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Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas: ACC and SEC recruiting buzz

ROEBUCK, S.C. -- Day two of the Shrine Bowl practices took place on Tuesday at Dorman High School with both squads donning full pads for a pair of two-hour practice sessions. Rivals.com national analysts Adam Friedman and Woody Wommack recap the performances of prospects of interest to ACC and SEC schools.

MORE: Shrine Bowl videos | SEC and Big Ten recruiting buzz

GEORGIA TECH

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Jerry Howard
Jerry Howard

On the field: Yellow Jackets running back commit Jerry Howard continues to have a good week of practice, going hard and moving well for a player his size. He packs quite a punch when he meets defenders in the hole, and it’s easy to see why he was targeted by Georgia Tech coaches. He should be an excellent fit in the school’s unique offense.

MISSOURI

On the field: New Missouri running back commit Larry Rountree is emerging as the best running back option on the North Carolina roster. He plays with good energy and has great burst off his plant foot. Roundtree is a very tough runner and doesn’t go down on the first or second hit from defenders.

N.C. STATE

On the field: Chris Ingram is consistently one of the best defensive backs for the North Carolina team. The N.C. State commit is a vocal leader for the secondary and has broken up a lot of passes. Quarterbacks have been having a hard time throwing passes his direction because of his length and ability to anticipate routes… Receiver Emeka Emezie had a very good morning practice but slowed down a little in wet conditions during the afternoon practice. He made some very impressive catches near the sidelines and found open spaces in the middle of the defense… There was a lot to like about Wolfpack target Matthew Butler’s day of practice. He has a great first step and made a lot of plays in the backfield. Butler looked good in pursuit and made some tackles down the field.

NORTH CAROLINA

Marcus McKethan
Marcus McKethan

On the field: The Tar Heels took a flier on Marcus McKethan when they offered and took his commitment over the summer. And while he still looks like a raw work in progress, he’s clearly worth the risk. He’s the tallest prospect at the event, regardless of position, and has done a nice job while working at guard. He will need some time to develop, but could end up being an excellent player down the line.

SOUTH CAROLINA

On the field: Four-star wide receiver commit Shi Smith continues to be hampered by a minor injury and while he worked out, he was going less than full speed… Three-star LB/DE commit Davonne Bowen has been one of the most consistently impressive performers on the South Carolina squad, showing great speed off the edge. He’s a pass rushing specialist and even if he’s not the biggest player on the field, he more than makes up for it with his non-stop motor… Gamecocks offensive tackle commitment Summie Carlay has been a pleasant surprise and is one of the best offensive linemen on his squad. He will need to add muscle to his frame, but he has good height and is fundamentally sound in his technique.

Rivals100 safety Hamsah Nasirildeen didn’t have as good a day on Tuesday compared to Monday but still made his fair share of plays. The South Carolina commit was particularly effective coming downhill to break up passes. Nasirildeen was still a physical presence in the secondary but he needs to make sure double moves don’t trick him… Gamecocks commit Eric Douglas improved on Tuesday. He was more effective as a pass blocker, using his initial punch to slow defensive linemen. Douglas was also more aggressive and made more blocks down the field… Defensive lineman Matthew Butler really showed off his toughness on Tuesday. He broke through the line on multiple occasions to make tackles in the backfield. Butler also chased down ball carriers that went to the other side of the field, keeping good runs from turning into big gains.

TENNESSEE

On the field: Vols target Matthew Butler gave offensive linemen fits on Tuesday. He beat most of them at the snap with his quick first step and spent a lot of time in the backfield. Butler also chased down a lot of plays, showing off his good motor and work ethic.

VIRGINIA TECH

Brad Johnson
Brad Johnson (Rivals.com)

On the field: The Hokies recently hosted three-star South Carolina defensive end Brad Johnson for a visit, and with the way he’s playing this week it’s clear why the staff regards him as one of the top targets on the board. Johnson is undersized but is great at coming off the edge and using his quickness to keep opposing offensive linemen off balance… Future Hokie Caleb Farley has had no problems getting open through four practices. He is very fast and is bigger than most people realized. Farley’s hands could be more consistent but he catches more passes than he drops, especially on deep routes.

WAKE FOREST

On the field: Running back Christian Beal showed good burst taking handoffs out of the backfield and finding running lanes. He showed good patience and his quickness made it tough for defenders to corral him.

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