Devy Conference Preview: PAC-12 South

Rob Willette

hundley

Editor’s Note: This article is a Dynasty Scouts exclusive. Remember, our Dynasty Scouts section focuses on the stars of tomorrow, with a laser focus on High School recruits and College players who look to have the talent to be future assets in dynasty leagues and have value today in devy leagues.

Even prior to expanding to 12 teams, the PAC was well on its way to establishing itself as the league’s second best conference. The demise of USC has been offset by the emergence of Stanford as a national power and the revival of the UCLA program. As such, the talent is so deep that a preview needs to be broken into two sections: North and South.

Known Commodities

Javorius Allen, RB USC Trojans

Tethered to the bench during the tenure of Lane Kiffin, Javorius Allen was unleashed after Kiffin’s dismissal. A big back with soft hands, Allen is a NFL contributor from day one, though his age (24 at the start of his NFL career) may cap his long-term appeal.

Brett Hundley, QB UCLA Bruins

A big, athletic quarterback with a funky throwing motion, Brett Hundley has drawn natural comparisons to Colin Kaepernick. He’s your typical ball of clay that requires careful molding and a supreme situation. I am not investing heavily at this point as I am not sold that the sum of parts will be brought together.

Dres Anderson, WR Utah Utes

Utah’s Dres Anderson is under the radar, though he may become a draftnik favorite in the second-tier of receivers available in 2015. A lean, flexible receiver that glides through seams in the defense, he’s a potential deep threat/niche weapon at the next level.

D.J. Foster, RB Arizona State Sun Devils

D.J. Foster is a tough guy to evaluate. He’s spent a large chunk of his career in a Sun Devils uniform lining up out wide and acting like a true receiver. On the flip side, he’s also been forced to become the bell cow for short stretches and has shown a surprising toughness between the tackles along with his trademark smoothness. A versatile back that contributes all over the field, he is worthy of a spot on your devy roster.

Nelson Agholor, WR USC Trojans

A very solid collegiate receiver, Nelson Agholor is being a bit overrated in the devy community. He’s not going to dominate in any one area at the NFL level; he’s currently being valued in a tier with more physically dominant receivers.

Jaelen Strong, WR Arizona State Sun Devils

Jaelen Strong has a nice blend of skills yet seems to always leave you wanting a bit more. Despite excellent size, he is not as overpowering at the catch point as you’d like to see. Returning for his redshirt junior season was a wise decision as he can round out his game and become a day two lock with a strong campaign.

Austin Hill, WR Arizona Wildcats

A savvy route runner that can impose his will on smaller corners, Austin Hill certainly benefits from a high octane offense but is also a worthy talent in his own right, lacking elite athleticism yet possessing smarts, toughness, and natural hands. All signs are positive following a 2013 knee injury, meaning Hill is lined up for another huge season in 2014.

Tre Madden, RB USC Trojans

Tre Madden is old reliable in the Trojans backfield. A rugged receiver that excels in the passing game, he’s got the potential to be a roster player in the NFL, yet lacks standout traits that portend a future starter.

Ready To Emerge

Kenneth Scott, WR Utah Utes

[inlinead]There’d be multiple Utes receivers on the radar had Kenneth Scott not missed the 2013 season due to injury. A far more physically mature athlete than his counterpart, he’d be the thunder to Anderson’s lightning were there such a distinction for receivers. With Anderson stretching the field, Scott will have ample room to operate underneath on his way to a strong 2014 campaign.

Justin Davis, RB USC Trojans

There’d be far more hype around Justin Davis had he not succumb to injury midway through his freshman campaign. One of college football’s youngest players (just 17 last fall), Davis slashed his way to a role in a deep Trojans backfield. With Ty Isaac now in Ann Arbor, he is arguably the most talented back in the USC stable. A high cut runner with smooth lateral movement, he’ll be a major part of the committee in 2014 before taking the backfield for himself in 2015.

Kalen Ballage, RB Arizona State Sun Devils

Kalen Ballage has dazzled the Sun Devils coaching staff during his first fall camp, creating discussions that he may contribute as a Myles Jack-esque all-purpose weapon throughout his ASU career. At 6’3 and closing in on 220 pounds, he’s already got feature back size (perhaps he’s too big) and has the fluidity that is the hallmark of elite talents. If he can stick at running back, he’ll have a role in year one and perhaps allow Foster to move all over the field as he did during the Marion Grice era.

Most Overrated

Recent USC receivers Marqise Lee and Robert Woods have entered their respective draft years perceived as first round locks before slipping to day two. The same may happen with Nelson Agholor, an incredibly productive collegiate receiver that does not have the size to overpower defenders nor climb the ladder and also lacks the dynamic open field skills seen in receivers of his ilk. He’s a smooth mover that has little trouble getting open; unfortunately, body catching and the aforementioned physical deficiencies cap his upside and present a future as a complimentary weapon.

Most Underrated

Generally, there seems to be a gap between the top tier freshmen that are gobbled up relatively early in devy drafts and the secondary talent that often goes unnoticed. While Nathan Starks settles into that second tier, he’s poised to quickly ascend to the top. Starks was Joe Mixon before Joe Mixon become an elite prospect and provides an all-around game complimented with a thump at the point of contact. While he figures to be a mop up option as a freshman, he is the future of the Bruins backfield and an incredible value in devy drafts.

Pac 12 South Top 10

  1. Jaelen Strong, WR Arizona State
  2. Javorius Allen, RB USC
  3. D.J. Foster, RB Arizona State
  4. Austin Hill, WR Arizona
  5. Nelson Agholor, WR USC
  6. Justin Davis, RB USC
  7. Brett Hundley, QB UCLA
  8. Dres Anderson, WR Utah
  9. Nathan Starks, RB UCLA
  10. Kalen Ballage, RB Arizona State

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rob willette