theoneandonly
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- Thread starter cmd34
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I don't know who is worse Sumlin or the people saying he doesn't suck. I hope A&M hires Chip Kelly like today.
theoneandonly
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College football has become a video game. Most coaches seem to think defense doesnt matter but amazingly the two teams that play tough defense every year (Alabama and LSU) are always in the hunt.
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The Oklahoma-Texas Tech game last year was a prime example. I wish the NFL would be more like that personally.
English Cowboy
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Really? I can't think of anything worse. Give me 3 yards and a cloud of dust any day. I find I enjoy watching old games on YouTube much more than watching today's games. The offenses were more balanced and the rules weren't bent in favor of passing game.
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Ban yourself for stupidity please
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Unless the mods ban me, I'll still be here.
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Why is a game that had almost 2k yards of offense bad?
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Because it is
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Again, why?
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Because its garbage football that's why. There's no defense or even real execution on offense. It's just line up and run plays as fast as you can in a helter-skelter type pace in the hopes of just gassing the other team.
Most of the games are unwatchable IMO.
theoneandonly
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Five senior prospects who will be NFL starters in Week 1 2018
Marcus Allen, S, Penn State
Allen's athleticism and physical nature will earn him fans among NFL defensive coaches. It will put him in position to earn a starting role right away, too. The godson of NFL Hall of Fame RB Curtis Martin has been a starter for the Nittany Lions since midway through his true freshman season, so he's learned how to get on the field early. Allen will be starting come Week 1 for whatever NFL team picks him in the top 50 overall selections in April.
Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia
The Bulldogs have two very talented backs in Chubb and Sony Michel, and both might end up starting in the NFL. If Chubb can stay healthy, he'll be considered a feature back right out of the chute because of his combination of vision, power and quickness.
Will Hernandez, OG, UTEP
There are several future starting NFL linemen that I could have listed here, including Ohio State's Billy Price, Michigan's Mason Cole, and Notre Dame's Mike McGlinchey. But I wanted to give some love to a non-Power-Five-conference player in Hernandez. He's listed at 6-foot-3, 330 pounds, which might be a bit lighter than what he's playing at right now. That size does not prevent him from being mobile in the run game, though. And, of course, he looks like a wall on feet when dropping back to protect his quarterback. He reminds me of former Mississippi State guard Gabe Jackson, who has started for the Raiders since the opener in 2014, when he was a rookie
Micah Kiser, LB, Virginia
All Kiser does is make tackles. He made 251 stops in the previous two seasons, including 14 sacks. Kiser recorded 7 tackles, including a sack, in UVa's season-opening win over William & Mary. He's thick, strong, active and instinctive. Kiser has also been a factor in pass coverage, breaking up seven throws in 2016. In short, he'll be starting for a 3-4 team immediately upon his arrival in the NFL.
Harold Landry, LB, Boston College
Landry's known for his pass-rush prowess, as he won All-American honors in 2016 after leading the nation with 16.5 sacks and seven forced fumbles. Even if he doesn't rack up that many sacks in 2017 as offenses pay him extra attention, his relentless nature will allow him to find NFL quarterbacks. He's strong enough to play the run as a stand-up edge player, as well. His new defensive coordinator won't be afraid to start him right off the bat.
Marcus Allen, S, Penn State
Allen's athleticism and physical nature will earn him fans among NFL defensive coaches. It will put him in position to earn a starting role right away, too. The godson of NFL Hall of Fame RB Curtis Martin has been a starter for the Nittany Lions since midway through his true freshman season, so he's learned how to get on the field early. Allen will be starting come Week 1 for whatever NFL team picks him in the top 50 overall selections in April.
Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia
The Bulldogs have two very talented backs in Chubb and Sony Michel, and both might end up starting in the NFL. If Chubb can stay healthy, he'll be considered a feature back right out of the chute because of his combination of vision, power and quickness.
