Shrine Bowl of Carolinas: What to know
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The North Carolina squad selected a great group of offensive linemen and, if they all play in the game, they should dominant the line of scrimmage. Leading the group is Landon Dickerson (above), the Rivals100 prospect from Hudson (N.C.) South Caldwell. Rivals250 Clemson commit Sean Pollard always makes the most of his opportunities. N.C. State has two commits in the game with Joe Sculthorpe and Harrison Gee. Wake Forest commit Taleni Suhren will use this game as a measuring stick to see how much he has progressed. South Carolina commit Pete Leota did a good job at the Shrine Bowl combines leading up to his selection. Two quality players that have not been getting as much attention on the recruiting trail are De'Jour Simpson and Alex Gourley. Look for them to really try to make a name for themselves.
3. North Carolina's DL features national stars
For many years now, the state of North Carolina has been producing excellent defensive linemen. This year's group of Shrine Bowl defensive linemen is led by five-star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence (above). The No. 3 overall player in the Rivals100 has been having an outstanding season. Rivals250 defensive end Nick Coe is continually expanding his pass rush move arsenal and he will be tested at the Shrine Bowl. On the South Carolina side, four-star offensive lineman John Simpson, massive Georgia Southern commit Drew Wilson and a few others will look to slow down a very talented North Carolina defensive line.
4. Two top RBs are set to battle
With players such as the aforementioned Gurly, along with Marcus Lattimore, Andre Ellington and many more having played in the game in the past, the Shrine Bowl has a bit of a reputation to maintain when it comes to top-notch running backs. This year's game will feature a pair of Rivals250 prospects in B.J. Emmons (Alabama commit, above) and Tavien Feaster (Clemson commit) suiting up on opposite sides of the field. Emmons figures to be the bell cow for the North Carolina squad, and the speedy Feaster will likely go into the game as the top-ranked player on the South Carolina squad. It will be fun to watch the two both in practice and in the game, and the performance of both will go a long way into figuring out their final spots in the rankings.
5. The best are in, but will they stay?
This is the biggest question of all. Over the past few years the initial roster releases have been stacked, but many players have suffered late-season injuries or opted to skip the event for any number of reasons. But as evidenced by the inclusion of players such Clowney, the No. 1 player in the Class of 2011 and the eventual No. 1 overall pick. Have things really changed that much in five years? Here's hoping that the last few years were just an aberration and this year Lawrence, Coe (above), Feaster, Kendall and others will all come out and compete for state pride.
Adam Friedman
Mid-Atlantic Recruiting Analyst
Woody Wommack
Southeast Recruiting Analyst
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