PINSTRIPE BOWL BRONX, NY 4:30PM/ET/ESPN BOSTON COLLEGE (7-5) vs PENN STATE (6-6)
If you are planning a late dinner, this may be the game during which you take a nap. Coach ADDAZIO is retooling the BC football program with hard work and fundamentally solid play on the field. But he’s still trying to restock the talent base. The EAGLES will pound the rock behind a very experienced OL. The best of that lot is OC/ANDY GALLIK/6’3/299, who is headed for the Senior Bowl. Not many folks are taking QB/TYLER MURPHY/#2/6’2/215 very seriously as an NFL QB prospect, but the Florida transfer, led the offense in both rushing and passing. Again his versatility and leadership may at least make him of interest to CFL teams. Though no one stands out as a highly ranked pro prospect there are a few more noteworthy players on the Eagles defense. #52/ILB/STEPHEN DANIELS/6’0/257 stands out even though only a junior. DANIELS was 2nd on a decent all-around D with 68 tackles, which included 7 TFL and 1.5 sacks. If he comes out he could be a 4-5th Rounder. #21/MANNY ASPILLA/CB/5’11/180 is a solid all-around defender who recorded 61 tackles, 4 TFL and had 9 PBU. He’s also key on Special Teams. Probably ranks as a priority URFA type. PSU is rebuilding from the Sandusky scandal and is very young and thin in talent, though the talent base is young overall. QB/CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG/#14/6’4/235 already has pro interest even though just a soph. TE/JESSE JAMES/#18/6’6/255 would be their highest potential draftee if he comes out early. ADRIAN AMOS/S/#4/6’/210, is scheduled to play at the Senior Bowl, and has intriguing potential having started his college career as a CB, He had 35 tackles as a senior, as well as 3 INT. Mark him down for Rounds 4/5. #43/MIKE HULL/LB/6’0/232 looks to be a marginal pro prospect until the whistle blows and he makes plays all over the field.He totaled 134 tackles, as a senior, including 10.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 FF & 1 INT. He should be a Day 3 NFL Draftee on Special Teams potential alone. #65/MILES DIEFFENBACH/OG/6’3/305 miss most of the season with a knee injury, but is a gritty interior OL who could challenge for an NFL roster spot in time. The interest in this game is to gauge the progress both of these programs are making in rebuilding their football programs, but if you like crisp Offense…
HOLIDAY BOWL San Diego, CAL 8PM/ET/ESPN NEBRASKA (9-3) vs SOUTHERN CAL (8-4)
Now this could be an exciting contest to wrap up your evening viewing. Defenses, though talented, are a bit suspect for both teams, but their ability to put up points is unquestioned. There is not truth to the rumor that the Trojans walked all the way to San Diego as part of their conditioning regime. NEBRASKA has one of the best al-purpose RB in the nation in AMEER ABDULLAH/#9/5’9/195 who came close to 2000 yards in total Offense for the season. He did surpass JOHNNY RODGERS as the Cornhuskers all-time yardage leader. He’s a solid runner who gets lots of yards between the tackles and is a Top 100 prospect to most. KENNY BELL/WR/#80 now holds most of Nebraska’s receiving records after 4 solid years. The premier Cornhusker, from a prospect perspective is #4/RANDY GREGORY/DE/6’6/240 who is likely to be coming out early for the 2105 Draft. He’s a bit wiry, and will likely have to convert to an OLB slot as a pro, but you can’t miss him in action with his ability to get to he pocket. He also blocks kicks with his length and vertical jump. Slot him in Round 1, high. Other Cornhuskers to watch are #68/JAKE COTTON/OG/6’6/305 & COREY COOPER/SS/#6/6’1/215. Southern Cal is an exciting offensive team led by #6/CODY KESSLER/QB/6’1/215. He may come out early, but many think he’ll go back for one more year with QB-Whisperer HC STEVE SARKISIAN. #37/BUCK ALLEN/RB/6’1/215 is a guy to watch. I feel he’s underrated despite rushing for 1337-yards at 5.3ypc. He also caught 40 balls. His running style reminds me of ex-Trojan MARCUS ALLEN. He slides, glides and cuts through small creases and pushes forward despite lack of elite speed. IF WR/NELSON AGHOLOR/#15 comes out early he should be slotted in Round 2. Bt the star of the USC program, as a pro prospect, is DL/LEONARD WILLIAMS/#94/6’6/300, who is an elite athlete and should go early in Round 1. He’s not the pass-rusher that GREGORY is, but he is incredibly strong and athletic. He could play DT in a 4-3 or DE in a 3-4 scheme. He reminds me of RICHARD SEYMOUR and should be a star as a pro. Other Trojans to watch are: #10/HAYES PULLARD/LB/6’1/230; #6/JOSH SHAW/DB/6’1/200; #58/JR TAVAII/OLB; #70/AUNDREY WALKER/OT/G/6’6/315, who was injured. Chock this one up to a fun night of football with plenty of Top 100 prospects to watch, including two potential Top 10 Picks on GREGORY & WILLIAMS.
Are you ready for more BOWL action? Here’s the lineup for Saturday, December 27th.
