Over the past weekend, I got a chance to visit Baylor’s brand new McLane Stadium and evaluate senior QB Bryce Petty in person. Baylor trailed the entire game to TCU, but found a way to rally back from a 21-point deficit with less than 11 minutes to play and hold onto their playoff hopes.
Around the rest of the country, Ole Miss and Mississippi State continued their winning ways and now hold the keys to the SEC West. The game of the week this Saturday involves #2 Florida State and #5 Notre Dame, with top-flight junior QB prospects Jameis Winston and Everett Golson squaring off. Enjoy another slate of high-quality games and continue reading for the best scouting matchups of the weekend.
By: Alex Brown
No. 4 Baylor at West Virginia, FOX Sports 1, 12:00 PM EST
The matchup I’ll be focused on when West Virginia has the football comes includes senior WR Kevin White facing off versus Baylor redshirt sophomore CB Xavien Howard. Kevin White has easily been the most impressive senior WR in 2014 and could find himself in the first round of the draft, while Xavien Howard looks the part of high-upside press corner. TCU threw away from Howard at all costs last weekend, but I expect senior QB Clint Trickett to still trust his talented senior WR. Protecting Trickett, senior LG Quinton Spain is the offensive lineman to take a look at. He lacks great balance or foot speed, but he’s capable of manhandling opponents if he secures a hand fit. And as always, keep an eye out for Baylor’s highest rated draft prospect in junior Shawn Oakman. He lined up over the LT and RT last week, and creates a ton of disruption with his first step quickness and overpowering length.
After facing Texas (tied for most sacks in Big 12) and TCU (3rd most sacks in Big 12) senior QB Bryce Petty faces a softer West Virginia defense that ranks 2nd worst in the conference with 8 sacks through 6 games. Petty completed just over 45% of his passes in the previous two games, so I’ll be looking for significant improvement this weekend. Among the receiving options to spotlight, be sure to check out senior WR Antwan Goodley. Goodley will likely measure at or below 5’11, but his powerful build and excellent body control enable him to win at the catch point downfield. West Virginia’s top defensive prospect to watch is junior SAF Karl Joseph, who wears multiple hats in the secondary –playing as the single-high safety, rolling down into the box or even blitzing off the edge.
No. 14 Kansas State at No. 11 Oklahoma, ESPN, 12:00 PM EST
Purely in terms of natural arm talent and athleticism, Trevor Knight shows some of the best physical tools among draft eligible QB prospects. Regarding his potential, head coach Bob Stoops said in an interview that, “He’s not anywhere close to where he will be.” I tend to agree and think Knight would benefit from an extra year or two in school. This week he faces a K-State defense that two weeks ago held Auburn to 20 points. Senior RT Daryl Williams is my favorite prospect to evaluate on Oklahoma’s roster, as he wins with plus length and strength. He’ll be dealing with K-State’s high-motor, high-effort senior edge rusher Ryan Mueller. Williams grades out as a 2nd rounder and Mueller looks like a PFA, so I’ll expect this matchup to be a bit one-sided. On the outside, I’m a big fan of K-State junior CB Danzel McDaniel. Aside from giving up a slant-and-go at the end of the game, McDaniel had a standout game versus Auburn. He brings plus size and length to the table, along with the toughness as a tackler and body control to win at the catch point. McDaniel owns a significant height advantage but will have his foot quickness and transition skills tested against junior WR Sterling Shepard.
Kansas State senior OC B.J. Finney faces his toughest blocking task of the season with Oklahoma junior nose tackle Jordan Phillips. Evaluators will get a chance to see how Finney handles blocking assignments when covered up, as Oklahoma lines Phillips as a true 0-technique (over the center). At LT, Kansas State has a junior prospect worth watching in Cody Whitehair. Whitehair started the last few seasons at LG but has made the switch to LT with great success in 2014. He’ll have a pair of athletic rushers to keep at bay, facing senior OLB Geneo Grissom and the highly productive junior OLB Corey Striker. Grissom projects as a 3-4 outside linebacker, while Striker’s slight frame will force him to be an early down Will linebacker and sub package edge rusher. On the perimeter, senior WR Tyler Lockett can score after the catch or in the return game. Despite Lockett’s productivity and overall speed, his grade sits in the day three range due to his diminutive frame and tendency to body-catch the football. I’ll be focused on how Oklahoma senior CB Julian Wilson handles the quickness and speed of Lockett, who will be targeted heavily throughout the contest.
No. 21 Texas A&M at No. 7 Alabama, 3:30 PM EST
Even though neither player is draft-eligible in 2015 (or 2016 for that matter), be sure to check out two of the top freshman players in the country with DE Myles Garrett battling LT Cam Robinson. You see explosive power at the point of attack with Cam Robinson and athleticism to execute blocks in space, while Myles Garrett has the size, first step quickness and body control to bend the edge. Both will be fun players to watch develop in the coming years. The main matchup with 2015 NFL Draft implications will be senior CB Deshazor Everett guarding junior WR Amari Cooper. Cooper will play all over of the field, so be sure to take note of when #29 (Everett) and #9 (Cooper) are opposite one another.
When Texas A&M has the football, junior SAF Landon Collins is the prospect to key in on. He made the game saving INT on the road against Arkansas, and currently leads Alabama in tackles, pass breakups and interceptions. Leading the Tide off the edge has been senior OLB Xzavier Dickson. Mainly playing as a 3-4 OLB and edge rusher in the past, I’ve noticed Dickson standing up and playing more frequently as the Sam linebacker. I’m interested to watch how he’s utilized in this game, against a spread-based attack from the Aggies. Blocking Dickson on the edge will likely be senior TE Cameron Clear. Clear looks like a third OT as a 6’6, 277 pound TE that dominates at the point of attack, but I’d like to see him targeted more in the passing game.
