Having played for a team that was always on the outside looking in at the elite of college football, Boise St. Broncos Kellen Moore, Doug Martin, George Iloka, Shea McClellin and Billy Winn are used to having to prove themselves. The process will continue for the trio on Saturday at the Senior Bowl, where they will go up against some of the best college competition in the country in order to impress NFL scouts.
The spotlight will shine particularly bright on Moore, who is arguably the most decorated player in school history, but is seen by most pro scouts as a marginal NFL prospect. Moore will enter the game second over Michigan State Spartans QB Kirk Cousins for the North team and will be throwing to receivers such as DeVier Posey of the Ohio State Buckeyes and Marvin McNutt of the Iowa Hawkeyes that are serious pro prospects. Martin will be competing for playing time and attention with a few talented backs, including Ohio State's Dan Herron and Chris Polk of the Washington Huskies, who was the Pac-12's First Team All-Conference running back.
But it's Winn who is seen by most as the best pro prospect of the three, and he'll potentially have a chance to play himself into the bottom of the first round with an explosive performance in Mobile. He'll be going up against some talented linemen on the South roster, including SEC standouts William Vlachos of the Alabama Crimson Tide and Ben Jones of the Georgia Bulldogs, who Winn faced in the Broncos' opening game of the 2011 season.
Game date/time: Saturday, Jan. 2, 2012, 2 p.m. MT
Location: Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Ala.
TV: NFL Network
For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more on the Broncos, visit Boise State blog One Bronco Nation Under God. Head over to SB Nation NCAA Football for more on bowl season and the end-of-season all-star games.