Will Hernandez, OG, UTEP
There are several future starting NFL linemen that I could have listed here, including Ohio State's Billy Price, Michigan's Mason Cole, and Notre Dame's Mike McGlinchey. But I wanted to give some love to a non-Power-Five-conference player in Hernandez. He's listed at 6-foot-3, 330 pounds, which might be a bit lighter than what he's playing at right now. That size does not prevent him from being mobile in the run game, though. And, of course, he looks like a wall on feet when dropping back to protect his quarterback. He reminds me of former Mississippi State guard Gabe Jackson, who has started for the Raiders since the opener in 2014, when he was a rookie
Micah Kiser, LB, Virginia
All Kiser does is make tackles. He made 251 stops in the previous two seasons, including 14 sacks. Kiser recorded 7 tackles, including a sack, in UVa's season-opening win over William & Mary. He's thick, strong, active and instinctive. Kiser has also been a factor in pass coverage, breaking up seven throws in 2016. In short, he'll be starting for a 3-4 team immediately upon his arrival in the NFL.
Harold Landry, LB, Boston College
Landry's known for his pass-rush prowess, as he won All-American honors in 2016 after leading the nation with 16.5 sacks and seven forced fumbles. Even if he doesn't rack up that many sacks in 2017 as offenses pay him extra attention, his relentless nature will allow him to find NFL quarterbacks. He's strong enough to play the run as a stand-up edge player, as well. His new defensive coordinator won't be afraid to start him right off the bat.
theoneandonly
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theoneandonly
Quality Starter
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Risers
Christian Wilkins/DL/Clemson: The Clemson junior proved why some scouts believe he is the top draft eligible prospect in the nation. Wilkins looked explosive, athletic and made a lot of plays in the victory over Auburn. In many instances rather than making plays on the ball he occupied blockers which allowed teammates to make the stop. Wilkins stat line was impressive; 10 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 2 sacks. He made plays behind the line of scrimmage, in pursuit and looked natural lining up at defensive tackle, something we mentioned back in July. Wilkins looked winded on occasion but that was a result of the non-stop motor he displayed. The remainder of the schedule features offensive lines Wilkins should manhandle and opponents best beware.
Sam Darnold/QB/USC: While the Trojans offensive line and running game made Darnold’s life easy there’s no denying the redshirt sophomore turned in an eye opening performance. As we highlighted on Friday, the Stanford secondary was going to be Darnold’s toughest test of the regular season and he passed it with flying colors. Darnold did throw two picks but for the most part stayed away from bad passes and poor decisions. He was accurate and did a great job throwing receivers free throughout the game. What impressed me the most was the way Darnold worked the middle of the field early in the game, exploiting the weakness in the Stanford defense and staying away from their strength at cornerback. Later in the game he challenged the flanks and found success.
Baker Mayfield/QB/Oklahoma: Mayfield entered the lion’s den in Columbus, Ohio but came out king of the jungle. The Sooner quarterback looked poised, efficient and under control as he shredded the Buckeye defense for 386 yards passing and 3 touchdown strikes. Mayfield’s accuracy and efficiency as well as the ability to stay away from errant throws or poor decisions was more than impressive. Despite playing against the best defensive line in the country, one which lines up five prospects I’ve graded top 100 selections, Mayfield connected on 27 of 35 passes and did not have an interception. I raved about Mayfield during our Oklahoma preview in early August but mentioned the obvious; at just under 6-foot-1 he’ll be downgraded on several team’s draft boards. Regardless- he has next level tools and will be a steal after the draft’s second day.
Royce Freeman/RB/Oregon: The Nebraska defensive line was expected to be one of the strengths of the defense yet Freeman mercilessly shredded them. The senior pounded the Blackshirts for 153 yards on 29 carries (5.3 yard average), punching the ball into the end zone twice. And while Freeman still shows himself to be a one-dimensional interior back, watching him against Nebraska makes me believe Freeman could play in a zone running scheme.
Uchenna Nwosu/LB/USC: The senior linebacker is someone I’ve enjoyed watching the past three years and while Nwosu may not be the fastest athlete, he is a good football player. He was a force against Stanford making several outstanding plays in pursuit while also looking strong on the blitz. In my opinion Nwosu is severely underrated in the scouting community as most feel he’s a last round pick. We’ve stamped him as a fifth round prospect and in many ways he reminds me of former Trojan Devon Kennard, the fifth round pick of the New York Giants in 2014 now entering his fourth season in the league.
