East-West Shrine prospects to watch

There will be a pair of college All-Star games on Saturday, but the one I'll be watching will be the East-West Shrine game, which has better overall prospects, than the Raycom College Football All-Star Classic.

There are a few players I'm interested in seeing perform against fellow all-star type NFL prospects.

First up is David Bass, a defensive end from Missouri Western State, who at 6-4, 260, would be an outside linebacker in the Steelers' system.

Bass started 50 consecutive games and finished 2012 with 11.5 sacks after recording 14.5 in 2011. But that was playing at the NCAA Division II level. Bass has long arms and a good motor, so his play could translate to the NFL.

But I want to see it.

* Ray Graham, RB, Pitt. Obviously, living in Pittsburgh, I've seen a lot of Graham. And I've always liked what I've seen. He's a tough runner despite being just 5-10, 190 pounds.

The thing I want to see with Graham is if he's healthy. He was having a monster season in 2011 before tearing up his knee. He rebounded well in 2012, but then missed the Panthers' bowl game.

Graham has a lot to prove in this game.

* D.C. Jefferson, TE, Rutgers. Jefferson didn't see the ball much at Rutgers, but I liked what I saw of him as a blocker the few times I watched the Scarlet Knights. At 6-5, 250 pounds, he's got the size you need to set the edge.

Can he catch the ball well enough to make it in the NFL?

The Steelers are going to likely bring in a late-round prospect or rookie free agent at tight end. Jefferson could be a nice fit.

* Shamrko Thomas, S, Syracuse. My favorite mid-round safety prospect this year is South Carolina's D.J. Swearinger, who is a human missile.

But Thomas also caught my eye this season with the way he throws his body around. At 5-10, 217 pounds, he's similar in size to Troy Polamalu. He plays the run like Polamalu at times as well.