BRANDON BELL/LB/PENN STATE 6’1/233 #11 One has to start to pay attention to a school’s players when the team wins on a regular basis, and is a Top 15 team in weekly polls. So I decided to really concentrate on one of Penn State’s most productive defenders in BELL. I taped the game and then checked the stat sheet for said contest. The numbers looked really good for BELL with him being credited for 9 Tackles, 1 Sack, 2.5 TFL & 1 FF. What more can you ask of a guy in winning effort against a competitive Indiana squad? But in watching the tape I had to wonder how his stats sheet read as it did above. BELL did not look quick or active in tracking down the ball. He looked to be moving at about 3/4 speed most of the time. What struck me the more I watched was that other defenders were flying to the ball while he still seemed to be figuring out where the play was really going. He did not seem to trust his eyes. Either that or he was being used as a safety valve player in case a runner broke free. He also looked stiff at times. I guess I also need to check into his recent medical history in case he was playing at significantly less than 100%. His stats sheet say solid pro prospect, but my eyes say a somewhat reluctant warrior. I will need to look at him again in the coming weeks.
VINCE BIEGEL/OLB/WISCONSIN 6’4/245 #47 The 2016 Badgers are not winning with mirrors folks. They may be shy of big names at the skill positions, but they have more than enough talent on the defensive side of the ball to find themselves ranked as a Top 10 team. And BEIGEL is one of their top players, as well as a serious Top 100 NFL prospect. In fact, BEIGEL reminds me quite a bit of CLAY MATTHEWS who wreaks havoc at the next level about 3 hours north and east of Mad Town. He has prototype size for an OLB and the athleticism and fire to play at the next level. He can bring the heat on the pocket, but I am actually more impressed with his self-discipline. He’s currently playing through a foot injury which required a pin be put in his foot. But opponents don’t see much difference in his play. In the pounding of Illinois BEIGEL recorded 4 tackles, which included a TFL and was also credited with 1 QBH. The hope is he will be at 100% when the Combine rolls around. If sooner an All-Star game appearance might help his Draft stock. I’d project him right now as a 2nd Rounder, 3rd at the worst.
TYLER CATALINA/OT/GEORGIA 6’5/305 #72 This young man has taken full advantage of the NCAA’s graduate transfer rule. He played most of his career at Rhode Island and stepped right into the starting job for the Bulldogs at the critical LT spot, where he has done an admirable job protecting the blind side for true frosh QB JACOB EASON. I am not convinced too many NFL teams would see him at LT as a pro, but from what I have seen this guy looks fundamentally sound enough to play in the NFL. He’s a bit slow afoot, but is tough and smart. It’s not an easy chore to move up a full level of competition from Rhode Island to the SEC. I think he will get drafted in a later round and make an NFL roster next year. Hope to see him in Mobile come January.
NICK CHUBB/RB/GEORGIA 5’10/228 #27 JR After an all-everything frosh year when he ran for 1500 yards at 7.1ypc, CHUBB has been a victim of the injury bug. He missed most of the 2015 season. He has been nicked a bit this year and probably has been playing at 85%, at best, when healthy. But he is a load, with a great combination of power, quickness and field vision. Against Auburn in the Dawgs upset victory CHUBB carried 23 times for 101 yards. To put it bluntly, he is a load to tackle. But now he must decide whether to come back for his senior season, hope to be healthy and post huge numbers, and be drafted very high, or come out early and hope to be drafted on potential, not his past two injury-marred seasons. I think he could still be drafted by the 3rd Round if he can pass medical muster at the Combine. He is a potential feature back when fully healthy.
KENNY GOLLADAY/WR/N ILLINOIS 6’4/213 #19 It’s more than just a bit challenging as a receiver to maintain your poise and productivity when you are working with your 3rd different QB on the year. But because of injury that is what GOLLADAY has had to work through this season. And work through it he has. Through 10 games he has caught 79 passes for 1029 yards and 8TD. He’s a long, big boned guy who can work the sidelines as well as the middle of the field. He displays good hands and can abuse some of the smaller CB who try to cover him with some significant yardage after the catch. He has learned to use his size to good advantage. In a back and forth contest against Toledo, played in White Sox park, GOLLADAY grabbed 14 balls for 143 yards and 1 TD. His TD catch was a 2nd Quarter reception of a jump ball that he took away from defenders. One of his attributes on display in this contest was his FBI to sit down in gaps in the Toledo Zone D. I fully expect him to be drafted in the 4th or 5th Round if he can post some decent numbers at the Combine. He’s not a speedster, but he should make a nice No. 4 wideout, who can play some Special Teams because of his size.