Jaylon Smith/WR/Louisville: While many were understandably infatuated with the performance of Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson, his top receiver showed tremendous next level ability. Smith finished with 9 catches for 183 yards and 1 touchdown. Smith did much of the damage against MJ Stewart, rated by several scouts as the top senior cornerback prospect in the nation. Smith showed deep speed, reliable hands and overall pass catching skills. Coming into the season we graded the junior, who measures around 6-foot-3 and 216 pounds, a sixth round prospect but he’s obviously out to prove us wrong.
Chris Brown/G/USC: With apologies to Chris Brown, we did not even grade the guard during our USC preview but there was good reason. Brown, a redshirt junior, started just three games the prior two years before moving in with the first team on a fulltime basis this season. Brown announced his arrival with a dominant performance, setting the tone early by making several important blocks to spring free running back Ronald Jones who also performed brilliantly. Brown also stood out in pass protection, allowing quarterback Sam Darnold to patiently sit in the pocket. Brown has next level size and showed plenty of NFL blocking skills.
Small School Prospect- Dallas Goedert/TE/South Dakota State: The Jackrabbits have a pair of pass catchers highly rated in the scouting community but two games into the season it’s Goedert that’s come out on top. The senior put up gaudy numbers during the victory over Montana State catching 11 passes for 132 yards. Goedert offers next level size (6-foot-4, 255 pounds), speed (4.7s forty) and pass catching skills. He’s a complete player for the next level with a three down game. Expect Goedert to make an appearance in one of the all important post season All Star games next January.
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Jaylon Ferguson/DE/Louisiana Tech: There is talk in some scouting sectors of Ferguson deserving first round mention. As a sophomore in 2016 the athletic defender posted 16 tackles for loss as well as 14.5 sacks. The prior year his numbers included 15 tackles for loss. Against Martinas Rankin of Mississippi State on Saturday the numbers were just 4 tackles and 1 QBH. Ferguson had some success getting upfield pressure when stunting or gaming up front but anytime Rankin got his hands on him it was game over.
MJ Stewart/CB/North Carolina: Stewart was victimized numerous times during the Tar Heels loss to Louisville, including getting burnt on 75 yard touchdown pass to receiver Jaylon Smith. On that pass Stewart was slow out of his transition and lost badly in a footrace against Smith. It must be noted Stewart was graded by a number of scouts as the top senior cornerback prospect in the nation.
Week Two Risers & Sliders | Draft Analyst
Christian Wilkins/DL/Clemson: The Clemson junior proved why some scouts believe he is the top draft eligible prospect in the nation. Wilkins looked explosive, athletic and made a lot of plays in the victory over Auburn. In many instances rather than making plays on the ball he occupied blockers which allowed teammates to make the stop. Wilkins stat line was impressive; 10 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 2 sacks. He made plays behind the line of scrimmage, in pursuit and looked natural lining up at defensive tackle, something we mentioned back in July. Wilkins looked winded on occasion but that was a result of the non-stop motor he displayed. The remainder of the schedule features offensive lines Wilkins should manhandle and opponents best beware.
Sam Darnold/QB/USC: While the Trojans offensive line and running game made Darnold’s life easy there’s no denying the redshirt sophomore turned in an eye opening performance. As we highlighted on Friday, the Stanford secondary was going to be Darnold’s toughest test of the regular season and he passed it with flying colors. Darnold did throw two picks but for the most part stayed away from bad passes and poor decisions. He was accurate and did a great job throwing receivers free throughout the game. What impressed me the most was the way Darnold worked the middle of the field early in the game, exploiting the weakness in the Stanford defense and staying away from their strength at cornerback. Later in the game he challenged the flanks and found success.
