2025 East-West Shrine Bowl Practice Notes: Day One East Team Notes

2025 East-West Shrine Bowl Practice Notes: Day One East Team Notes

Let’s be real for a second… Trey is competing with Trey in terms of who brings the best NFL Draft content to the table. Enjoy it while you can because it’s only a matter of time before a team is smart to realize the most accurate NFL Drafta analyst on the planet should probably be hired. Because I’m sick in the head, I strive to take our content to another level on a yearly basis. For the first time ever, the site will be covering the entire week of practices for the East-West Shrine Bowl.

This is the first time we’ve covered the practices. They are live on the Lights Out TV App. I would try to direct more people to their app but Shawne Merriman kinda blew me off after he told me to DM him.

The only problem is… I couldn’t actually dm him.

It’s okay. Wait until he finds out that with the Vendetta Fantasy Contest Platform, he has the ability to insert a gambling league of fantasy for all of the live sporting events he has on his platform. I imagine once he figures that out, he will take the necessary time out of his day to get back to me.

The East-West game marks the first important event in the pre-draft calendar. If you’re unfamiliar with our NFL Draft content, welcome in. Thanks for stopping by. What you should know is that I don’t pull any punches. Scouting is about eliminating. The FBI doesn’t use the phone book to find serial killers. They have a profile and eliminate suspects based on it. Scouting is the same way. I have no interest in passing out cupcakes. I speak the truth and our success on providing accurate evaluations speaks for itself. If you want to be told lies, go read someone else. Although, I’ll remind you, last year we were the only publication that had Bucky Irving as RB1 while nobody else had him inside the top 5. I also had Jonathon Brooks as a 7th rounder. Trey speaks the truth. If you don’t like the truth, feel free to seek out other inferior information.

Eric Warfield and Mark Clayton were the broadcasting team on the Lights Out TV app. Couldn’t have been less impressed. I have no idea who was in charge of hiring them but they were so monotone. They weren’t even looking at the practice either. Their set up they had their back turned to all of the action. I genuinely don’t think they saw a single thing. Probably the worst-produced NFL Draft event I’ve seen since doing this. Actually, I’d say it was the worst set of broadcasters I’ve ever seen regardless of sport. It’s way too early in the morning to be doing this. They made me want to take a nap. It wasn’t a fact of having bad info (Actually that’s being generous… there was no info. It was all word vomit).

But plenty of “Ah, Uh, Huh; pauses with zero insight on the actual prospects. Just so damn boring and monotone with it being fairly obvious neither went to broadcast school because the production value of what they were doing was piss poor. They also weren’t organized at all. It felt like a random podcast where nothing was on track going off on random side targets. They’re not even trying to talk about the individual players during the drills. It’s random bs that has nothing to do with what’s going on the field. The production value as a whole was awful. I don’t think they knew more than three players on the field without looking at their sheet. The lack of preparedness was obvious.

I’m very glad we got the actual tape copy this year because I kept finding myself zoning out because of it.

Speaking of which…

The reviewing the film posts will come out probably next week or the week after. I’m going to really take my time with it so you the viewer get the best product possible. Think of this post as an eyeball first takeaway post. The film post that comes later will be much more detailed. You miss a lot on the live stream so keep that in mind as we go.

One more thing to note. It sounds like the pads are coming out tomorrow. Today was more of an adjustment day with yesterday being install and walkthrough.

Quarterbacks:

Payton Thorne is a disaster. Can’t handle a snap under center (more than once too). Time to prove you’re more than a shotgun princess and he has not. If you want to argue he deserves to be here based on mobility, I guess I won’t argue with you. Otherwise, he’s a joke and not even worth talking about. Something I’ve been over during the year. I feel like I’m being conned watching him because there’s no way anyone is buying this trash. Ball doesn’t come out quick of his hand either. Taking off and running in team drills instead of trying to make a throw. He’s so bad he makes me want to puke. I feel physically ill just looking at him out of disgust.

Kyle McCord looks comfortable making throws on the move. Out here styling with accurate side arm angles. Able to improvise and make accurate throws rolling out. McCord clearly the most talented on this group. Whippy release and has a confidence about him. He makes throws and it’s easy for him. Actually was the only guy completing balls down the field. Had a really nice one to KeAndre Lambert-Smith. No doubt he’s the leader and only legit talent in this group.

The description on this clip is accurate. Easily the most impressive QB of the entire practice session including both groups. No surprise based on what we saw all year.

Cam Miller actually looks fundamentally sound. Trying to bend his knees. In control and not panicky doing simple things. Overachiever vibes but he’s not a mess.