ADOREE’ JACKSON/CB/RS/SOUTHERN CAL 5’11/185 #2 JR In watching JACKSON play this Fall scouts have been able to watch him concentrate primarily on his defensive skills. He is so fast and athletic that in previous seasons the coaching staff used him on Offense as a receiver. But the Trojans receiving corps is deep and talented this year, so JACKSON has been limited in his offensive touches. What better venue to assess his skills than the big showdown last Saturday against undefeated WASHINGTON, in Seattle? The answer is none, and show up big time he did. In the 2nd Quarter JACKSON won a jump ball throw and recorded his 1st INT of the game, to stop a Huskies drive. In the 3rd Quarter he displayed major vertical to break up another jump ball throw near the sideline. Finally, with 4:10 left he jumped a pattern over the middle for a second INT which pretty much sewed up the W. Let it also be noted that he had 3 tackles, and indeed is almost fearless in run support off the corner. Unless he is hopelessly in luv with campus life at USC, I do not see how he doesn’t declare to enter the 2017 NFL Draft. Then I expect him to lock up a first round grade with some big time numbers during workouts at the Combine. Likely to be the first CB taken. And I forgot to mention he is a TD threat almost every time he touches the ball on kick-offs or especially Punt Returns. He also a team Captain with that big C on his jersey.
HAROLD LANDRY/DE/ER/BOSTON COLLEGE 6’3/245 #7 JR It can be painful at times to watch B.C. in action these days, with at best a pop gun offensive attack. But it should also be noted that they are stout on Defense, at least until they are worn down from too much time on the field. And watching that D brings us to their star defender in LANDRY. Right now he’s in a fight to lead D1/FBS players in sacks for the season. He came into the FSU game with 9 sacks and was off and running harassing QB/DEONDRE FRANCOIS right from the start. And it’s not an easy task to corral the elusive FRANCOIS. But in the second quarter LANDRY got his mojo on. Late in that quarter he got sack #10 on the season. Then a short time later he got a strip/sack for No. 11. He is primarily an edge rusher, but he shows some inside spin moves to present a change of pace to frustrated blockers. He also pursues the ball from sideline to sideline. For the game he had 6 Tackles, including 4 TFL and the 2 sacks. He’s playing with his hand on the ground most of the time right now, but he certainly looks to me to have the athleticism to have a shot at OLB in a 3-4 scheme. He’s not tall at 6’3, but he has long legs and arms. If those arms and hands measure well at the Combine, he might have a shot for a late 1st Round selection. A DC like WADE PHILLIPS, could find multiple ways to max out this young man’s athleticism and motor. Assuming the NFL is his ultimate goal right now, the time might never be better than now for him to come out and get on with his NFL career, given the stats he’s compiling this season.
KeVONN MABON/WR/BALL STATE 6’1/219 #16 In case you are too tuned into the Power 5 Conferences, I just want to mention that an awful lot of solid prospects for both the NFL and CFL come out of the MAC every year. In this weeks thumbnails I have two actual senior wideouts, who I think both have a strong chance to make NFL rosters next season as No. 4 wideouts and Special Teams contributors. MABON is languishing in anonymity a bit this season because of coaching staff changes and the adjustments that come with that. But he presses on and uses his nice size, reliable hands and route running IQ to help his QB and team each and every week. The Cardinals are struggling just to avoid a 10-Loss season this year, but MABON is helping their Offense put up points and keep them in games. Last week I watched their game with Eastern Michigan a former MAC doormat, which is going bowling this season. MABON looks like a RB with or without the ball. He gets a lot of Yards after Catch/contact because he runs like a RB as well. He caught 12 balls against EMU, for 149 yards and 2 TD. For the season he has 67 catches, for 794 yards & those 2 TD. With 2 games to go he is likely to hold most of his school’s receiving records. I would expect to see MABON at the Shrine venue. He’s fighting for a slot in the 2017 NFL Draft, albeit in the last couple of Rounds most likely. He could have a solid back-up option in the CFL if need be.
