After the NFL season concludes with Super Bowl LVII. all eyes turn toward free agency and the NFL draft. Until the NFL combine, the last best chances teams have to evaluate collegiate talent in a competitive setting is the invitation-only East-West Shrine Bowl and the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
While new Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton begins building his coaching staff, general manager George Paton will be evaluating top-tier talent this week. Here’s a look at 10 players the team should be keeping an eye on at the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl.
1
OL Henry Bainivalu: Washington
Washington offensive lineman Henry Bainivalu was a consistent contributor throughout his time as a Husky, playing in all but four games in his college career. In 2021, Bainivalu was on the Outland Trophy Watch List, the award for the best interior offensive lineman in college football. 2022 saw Bainivalu make Pro Football Focus’ All-Pac 12 Third Team, Pro Football Network’s All-Pac 12 Second Team, AP’s list of All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention, and an All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention.
Bainivalu’s size (6-7, 307 pounds) and durability might be an intriguing combination for the Broncos’ draft team.
2
DL Kobie Turner- Wake Forest
In his only season at Wake Forest, Kobie Turner churned out some impressive numbers. Turner ended up with 38 total tackles (including 10 tackles for losses), recorded two sacks, forced three fumbles, broke up two passes and recovered a fumble.
Denver will need to hit on the defensive line if they choose not to re-sign Dre’Mont Jones, so there may be mutual interest in later rounds of the draft.
3
CB Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson: TCU
Hodges-Tomlinson was an integral part of the TCU Horned Frogs that upset the Michigan Wolverines in the semifinal round of the College Football Playoff. 2022 was by far Hodges-Tomlinson’s best year, making 50 tackles, intercepting three passes, defending 15 passes and forcing one fumble.
Hodges-Tomlinson also was the 2022 recipient of the Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to college football’s most outstanding defensive back. Not even Patrick Surtain, the Broncos’ current lockdown cornerback, has won that award. Denver’s injury woes in the defensive backfield were once again a looming issue throughout 2022, making cornerback a position of priority during the draft.
4
CB Myles Brooks: Louisiana Tech
Brooks was an FCS alum, playing at Stephen F. Austin for three years before transferring to C-USA’s Louisiana Tech. At Stephen F. Austin, Brooks played in 31 games, recorded 65 total tackles, broke up 17 passes and picked off six passes. After he transferred, Brooks totaled 29 tackles, defended eight passes, intercepted three passes, returning one for a touchdown.
The problem with Brooks is, at the FCS level and with the exception for two games at LA Tech, he faced second-rate receivers. If the Broncos believe that Brooks can match up against the likes of the receivers they are set to face next season, they may take a chance.
5
P Michael Turk: University of Oklahoma
While it is a rarity for a punter to be selected in the draft, Michael Turk may be one of those anomalies come April. Turk has incredible leg strength and he actually declared for the 2020 NFL draft, and the NCCA allowed him to return to college after he went unselected.
Turk’s career-long punt is 85 yards. Talk about flipping the field! He averages 45.9 yards per punt, which is just shy of what Broncos’ punter Corliss Waitman averaged (46.6 YPP).
If Denver decided to look at Turk, they may have a similar punter battle to what they did in 2021 between Waitman and Sam Martin.
6
LB Drake Thomas: NC State
In 2021, Drake Thomas was a force of nature. Thomas earned first-team All-ACC honors from the ACC and the AP, earned NC State’s Bill Cowher Award (top linebacker at NC State) and the team’s Mario Williams Award (NC State’s defensive MVP).
Thomas is very similar to a former Broncos linebacker from NC State — Bradley Chubb. This similarity may be a boon for Denver, who could decide to pull the trigger.
7
LB Mohamoud Diabate: Utah
Prior to Diabate’s one-year stint at the University of Utah, he was a standout linebacker at the University of Florida. As a Gator, Diabate played in 37 games, starting 17 of them, finishing his Florida chapter with 176 total tackles (14.0 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks), three forced fumbles, two pass breakups and an interception. At Utah, Diabate recorded a team-high 13.5 tackles for losses, and, against his former team, recorded a personal season-high nine tackles.
Denver could be in the market for linebackers if Alex Singleton does not return, and Diabate may fit the mold.
8
WR Zay Flowers: Boston College
Zay Flowers may not have the size of a typical receiver (5-10), but nobody can say he didn’t perform while at Boston College. During his college tenure, Flowers set the university mark for single-season receiving touchdowns (12), career receptions (200), career receiving yards (3,056), career touchdowns (29) and tied the school record for single-season receptions (78). In 2022, Flowers was a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award, reserved for the top receiver in the nation.
The Broncos were decimated by injury at wideout last season, and Flowers turned enough heads (and ran by enough heads) to make him a person of interest at the Shrine Bowl.
9
WR Demario Douglas: Liberty
Coming off his redshirt sophomore season, Demario Davis’ shifty play as a wide receiver and return specialist make him a dangerous do-it-all player. So dangerous in fact that in 2022 and 2021, Davis was on the Paul Horning Award watch list, which is given to the most versatile player in college football.
Davis is reminiscent of 2022 Broncos draft pick Montrell Washington. Needing a speedy returner or a dynamic receiver, this may be an underrated get if Denver feels so inclined.
10
RB Mohamed Ibrahim: Minnesota
Mohamed Ibrahim is an interesting study from his time with the Golden Gophers. Ibrahim holds or shares over 20 school records for rushing, including career touchdowns (53), consecutive 100-yard games (19), consecutive 200-yard games (2) and 200-yard games (5), among other records.
Despite a successful season from Latavius Murray, the Broncos might be looking for a young running back to complement Javonte Williams. In that case, Ibrahim might be a good back to keep an eye on.
11
The East-West Shrine Bowl will be nationally televised at 6:30 p.m. MT on NFL Network on Thursday evening. View the rosters here.
