A broken bone in his left foot cost Louisville star wide receiver DeVante Parker almost two months of action, including seven games of his senior season. Parker proved his health is no longer an issue Saturday and made up for lost time, taking a quick slant on the second play from scrimmage for 37 yards to make his presence felt. A potential first-round prospect in the 2015 class, Parker tied his career-high with nine receptions, totaling 132 yards in his 2014 debut.
By: Chris Tripodi
Parker’s strong hands and impressive catch radius were on display early and often against N.C. State, as the receiver hung onto the ball through contact on a third-and-four slant route and snatched a few high passes from quarterback Will Gardner out of the air. Parker also showed off his playmaking ability after the catch, breaking tackles on multiple short routes to create extra yardage.
Gardner attempted just a single downfield pass to Parker, which was too far underthrown in the end zone for the receiver to show off his body control and ability to win contested balls. The 6-3 Parker was effective in the short passing game, particularly on slant routes, and looked completely healthy heading into the home stretch of the season. Even with his injury and Kevin White’s emergence at West Virginia, Parker is still very much in the discussion to be the top senior wide receiver chosen in the 2015 draft.
Other Notes
-Sticking with the Cardinals, senior running back Michael Dyer enjoyed a breakout performance against the Wolfpack, rushing 24 times for 173 yards. Dyer entered the game with just 26 carries on the season, but started over Dominique Brown and Brandon Radcliff, who had combined for 169 carries this season. Brown didn’t touch the ball, while Radcliff had just one carry as the Cardinals rode the hot hand of their most talented back. Dyer has been something of a forgotten prospect since he exploded onto the season in 2010 and 2011 with Auburn, but his quick feet, burst through the hole and powerful running style will intrigue NFL teams in the later rounds, especially if he passes the character test after off-field issues derailed much of his college career.
-N.C. State redshirt junior quarterback Jacoby Brissett looked good as well, throwing for two touchdowns including a beautiful touch pass to David Grinnage with just over two minutes left that brought the Wolfpack within five. After accounting for 14 touchdowns in his first five games, Brissett had struggled the past two weeks in losses to Clemson and Boston College, completing just 18 of his 48 pass attempts with only one TD. Saturday’s performance was a solid bounceback for the talented dual-threat passer, who will almost surely return for his senior season to build on a breakout junior campaign.
-Florida State senior wide receiver Rashad Greene may not be on the same level as White and Parker as a prospect, but he’s a player that looks more impressive every time you watch him. Greene went over 100 yards receiving for the fifth time in seven games this season and was instrumental in three Florida State touchdown drives. His consistency this season has been as impressive as his diverse route tree and the ability to sharply break his routes in any direction. Greene’s hands are very reliable and he should come off the board early in the second round at the latest as an NFL-ready slot receiver from the get-go.
-Florida State redshirt junior safety Tyler Hunter made numerous key plays in the Seminoles’ big win over Notre Dame. Hunter got to Everett Golson off the edge on an early blitz, hitting the Fighting Irish’s quarterback as he threw to cause an interception. Later in the half, Hunter shot into the backfield on a short fourth-down play, changing direction quickly when the running back bounced outside and closing to bring him down by the ankles short of the marker. Hunter also laid a nice hit on Notre Dame receiver C.J. Prosise on the game’s final drive, making sure Prosise had no chance of hanging onto a tough catch in double coverage. The 5-11, 205-pound Hunter showed off plenty of NFL traits in this game, and will surely find himself in serious consideration for the 2016 draft.
-Georgia Tech senior wide receiver DeAndre Smelter continues to find ways to score despite playing in a triple-option offense with his second two-touchdown game this season. Smelter used his whole 6-3, 225-pound frame on a 46-yard reception to start the fourth quarter, jumping to catch an under-thrown pass before cutting laterally to beat the North Carolina secondary to the end zone. Later in the quarter, Smelter took an end around untouched for a 75-yard touchdown, showing off impressive speed for a receiver his size. Smelter is not on the level of fellow Yellow Jackets receivers Calvin Johnson and Demaryius Thomas, but he’s a size-speed freak in his own right who surely has the attention of NFL scouts with six touchdowns this season on just 18 receptions.
-Boston College senior quarterback Tyler Murphy continues to show good arm strength and creativity as a runner despite underwhelming passing numbers. His 8-for-19 performance created just 108 yards through the air, but he threw two touchdown passes for the first time this season while rushing for just 55 yards, only the second time this season he’s been held under 90. Murphy’s lack of weapons on the outside contributed to his poor passing numbers in this game, and while he still isn’t a draftable prospect, Murphy shows the requisite arm talent and athleticism to stay on the NFL’s radar once the draft is completed.
-Clemson sophomore receiver Mike Williams, while not eligible for the 2015 draft, bounced back from a one-catch, 23-yard performance against Louisville with a career-high eight receptions for 128 yards in a win over Boston College. His athleticism was apparent, as was his ability to adjust to the ball in the air, and Williams shows good field awareness for a young player. At 6-3, 205 pounds, he has NFL-level size and has the talent to be a high draft pick as he continues to ascend.
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