By Patrick McHugh
Former Northeastern football captain and tight end Brian Mandeville will get the chance to showcase his talents on a national stage.
Mandeville was invited to play in the East-West Shrine Game, a collegiate all-star game with teams composed of the top seniors in college football.
The Shrine Game is the oldest college bowl game and has been played every year since 1925. It matches teams composed of players from around the country.
The event is a charity game held to raise money for Shriners Children Hospitals, which provides free health care and medical service to children with serious illnesses.
The invitation to the game will allow Mandeville to improve his stock for April’s NFL Draft. Mandeville’s big frame (6’7,” 253 pounds) and skill has made him a legitimate draft prospect. He is currently ranked ninth among tight ends on draftcountdown.com.
His participation in the game offers another opportunity for him to impress NFL teams who are thinking of drafting a tight end.
Husky football coach Rocky Hager coached Mandeville throughout his Northeastern career and said interest from Shrine Game officials started during the summer, which is also when NFL scouts began to track his progress and possible NFL future. Mandeville is one of only 11 players from a non-BCS school invited to participate, which is rare considering the Shrine Game typically selects players from high-level BCS schools
Mandeville finished a standout career with the Huskies in 2008.
He was a two-time selection to the All-Colonial Athletic Association Football second team and two-time choice as part of the All-New England team, Mandeville caught 63 passes for 863 yards and seven touchdowns in a Husky uniform. In 2008 he ranked second on the team in receiving yards per game (42.1) despite missing four games with a torn MCL. His best season came in 2007, when he led the Huskies with 411 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
Mandeville, who could not be reached for comment, is currently working out in California to prepare himself for the Shrine Game as well as the NFL Combine in February. He and all other Shrine Game participants will report to Houston for practice Jan. 10. During the week, players will make a visit to the local Shriners Hospital in the Houston area to visit children with serious illnesses. Throughout the week each team will hold practices in front of NFL scouts and league officials who will evaluate them.
Hager said the practices are as important as the game itself because it gives players the chance to show their ability in one-on-one situations. Hager spoke highly of Mandeville’s work ethic and prospect for the future.
“He is a very special young man who was a shining example for this football program,” Hager said. “He has a great work ethic and he understands the concepts of the game – what we call high football intelligence. Most of all, he plays hard even when things are not going well on the field, something every coach wants to have. To me, he would be a fantastic addition to any team’s roster.”
The 84th annual East-West Shrine Game takes place Saturday, Jan. 17 in Houston, Texas at Robertson Stadium. ESPN2 has coverage of the game starting at 4 p.m.
