Blue-Gray All-Star Game
By Robert Davis

The Blue-Gray All-Star game is great for everyone. College football fans get to see a game of guys who are playing hard and battling for a full 60 minutes. For the players involved in the game, they get one more opportunity to impress NFL scouts, in hopes of securing a future spot in the NFL. There may be some players that don’t agree with playing on Christmas day, but most know that this is a great opportunity for them, and it is tough to turn down. I am going to go over some players that I am going to be watching closely, and I urge you to do the same.

The Blue(North) team has a couple quarterbacks that you should definitely watch. Shane Griggs of Idaho St. and Mike McMahon of Rutgers both have the ability to become NFL quarterbacks but, they do have some question marks. Griggs has had a great year, returning from an ACL injury, but he needs to prove that he has what it takes to stick it out with the better competition that this game provides. McMahon, playing for one of the worst college football programs in Division I now has the chance to play some with quality weapons around him. During his stay at Rutgers, he hasn’t had a chance to play with quality receiving threats, or sit in the pocket behind a quality offensive line.

A lot of eyes will be on R.J. Bowers from Grove City(PA) College. Bowers became the all time leading rusher in NCAA history, at any level this year. Bowers has the athletic background you look for in a professional athlete. Playing in the Houston Astros farm system for a couple years may have something to do with that. Bowers turned to college football, after his baseball career stalled in the lower levels of the minors. He is going to get a great opportunity to prove his true ability against some NFL prospects in this game. Bowers could improve his draft stock tremendously if he has a good showing in this game.

Dennis Norman, an offensive tackle from Princeton is the only other offensive player of note from the North squad that I am looking forward to seeing play. Norman has a nice array of skills, but playing in the Ivy League keeps his profile low. He played offensive tackle at Princeton, but will likely become a guard in the NFL because of his size, and this will him the chance to show some skills on the interior line.

There are a couple quality players on the defensive side of the ball for the North as well. I plan on keeping a close eye on a pair of Utah Utes, corner Andre Dyson and end Andy Bowers. Andre is the little brother of former Ute, and current Tennessee Titan wideout Kevin Dyson. He has great speed and is very quick, but his play has been inconsistent during his stay at Utah. This could be his last chance in a game situation to improve his stock in the draft. Bowers has very good size and quickness for a defensive end, and in this deep defensive line draft, he needs this game to solidify himself. Edge Hartwell, a linebacker of Western Illinois is another player I am anxious to see play. He has been getting some hype as of late, and this is his chance to live up to that hype, and prove himself against better players.

The Gray(South) team has its share of quality players as well. I am looking forward to seeing quite a bit of players from this team. David Rivers, a quarterback from Western Carolina has seen his stock rise as the season has gone on. There is a lack of quality quarterback prospects in the draft at this point, so a strong showing by Rivers could vault him up rather high on some teams lists. He will be throwing to another prospect that could see his stock rise significantly with a good game, in Alex Bannister from Eastern Kentucky. Bannister has been receiving a lot of hype, mainly from Mel Kiper Jr. because of his physical abilities. There are not many receivers who are as big and quick as Bannister. If he can have a good game, it wouldn’t be a stretch to see him rise into the second round of the draft.

This South team has its share of offensive weapons. Along with Rivers at QB, and Bannister at WR, they have another small school stud in Stephen F. Austin back Derrick Blaylock. His name has been popping up on sleeper lists recently, and he is now going to get his chance to play with some real NFL prospects. He will be running behind an offensive line that has a few nice prospects in Kenyatta Jones of South Florida, Kendrick Rogers of Alabama A&M, and Robert Garza of Texas A&M-Kingsville. I am eager to see Rogers play against better defensive lineman. He is big, strong, and quick, and could rise like Michael Thompson of Tennessee St. did last year. Garza could rise to the top of the center crop with a solid performance for scouts.

The South defense has a couple sleeper corners that should draw some attention. Delvin Hughley of Jacksonville St. and Michael Stone of Memphis could turn some heads in this game. Hughley, playing at such a small school, hasn’t had the chance to show his skills against good receivers on a consistent basis. He is another guy that has been hyped up by Mel Kiper Jr., and we will get a chance to see how well he performs. Michael Stone is a player who I think is going to surprise some people. I think he is comparable to Mike McKenzie, who has turned out to be a quality player for the Green Bay Packers, despite not receiving the hype McKenzie received while at Memphis. Another Memphis defender to keep an eye on is defensive tackle Marcus Bell. I really like him, and now is his chance to show more people how good he is. He has gotten lost in the shuffle with the glut of defensive lineman in this draft, but he could make some noise with a good showing.

