From The Couch – Skylar Thompson and Russ Yeast Shine In East/West Shrine Bowl
Skylar Thompson and Russ Yeast both had pretty good games in the East/West Shrine Bowl on Thursday night. Here are some of the highlights and some of the buzz regarding both players during and after the game.
“I’m leaving this place a better player than when I came in. That’s ultimately why I came here.”…Skylar Thompson, Las Vegas Review-Journal, February 3rd, 2022
JM: Thompson had a solid game quarterbacking the West squad. He was six of nine passing for 76 yards and a touchdown and added a two-point conversion pass.
JM: This was a nice look by Thompson finding the open receiver for the touchdown.
JM: This was a really nice pass by Thompson.
JM: Just out there making plays like Patrick Mahomes!
JM: A very nice fade pass on the two-point conversion attempt. “Perfectly put” as the announcer said.
JM: I saw this tweet when searching for Skylar Thompson highlights. This is from Pro Football Focus and this particular graph shows the best quarterback prospects that can avoid sacks and perform under pressure. Skylar Thompson and Matt Corral of Ole Miss are the top two quarterback prospects for this data point.
“Risers
Russ Yeast, CB, Kansas State
This was a good week for many cornerbacks, but it’s hard to look past Yeast, who showed off his fluidity in drills, athleticism in team practice and instincts on the field of play. Yeast shut down slot play throughout the week and in Thursday’s game, and he contributed to some physical stops at the goal line as well. Though his special teams mistake — a short punt that bounced off of his back for a muff — was a big issue in the game, he improved his stock from an evaluation perspective. Yeast played four years at Louisville before transferring to Kansas State for his final season, where he earned four interceptions and 10 total passes defensed.”…Arif Hasan, The Athletic, February 4, 2022
JM: Russ Yeast is quickly rising up the draft boards. It will be interesting to see if, or maybe how high, he gets drafted.
JM: EJ Perry was voted the MVP of the game, but this NFL draft outfit ranked Russ Yeast as the number two player all week. Pretty good.
JM: As I watched the game, it was kind of neat seeing Yeast making plays out on the field. If it seemed like he was all over the place, it’s because he was.
JM: Yeast made a great play keeping the West out of the end zone, even if he had a little bit of help.
It’s fun watching K-State players shine in all-star games like the Shrine Bowl. Will Thompson and Yeast get drafted? I still have my doubts, but they are impressing NFL scouts.
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