RAEKWON McMILLAN/ILB/OHIO STATE 6’3/240 #5 JR The talent lode at Ohio State is as good as any team in FBS football, in most cases better. And McMILLAN is the leader of the Buckeyes retooled Defense. Keep in mind that 7 players from the 2015 Buckeye Defense are in the NFL this season. But it was RAEKWON, with 119 tackles, that led last year’s unit in stops. He’s at it again this year, but what I have been impressed with most in watching him this season is his leadership on the field, and his ability to drop into pass coverage in the intermediate region of the D. Against Maryland last Saturday he once again had a double digit tackle day with 10 Tackles, 2 TFL & 1 Sack. In the first quarter he came zooming from the middle of the defensive formation with penetration and pursuit to take down the Terps QB for a TFL. This young man can do it all and combines excellent athleticism, with a very high FBI. Just talk to his coaches about that. Sorry Buckeyes fans but I do not see how he does not come out for the NFL Draft. He has nothing left to prove on the field, or in the locker room for Buckeyes nation. Look for him to be a first rounder if he does.
DARREUS ROGERS/WR/SOUTHERN CAL 6’1/215 #1 Previously in this article I mentioned that the Trojan coaches have been able to significantly reduce the offensive snaps for ADOREE’ JACKSON because of the improved quality of their WR group. ROGERS would be one of the prime players within that group. RODGERS caught 28 balls for the Trojans last season, and after 10 Games this year already has 44 receptions, including 3 TD. That may not sound like a lot of receptions, but please remember he’s playing second fiddle to a potential 1st Rounder by the name of JUJU. ROGERS is a strong, physical guy who wins most of his hand fights for the ball, and is not easily knocked off of his routes by defenders. He has shown good hands and the ability to get open for his new QB. Despite getting knocked around a bit late in the contest with the Huskies, he caught 6 balls for 84 yards and one important TD. When opponents put too much attention into stopping JUJU, ROGERS has made them pay this year. I expect to see him at the SHRINE/NFLPA or SENIOR BOWL come January, and project him as early as a potential Round 4 Draft Pick.
TRAVIS RUDOLPH/WR/FLORIDA STATE 6’1/190 #15 JR RUDOLPH was the Seminoles leading returning pass catcher, with 59 grabs in 2015. He is not a speedster, and at times he appears to have trouble positioning himself to make the catch on throws that are slightly off target. But he gets separation on a regular basis and will go over the middle, and work the sidelines to great effect. But questions linger about his ability to get separation against top level defenders. Overall, I would classify him as a sure handed, possession receiver who could be a No. 3/4 wideout as a pro. He and RS Frosh QB FRANCOIS don’t always seem to be in sync, especially when the pocket breaks down. Against BC he had a typically productive, if unspectacular, performance with 6 catches for 81 yards and 1 TD. His best play of the game was his 3rd Quarter, 20-yard TD catch, where most of the yardage was RAC down a crowded sideline. His footwork before and after the catch may be his most impressive work. Through 10 games this season he has 44 catches for 680 yards and 5 TD. He’s a good guy who warmed some hearts for his effort to befriend a young boy with Autism during a school visit early this season. I don’t think he’ll be a Top 100 prospect if he comes out early for the Draft, but I doubt he waits beyond Round 4 unless he runs a very slow 40-time at the Combine.
MITCH TRUBISKY/QB/UNC 6’3/220 #10 JR TRUBISKY has emerged as a top level college QB this season after being a back-up his first few seasons for UNC. He has nice size for a potential pro QB. He has climbed the prospect ladder with his work for the 7-3 Tar Heels. Both KIPER & McSHAY have recently proclaimed him the top QB prospect for the 2017 Draft if he declares. As Coach Lee would say, ‘Not so fast my friends.’ I like his work, but see plenty of room for improvement. To some degree he may have ascended to the top of the list due to disappointment in some other QB prospects. But as he showed, even in a loss to Duke, he has some very positive attributes to his game already. He went 24/33- 72.7%- 297 yards- 3 TD- 2 INT in that Loss. His OL really let him down, especially late, but he seems slow to feel pocket pressure and as a result gets caught in a pile as the pocket collapses. He has enough athleticism to escape, but doesn’t seem to feel the urgency to escape soon enough. He is also not real sophisticated yet in timing with his receivers, even tho he has a pretty good group to throw to. He does tend to throw too many balls up for grabs. He surely has good pro potential, but he will need some learning time with a clipboard before being thrown to the wolves in the NFL. Does he stay at UNC and learn more under HC FEDORA another year, or take his game to the NFL and wait for his time like JARED GOFF has this season with the RAMS? He surely has late Round One potential in my eyes.
Cheers
Pigskin
