The Chicago Bears decided to forego coaching at the East-West Shrine Bowl this year. Part of the reasoning is that they want to focus more on the upcoming Senior Bowl in February. The belief is that event has a higher concentration of future NFL talent. They aren’t wrong. Outside of the scouting combine, no pre-draft operation has produced more future long-term players in pro football than the Senior Bowl. GM Ryan Poles certainly showed how much faith he has in the event.
No fewer than five of his primary rookie acquisitions last off-season participated in the week-long practices and game last year.
- Ja’Tyre Carter, Southern
- Dominique Robinson, Miami (OH)
- Sterling Weatherford, Miami (OH)
- Velus Jones Jr., Tennessee
- Braxton Jones, Southern Utah
The Joneses’ ended up being solid additions for the Bears. Velus became one of the better kick returners in the NFL this season. Braxton started every game at left tackle. Robinson also logged plenty of snaps at defensive end, collecting two sacks. It isn’t a stretch to imagine Poles will be active in Mobile again this year. The question is who he may develop eyes for. Here are some names to keep in mind.
Ryan Poles should have eyes on these guys.
Rashee Rice (WR, SMU)
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It isn’t a secret the Bears have deficiencies at wide receiver. So they will be monitoring this class for possible hidden gems. Rice is one such candidate. He isn’t blazing fast but moves quickly enough. He has size, strong hands, runs sharp routes, and carries himself like a total alpha before and after the catch. If the QB needs a ball caught, throw it in his direction.
Darnell Wright (OT, Tennessee)
Some outlets have Wright as a possible 4th round pick. Don’t be fooled. He was arguably the best pass-protecting right tackle in the SEC. He has size, length, power, and smooth footwork. People might question his overall range. Go ahead. He is a good football player and can easily play in the Bears’ system. If he shines at the Senior Bowl, he’ll be a top 50 pick by April.
Andrew Vorhees (OG, USC)
Ryan Poles said one of his primary goals was to improve the offensive line when he took over. One thing he wanted more of was nastiness and violence. He wants tone-setters. Pricks. Vorhees is very much that. He gets after guys, looking to bully them on every snap. He’s also got the power to back it up and has enough mobility to function in almost any system.
Tyree Wilson (EDGE, Texas Tech)
If there is one player that will have the Bears’ full attention next month, it’s Wilson. Matt Eberflus said one of the things he covets most in players is length. Wilson reportedly has arms around 36 inches long. Couple that with his 6’6 size and fluid athleticism, and most believe a strong showing in Mobile will make him a lock for the top 10 in the draft. As most expect, he might be the guy Poles grabs if the Bears trade down.
Zacch Pickens (DT, South Carolina)
When it comes to traits, Pickens has them. He’s big, quick, long, and doesn’t lack strength. His skill set is tailor-made for a three-technique in this defense. The question is why his production doesn’t reflect that. There are moments of dominance on tape, but they’re not frequent enough. There are some technique issues he must fix. The building blocks are there. His time in Mobile will be telling.
@eecummings the Senior Bowl always gets the most attention. I will not argue that. But reading articles on here saying that the Shrine Game isn’t worth exploring for talent is just ignorant and insulting to college athletes. The Lions picked up a kid in the sixth round that made our left tackle look like a turnstile.
Scott – you raised a good question and I admit I was just assuming the /senior Bowl was the bigger deal because I heard about it more and really did not know that was the case.. However, it turns out there is a big difference. Shrine Bowl website makes a big deal of the second round pick they produced last year – their highest pick since another second rounder in 2012. Senior Bowl produced 6 first rounders last year alone (plus three others that accepted the invitation but had to skip it), If you look at the list you posted,… Read more »
Walter Payton, Gale Sayers, Lawrence Taylor, John Elway and Tom Brady. They all played in the East West Shrine Game. I’m not an expert but it seems that maybe a little bit of talent has come from that game. I don’t care if they coach it or not but to say the Senior Bowl always produces better NFL talent is very ignorant.
Tom coaching the East West Shrine game doesn’t win teams SBs. They need all hands on deck to focus on what matters the most. The Senior Bowl is much more important than the East West Shrine game.
Rashee Rice is faster than he looks. 6’2″ around 205 with a frame to add more weight even, he’s strong, good hands, and like you said Alpha. Reports are that he will run in the 4.3s at the combine. Would love to add him. Voorhees i think would be a terrific candidate to add to take over the LG position. He’s athletic and he’s a prick. Would be great in an outside zone scheme. Wilson is a Beast. I would take him over Carter. He’s a traditional 4-3 Edge guy, but he has the size and strength to move inside… Read more »