January 2 Bowls

January 2, 2015

PITTSBURGH (6-6) vs. HOUSTON (7-5); Armed Forces Bowl; Ft Worth; Noon ET; ESPN … Playoff schmayo!! Florida State against Oregon; who cares! Alabama-Ohio State; big deal! Kicking off at 11 AM local time in game between teams with a combined 13-11 record the day AFTER New Year’s. Football just doesn’t get any better! In fact, both teams are just happy to be here, or at least in Fort Worth. If there is a saving grace to this game, though, it may the chance to check out rising Pitt OT T.J. Clemmings (#68, 6-5, 315), who if nothing else will be one of the more interesting pre-draft stories. Clemmings played DE hi first three years at Pitt before switching over to OT at the start of the 2013 campaign and has since evolved into a potential first-round pick at the position; he’s got outstanding length including prototype long arms as well as very athletic feet – he was recruited by several DI basketball programs coming out of high school, although he could stand be a little stronger and more physical. Pitt also has a couple of possible free agent targets in OG Matt Rotheram (#74, 6-5, 330) and FS Ray Vinopal (#9, 5-10, 200), while the Panthers also feature two of the very best underclassmen in the country in WR Tyler Boyd (#23, 6-2, 195) a big-play wideout who had 69 receptions for 1,150 yards this fall, and RB James Conner (#40, 6-2, 230) who ran for 1,675 yards and 24 scores this fall; however, both are true sophomores who won’t be draft eligible until 2016. For its part, Houston also could have a pretty fair prospect as junior WR Deontay Greenberry (#3, 6-2, 200) has reportedly signed with an agent and will be entering upcoming draft. He’s a skilled receiver with second-day potential who caught 150 passes over the past couple of seasons. Meanwhile, DT Joey Mbu (#92, 6-2, 315) is a decent third-day type.

IOWA (7-5) vs. TENNESSEE (6-6); Taxslayer Bowl; Jacksonville; 3:20 PM ET; ESPN … Have to ask prior to kickoff if sponsoring a college football bowl game is a good use of one’s ‘taxslayer’ dollars? At least the two teams in this game have better than a combined W-L record of 13-11. Oh, wait a moment … Lets try again: at least this game features a top 10 prospect. Okay, a reason to watch as Iowa LT Brandon Scherff (#68, 6-5, 320) is indeed a top 5-10 candidate for the upcoming draft, although he lacks the prototype length and long arms. However, Scherff is about as aggressive and nasty as any offensive lineman in this year’s draft. For good measure, Iowa also has a top DL prospect on the other side of the ball in DT Carl Davis (71, 6-4, 315) a late second-round possibility for this coming spring. In fact, Iowa has one of the better DT combinations in the country as underrated Louis Trina-Pasat (#90, 6-2, 290) could also sneak into the second day.

The arrow may be pointing up at Tennessee where Butch Jones appears to have the program going in the right direction. Its still going to take some patience in Knoxville, though, as there isn’t much veteran talent; indeed, the Vols two-deep includes only four seniors, the fewest of any program in all college football. And of those only CB Justin Coleman (#27, 5-10, 190) and RB Marlin Lane (#15, 5-10, 210) are considered prospects, although neither is more than a late rounder.

#11 KANSAS STATE (9-3) vs. #14 UCLA (9-3); Alamo Bowl; San Antonio; 6:45 PM ET; ESPN … Not sure how this game featuring two nine win teams worked it way into the lineup, but we’ll take it. So will pro scouts who will clearly be focused on UCLA junior QB Brett Hundley (#17, 6-3, 225). Hundley has already indicated he will be entering the draft where he is currently rated as the #3 QB behind Marcus Mariota of Oregon and Florida State‘s Jameis Winston; however, despite the fact that he completed over 70% of his pass attempts this year and had 21 TD passes versus only 5 picks while also running for over 500 yards and another 8 scores, Hundley still only appears to be carrying a second round grade so he’ll be looking for a statement outing against K-State to push himself closer to the opening round. UCLA also has a talented QB of the defense in MLB Eric Kendricks (#6, 60, 230) who isn’t all that big but an find the ball; indeed, he had 139 tackles this season including 8.5 for loss while he also picked off 3 passes. Meanwhile, Kendricks’ more celebrated teammate Myles Jack (#30, 6-1, 230) had 80 tackles of his own while also getting snaps at RB, but as a true sophomore won‘t be draft eligible until 2016. UCLA also has an interesting second tier DE in Owamagbe Odighizuwa (#94, 6-3, 270), who should get some looks early on the third-day, while SS Tony Jefferson (#23, 6-0, 190) and former Miami G/T Malcolm Bunche (#78, 6-5, 320) are more late rounders or free agent targets.

Kansas State, which gets as much out of its talent as any program in the country, also has a potential second-day prospect in WR Tyler Lockett (#16, 5-10, 175), a sneaky quick receiver with great hands who doubles as an outstanding kick returner. Meanwhile, other Wildcats to watch include QB Jake Waters (#15, 6-1, 210), a late-round candidate who isn’t flashy, but doesn’t make many mistakes; steady C B.J. Finney (#66, 6-3, 305) and DE Ryan Mueller (#44, 6-2, 245).

WASHINGTON (8-5) vs. OKLAHOMA STATE (6-6); Cactus Bowl; Tempe; 10:15 PM ET; ESPN … It may be a stretch to describe this game, in which the two teams have a combined record of 14-11, as saving the best for last, but that’s the case at least in terms of the fact that Washington would appear to have the best draft class of any of the team’s playing on Friday. Indeed, the Huskies have at least a pair of opening round prospects in rising DT Danny Shelton (#55, 6-2, 335), a wide-body with surprising quickness for such a big guy who is quietly working his way up boards across the league closer to the top ten, and athletic OLB Shaq Thompson (#7, 6-2, 235), a sometime RB who just may be the most versatile player in the entire 2015 draft class. Meanwhile, it wouldn’t be a huge shock if a 3-4 team looking for an edge-rushing backer took an opening round flyer on DE Hau’oli Kikaha (#8, 6-2, 250), who was second in the country in sacks with 18. Washington could actually have had a 4th potential first rounder, but CB Marcus Peters was booted off the team after several run-ins with the coaching staff. At the same time, WR Kasen Williams (#2, 6-2, 225) is a later round prospect, while LB John Timu (#10, 6-1, 245), OT Micah Hatchie (#72, 6-5, 305), and DE Andrew Hudson (#93, 6-2, 255) are free agent types.

If Washington represents the best the day has to offer in terms of draft prospects, then Oklahoma State may be the worst. The Cowboys do have a couple of players who could get some late round interest this coming May in DT James Castleman (#91, 6-2, 300) and OT Dan Koenig (#58, 6-5, 300), however, junior WR/KR Tyreek Hill, the Cowboy NFL teams were really intrigued by is was booted off the team after he was involved in a domestic violence incident.