For those not riveted by the NFL’s Thursday night matchup between Jacksonville and Tennessee, both of which are sub-.500 teams, there are a couple of intriguing college games on ESPN later this evening with some interesting draft implications of their own. At 7 PM ET, Pittsburgh hosts #25 Virginia Tech in a critical ACC divisional game. Both Pitt and VaTech are 5-2 and are tied for the conference’s Coastal Division lead with one loss with North Carolina. This game also features what will surely be one of the 2017 draft’s better stories in Pitt RB James Conner (#24, 6-2, 235) who is back on the field after missing a year while he battled Hodgkin’s lymphoma that was diagnosed after he suffered a season-ending knee injury. Amazingly, Conner still participated in Pitt’s winter workouts this year – and never missed a session – while undergoing chemotherapy. Conner, who was considered to be a top 100 prospect prior to the illness after he ran for almost 1,800 yards and 26 TDs in 2014, still isn’t 100%, but he is on pace to rush for close to 1,000 yards this fall and is approaching a number of school and conference career records including most rushing TDs. In fact, Conner isn’t the Panthers best pro prospect. Veteran G/T Dorian Johnson (#53, 6-5, 315) and emerging DE Ejuan Price (#5, 6-0, 255), who leads the entire country in sacks with 9, both have second day potential, while LT Adam Bisnowaty (#69, 6-5, 305) has some mid-round potential. Meanwhile, several Pitt veterans including QB Nate Peterman (#4, 6-2, 225), TE Scott Orndoff (#83, 6-5, 255), CB Ryan Lewis (#38, 5-11, 200), LBs Mike Caprara (#30, 6-0, 225) and Matt Galambos (#47, 6-2, 245) and PK Chris Blewitt (#12, 5-9, 195) all have some late-round or free-agent potential.
The best overall prospects in this game, though, are Virginia Tech junior receivers Isaiah Ford (#1, 6-1, 195) and TE Bucky Hodges (#7, 6-6, 245), each of whom could conceivably get some late first-round consideration once all is said and done. Meanwhile, junior CB Brandon Facyson (#31, 6-1, 200) and veteran DE Ken Ekanem (#4, 6-3, 260) could get some late-round interest, while FB/RB Sam Rogers (#45, 5-11, 230), RT Jon McLaughlin (#71, 6-5, 295) and FS Chuck Clark (#19, 6-0, 205) are leading Hokie free-agent targets.
Then later tonight at 10:30 ET, California visits Southern Cal in a game between a pair of 4-3 teams just trying to stay relevant in the Pac-12 race. What this game does offer, though, is a chance to check out prolific Cal QB Davis Webb (#7, 6-4, 230), the former Texas Tech transfer who leads the entire country with 27 TD passes and is 3rd in passing yards per game.
