Jets should be interested in these NFL draft prospects from this weekend's college all-star games

The East-West Shrine game and the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl were on Saturday

1/20/2020, 5:21 PM
Jan 18, 2020; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Team East running back Benny LeMay (32) runs the ball in for a touchdown as Team West safety Austin Lee (23) defends during the first quarter at Tropicana Field. / Douglas DeFelice/USA Today SPORTS
Jan 18, 2020; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Team East running back Benny LeMay (32) runs the ball in for a touchdown as Team West safety Austin Lee (23) defends during the first quarter at Tropicana Field. / Douglas DeFelice/USA Today SPORTS

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Two college all-star games took place over the weekend with plenty of Jets personnel reportedly on hand for a closer look at some potential 2020 draft picks -- the East-West Shrine game on Saturday afternoon with the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl kicking off later that evening.  

Of the two, the Shrine game is the higher profile event, with Folorunso Fatukasi being a recent example of someone who impressed the Jets there and went on to be drafted by them. However, the team also picked up a handful of undrafted free agents from last year's Collegiate Bowl rosters.

Let's identify some players who may draw interest from the Jets based on their performance over the weekend.

Offense: Skill Positions

In recent years, these all-star games have typically been low-scoring affairs. However, there seemed to be more offensive talent on display this season, with 108 points scored across the two games. The average over the previous three years had been less than 50.

A trio of running backs were the standouts from the East-West game. While Charlotte's Benny LeMay took home the offensive MVP award after rushing for 86 yards and two touchdowns, the playmaking ability of Adrian Killins Jr. and James Robinson really stood out.

UCF's Killins only carried once for no gain but showed he can be a weapon in the pass game, as he caught seven passes for a game-high 92 yards out of the backfield. Robinson is one of this year's top small school prospects out of Illinois State and he racked up 136 yards on nine touches, dispelling concerns about his speed and burst on this long touchdown:

In terms of pass catchers, Georgia tight end Eli Wolf performed well, catching three passes for 49 yards. Wolf only caught 13 passes during the season but has improved as a blocker.

Ohio State receiver Binjimen Victor only caught two passes but the way he impressively went up to catch a deep jump ball over two defenders will have turned heads:  

With the success of players like Terry McLaurin and Michael Thomas coming out of Ohio State in recent years, the 6-foot-4 Victor is sure to get a close look from receiver-needy teams.

Offensive Line

The Jets are desperate for offensive line help, with Joe Douglas identifying this as a priority heading into the 2020 league year. Last year, small school tackle prospect Trey Pipkins ended up getting drafted in the third round and starting three games as a rookie having played in the Shrine Bowl, so talent can be found in these games.

Two of the highest-rated linemen at this year's East-West game were Auburn tackle Jack Driscoll and Louisiana-Lafayette guard Kevin Dotson. According to NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah, Driscoll showed outstanding footwork and quickness but has some questions about his core strength. He held up well in the game, though, not allowing any pressure. Dotson, however, got beaten once after an inconsistent week of practice.

Oregon's Calvin Throckmorton, who started games at right tackle and center in 2019, was working at right guard and just about got enough of his man in space on this play to help spring Robinson for another big gain:

Throckmorton is viewed by Pro Football Focus as a possible second-round pick and his versatility could interest the Jets, although he needs to prove his athleticism during the pre-draft process.

Defense

Charlotte edge rusher Alex Highsmith was one of the highest-rated defensive players in action having broken out this year with a 15-sack season. Highsmith stopped a couple of runs and had one quarterback hit. However, North Texas edge LaDarius Hamilton was probably the biggest winner in terms of pass rushers, as he had two sacks.

Another Illinois State player, Luther Kirk took home defensive MVP honors from the Shrine Bowl, after recording an interception on a deep pass.

Iowa State linebacker Marcus Spears Jr. could interest teams looking for a project as a coverage linebacker or hybrid safety. He had this impressive interception in the Collegiate Bowl to set up a score:

Special Teams

Finally, the Jets are always looking for potential special teams contributors over the weekend and Raymond Calais made the most of his chance to impress on this play in the Collegiate Bowl:

Calais backed up former Jets draft pick Elijah McGuire as a freshman and then gradually saw his role increase over the next three years. He rushed for over 100 yards six times in the past two seasons and held down the primary returner role for four seasons.

Killins and Robinson could also be candidates to become decent special teams contributors, although they didn't get any return opportunities during their game.

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