The East-West Shrine Bowl continued Sunday in Frisco, TX, with the second practice session leading up to Thursday’s game.
Here are four players who made positive impressions.
TE Oronde Gadsden II, Syracuse
The Chargers need more production from their tight ends in the passing game. Gadsden brings a wide receiver skillset to the tight end position. For his size, at 6-foot-2 and 247 pounds, he is a smooth mover with good foot quickness and explosive in and out of his routes. Gadsden caught everything thrown at him, reeling in the football with his long wingspan and strong hands. He led all tight ends nationally with 969 yards receiving.
DL Zeek Biggers, Georgia Tech
This year’s draft class is filled with polarizing defensive tackles. Biggers is among the crop that could be an option for the Chargers on Day 3. Hulking at 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds with 35-inch arms, Biggers caused fits for blockers in 1-on-1s and team drills with his length, burst, and power at the point of attack. He also showed the ability to split double teams.
WR Jackson Meeks, Syracuse
The wide receiver room needs some retooling this offseason. The Chargers should look to add a true No. 1 wideout, but additional depth is also a must. Meeks raised eyebrows by consistently getting open with sharpness in his routes and playing physical. He made a nice catch through a defensive pass interference penalty deep down the sideline. Meeks only had 10 catches for 131 yards during his time with Georgia, and amassed 78 catches for 1,021 yards, and seven catches in one season with Syracuse.
Great grab by Syracuse Orange WR Jackson Meeks in one-on-ones. #ShrineBowl pic.twitter.com/WZmNsiu3nL
— Thomas Christopher (@ThomasCP_NFL) January 26, 2025
S Shamari Simmons, Arizona State
I mentioned Simmons in my players to watch at this event, highlighting his versatility. While he is likely best suited as big Nickel in the NFL, Simmons showed his ability to play the single-high safety, as he made an impressive, backward lunging pick off a deep ball. His physicality and violent style of play would be good on special teams.
Arizona State’s Shamari Simmons snags an interception at an East-West Shrine Bowl practice 🔱 pic.twitter.com/l9SstSAFaU
— PHNX Sun Devils (@PHNX_SunDevils) January 26, 2025