Running Backs:

Out of the three backs, Montrell Johnson by far looked the slowest cutting through the bag drills. Raheim Sanders and Jacory Croskey-Merritt had decently sharp cuts. Johnson though? Not good. He’s literally running into the bag because he can’t wiggle in time. Can’t get his knees going. Not much different than what we saw at Florida. Turd mode activated. Easy things are hard for him. Can’t adapt in time. He’s just not good. Best thing he had going for him is that he caught the check-downs thrown his way.

Sanders is the gem of this group. Big body and looks sharp. He can at least keep his feet churning and keep working his way up field.

I didn’t know a ton about Croskey-Merritt out of Arizona beforehand. He’s definitely not a burner and his eyes are at the ground through the bags but he’s passable. He’s not a chain mover. Has some clunky tendencies to him.

Wide Receivers:

Dominic Lovett doing a good job getting open. Beasted and feasted on Kansas corner Mello Dotson in a route. Quick in and out of breaks and couldn’t keep up. He’s not Ladd McConkey but he’s that type of mold slot receiver role. No shocking developments here. Been what we’ve been saying all year.

Nick Nash of San Jose State brutal drop during team drills. Wide open with no contact pressure. Horrific drop. Those have to be 100 out of 100.

Jackson Meeks looks like he’s moving alright. Caught a screen and did some things with it. Followed it up with a brutal drop that could have led to a pick that would have been on him.

Tight End:

Oronde Gadsen Jr. looks good just moving around out there. No issue with the hands. Looks like he has some gazelle qualities to him. Looks like a matchup nightmare. Who covers that guy? Just as a physical being, he’s impressive. Worth investigating more. Although, he was intriguing during the actual year too.

Offensive Line:

A lot of duo blocks to start practice. Not one on one to open things up.

I have an extra set of eyes on Xavier Truss. Played tackle and will likely be a guard at the next level. Just moving around in space, I think he passed the test. Wasn’t out there tripping over himself in pass sets. Stonewalled a guy during a rep. Played tackle in a lot of the drills and looks more than fine doing it.

Jordan Williams holding up well in pass pro. Doesn’t look weak.

Washington State guy Esa Pole really fluid. Feet intact and in control. Moving well. He’s out there as the starting left tackle in team drills holding his own.

Oregon State hanging in there alright. Didn’t look out of place, which is a positive. Not a world beater but didn’t really get his ass kicked.

Defensive Line:

Warren Brinson of Georgia looked fairly quick getting around the bags. Good hand work. Even during the one on ones he’s adaptable. Not getting stuck in quicksand. Nowhere close to a freak like Jalen Carter but looks like a worthy rotational piece.

You can tell Nazir Stackhouse has power on his side but he’s not quick off the ball. Not a surprise. He’s a late round nose all day long and can do his role well.

Missouri swimmer. Can definitely get some speed around the corner but is it his only pitch? Certainly has a burst but need to see more. Johnny Walker. Definitely has a gear to him. I bet his 10-yard split time comes in well.

Tonka Hemmingway kicked Central Michigan’s ass in the one on one. He’s got some nice rip and swim moves to him. TJ Sanders was the alpha for South Carolina too. Maybe Hemmingway has his own staying power.

Ole Miss looks like he belongs. Can see that’s just an SEC body and talented athlete. JJ Pegues (who also plays some offense) so not surprising he can get things going. Blowing stuff up in the team drills. Can’t block him. Even just simple bag drills you’re like… who is that? He’s different from the group in a good way, which is what you’re looking for.

West Virginia slow first step. Can’t get anything going in one on ones. Sean Martin listed as an interior play but looks like an edge by his lack of thickness. He’s a no for me right now bu maybe that changes.

Nebraska looks like a problem in the power department. If you’re weak, you’re losing to him. Nash Hutmacher, hell of a name, and looks like the poor man version of Ty Robinson, who will be a name to keep tabs on as we go through this process.

Antwaun Powell-Ryland out here flashing spin moves in pass rushing drills. Looks like a situational guy who will bring speed to the table.

Linebackers:

Not much to report. Just didn’t get to see footage of most of what they were doing. But you should know in advance that Jamon Dumas-Johnson and Francisco Mauigoa will be on my list.

Cornerbacks:

Same thing here. Going to have to dig into the film to get an accurate portrayal of what happened. I’ll say this. The intensity of the West team was much more into it practice wise. Their session was more battle tested. I think we’ll learn more tomorrow regardless.

Feel free to comment if you had any takeaways of your own from the first day at the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl or if there is a player you want me to talk about more tomorrow. Again to reiterate, the film breakdowns I do once this is all over will be more in depth. Only so much I could get from the live stream.

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