Baker Mayfield/QB/Oklahoma: Mayfield entered the lion’s den in Columbus, Ohio but came out king of the jungle. The Sooner quarterback looked poised, efficient and under control as he shredded the Buckeye defense for 386 yards passing and 3 touchdown strikes. Mayfield’s accuracy and efficiency as well as the ability to stay away from errant throws or poor decisions was more than impressive. Despite playing against the best defensive line in the country, one which lines up five prospects I’ve graded top 100 selections, Mayfield connected on 27 of 35 passes and did not have an interception. I raved about Mayfield during our Oklahoma preview in early August but mentioned the obvious; at just under 6-foot-1 he’ll be downgraded on several team’s draft boards. Regardless- he has next level tools and will be a steal after the draft’s second day.
Royce Freeman/RB/Oregon: The Nebraska defensive line was expected to be one of the strengths of the defense yet Freeman mercilessly shredded them. The senior pounded the Blackshirts for 153 yards on 29 carries (5.3 yard average), punching the ball into the end zone twice. And while Freeman still shows himself to be a one-dimensional interior back, watching him against Nebraska makes me believe Freeman could play in a zone running scheme.
Uchenna Nwosu/LB/USC: The senior linebacker is someone I’ve enjoyed watching the past three years and while Nwosu may not be the fastest athlete, he is a good football player. He was a force against Stanford making several outstanding plays in pursuit while also looking strong on the blitz. In my opinion Nwosu is severely underrated in the scouting community as most feel he’s a last round pick. We’ve stamped him as a fifth round prospect and in many ways he reminds me of former Trojan Devon Kennard, the fifth round pick of the New York Giants in 2014 now entering his fourth season in the league.
Jaylon Smith/WR/Louisville: While many were understandably infatuated with the performance of Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson, his top receiver showed tremendous next level ability. Smith finished with 9 catches for 183 yards and 1 touchdown. Smith did much of the damage against MJ Stewart, rated by several scouts as the top senior cornerback prospect in the nation. Smith showed deep speed, reliable hands and overall pass catching skills. Coming into the season we graded the junior, who measures around 6-foot-3 and 216 pounds, a sixth round prospect but he’s obviously out to prove us wrong.
Chris Brown/G/USC: With apologies to Chris Brown, we did not even grade the guard during our USC preview but there was good reason. Brown, a redshirt junior, started just three games the prior two years before moving in with the first team on a fulltime basis this season. Brown announced his arrival with a dominant performance, setting the tone early by making several important blocks to spring free running back Ronald Jones who also performed brilliantly. Brown also stood out in pass protection, allowing quarterback Sam Darnold to patiently sit in the pocket. Brown has next level size and showed plenty of NFL blocking skills.
Small School Prospect- Dallas Goedert/TE/South Dakota State: The Jackrabbits have a pair of pass catchers highly rated in the scouting community but two games into the season it’s Goedert that’s come out on top. The senior put up gaudy numbers during the victory over Montana State catching 11 passes for 132 yards. Goedert offers next level size (6-foot-4, 255 pounds), speed (4.7s forty) and pass catching skills. He’s a complete player for the next level with a three down game. Expect Goedert to make an appearance in one of the all important post season All Star games next January.
Sliders
Jaylon Ferguson/DE/Louisiana Tech: There is talk in some scouting sectors of Ferguson deserving first round mention. As a sophomore in 2016 the athletic defender posted 16 tackles for loss as well as 14.5 sacks. The prior year his numbers included 15 tackles for loss. Against Martinas Rankin of Mississippi State on Saturday the numbers were just 4 tackles and 1 QBH. Ferguson had some success getting upfield pressure when stunting or gaming up front but anytime Rankin got his hands on him it was game over.
MJ Stewart/CB/North Carolina: Stewart was victimized numerous times during the Tar Heels loss to Louisville, including getting burnt on 75 yard touchdown pass to receiver Jaylon Smith. On that pass Stewart was slow out of his transition and lost badly in a footrace against Smith. It must be noted Stewart was graded by a number of scouts as the top senior cornerback prospect in the nation.
