With conference play in full swing, it’s time to separate the contenders from the pretenders. Texas A&M entered the season a bit under the radar, but already has a signature win on the road versus South Carolina. This week they draw a physical Arkansas team that grinds out teams on the ground. Around the rest of the country, Georgia, Stanford, South Carolina and USC are one-loss teams that are very much in the playoff picture. Georgia lost to South Carolina already, but could still make the SEC title game with a loss from the Gamecocks. It’s the same situation with Stanford, after losing to USC.
In short, we’ve got some great SEC and Pac-12 games to watch this weekend. Keep reading for draft prospects to watch and where your scouting focus should be.
By: Alex Brown
Tennessee at No. 12 Georgia, ESPN, 12:00 PM EST
After having a week of rest to recover from their loss at Oklahoma, Tennessee goes back on the road to face a destructive duo of edge players in redshirt sophomore Leonard Floyd and junior Jordan Jenkins. Senior QB Justin Worley continues to impress with his composure within the pressure pockets to slide, reset his feet and keep his eye level down the field. Still, in each of the games I watched versus Utah State and Oklahoma, he missed multiple opportunities in the vertical passing game. Senior FS Corey Moore will be the defensive back most tested in this game, as he most often works over the top in a Cover 2 shell look. Tennessee has a legit size-speed weapon in sophomore Marquez North, and Moore and this Georgia secondary must account for him on every down.
Tennessee’s heavy use of play-action, intermediate-crossing patterns should test the cover range and redirect of Georgia’s senior ILB Ramik Wilson. Wilson is an excellent read and react linebacker, but has to improve at locating the football. Another senior ILB to watch in this game will be Tennessee’s A.J. Johnson. He excels when asked to fill downhill and flashes explosive power as a tackler, but will have his hands full against Georgia stud RB Todd Gurley. Tennessee’s linebacker coach Tommy Thigpen aptly described a one-on-one tackling opportunity versus Todd Gurley as the defender’s “day of reckoning.” For Johnson in particular, his lack of plus athleticism in the open field could be a weakness Gurley exposes on bounce cuts and as a receiver out of the backfield.
Arkansas vs No. 6 Texas A&M, CBS, 3:30 PM EST
While sophomore Kenny Hill has been surgical in his passing efforts (1,359 yards, 70% completion rate, and 13:1 TD:INT ratio), the supporting cast in place includes some of the best athletes in college football. The Aggies have three junior RBs in Brandon Williams, Trey Williams and Tra Carson with NFL ability, and two big-time freshmen WR prospects with Speedy Noil and Ricky Seals-Jones. Noil missed the last game versus SMU with a left knee MCL injury, but his acceleration off the line and explosive routes are fun to watch when he’s on the field. Texas A&M will for sure have their starting junior OC Mike Matthews back in the lineup after missing the SMU contest. Matthews is light on his feet, able to execute difficult second level blocks and a key member on the offensive line.
Back to the NFL Draft scouting scene, the top scouting matchup to watch comes between LT Cedric Ogbuehi and Trey Flowers, and you can read my in-depth breakdown of those two players right here. On the opposite side, redshirt sophomore RT Germain Ifedi also looks the part of a blue-chip tackle NFL prospect. Ifedi is listed at 6’5, 325 pounds and can overwhelm defenders at the point of attack, but surprises with lateral agility and balance on extended pass sets. In coverage for Arkansas, senior CB Tevin Mitchel was close to being redshirted due to a hamstring injury suffered in fall camp but made an unexpected recovery. He’s a fringe draftable prospect that should receive work in the slot over Texas A&M’s leading pass catcher WR Malcome Kennedy. Kennedy is a bit of a one-speed receiver, but he has the quick feet and strong hands to set up routes, fight through contact and finish contested catches.
On the other side of the field, Arkansas offensive line is a collection of overpowering blockers that averages 328 pounds. Sophomore LT Dan Skipper is the best of the bunch, showcasing surprising knee bend for a 6’10, 326 pounder and dominant hands to latch on, lock out and take his defender to the ground. Senior RT Brey Cook also shows the heavy hands and length to win as a drive blocker, and teams will like that he can play both RT and OG. He’ll be facing a tough task in A&M’s freshman phenom Myles Garrett, who currently is tied for second in the country with 6 sacks. At RB for the Hogs, junior Jonathan Williams impresses with his controlled approach to the line of scrimmage and vision for the hole. Williams is a junior RB name to know, especially with how he consistently creates yards after contact.
