2008 East West Shrine Game Report

San Diego Quarterback (Division 1AA) Josh Johnson was named Player of the Game with 78 yards passing and 91 yards rushing. This game doesn't have the notoriety of the Senior Bowl, but 55 players from last years game made opening day NFL rosters.

The 83rd annual East-West Shrine game was played 19 January 2008 at Robertson Stadium on the University of Houston campus. The West won 31-13 and west QB Josh Johnson, from tiny University of San Diego and the Pioneer Conference was the most exciting player in this game. When he came in the game, good things happened. In 2007 Johnson led the Bowl Championship Subdivision (formerly 1AA) in pass efficiency. He carried a rating of 198.3 and a completion percentage of 68.4. He threw an amazing 43 touchdowns with only one interceptions.

Josh Johnson was coached by former NFL quarterback Jim Harbaugh and has great fundamentals. A little thin at 6' 3" 198 pounds, but he has the frame to put on more weight. He stands tall in the pocket, holds the ball high, has a quick, over hand delivery. Not only is he very accurate, but he has nice touch. He is a pass first QB, but when he takes off and runs he is very fast and elusive. I would rate him as a much better prospect than Minnesota Vikings QB Tarvaris Jackson, who was also a division 1AA Shrine Game (2006) standout and was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Everyone is talking about small school QB Joe Flacco, but Johnson is a special talent in his own right.

West Roster Report:

The next best player in this game was Receiver/returner Kevin Robinson from Utah State. He displayed his blazing speed on a nifty 71 yard punt return for a touchdown and caught another TD pass later in the game. If you are looking for a return man Robinson might be your man, in 2007 he broke the NCAA record for career all-purpose yards averaging 16.16 yards per play. He averaged 18.9 yards per punt return and 29.64 on kick return with 3 total touchdowns.

Oklahoma RB Allen Patrick injured his knee on the 3rd play of the game and didn't return. Nebraska QB Sam Keller played quite a bit and looked OK, I just don't like the way the ball just floats out of his hand. He doesn't rifle the ball in there. TE Joe Jon Finely had a good week of practice, but injured his hamstring early in this game.

QB Kevin O'Connell from San Diego State also played quite a bit for the west. He is a very good runner, but only a marginal passer. Arizona's linebacker Spencer Larson is a bit undersized at (6' 1" 239 lbs), but he looked very explosive, he diagnoses plays well and fills the gap quickly. Nebraska CB Zach Bowman has fought injuries his entire career, but he looked good in this game. He ran step for step and turned for the ball nicely while defending receiver Paul Hubbard on a deep pass. CB Dwight Lowery from San Jose State proved he is quite the ball hawk with a nice interception in the game.

WR Marcus Henry from Kansas didn't help himself with 2 key drops. RB Anthony Aldridge from right there in Houston looked quick and explosive. He displayed good vision and patience bouncing one run outside for a touchdown. LB Alvin Bowen is undersized at 6' 1" 218 pounds, but proved he might have the ball skills to be moved to strong safety. He made a nice interception that he returned 20 yards for a touchdown.

East Roster Report:

During the week everyone was raving about WR Jerome Simpson from Coastal Carolina and WR Dexter Jackson from Appalachian State. Simpson didn't do much in the game and Jackson will be remembered for a punt return that he ran sideways eventually losing 15 yards. Both kids are still excellent late round prospects for the 2008 NFL Draft however.

The best receiver on the east squad in the game itself was Paul Hubbard from Wisconsin, he displayed nice speed and good hands catching a couple balls in traffic. He has nice size at 6' 4" 217 pounds.

Penn State QB Anthony Morelli just throws to many interceptions, I don't see much upside with this prospect. He consistently makes poor decisions with the ball. 

RB Thomas Brown from Georgia was the best looking running back in practice and in the game. He reminds me of former Florida State and now NY Jet Leon Washington. Outside of being only 5' 8" tall, he is thick, fast and strong and at 200 pounds does all the little things well.

DE Tommy Blake has had a strange season. In the preseason he was thought of as a possible 1st rounder, but after quitting football a couple times citing emotional reasons, he showed up at close to 280 pounds in this game and looked slow and out of shape. He weighed around 250 pounds last year when he looked like a world beater.

CB Trae Williams from South Florida looked like an excellent NFL prospect in this game with a smooth back pedal and a quick turn and run. As a junior he made 7 interceptions. Along with potential 1st round pick Mike Jenkins, South Florida had arguable the best cornerback tandem in the nation in 2007.

Early in the game DE Kendall Langford from small school Hampton made a nice sack and strip causing a Sam Keller fumble. After that play however, Langford disappeared. West Virginia Keilan Dykes clogged up the middle nicely and really helped his stock in this game. Dykes has nice size at 6' 4" 295 pounds and has a non stop motor.

A couple of offensive tackles for the east looked good. Virginia Tech OT Duane Brown did a great job in pass protection. Brown is a former tight end with good feet and at 6' 4" 305 pounds has some power to his frame. Rutgers OT Pedro Sosa looked a little light at 6' 4" 290 pounds, but he is very athletic and strong. Sosa will need to put on some beef to hold up in the NFL however.

Fullback Jerome Felton from Furman is another uber talented small school sleeper. Felton has nice hands, is a good blocker and can carry the rock. Felton led Furman in rushing in 2007 with 705 yards and 12 touchdowns. The 6-foot, 242-pound Paladin standout finished his career as the top rushing fullback (2,652 yards) and leading scorer (414 points) in school history.