Week Two Risers & Sliders | Draft Analyst
theoneandonly
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Risers
Malik Jefferson/LB/Texas: Entering the season many labeled Jefferson as a first round prospect and he proved worthy of that grade against USC. The statistics for Jefferson read 11 tackles and 2 tackles for loss during the Longhorns double overtime loss to USC yet the numbers tell a fraction of the story. Pressured applied all evening by Jefferson helped contain the otherwise explosive Trojans offense. He had quarterback Sam Darnold playing back on his heels and looking for pass rushers as much as he was looking for pass receivers. In the end Darnold prevailed but Jefferson’s complete performance against the Trojans forced scouts to take notice.
Micah Kiser/LB/Virginia: Kiser is a linebacker I enjoyed scouting in recent years despite some very poor seasons at UVA. Though his team was consistently outmatched Kiser could be seen making plays sideline to sideline all game. The tide seems to be turning in his favor and Kiser has received third round grades in some areas of the scouting community. During the victory over UConn the senior led the Cavaliers with 15 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 sacks while also forcing 1 fumble. He’s an explosive linebacker who plays with top instincts and a non-stop motor. More of a two down defender, he’ll be a demon in the inside of a 3-4 alignment.
Nick Fitzgerald/QB/Mississippi State: On the heels of our report last Tuesday that Fitzgerald is expected to enter the draft off a good season, the junior passer responded with a terrific performance against LSU. The quarterback threw for 180 yards and 2 touchdowns on 15 of 23 passing. He also added 88 yards rushing and two more scores during the 37-7 blowout victory. While the passing totals were nothing out of the ordinary Fitzgerald’s decision making, ball security and pass selection were flawless. His ability to run with the ball is proof of the athleticism possessed by the big armed signal caller and Fitzgerald is watching his draft stock take off.
Rashaad Penny/RB/San Diego State: Much has been written about Penny the past few weeks and the praise thrown his way is justified. I chose to hold off until after the Stanford game as it would be the Aztecs biggest test this season, something we mentioned in our match-up preview. Penny helped carry the Aztecs to a passing grade finishing with 175 rushing yards on 32 carries (5.5 yard average) and 1 touchdown. He also added 5 receptions for 32 yards. Taking over as the primary ball carrier at SDSU, Penny has displayed the skills necessary to be a feature runner and a three down back on Sunday. Given middle round grades entering the season, Penny is moving into the draft’s second day.
Anthony Miller/WR-RS/Memphis: Miller gave serious consideration on entering last April’s draft but decided to return to Memphis for another season. It looks as though he made the correct choice. The senior had a dominant performance against UCLA catching 9 passes for 185 yards (20.6 yard average) with 2 touchdowns. Miller has always been a big time performer and totaled 95 receptions, 1434 receiving yards and 14TD’s last season. With Temple not on the schedule the Bruins may just be the toughest secondary Miller faces during the regular season. Measuring 5-feet-11 and 190 pounds, forty times during pre-draft workouts will ultimately determine how high he’s selected next April.
Darren Carrington/WR/Utah: Carrington’s pre-season woes were well documented as the receiver was forced to transfer from Oregon after being arrested and charged with a DUI in July. Thus far Carrington has been getting his revenge on the field. Three games into the season he’s totaled 27 receptions while posting more than 100 yards receiving in each of those contests. Most recently he torched San Jose State, a team which lines up three NFL prospects in the secondary, for 9 catches, 153 yards and 3 TDs. Graded as a last day pick entering the season Carrington has next level size (6-foot-2.5 inches and 200 pounds), reliable hands and needs only to run well (under 4.5s) prior to the draft to get top 100 consideration- assuming there are no more character red flags.
Sleeper Prospect- Jeff Wilson/RB/North Texas: In the past 22 draft’s UNT had just a single player selected but I expect that to change in 2018. Wilson, stamped as a middle round choice entering the season, performed well against Iowa whose run defense ranks in the top half of the Big Ten. His final numbers included 95 yards on 12 carries as well as 5 receptions. Wilson doesn’t fit as a true feature ball carrier for the next level but has enough ability to fill a role as a rotational running back.
