Detroit Lions draft 2018: Players to watch in the East-West Shrine Game
By Ash Thompson
The East-West Shrine Game may seem like the lesser of the two major NFL prospect all-star games, but Bob Quinn will be watching this Saturday and so should Lions fans.
The East-West Shrine game is one of the lesser watched NFL prospect games. Part of the reason for that is that the players doing battle this week are not the highest profile prospects. Those players are getting together next week for the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. Most of the players doing battle in St. Petersburg, Florida this Saturday will be drafted on day three of the draft. Many will not be drafted at all.
So why should anyone care about this game? Well, in the 2017 current Detroit Lions Alek Torgersen, Kenny Golladay, Michael Roberts, and Jeremiah Ledbetter; as well as training camp superstar Storm Norton were all on the Shrine game roster. The 2016 roster boasted Jake Rudock, Graham Glasgow, Anthony Zettel, and Antwione Williams. More than 1/3 of the Lions draft picks have come from the Shrine game since general manager Bob Quinn came to town.
So what might the Lions be looking for on the second day of the draft? Well, the basis of Matt Patricia’s defense is the Fairbanks-Bullough 3-4. It is a defense that emphasizes bigger and stronger linemen who clog the middle of the field. The defense that Teryl Austin was running emphasized quicker and lighter defensive linemen. The twitchy, quick guys are all going to Mobile, Alabama next week for the Senior Bowl. Day two of the draft is where the space cloggers come from, and they’re in St. Petersburg this week. The Lions need some pass rushers too, and there are a couple worth looking at.
The Lions can also use some help on their offensive line, particularly the interior. The majority of the offensive linemen in the shrine game have their futures on the inside if they have futures at all in the NFL. There are a plethora of line prospects that could be hearing their names called as Lions picks in April. The team has met with multiple offensive linemen at practices this week. Quinn has shown an affinity for late round offensive linemen. He particularly seems to like those that are capable of playing multiple positions along the line. The Lions also need help at running back, and there is no shortage of options in the shrine game.