TAMPA, Fla. -- A great week of practice has led up to Saturday's East-West Shrine Game. This game produces NFL starters and, on occasion, superstars.
More than 100 players are selected based on their potential to make an NFL roster with the consensus of all 32 NFL teams taken into consideration. They get their chance to leave an impression with NFL scouts every year, showing off their athleticism against top-level competition while proving to league personnel men that they can take coaching and absorb new information in a short period of time.
The Cardinals' John Brown (2014) and Panthers' Josh Norman (2012), who will face off on Sunday in the NFC Championship Game, are just two of the players that have used the Shrine Game as a launching pad for their NFL careers in recent years.
Here are five players who stood out to me during the week of practice and could break out on Saturday:
» South Carolina State defensive tackle Javon Hargrave has been the best player here. He has an excellent combination of quickness and power. He dominated the one-on-one drills.
» UMass WR Tajae Sharpe has been outstanding this week. He's big, smooth and athletic. He's a very precise route runner. He was the toughest matchup for opposing cornerbacks.
» Utah State WR Hunter Sharp had an up-and-down week. He's sudden off the line of scrimmage and he can separate down the field. The issue has been his hands. He'll make an impressive, extended catch and then follow it up with an easy drop. I'm excited to study him more on tape. Unfortunately, Sharp missed Thursday's practice and won't play in Saturday's game due to injury.
» Manitoba DT Ebuka Onyemata garnered a lot of attention for his play this week. He has a big frame and he has some shock in his hands. We've seen Canadian players (Akiem Hicks) vault up draft boards because of their performance at this game. He could be the next one.
» Arkansas State TE Darion Griswold had a solid week of practice. He has ideal size for the position and he's a smooth, easy mover in the passing game. He can extend and attack the ball, as well as track it naturally over his shoulder. This is a weak tight end draft class and he really helped himself this week.
Follow Daniel Jeremiah on Twitter @MoveTheSticks.
