The second season of the college football season brought some great matchups for fans and evaluators alike. Some potential prospects have continued their development, and have showed a higher ceiling than anticipated entering the season, while others haven’t been able to make that jump yet.
Below are the players that I was able to see on Saturday, with notes and how their stock has been affected.By Ian Wharton
Michigan State
Tony Lippett, WR, #14
If anyone was a breakout star on Saturday, it had to be Tony Lippett. He began the season ranked No. 20 on my Big Ten top 50 seniors list, and had this to say: “He’s raw as a receiver, lacking the route running polish needed to be an instant NFL impact player, but at 6’3” 192, he has good potential. Lippett has strong hands and body control, allowing him to make impressive sideline catches.”
Lippett showed the ability to play outside of the numbers and in the slot against Oregon, moving very well for a player with his frame. His hands were on full display, catching 11 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown.
Lippett’s not an overly explosive player, but if he can consistently win underneath with his frame, and stretch defenses vertically, he could have a nice rise as the 2015 NFL draft nears.
Kurtis Drummond, FS, #27
My No. 4 overall Big Ten player and top Michigan State player, Drummond fell victim to the Oregon scheme on Saturday. The Ducks make life difficult for most defensive backs because they force individual players to think on the fly. In the Spartans’ defense, the defensive backs often make a coverage read, and it’s up to a teammate to make the same read and react seamlessly.
Those reads didn’t work for the Spartans, and three passing touchdowns were the direct result.
Drummond isn’t completely to blame for those mistakes, but his lack of impact against the Ducks is concerning. He won’t face another passing attack like that until bowl season, if at all.
Marcus Rush, DE, #44
Known for his motor and strength, Rush was the most disruptive lineman the Spartans had. Rush uses leverage effectively to overcome his lack of hip fluidity and bend, and it overwhelmed a talented but young Ducks’ offensive line.
Rush is similar to Rob Ninkovich of the New England Patriots because he’s a very physical and able run defender, but his pass rush ability is a needed feature in addition.
Ohio State
Michael Bennett, DT, #63
On a disappointing night for the Buckeyes, Bennett stood out once again as a potential star. Bennett followed up a terrific showing against Navy with a strong performance against the Virginia Tech Hokies. Bennett’s hand speed and foot quickness is reminiscent of Gerald McCoy’s Oklahoma days. Bennett was a very good player in 2013, but so far in 2014, he’s been on the next level. He has room to improve his consistency and ability to break double teams, but early returns have been great.
Curtis Grant, ILB, #14
It was a long night for Buckeye’s senior linebacker, Curtis Grant. Grant showed zero awareness in coverage, allowing two backbreaking receptions on third down. If he had turned to find the ball, he could’ve changed the game with two interceptions. Grant also struggled shedding blocks in the run game, so he couldn’t take advantage of the defensive line filling gaps.
Worst yet, when Grant left the game due to injury, frosh Raewkon McMillan came in and made a bigger impact than Grant. It’ll be interesting to see if Grant can bounce back quickly, or if he loses playing time to the true freshman.
Maryland
Darius Kilgo, DT, #97
Strength, disruption and nastiness. Those are traits a quality defensive tackle must have, and Kilgo had an impressive game against South Florida. Kilgo’s power forced the Bulls to avoid running up the middle, as he put the center on skates with consistency. Here were my notes entering the season:
“The 6’3”, 310-pound tackle is a raw athlete with considerable upside. He has good quickness and power, and wins with his physical gifts. His technique is poor, as he stands straight up too much, but he is a considerably gifted player.”
Kilgo showed more consistency keeping his pad level low in Week 2, and that’s something that will hopefully continue.
Sal Conaboy, C, #65
Another Maryland prospect that had a good showing, Conaboy exhibited the same strength and quickness that led him to be my top Maryland senior prospect entering the season. Conaboy moves well in space and found linebackers on the second level with relative ease. His ability to win in space is valuable at the next level, and he’s well worth watching as the season continues.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
