Former Georgia Tech All-American guard Shaquille Mason has scored about the best opportunity he could to prove himself prior to the NFL draft. Mason accepted an invitation Wednesday to play in the Senior Bowl, the top pre-draft showcase game, taking one of the last available spots.
“He’s really excited,” said Ryan Rubin, Mason’s Atlanta-based agent. “I think it’s a real good opportunity for him.”
Rubin said Senior Bowl officials had expressed interest in having Mason play in the game, and extended an invitation when a spot opened up.
“I think they had somebody that decided either not to play or had an injury,” Rubin said. “He was kind of first on their list to fill in there.”
The interest explains why Mason elected not to play in last week’s Medal of Honor Bowl in Charleston, S.C. At the Senior Bowl, Mason will practice and play against many of the top draft prospects before hundreds of NFL scouts, coaches and executives. Scouts likely will be interested to see his pass-blocking ability and also assess to what degree his size (6-foot-1, 300 pounds) is a liability.
This past season, Mason was named to four All-America teams, as he helped drive the Yellow Jackets to their Orange Bowl championship with an offense that set school records for rushing yards, rushing yards per game and yards per rush.
Senior Bowl practices will begin next Tuesday in Mobile, Ala. Two former Tech players, defensive end Jeremiah Attaochu and defensive back Jemea Thomas, played in the Senior Bowl last year. He’s the first Tech offensive lineman to play in the game since Mansfield Wrotto in 2006.
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