Postseason all-star games really get going this week with the East-West Shrine Game. Practices take place throughout the week with the game being played in St. Petersburg, Florida at Tropicana Field and airs Saturday on NFL Network. This year’s coaches are former NFL head coaches Brad Childress and Bobby Ross.
Here are some players on defense to track throughout the week:
East-West Shrine Game 2012: Defensive prospect preview
Robert Blanton, CB, Notre Dame
There were times this season where Blanton looked like the best player on Notre Dame's defense. He has good size for a corner, measuring in today at 6-foot and 197 pounds with solid arm length for a corner at 31 1/4 inches. With Seattle having so much success with bigger corners, Blanton's stock should be high.
Tank Carder, OLB, TCU
One of the bigger name players at this year's game, Carder had a down season and may be limited in the NFL. He's strictly a weak-side linebacker who has to get by on his hustle. His play on special teams will determine how long his NFL career lasts.
Dominique Hamilton, DT, Missouri
Hamilton is an impressive combination of size, strength and surprising quickness. Hamilton can play the nose and take on multiple blockers. He surprisingly weighed in at 320 pounds, 15 more than his listed playing weight at Missouri. Late round sleeper for a 3-4 team.
Tysyn Hartman, SS, Kansas State
Known as much for his classroom intelligence as his play on the field, Hartman is a good tackler and takes smart angles against the run. This week he needs to show he can drop in coverage and cover ground in zone.
Aaron Henry, S, Wisconsin
It was a surprise to see that Henry wasn’t invited to the combine. He’s an athletic safety who could be a good backup, fill-in player in the NFL with starter upside.
Akiem Hicks, DT, University of Regina
Admission: I know nothing about Hicks and have never seen him play. However! His size 6-foot-4, 324 pounds and arm length (35 1/8 inches) will turn heads in practice. He’s been earning rave reviews from small-school experts online.
Nicolas Jean-Baptiste, DT, Baylor
He’s not a clone of former teammate
, but Jean-Baptiste is a strong hole plugger on the line. He’ll be a nice depth pickup who can play 25-30 plays a game against the run.
Josh Kaddu, OLB, Oregon
From a physical standpoint, Kaddu is one of the more impressive players in this year’s Shrine Game. He’s a chiseled athlete whose production didn’t match his skill set.
Brandon Lindsey, DE/OLB, Pittsburgh
Practice week is critical for players like Lindsey, an undersized college defensive end who will have to make the move to linebacker. Lindsey needs to show more athleticism and lateral agility than he did at Pittsburgh.
Shaun Prater, CB, Iowa
A zone coverage cornerback with good athleticism, Prater close on the ball impressively, but struggles with tackling. He’s not as good as former Iowa cornerback
, but has enough tools to work with to get a shot in the NFL.See the full roster here. Follow the SBNation Tampa Bay story stream on here.
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