to be a big-time contributor at the next level. He'll get the chance to cover some talented tight ends and slot receivers in drills this week, a role that he could certainly end up playing at the next level.
P Michael Turk (Oklahoma)
You probably weren't expecting much specialist talk in this article, but nonetheless, the Shrine Bowl has accumulated too much talent to simply ignore. Turk is an insanely strong player who put up an astounding 25 reps on the bench press a few years back at the NFL combine before receiving a waiver to return to school. That strength isn't just related to his upper body as he's got the leg to deliver booming punts and flip field position with ease.
NFL bloodlines exist as he's the nephew of former 19-year NFL veteran punter Matt Turk, so he already has some advanced level of understanding of the job he's applying for. He's likely to be one of the only punters selected in this class, and deservingly so, as he broke a bunch of records during his time in college.
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