The 2011 East-West Shrine Game is set to kick off in a couple of hours on the NFL Network. As one final mini-primer for that game, here are the top five 2011 NFL Draft prospects participating in the bowl, according to MockingTheDraft.com's most current Top 200 prospects list.
32. Marvin Austin, DT, North Carolina. Once considered a contender to be one of the first few players off the board this year, Austin's draft stock tanked when he was suspended and kicked off of UNC's football team for receiving improper benefits. A prospect this talented would normally not appear in this game, but clearly, Austin's is a special case. Austin came into this week in great shape and dominated in the practice setting; when he inevitably performs well in his first live game in well over a year, he'll be back in the conversation as a potential first-round pick. | Marvin Austin scouting report
78. Dontay Moch, OLB, Nevada. Moch generated some huge pre-season buzz when he reportedly ran a 4.25-second 40-yard dash. A college defensive end, Moch measured in at 6'1" and 229 pounds this week, and has been getting reps as a 4-3 outside linebacker. He has struggled to adjust to the new position, as expected, but some scouts have liked some aspects of what they've seen - one said "the light is on" in reference to Moch picking up his new role. He's more athlete than football player at this point.
81. Pat Devlin, QB, Delaware. He's drawn comparisons to Joe Flacco for a couple of years, mostly because he attended the same college. A tall kid that put up solid production, Devlin has drawn mixed reviews this week. Some have called him the best quarterback in the game - and that still may hold true even for those who have expressed disappointment in his throws this week. There's a lot on the line for Devlin in this game.
101. Chris Carter, DE/OLB, Fresno State. Carter always had the talent, and finally came through with an excellent senior season in which he accumulated 11 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss. (He was productive as a junior, as well, with 13 tackles for loss and five sacks.) A 6'2", 240-pound 'tweener, Carter will likely get a lot of opportunities to drop into coverage in this game - and that's where scouts are most curious to see Carter play.
105. Michael Mohamed, ILB, California. A 6'2", 245-pound middle linebacker in one of America's toughest conferences, Mohamed is vastly experienced and is coming off a very productive career. Over four seasons, he amassed 339 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, six sacks and seven interceptions. Teams will love his intangibles, experience and production, but will have a keen eye on his general athleticism in this contest.