No. 16 Stanford at Washington, FOX, 4:15 PM EST
Look no further than Washington’s front seven to find difference makers. Junior OLB Shaq Thompson may be Washington’s top draft eligible prospect and a potential first rounder. He’s forced two turnovers this season and converted both into scores. Senior DT Danny Shelton shockingly leads the country in sacks (7), while Hau’oli Kikaha ranks a close second (6). Our West scout Mark Dulgerian tabbed Shelton with a day two grade in the preseason and a “classic one-gapping nose tackle”. As for Stanford’s offensive line, junior LT Andrus Peat will have the difficult assignment of blocking Kikaha. Stanford’s top senior WR Ty Montgomery will be covered by a talented junior CB prospect in Marcus Peters. Montgomery is dynamic after the catch but Peters is a physical tackler, making for another excellent individual matchup to watch.
When Washington has the football, it’ll be interesting to see how Stanford senior CB Wayne Lyons matches up with Washington senior WR Kasen Williams. Williams is a receiver that wins in the intermediate areas of the field with plus body control and strong hands to reel in the tough catch. Stanford’s senior SAF Jordan Richards is also a DB to watch in this contest, because of his plus instincts at the position. His skill set is eerily similar to former Alabama SAF Vinnie Sunseri, another undersized safety that plays with physicality and the football IQ to anticipate, process and diagnose the action. At defensive end, senior Henry Anderson is the type of blue-collar, point of attack fighter that can excel as an NFL 5-technique. Squaring off against a fringe draftable talent in Washington senior Micah Hatchie (who projects better as an NFL OG), I want to see if Henry Anderson can be a disruptive force for the Stanford Cardinal defense.
Missouri at No. 13 South Carolina, ESPN, 7:00 PM EST
South Carolina had a disastrous opener versus Texas A&M, but quickly righted the ship with victories over Eastern Carolina, Georgia and Vanderbilt. Senior OG A.J. Cann has been a big part of their success, clearing running lanes on the interior. He’s the top senior interior blocker and arguably the top guard prospect in the country. To his left, senior LT Corey Robinson has rare length but could struggle against the explosive first step of Missouri’s junior DE Shane Ray. Ray still needs to develop his hand usage when attempting to set the edge, but he’ll put Robinson in a bind with his upfield burst and lateral quickness. Last year versus South Carolina, senior SAF Braylon Webb made multiple plays out of Cover 2 zone to showcase range and an eye for the football. He’s been hit or miss with his angles in coverage so far this season, so I’ll look to note how handles himself against a senior QB in Dylan Thompson that likes to attack vertically.
Redshirt sophomore QB Maty Mauk leads Missouri’s offense, but I’ll be more focused on his senior receivers Jimmie Hunt and Bud Sasser. Hunt is the faster of the two and more of a homerun threat, while Sasser is a more controlled route runner and far more consistent with his hands. South Carolina’s top defensive prospects are senior DT J.T. Surratt and senior CB Brison Williams. Surratt is an active presence on the interior with violent hand usage to disengage from blockers, but looks like a rotational type of prospect. Williams converted from starting safety to cornerback this season but is currently mired in a playing time-share. As with Surratt, Williams has the day three draft potential.
Oregon State at No. 18 USC, ESPN, 10:30 PM EST
Currently there’s no clear cut favorite senior QB prospect, making Sean Mannion’s game at USC an important one for NFL scouts to break down. Mannion doesn’t wow in any one way, but he’s a fluid thrower that processes info well and has a firm grasp on his college playbook. Led by junior DE Leonard Williams and senior ILB Hayes Pullard, USC’s front seven will give Mannion a good barometer of what life is like at the next level. Another scouting focus should be placed on Pullard’s success in coverage versus senior TE Connor Hamlett. He’s a solid middle of the field target and weapon down the seams, and I expect Mannion to take full advantage of the mismatch presented with Hamlett’s plus length (6’7).
With USC, their junior QB Cody Kessler’s performance to date can be best described as efficient. Kessler is thriving in the west coast system, getting the ball out on time and accurately to a bevy of receiving talents. The first thing that stands out when watching this offense is the number of freshmen receivers making a major impact. Still, junior WR Nelson Agholor is the pass catcher to spotlight for NFL Draft scouting purposes and he’ll be guarded by an underrated senior CB in Steven Nelson. Agholor is a natural athlete at the position and does some of his finest work after the catch, with his flaw being the focus drops. His opponent in Steven Nelson impresses with the physicality to press and movement skills to turn-and-run, but really shines at the catch point. The former JUCO transfer picked off six passes a year ago and already has two under his belt as a senior.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
