Shrine Bowl Practice Day 1: Draft Expert's risers - Shedeur Sanders sits out, trench players and receivers shine ft. Ricky White
The first day of Shrine Bowl practice is in the books here in Frisco, Texas. A large crowd was on hand to watch Shedeur Sanders, who addressed the media but did not participate in practice. And despite all the hype around the player who could be the first pick in the draft, several players stood out Saturday, with most coming from the line of scrimmage.
Here are the risers for Day 1 at Shrine practice:
Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan/T/Oregon State
It’s impossible not to notice Christian-Lichtenhan, as he stands a shade over 6-foot-8 and has arms that measure 35 7/8 inches.
He put that massive frame to good use at both left and right tackle, overpowering opponents in one-on-one drills and full scrimmage. He used his enormous frame to seal defenders from the action and his long arms to ride pass rushers from their angles of attack.
Hollin Pierce/OT/Rutgers
Pierce is another big-bodied blocker, as he measured over 6-foot-7.5 and 342 pounds with arms that came in at 36 5/8 inches. And while he’s massive, Pierce blocked with great fundamentals and was neither heavy-footed nor clumsy. He did a great job blocking defenders from the action and also used his long arms incredibly well to keep opponents away from the action.
Ahmed Hassanein/DE/Boise State
Hassanein is a great story, as he spent most of his youth in Egypt before his brother brought him back to the States and taught him to play football; his brother would be proud of the way he played Saturday.
A terrific athlete, Hassanein beat blockers with speed, quickness, and agility. He plays with great leverage and balance. He gets underneath blockers before immediately changing direction to get to the quarterback during drills. He’s not the biggest guy in the world, measuring 6-foot-2.5 and 274 pounds, but Hassanein will be a great fit as a pass rusher in a four-man line.
Nash Hutmacher/DL/Nebraska
Hutmacher was a one-man wrecking crew in the middle of the defensive line Saturday. He’s a powerful bulldozer who ran over opponents during drills and scrimmage, collapsing the pocket and destroying one-on-one blocking. Even when double-teamed, he did not give up an inch to opponents. Hutmacher is not the niftiest or most nimble defender, but he has the style and grit to line up as a zero-technique/nose tackle.
Gareth Warren/G/Lindenwood
If you’re a small-school prospect participating at the Shrine Bowl, you need to make a positive impression on scouts, and that’s exactly what Warren did Saturday.
Well coached at Lindenwood, Warren blocks with great fundamentals and did a terrific job bending his knees and using his hands. He showed himself to be a terrific position blocker, staying square to out-position defenders from the action. Even the top defensive tackles were unable to penetrate past Warren, who allegedly is a terrific athlete. Measuring 6-foot-5 and 330 pounds, Warren is expected to time the 40 under five seconds in predraft workouts.
Jacolby George/WR/Miami
George was one of the best receivers Saturday, if not the best. He was mostly uncoverable, as he ran crisp, precise routes and also showed solid deep speed. His ability to separate from defenders could not be matched, and George made several difficult catches throughout the practice.
Ricky White/WR/UNLV
White was continuously praised by scouts throughout practice, with one calling him the best receiver on the field. He’s a strong pass catcher and battled defenders then came away with the tough catch time after time. White was not the fastest guy on the field but quick and very dependable.