No. 8 Michigan State at Indiana, ESPN, 3:30 PM EST
The 2015 senior draft class has zero QB prospects I’d be comfortable taking day one or two and, as a result, that gives junior QB Connor Cook a legit shot at being one of the top players selected at his position. He fits the bill when you’re looking for size, arm talent to execute high difficulty throws and more than enough mobility to avoid sacks. What impresses me most, however, is how effective Cook is at moving defenders with his eye level and locating secondary targets downfield. His top receiving target in senior WR Tony Lippett is another prospect on the rise. According to our area scout Ian Wharton, Lippett shows the length and strong hands to finish contested targets away from his frame. Having a significant height advantage (6’3) over Indiana’s top senior CB Tim Bennett (5’9), I’d expect Cook to throw Lippett’s way early and often. And creating pressure for Indiana’s front is junior DT Bobby Richardson. Richardson leads the Hoosiers in sacks and shows the skill set to be a potential 5-technique or 3-technique at the next level. He’ll need to make Cook uncomfortable in the pocket and force a few errant throws for Indiana to stay in this game.
The player to watch for Indiana’s offense is junior RB Tevin Coleman. Through just six games, he’s already eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing and scored 11 rushing touchdowns. Coleman showcases elite long speed and burst for a big back (6’1, 210 pounds), and should be regarded as one of the top draft eligible RB prospects. On defensive side of the football, Michigan State senior SAF Kurtis Drummond is the prospect to evaluate in this game. Drummond has the physical skill set you look for as a 6’1, 200 pound safety with controlled movements in coverage and the ability to locate the football for interceptions (10 career INT). In addition to stopping the RB Tevin Coleman, he’ll also have to account for Indiana’s senior slot WR Shane Wynn. In an interview with CBS’ Dane Brugler, Drummond noted that Wynn was the toughest WR he’s played against –you can read more from that interview here. Wynn is an undersized guy, but very shifty and able to adjust to off-target passes with plus body control.
No. 5 Notre Dame at No. 2 Florida State, ABC, 8:00 PM EST
While much will be made of the battle of junior QB prospects –Florida State’s Jameis Winston and Notre Dame’s Everett Golson– the scouting spotlight should be in the trenches for both teams. When Florida State has the ball, watch junior DE Mario Edwards face off against Notre Dame LT Ronnie Stanley. Edwards looks the part of a 3-4 DE prospect and is a powerful athlete that can split double teams. His opponent Ronnie Stanley will make a living in the NFL thanks to his ability to punch, extend and stay in balance on pass sets. On the interior senior LG Nick Martin will really have his hands full with junior FSU DT Eddie Goldman. Goldman has come into his own this season, playing up to expectations as a former five-star high school recruit. Quickly touching on junior QB Everett Golson, scouts need to see how he operates under collapsing pocket conditions and how his decision-making is affected. As far as coverage defenders, junior CB P.J. Williams shows the controlled pedal steps, body control and explosive burst to impact the game in man or zone coverage. He’ll be one to watch, as Notre Dame will air it out behind their QB Golson.
Now bringing the focus to Jameis Winston, the junior passer is expected to play this weekend despite the recent allegations of selling autographs. For this preview, I’ll stick to the positives and his on-field play –although his off-field decision making is certain to throw up red flags for NFL decision makers. When discussing Winston as a player, there’s a lot to like in terms of being able to process and react to post-snap information and execute high-difficulty throws. He’s a natural at the position and an effective athlete that can extend the play. Opposing Winston and the FSU offense, Notre Dame DT Sheldon Day is a disruptive force on the interior that’s natched 4.5 tackles for loss and a team-high 8 QB hurries. He’ll line up across a pair of stud senior OG prospects in Josue Matias and Tre’ Jackson. Jackson entered the season as one of the highest graded senior prospects, while Matias had solid day two grades from scouts. In coverage, Florida transfer DB Cody Riggs has been a solid addition to the Notre Dame secondary. His matchup will likely be with FSU senior WR prospect Rashad Greene, who does his best work from the slot.
Washington at No. 9 Oregon, Fox Sports 1, 8:00 PM EST
Last but not least, this game between Oregon and Washington could have as many as six first round draft picks. Most of the talent will be on the field when Oregon has the football, as Washington boasts first round talent on all three levels of their defense. It’ll be a big test for Oregon junior QB Marcus Mariota, and a game that NFL decision makers go back and look at during the predraft season. At the heart of Washington’s defense, senior nose tackle Danny Shelton has the powerful build and lower half balance to deal with and dispose of double teams. Despite playing a position that deals with constant blocking attention, Shelton remarkably leads Washington in tackles and has seven sacks through the first six games of the season. At linebacker, junior OLB Shaq Thompson is a flat out playmaker that has five defensive touchdowns on the season. He possesses the click and close burst to finish plays in the backfield, and compares favorably to 2014 first round draft choice Ryan Shazier. And in the back half, junior CB Marcus Peters shows the length, athletic movements and ball skills to be an impact cover corner at the NFL level.
Breaking down the individual matchups, senior LT Jake Fisher has a tough opponent in senior edge rusher Hau’oli Kikaha. Fisher returned early from a left knee sprain and performed very well against a talented UCLA front seven. His toughness isn’t questioned at this point and he’ll have another opportunity to up his draft stock against a skilled pass rusher in Kikaha. When Washington has the football, I’ll be interested to see how senior CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu locks up with senior WR Kasen Williams. Williams lacks an explosive element to his game and relies heavily on his length-strength combination to win, while Ekpre-Olomu is an undersized corner that relies on his outstanding quickness and instincts. Williams’ owns the length advantage and IEO owns the athleticism advantage, so scouts will be looking to see who makes the most plays downfield.
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