2019 East-West Shrine Game Preview (Defense)

The East-West Shrine Game is the first stop on the postseason all star circuit. Who are some the prospects that Ducks fans should keep their eye on? Are there are any former Ducks on the teams?

EAST

DL

1. Ricky Walker 6’2 304 Virginia Tech DT

- Walker has been having a standout 2018 amidst the downtrodden Hokies season. The anchor of the line. He’s very athletic for a guy his size. Fundamentals are sound as most of DC Bud Foster’s students are. Run defense is solid.

2. Wyatt Ray 6’3 250 Boston College EDGE

- Ray was last year’s version of Zach Allen aka the beneficiary of having a standout edge rusher on the other side to help him. He finished the 2018 season in a big way with 44 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and 9 sacks. A consistent rusher with a ton of potential.

LB

1. Sione Takitaki 6’2 231 BYU

- From what I’ve seen of him, he’s very good at reading and reacting to the play. Versatile athlete in that he’s been played both as a defensive end and outside linebacker. Lined up everywhere. Very good athlete. Due to size, he gets lost in the wash rather easily.

2. Khalil Hodge 6’1 235 Buffalo

- No, he isn’t Khalil Mack (no one is, really) but he’s a good edge prospect in his own right. Not much of a pass rusher stats wise but has that tool in the kit. A tackling machine with a whopping 143 tackles in 2018. Burst onto the scene as a junior. He’s really underrated.

CB

1. Michael Jackson, Sr 6’1 205 Miami

- Insert your King of Pop jokes here. I’m not sure of his dancing abilities but he can play cornerback just fine. A taller corner that NFL teams will covet. He didn’t do much as a senior but has the athleticism and talent to make things interesting.

2. Derrick Baity, Jr 6’3 188 Kentucky

- We go from a Sr to a Jr. Baity is a really talented prospect that blew up on the radar this year. He has the length that NFL teams will drool over at 6’3. Could be one of the best defensive prospects this week.

S

1. Lukas Denis 5’11 185 Boston College

- He was the leader of the always reliable to be stingy secondary this past season. An athlete who looks natural as a ball hawk. Didn’t play as much as a senior due to health. Future position in the NFL could be determined this week.

2. Sheldrick Redwine 6’1 205 Miami

- Redwine was part of an intimidating Hurricanes secondary. He’s an athlete that can cover a lot of space. Can stay with receivers step for step as well as play the run relatively well.

WEST

DL

1. Terry Beckner, Jr 6’3 305 DT Missouri

- He’s a major talent at the defensive tackle position but the medical history is a giant red flag as he’s torn ligaments in BOTH knees. An impactful run stopper with some pass rush ability. I’d consider him in the sixth round at the earliest due to the medical.

2. Chris Nelson 6’1 297 DT Texas

- Nelson is an intriguing prospect in that he flashed a bunch but never really put it together for the Horns. He was a standout as a sophomore but was steady the other years. It’s not a bad thing but not much help to the draft stock.

LB

1. Ben Burr-Kiven 6’0 222 Washington

- BBK is a stat sheet monster. He leads the entire country in tackles with a whopping 165 to go with one sack and an interception. He’s an athlete at the position. A bowling ball of energy. Ball skills are a plus. Size will limit him to a specialized role at the next level. This week will provide a good test of his coverage abilities.

2. Justin Hollins 6’4 238 Oregon

- Hollins had a pretty solid finish to his Ducks career. He flashed a lot more pass rush ability in 2018 than I originally thought he had. Looked good on film. It will be interesting to follow him this week.

3. Cody Barton 6’2 230 Utah

- Chase Hansen may get the headlines but Barton got all the love from the scouting community. Very fundamentally sound. Athleticism could be a question this week as he didn’t pop off the screen when I watched him. Fundamentals will get him into the league, the rest is up to him.

CB

1. Jamal Peters 6’2 218 CB Senior

- Peters has had a pretty decent senior season. He fits what NFL teams want in their corners with size and athleticism. Can turn and run with faster receivers on a dime. Ball skills are on point. Has missed some time in 2018 due to injury. Has posted 32 tackles and four passes defensed

S

1. Evan Worthington 6’2 205 Senior Colorado

- He had a good senior season for an underwhelming Buffaloes squad that merited an accepted invite to the Shrine Game. He’s an excellent athlete and it shows in pass coverage. Could be a sleeper for top safety in the conference.