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1) Frank Gore Jr., RB, Southern Miss (5 feet 7 1/8, 199 pounds)
The son of the NFL’s third-ranked all-time leading rusher won the game’s Most Valuable Offensive Player award, rushing for 48 of his 87 yards on a score after cutting his left out of the zone. He saw the open field on that play and took the angle of the safety and outside linebacker pressing inside. He had two more first down runs for the West team in the second quarter on zone plays (being coached by his father on the bench in the middle) and also showed toughness, picking up six yards on an inside run without much space. Gore is not the biggest or fastest running back in the draft, but he showed scouts that he will be effective in the NFL.
2) Taulia Tagovailoa, QB, Maryland (5-10 2/8, 200)
The brother of Miami Dolphins starter Tua Tagovailoa used his legs to his advantage throughout the Shrine Bowl to help the West team take advantage. He came out of the pocket and took advantage of a failed Cover 2 early in the second quarter, throwing a pass to Jadon Janke for a 52-yard gain. He later ran it in from two yards after avoiding the run. He then found Josh Cephus for the ensuing two-point conversion. Tagovailoa had a delay of game on third down in the red zone late in the first half and a couple of errant throws, but he still went 9 of 14 for 142 yards, an excellent performance overall.
3) Blake Watson, running back, Memphis (5-9 3/8, 189)
Watson was a productive running back and receiver during his time at Old Dominion and Memphis and showed off those skills again during Thursday’s game. He was a control king during a two-minute drill in the first half, shaking off would-be blockers on two catches to move the chains. Watson also showed speed and patience on a 25-yard dropback screen early in the second half, following his blocker into the open field. He carried the West’s load as a running back, exploiting for big gains when the line created opportunities and taking advantage of what he could when the block broke. He would have had more than his 111 total yards of offense, but he made the right move late by taking a knee to run out the clock in the final minutes.
4) Myles Murphy, DT, North Carolina (6-3 7/8, 312)
While cornerback Jarius Monroe was the game’s defensive MVP after securing an interception, Murphy was the West’s top defender. He started off strong, blowing up a screen under pressure faster than expected. He beat his man to force a field goal attempt late in the first quarter, although quarterback Jack Plummer’s helmet became askew after Murphy put a hand on his mask. He challenged the linemen for the rest of the game, quickly gaining space with the ball and forcing double teams to prevent him from making plays. Murphy also moved downfield, including when he sacked tight end Mason Pline after a catch late in the third quarter.