Developing Assets: Week Six

Ryan McDowell

bishop_sankey

We are nearing the mid-season point of the college football season and conference play is in full swing. We have another solid lineup of games this week with nearly all of the top twenty-five teams in action. Let’s get to the games!

A Look Back

Disappointment of the Week: Shaq Roland, WR Scar

Sophomore wide receiver Shaq Roland, South Carolina’s top receiver, was suspended for last week’s contest against Central Florida for an unspecified violation of school policy. Now comes word that Roland will not play this week against Kentucky and his suspension will last two more games. It is unclear what Roland did to find himself in the doghouse of head coach Steve Spurrier, but it’s clearly not a good place to be.

After a long touchdown in the season’s opening game, Roland has been relatively quiet through his next two games and now he’s given at least a three game suspension. Roland had the chance to establish himself as one of the nation’s top sophomore receivers and instead he has struggled. Hopefully, he can resolve whatever issues he is dealing with and get his Gamecock career back on track following his suspension.

On the Rise: Bishop Sankey, RB WAS

In a week four matchup of ranked teams, Washington running back Bishop Sankey carried the load for the Huskies, toting the ball forty times for over 160 rushing yards and a touchdown in the win over Arizona. Sankey came into the season somewhat under the radar, but the junior running back now has three games of over 160 rushing yards and has scored six times through four games.

The question soon will become if Sankey will elect to enter the NFL draft a year early. If he continues to impress scouts with these huge rushing numbers, Sankey has to consider making the jump, especially when factoring in the lack of depth in the 2014 class and the elite running backs expected to be available in 2015.

Devy of the Week: Marion Grice, RB ASU

Although the season statistics might not be impressive for Arizona State running back Marion Grice, he is leading the nation in the category that really matters- touchdowns. After a four score performance in a blowout victory over Southern California last week, one that ultimately cost Trojans head coach Lane Kiffin his job, Grice now has found the end zone a total of twelve times in just four games. While Grice, who is considered among the top senior running backs in the country, has yet to eclipse one hundred yards of rushing in any game this season, he is being used extensively in the Sun Devils pass game as well.

In what is expected to be a below average running back class in the 2014 NFL draft, Grice is showing scouts two very important things; he can catch the ball and can score touchdowns. Those two, along with his solid 6’0”, 204 pound frame, should lead to him being drafted in the middle rounds of the draft.

A Look Ahead

Wake Up and Watch: Maryland vs. Florida State (ESPN, 12:00)

This game not only features a battle of two surprisingly undefeated teams, but also several prospects you should be focusing on. Obviously both coaches will have their teams ready to go for this game that could help determine which team represent the ACC in the BCS bowls.

When the Seminoles have the ball, the player to watch is their redshirt freshman quarterback Jameis Winston. Winston was much hyped heading into the season, and has lived up the expectations for the most part, throwing for over 1,000 yards in four blowout victories. Florida State also has a pair of running backs who are likely to be future pros in Devonta Freeman and James Wilder Jr. Wilder was getting all of the attention in pre-season, but it’s Freeman who leads the team with over 300 rushing yards.

The surprising Terrapins have one player that you will want to key in on, sophomore wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Diggs is an electric playmaker who has been called a Tavon Austin clone and leads Maryland with 400 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Like many of the most talented players in the nation, Diggs is a true sophomore and should e a part of the talented draft class of 2015.

If You Can Only Watch One: West Virginia vs. Baylor (FOX Sports 1, 8:00)

This may be a surprising choice for many as the top game of the day, but it’s the one I am most looking forward to for two reasons, the starting running backs of each team. We’ll talk more about those two soon. West Virgina, a recent powerhouse in college football, has struggled this year, but they are coming off an upset victory over Oklahoma State. The Bears of Baylor are undefeated and ranked seventeenth in the nation, but have only played three games.

This will be my first chance to watch each of these teams this season for a full game and I will be most focused on the running game of each team. Baylor is led by junior running back Lache Seastrunk, who has amassed over rushing yards and six touchdowns in just three games and is averaging a ridiculous eleven yards per carry. Seastrunk is expected to make himself available for the 2014 draft and has a very good chance to be the top running back drafted.

For the Mountaineers, running back Charles Sims leads the way. Sims gained some attention this off-season as he nearly declared for the NFL’s supplemental draft before choosing to transfer to West Virginia. Sims was immediately eligible and has led the team in rushing with nearly 400 yards.

Stay Up Late For: Washington vs. Stanford (ESPN, 10:30)

Another conference matchup pitting two teams with multiple devy players of note. Both the Stanford Cardinal and the Washington Huskies are undefeated and ranked among the top fifteen.

For Washington, we’ve already talked about running back Bishop Sankey, but there are plenty of other players to watch, namely junior wide receiver Kasen Williams and fellow junior tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins. Williams has an NFL frame at 6’2” and over 210 pounds. He’s second on the team in both receiving yards and receptions. Williams was largely unknown, which is often true of west coast college players, but is gaining traction amongst devy owners and NFL draft experts. Seferian-Jenkins on the other hand is very well-known, but has struggled through the early part of the season, following a suspension stemming from an off-season arrest. Despite the struggles, Seferian-Jenkins remains near the top of the tight end ranks and could be a first round draft pick this coming spring.

The Cardinal, although a top five team in the nation, have fewer prospects to focus on, proving they have a balanced and talented team. Redshirt sophomore Kevin Hogan leads the way and has the chance to be a first round pick should he declare in either 2014 or 2015. The 2014 class is relatively deep at the quarterback position and could feature five or more first round picks, so Hogan might be better off staying at Stanford for one more season.

The player that I am most intrigued with for the Cardinal is one that has played sparingly this season, running back Barry Sanders Jr. Sanders has just four carries on the season and has failed to appear in two of their games, but in last week’s victory over Washington State, he had a run that was reminiscent of his father and gave dynasty owners chills. With a deep veteran filled backfield, don’t expect Sanders to carve out a huge role this season, but I do expect him to continue to see more touches and next year could be a huge season for the son of the Hall of Famer.

Devy Stock Watch

This week, we’re back to a list of the top ten devy players, but look for an expanded list in coming weeks. The first year each player is NFL draft eligible is noted in parentheses. I’ve also included how the player fared in last week’s action.

1.) Todd Gurley, RB UGA (2015) 73 rushing yards

2.) Sammy Watkins, WR CLEM (2014) 113 receiving yards, 1 touchdown

3.) TJ Yeldon, RB ALA (2015) 121 rushing yards, 1 touchdown

4.) Amari Cooper, WR ALA (2015) 28 receiving yards

5.) Marqise Lee, WR USC (2014) 92 receiving yards

6.) Teddy Bridgewater, QB UL (2014) Bye

7.) Melvin Gordon, RB WISC (2014) 74 rush yards

8.) Lache Seastrunk, RB BAY (2014) Bye

9.) Stefon Diggs, WR MARY (2015)  Bye

10.) Marcus Mariota, QB OREG (2014) 114 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, 33 rushing yards, 1 touchdown

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ryan mcdowell