Dynasty Scouts Conference Reviews: ACC and BIG 10
We actually had some meaningful games played last weekend. We will be reviewing the risers, fallers, a premier conference performer and we will shine a spotlight on the top freshmen every week. These weekly recaps will keep you informed on the “hot” college players around the country and will make studying for your future rookie draft effortless.
BIG 10
Premier Conference Performers
Braxton Miller, HB Ohio State (Senior)
Six carries for 62 yards and one touchdown; two receptions for 78 yards and one touchdown
Miller lit up the Hokies for 140 all-purpose yards. Playing “H-Back” makes it easier for him to get the ball in space, which is perfect because he’s lethal with the ball in his hands in the open field.
Cardale Jones, QB Ohio State (Junior)
9/18 for 186 yards, two touchdowns and one interception; 13 carries for 99 yards and one touchdown
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Jones was affective running and passing the ball in the Buckeyes’ opener. He showed off his arm strength when he connected with Curtis Samuel for a 24-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. Jones had a few mental lapses in the first half, but he played well overall. He was very successful at rushing the football as the defense was keying in on Ezekiel Elliott, leaving large holes for Jones to run through.
Rising
Ezekiel Elliott, RB Ohio State (Junior)
11 carries for 122 yards and one touchdown; two receptions for 16 yards
In the first quarter, Elliott busted out an 80-yard touchdown run, starting the season where he left off last year. He was outstanding in pass protection and he did well catching the ball out of the backfield. Virginia Tech’s defense played really well against the run, limiting Elliot’s carries. He still took advantage of his opportunities to display his power and explosiveness while running the football.
Jake Butt, TE Michigan (Junior)
Eight catches for 93 yards and one touchdown
Against Utah, he was targeted early and often by quarterback Jake Rudock. Butt was able to create separation between him and the defenders and he showcased that he has reliable hands, catching an impressive 19-yard touchdown pass while beating double coverage. Butt is going to be a major impact player for Michigan’s offense this season.
Justin Jackson, RB Northwestern (Sophomore)
28 carries for 134 yards; two receptions for 12 yards
The Northwestern Wildcats shocked the Stanford Cardinals, previously ranked 21st in the nation, by beating them 16-6. Jackson was a major contributor in the game by grinding out the defense for the seventh 100-yard game of his career. The heartbeat of the offense goes through Jackson’s rushing ability and he should receive a heavy workload this season.
Jordan Howard, RB Indiana (Junior)
20 carries for 145 yards and three touchdowns; two catches for 25 yards
Howard, a transfer from UAB, ran with power and explosiveness during his debut with the Hoosiers. Against Southern Illinois, he showed that he’s very good at pass blocking and he has the size and the power to wear down a defense. He has very soft hands and he can turn the ball up field when he gets the ball in space.
Falling
Christian Hackenberg, QB Penn State (Junior)
11/25 for 103 yards and one interception
This was the worst game of his collegiate career. He was sacked ten times and crumbled under pressure. Hackenberg was very inefficient, only completing 44 percent of his passes and he posted a whopping 3.2 QBR. It could be a long season for him if the offensive line plays like they did last weekend.
Cory Clement, RB Wisconsin (Junior)
8 carries for 16 yards; 2 receptions for 19 yards
He was dealing with a left groin injury last week, and Wisconsin’s offensive line was massacred by Alabama’s front seven, which slowed Clement and the overall run game. Look for him to bounce back from this performance. Alabama will be the strongest run defense that he will face this season.
Jake Rudock, QB Michigan (Senior)
27/43 for 279 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions
He was off the mark on a lot of his throws against Utah, which caused him to throw three interceptions. He wasn’t going through his progressions to make the appropriate decisions. He looked tentative under center and you could tell he wasn’t prepared for week one.
Freshman Spotlight
Markell Jones, RB Purdue
12 carries for 72 yards and one touchdown
Jones had an impressive debut during a 41-31 loss to the Marshall Thundering Herd. He showed plenty of burst in the third quarter when he blasted through the secondary for a 36-yard touchdown run.
ACC
Premier Conference Performer
Dalvin Cook, RB Florida State (Sophomore)
19 carries for 156 yards and two touchdowns; one reception for 13 yards
He torched Texas State on the ground. He showed how slippery he can be when he slashed the defense for the 36-yard gain in the second quarter. He was highly efficient, averaging 8.2 yards per carry.
Rising
Elijah Hood, RB North Carolina (Sophomore)
13 carries for 138 yards
Hood started the game off slowly against South Carolina, rushing for only 20 yards in the first half. In the second half he proved that he is a powerful downhill runner by rushing for 13.1 yards per carry, including a third quarter run through the secondary for a 44-yard gain.
Micheal Brewer, QB Virginia Tech (Senior)
11/16 for 156 yards and two touchdowns
On the big stage, Monday Night against Ohio State, Brewer was cool, calm, and collected. He managed to go through his progressions and make the appropriate decisions while delivering accurate passes. Brewer was impressive against one of the top defenses in the country. Then he broke his collarbone in the second half, which will cause him to miss four to eight weeks of the season. The injury doesn’t help his stock, but he played well against one of the toughest defenses in the nation.
Matthew Days, RB North Carolina State (Junior)
24 carries for 126 yards and two touchdowns; five receptions for 65 yards
He proved that he can handle a large workload and maintain his efficiency. Days is going to get a lot of touches with running back Shad Thornton suspended for the first two games of the season.
Falling
James Conner, RB Pittsburgh (Junior)
Eight carries for 77 yards and two touchdowns
Conner had a great game against Youngstown State. He showed everything you want from a high-end running back prospect, great vision, burst, and speed. Unfortunately, he suffered a knee injury and he will miss the remainder of the season. This is a crushing blow to Conner’s draft stock and I feel really bad for him.
Mike Williams, WR Clemson (Junior)
Two catches for 20 yards and one touchdown
Williams is in a similar situation compared to Conner. While scoring a touchdown, he crashed into the goal post causing a “small” fracture in his neck. The good news is, he’s likely going to be able to play football again, but we don’t know when he will be back on the field again. His stock is only taking a hit due to the injury.
Marquise Williams, QB North Carolina (Senior)
19/31 for 232 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions
He was off target on a lot of his throws and he was rattled from South Carolina’s pass rush, as evidenced by his three turnovers.
Freshman Spotlight
Qadree Ollison, RB Pittsburgh
16 carries for 207 yards and one touchdown; one reception for three yards
Ollison is going to have some big shoes to fill with Conner out for the season. He played well when he had to take over for Connor. He’s a big back at 6-2 and 230 pounds and he’s very quick for his size. He’s a player to keep an eye on this season.
Mark Walton, RB Miami
10 carries for 85 yards and one touchdown
He played well during his debut last week against Bethune-Cookman. He’s a smaller shifty back, comparable to former Hurricane running back Duke Johnson.
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