MILITARY BOWL Annapolis, MD 1PM/ET/ESPN VIRGINIA TECH (6-6) vs CINCINNATI (9-3)
CINCINNATI has a high charged Offense, while VA TECH lives or dies with it’s tough D. So it’s a perfect storm. Most of the Bearcats top skill players in that O are underclassmen, including starting QB/GUNNER KIEL/#8 who is indeed the nephew of BLAIR KIEL who used to QB the Irish of N.D. Their best Offensive Draft prospect is athletic LT/ERIC LEFELD/#71, 6’6/310. He’s been a starter since his Freshman season and is a solid Mid-Round prospect. On Defense, Cincy has some interesting late round prospects in MLB/JEFF LUC/#1, an FSU transfer who had 121 tackles in 2014. He’s limited in range, but packs a wallop in a short area. Looks like a 2-down pro. TERRELL HARTSFIELD/DE/LB/#95 looks great in a uniform, but does not produce like you might expect. He had only 34 tackles this past season in 12 games. He’ll have to be an OLB conversion project at 6’3/245, but he could get drafted in Round 7 based on potential. Their most productive defender may be #33/OLB/NICK TEMPLE, who had 108 tackles, 10.5 of them TFL. He covers a lot of ground and if he’s too short for the NFL, 5’10/224, he could he highly sought after by CFL teams. #3 HOWARD WILDER is an interesting CB prospect as an URFA. VA TECH is led on D by DADI NICHOLAS/DE/#90/6’3/220. He’s a junior who will have to convert to OLB, but his ability to pressure the QB is exciting. His 63 tackles in 2014, included 17.5 TFL, 9 sacks & 34 QBH. As usual the key to TECH’s D is in the secondary, where 2 seniors have NFL possibilities. #8 DETRICK BONNER/S/6’/195 is headed fro the Shrine Game. His challenge is to prove that at his size he can play in-the-box as a pro. #34 KYSHOEN JARRETT/ROV/5’11/190 may merit a sniff from the NFL as an URFA. It seems to me that TECH may be overmatched in this one unless their Defense is absolutely stellar.
SUN BOWL El Paso, TX 2PM/ET/ESPN DUKE (9-3) vs ARIZONA STATE (9-3)
This shapes up as a potentially exciting game between two teams that were just shy of winning double digits this past season. DUKE is led by CFL prospect ANTHONY BOONE/QB/#7. BOONE looks a bit shy of NFL QB talent, but is versatile enough with good legs and a strong, if erratic, arm which should appeal to teams north of the border where way too many teams have QB clearly beyond their athletic prime. JAMISON CROWDER/WR/RS/#3 would be a Top 50 prospect if he were bigger than his 5’9/175 body. He caught 78 balls, for 942 yds & 6 TD in 2014. He laos average over 10-yards per punt return. He and OG/LAKEN TOMLINSON/#77 are both scheduled to appear in the Senior Bowl. If JEREMY CASH/S/#16, comes out early he’s likely a Top 100 prospect. Also of interest could be #17/ISSAC BLAKENEY/6’6/235 and LB/DAVID HELTON/#47 who are likely URFA types, but productive. ASU has a solid First Round prospect in #21 JAELEN STRONG/WR/6’4/215, who caught 75 balls last Fall and has already declared his intention to enter the 2015 Draft. JAMIL DOUGLAS/#74 switched to OT this season, but is a better pro prospect inside at OG. He’s 6’4/300 and very athletic, and headed to the Shrine Game. Watch for #8/D.J. FOSTER/RB, 5’11/205. He rushed for 1002 yards this year and also caught 59 balls for another 646 yards. He’s a tough kid who plays hard and has excellent balance with the ball in his hands. QB/TAYLOR KELLY/#10 battled several injuries in 2014, but is a quality prospect who is schedule for Shrine action as well. S/DAMARIOUS RANDALL/#3 is talented enough to get an invite to the Senior Bowl. A “sleeper” to watch for ASU is DE/MARCUS HARDISON/#1 who is a “man” at 6’5/300 who really came on in his second year out of the JC ranks. He had 40 tackles which included 40 tackles, 14 TFL, 10 sacks, and 3 FF. But he also grabbed 2 INT. I’ll be watching this guy closely. Expect a high scoring, close game with lots of action.
INDEPENDENCE BOWL Shreveport, LA 3:30/ET/ABC MIAMI (6-6) vs SOUTH CAROLINA (6-6)
Realistically, there is no way either of these teams should not have had more wins in 2014. They were both held back by mediocre QB play. But there is plenty of potential NFL talent on these two squads. Here is a quick list of potential Top 100 talents:
#8/DUKE JOHNSON/RB/5’9/205/JR MIAMI
#46/CLIVE WALFORD/TE/6’4/265 MIAMI
#74/ERECK FLOWERS/OT/6’6/325/JR MIAMI
#52/DENZEL PERRYMAN/LB/6’0/240 MIAMI SR Bowl
#2/DEON BUSH/S/6’1/205/JR MIAMI
#28/MIKE DAVIS/RB/5’9/215/JR S CAROLINA
#50/A.J. CANN/OG/6’4/320 S CAROLINA
#97/J.T. SURRATT/DT/6’2/305 S CAROLINA
Other Day 3 prospects include:
#4/PHILLIP DORSETT/WR/RS/5’10/185 MIAMI Sr Bowl
#71/ANTHONY CHICKILLO/DE/6’4/277 MIAMI Shrine
#37/LADARIUS GUNTER/CB/6’2/200 MIAMI Sr Bowl
#53/COREY ROBINSON/OT/6’7/348 S Carolina Shrine
#4/SHAQ ROLAND/WR/6’1/185/JR S Carolina Declared
There are probably another half-dozen marginal prospects who will get a sniff from the NFL.I look for a lot of quality plays on both sides of the ball. This should be a game to savor. Enjoy.
