Shrine Bowl Gives Uncommitted Guys Last Shot To Shine

For a lot of players, Shrine Bowl week is a celebration of their high school careers. It's after the December signing period, they've already committed and know where they're headed to play collegiately, and some of them have already graduated and are ready to report to their respective colleges after Christmas.   For others, though, it's the rare opportunity to turn in some extra work. There are a bunch of guys who are uncommitted, or under-recruited, and the Shrine Bowl is an opportunity to showcase what they can do one more time, against what's likely the best competition they've seen.   Seneca's [player_tooltip player_id='1667450' first='Amari' last='Verner'] is one of those guys from South Carolina. He burst onto the scene as a junior, and turned his senior season into a 2,000-yard rushing campaign, earning his spot on the squad. Verner (pictured) is as-advertised - a smaller back with a ton of speed who gets to the second level in a hurry and can either make people miss or run over them once he's there. He's excelled on inside runs and played well in team periods during Shrine Bowl week, and he's embracing the chance to open some eyes.   "I just want to perform the way I know I can perform," Verner said. "It's a motivation and a boost to push me to play better. I think it will be a good way to show what I can do."   The two backs who will likely split carries with Verner are in the same situation. [player_tooltip player_id='1303770' first='Jamijae' last='Karim'] is a bruiser who can also break loose, and is Liberty's first Shrine Bowl player since 1980. He's shown plenty of his speed and power in practice. Stratford's [player_tooltip player_id='473027' first='Meliq' last='McGowan'] was an injury replacement, but has shown that he belongs with some tough practice runs. He'll also bring a level of comfort lining up beside high school teammate [player_tooltip player_id='1165148' first='Jachin' last='Davis'] at QB.   They'll run behind a deep, talented offensive line that includes South Florence standout [player_tooltip player_id='1820899' first='Josiah' last='Mason']. Mason is in a unique situation as the only uncommitted South Carolina offensive lineman. No matter what group he plays with, he'll be surrounded by high-level guys and will have the chance to show how he blends with those players. He's already turned some heads in practice, as the OL looked dominant at times.   Across the line, a trio of defensive linemen have a chance to make their case against North Carolina's offense. Byrnes' [player_tooltip player_id='797155' first='Justice' last='Hopkins'] was a force in one of the state's most rugged regions, and that performance has carried over to the Shrine Bowl. Hopkins is good against the run, but he's at his best when he's being disruptive, and he's capable of taking over off the edge. That's true of Greenwood's [player_tooltip player_id='1639742' first='Ahmad' last='Scott'] as well, but he's taken some snaps on the interior, and he's tough to move off his spot. Scott has played well against the run in practice, and the ability to move around and be versatile will serve him well. They're joined by [player_tooltip player_id='1463245' first='Luciano' last='Cesario'], a replacement for a Dutch Fork teammate who has played really well in practices. Cesario played on a defense that's loaded with talent, but has quickly shown this week that he's not one to be overlooked. He's got the length and instincts that give him a chance to shine on Saturday.   As good as the South Carolina LB corps is, a number of them are still searching for college homes. Those guys do a lot of things well, starting with Chester's [player_tooltip player_id='816734' first='Terry' last='Radford']. He's flying around and making plays at LB, but he's got the strength, speed, and power to walk up and play off the edge, which he's done some in practice this week. He's lived in opponents' backfields his entire high school career, and has the talent to turn in a big performance in the Shrine Bowl. Northwestern's [player_tooltip player_id='1149051' first='Kamerin' last='McFadden'] is a tackle machine, with 105 stops and 20 tackles for loss on the season. There is virtually no chance that he gets lost in the shuffle on Saturday. He finds the ball, flies to it, and brings guys down. That translates to any level. Berkeley's [player_tooltip player_id='1639678' first='Gehad' last='Sneed'] has been one of the biggest hitters in practice, and is another guy who analyzes plays quickly, gets off blocks, and goes to make a play. Dillon's [player_tooltip player_id='1267317' first='Daniel' last='Capehart'] had 110 tackles as a senior, and has shown a bit of a physical edge this week. And [player_tooltip player_id='1592198' first='Jontavious' last='Canty'] from Manning made his mark as a running back for the Monarchs with more than 1,000 yards and 17 touchdowns. Then he turned around and made 65 tackles with 10 for loss and three fumble recoveries. On Saturday, he'll showcase that second set of skills.   The secondary is elite, and Crestwood's [player_tooltip player_id='1592632' first='Da'Shan' last='Scriven'] is no exception. He's the smallest player on the back-end for the Sandlappers, but he has backed down exactly zero times in practice, routinely battling much bigger receivers and more than holding his own against the state's best. He's also shown a knack for finding the ball and is capable of dishing out some punishment.

For a lot of players, Shrine Bowl week is a celebration of their high school careers. It's after the December signing period, they've already committed and know where they're headed to play collegiately, and some of them have already graduated and are ready to report to their respective colleges after Christmas.