Small School Prospect- Skyler Phillips/G/Idaho: When you think about NFL players from Idaho State the name Jared Allen immediately comes to mind. Skyler Phillips could be the first Bengal since Allen to be selected in the draft as the big blocker has been stamped as a fourth round prospect by scouts. He’s a wide bodied lineman with the power to remove defenders from the action as well as the girth to engulf them completely. His blocking helped pave the way for 218 rushing yards during last weekends upset victory over Nevada. Phillips has the style and substance to line-up as a first teamer in a power running offense on Sunday.
Sliders
Josh Allen/QB/Wyoming: Time to man-up. I’ve been on the Allen band wagon since last December, long before the hype train began. I’ve stated numerous times I believe he’s the best quarterback prospect in the nation and will be a terrific pro. And while I’ve not waivered on the latter there’s no denying his performances this year have not been good and create questions that must be answered. Several factors that have been going against Allen this season- graduation to the NFL of three pass catchers responsible for 72% of his passing yardage from a year ago, early entry into the draft by Brian Hill who accounted for 58.5% of the Cowboys rushing yardage a year ago and suspect play calling this year. But the bottom line is Allen was not good against Iowa and was atrocious against Oregon. There’s plenty of season left and no reason to stamp final grades on any player at this point but this much is certain- Allen must quickly turn it around. For those keeping score I was told New York Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan attended the game Oregon-Wyoming game.
Max Browne/QB/Pittsburgh: There was a time three years ago when many at USC felt Max Browne should’ve been lining up under center rather than Cody Kessler. When Browne got the call in 2016 he failed miserably, was replaced by Sam Darnold and eventually transferred to Pittsburgh. It’s déjà vu all over again as Brown was benched during Saturday’s debacle against Oklahoma State after the inability to move the Panthers offense. Browne just couldn’t make the passes, missed wide open receivers and had senior Jester Weah wide open in the deep field waiting for a touchdown pass that never landed near him.
Week 3 Risers & Sliders | Draft Analyst
Malik Jefferson/LB/Texas: Entering the season many labeled Jefferson as a first round prospect and he proved worthy of that grade against USC. The statistics for Jefferson read 11 tackles and 2 tackles for loss during the Longhorns double overtime loss to USC yet the numbers tell a fraction of the story. Pressured applied all evening by Jefferson helped contain the otherwise explosive Trojans offense. He had quarterback Sam Darnold playing back on his heels and looking for pass rushers as much as he was looking for pass receivers. In the end Darnold prevailed but Jefferson’s complete performance against the Trojans forced scouts to take notice.
Micah Kiser/LB/Virginia: Kiser is a linebacker I enjoyed scouting in recent years despite some very poor seasons at UVA. Though his team was consistently outmatched Kiser could be seen making plays sideline to sideline all game. The tide seems to be turning in his favor and Kiser has received third round grades in some areas of the scouting community. During the victory over UConn the senior led the Cavaliers with 15 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 sacks while also forcing 1 fumble. He’s an explosive linebacker who plays with top instincts and a non-stop motor. More of a two down defender, he’ll be a demon in the inside of a 3-4 alignment.
Nick Fitzgerald/QB/Mississippi State: On the heels of our report last Tuesday that Fitzgerald is expected to enter the draft off a good season, the junior passer responded with a terrific performance against LSU. The quarterback threw for 180 yards and 2 touchdowns on 15 of 23 passing. He also added 88 yards rushing and two more scores during the 37-7 blowout victory. While the passing totals were nothing out of the ordinary Fitzgerald’s decision making, ball security and pass selection were flawless. His ability to run with the ball is proof of the athleticism possessed by the big armed signal caller and Fitzgerald is watching his draft stock take off.
Rashaad Penny/RB/San Diego State: Much has been written about Penny the past few weeks and the praise thrown his way is justified. I chose to hold off until after the Stanford game as it would be the Aztecs biggest test this season, something we mentioned in our match-up preview. Penny helped carry the Aztecs to a passing grade finishing with 175 rushing yards on 32 carries (5.5 yard average) and 1 touchdown. He also added 5 receptions for 32 yards. Taking over as the primary ball carrier at SDSU, Penny has displayed the skills necessary to be a feature runner and a three down back on Sunday. Given middle round grades entering the season, Penny is moving into the draft’s second day.
