MAC Football Seniors Attending All-Star Games

Well, #MACtion is over, but that doesn’t mean the finest representatives of our conference are done putting on for their teams. It’s time to start preparing for the NFL Draft. A lot of the conference’s top players have been invited to senior all-star games that will allow them to showcase their skills for NFL scouts.

The biggest bowl by far is the Senior Bowl. It’s the game that made E.J. Manuel a first-rounder last season. Three MACletes will be participating in this year’s game. The first is Massachusetts’ Rob Blanchflower. The Minutemen’s Gronk only played in six games as a senior but shows flashes of being a very versatile tight end that can be successful at the next level. He hauled in four touchdown passes in 2013. The second star heading to Mobile is Northern Illinois safety Jimmie Ward. The All-American had a special senior season which included a team-best 77 tackles and six interceptions. He was a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award. Both will be playing for the North team which will be coached by the Atlanta Falcons coaching staff. Then there is Buffalo stud linebacker Khalil Mack, the first-team All-American who holds several NCAA records and is likely to go early on the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

Next up, is the East-West Shrine game which will be played in St. Petersburg. Playing for the East squad are Toledo center Zac Kerin, Bowling Green tight end Alex Bayer, Ohio cornerback Travis Carrie and Heisman finalist Jordan Lynch. Combatting with them on the West are Toledo wideout Bernard Reedy and Ball State gunslinger Keith Wenning.

Another senior all-star game that will feature some high profile MACletes occurs this Saturday in the Medal of Honor Bowl in Charleston, S. C. Ohio quarterback Tyler Tettleton and Eastern safety Mycal Swaim will represent the American Team and they will face off with Toledo tailback David Fluellen and former MAC DPOY Roosevelt Nix on the National Team. Oh, and Mack was also invited to this game as well.