Something that we will not get to see are these players at practice. What the players do in the week leading up to the game is just as important, if not more important, than their actual performance in the game. Teams have scouts analyzing the players on everything during practice, so a lackluster performance during the game may not doom some players’ hopes.

I am going to go over some players that I am going to be watching closely, and I urge you to do the same.

The Blue(North) team has a couple quarterbacks that you should definitely watch. Shane Griggs of Idaho St. and Mike McMahon of Rutgers both have the ability to become NFL quarterbacks but, they do have some question marks. Griggs has had a great year, returning from an ACL injury, but he needs to prove that he has what it takes to stick it out with the better competition that this game provides. McMahon, playing for one of the worst college football programs in Division I now has the chance to play some with quality weapons around him. During his stay at Rutgers, he hasn’t had a chance to play with quality receiving threats, or sit in the pocket behind a quality offensive line.

A lot of eyes will be on R.J. Bowers from Grove City(PA) College. Bowers became the all time leading rusher in NCAA history, at any level this year. Bowers has the athletic background you look for in a professional athlete. Playing in the Houston Astros farm system for a couple years may have something to do with that. Bowers turned to college football, after his baseball career stalled in the lower levels of the minors. He is going to get a great opportunity to prove his true ability against some NFL prospects in this game. Bowers could improve his draft stock tremendously if he has a good showing in this game.

Dennis Norman, an offensive tackle from Princeton is the only other offensive player of note from the North squad that I am looking forward to seeing play. Norman has a nice array of skills, but playing in the Ivy League keeps his profile low. He played offensive tackle at Princeton, but will likely become a guard in the NFL because of his size, and this will him the chance to show some skills on the interior line.

There are a couple quality players on the defensive side of the ball for the North as well. I plan on keeping a close eye on a pair of Utah Utes, corner Andre Dyson and end Andy Bowers. Andre is the little brother of former Ute, and current Tennessee Titan wideout Kevin Dyson. He has great speed and is very quick, but his play has been inconsistent during his stay at Utah. This could be his last chance in a game situation to improve his stock in the draft. Bowers has very good size and quickness for a defensive end, and in this deep defensive line draft, he needs this game to solidify himself. Edge Hartwell, a linebacker of Western Illinois is another player I am anxious to see play. He has been getting some hype as of late, and this is his chance to live up to that hype, and prove himself against better players.

The Gray(South) team has its share of quality players as well. I am looking forward to seeing quite a bit of players from this team. David Rivers, a quarterback from Western Carolina has seen his stock rise as the season has gone on. There is a lack of quality quarterback prospects in the draft at this point, so a strong showing by Rivers could vault him up rather high on some teams lists. He will be throwing to another prospect that could see his stock rise significantly with a good game, in Alex Bannister from Eastern Kentucky. Bannister has been receiving a lot of hype, mainly from Mel Kiper Jr. because of his physical abilities. There are not many receivers who are as big and quick as Bannister. If he can have a good game, it wouldn’t be a stretch to see him rise into the second round of the draft.

This South team has its share of offensive weapons. Along with Rivers at QB, and Bannister at WR, they have another small school stud in Stephen F. Austin back Derrick Blaylock. His name has been popping up on sleeper lists recently, and he is now going to get his chance to play with some real NFL prospects. He will be running behind an offensive line that has a few nice prospects in Kenyatta Jones of South Florida, Kendrick Rogers of Alabama A&M, and Robert Garza of Texas A&M-Kingsville. I am eager to see Rogers play against better defensive lineman. He is big, strong, and quick, and could rise like Michael Thompson of Tennessee St. did last year. Garza could rise to the top of the center crop with a solid performance for scouts.

The South defense has a couple sleeper corners that should draw some attention. Delvin Hughley of Jacksonville St. and Michael Stone of Memphis could turn some heads in this game. Hughley, playing at such a small school, hasn’t had the chance to show his skills against good receivers on a consistent basis. He is another guy that has been hyped up by Mel Kiper Jr., and we will get a chance to see how well he performs. Michael Stone is a player who I think is going to surprise some people. I think he is comparable to Mike McKenzie, who has turned out to be a quality player for the Green Bay Packers, despite not receiving the hype McKenzie received while at Memphis. Another Memphis defender to keep an eye on is defensive tackle Marcus Bell. I really like him, and now is his chance to show more people how good he is. He has gotten lost in the shuffle with the glut of defensive lineman in this draft, but he could make some noise with a good showing.

Something that we will not get to see are these players at practice. What the players do in the week leading up to the game is just as important, if not more important, than their actual performance in the game. Teams have scouts analyzing the players on everything during practice, so a lackluster performance during the game may not doom some players’ hopes.

Rosters for the Blue-Gray Game