Anthony Miller/WR-RS/Memphis: Miller gave serious consideration on entering last April’s draft but decided to return to Memphis for another season. It looks as though he made the correct choice. The senior had a dominant performance against UCLA catching 9 passes for 185 yards (20.6 yard average) with 2 touchdowns. Miller has always been a big time performer and totaled 95 receptions, 1434 receiving yards and 14TD’s last season. With Temple not on the schedule the Bruins may just be the toughest secondary Miller faces during the regular season. Measuring 5-feet-11 and 190 pounds, forty times during pre-draft workouts will ultimately determine how high he’s selected next April.
Darren Carrington/WR/Utah: Carrington’s pre-season woes were well documented as the receiver was forced to transfer from Oregon after being arrested and charged with a DUI in July. Thus far Carrington has been getting his revenge on the field. Three games into the season he’s totaled 27 receptions while posting more than 100 yards receiving in each of those contests. Most recently he torched San Jose State, a team which lines up three NFL prospects in the secondary, for 9 catches, 153 yards and 3 TDs. Graded as a last day pick entering the season Carrington has next level size (6-foot-2.5 inches and 200 pounds), reliable hands and needs only to run well (under 4.5s) prior to the draft to get top 100 consideration- assuming there are no more character red flags.
Sleeper Prospect- Jeff Wilson/RB/North Texas: In the past 22 draft’s UNT had just a single player selected but I expect that to change in 2018. Wilson, stamped as a middle round choice entering the season, performed well against Iowa whose run defense ranks in the top half of the Big Ten. His final numbers included 95 yards on 12 carries as well as 5 receptions. Wilson doesn’t fit as a true feature ball carrier for the next level but has enough ability to fill a role as a rotational running back.
Small School Prospect- Skyler Phillips/G/Idaho: When you think about NFL players from Idaho State the name Jared Allen immediately comes to mind. Skyler Phillips could be the first Bengal since Allen to be selected in the draft as the big blocker has been stamped as a fourth round prospect by scouts. He’s a wide bodied lineman with the power to remove defenders from the action as well as the girth to engulf them completely. His blocking helped pave the way for 218 rushing yards during last weekends upset victory over Nevada. Phillips has the style and substance to line-up as a first teamer in a power running offense on Sunday.
Sliders
Josh Allen/QB/Wyoming: Time to man-up. I’ve been on the Allen band wagon since last December, long before the hype train began. I’ve stated numerous times I believe he’s the best quarterback prospect in the nation and will be a terrific pro. And while I’ve not waivered on the latter there’s no denying his performances this year have not been good and create questions that must be answered. Several factors that have been going against Allen this season- graduation to the NFL of three pass catchers responsible for 72% of his passing yardage from a year ago, early entry into the draft by Brian Hill who accounted for 58.5% of the Cowboys rushing yardage a year ago and suspect play calling this year. But the bottom line is Allen was not good against Iowa and was atrocious against Oregon. There’s plenty of season left and no reason to stamp final grades on any player at this point but this much is certain- Allen must quickly turn it around. For those keeping score I was told New York Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan attended the game Oregon-Wyoming game.
Max Browne/QB/Pittsburgh: There was a time three years ago when many at USC felt Max Browne should’ve been lining up under center rather than Cody Kessler. When Browne got the call in 2016 he failed miserably, was replaced by Sam Darnold and eventually transferred to Pittsburgh. It’s déjà vu all over again as Brown was benched during Saturday’s debacle against Oklahoma State after the inability to move the Panthers offense. Browne just couldn’t make the passes, missed wide open receivers and had senior Jester Weah wide open in the deep field waiting for a touchdown pass that never landed near him.
Week 3 Risers & Sliders | Draft Analyst
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Careful, I have Mod powers now
What? They hire anyone around here.......
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he blew all the right people