Devy 100: 65-61

Rob Willette Posted On June 28, 2018

It is time for the annual installment of the Devy 100, the third-most ballyhooed set of devy rankings completed within the greater Southwest Minneapolis area. As always, whittling this down to a mere one hundred was no simple task. If there is anybody you believe was omitted erroneously, feel free to pop in the comments and express your displeasure.

The Devy 100 is designed for the community of DLF to be as informed as possible about all the college prospects and future dynasty stars whether they play in devy leagues or not. Remember, all this information becomes archived in our library of content and goes into our annual Rookie Draft Guide for you to review when each of these players becomes eligible for traditional rookie drafts.

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65. Trayveon Williams, RB Texas A&M Aggies

Profile: After obliterating the Volunteers for 217 rushing yards in a 2016 win, few backs were navigating college football with the ease of Trayveon Williams. Since welcoming the boys from Rocky Top, the road for Williams has been, well…a bit rocky (my sincerest apologies). He’s eclipsed 100 yards only twice in the 19 games since, with uneven quarterback play serving as shackles around the ankles of the Texas A&M offense.

A slashing runner, Williams excels in tight quarters. The long speed is questionable, though being a home run hitter is not his forte. I see Williams as a back who can thrive as a 1B type; I’m just not on board with him as a top prospect at this point.

2018 Outlook: The Aggies offense is in complete transition. Gone is Kevin Sumlin’s spread attack. In is Jimbo Fisher’s more controlled, arguably outdated approach. Williams is the Aggies most accomplished and possibly most talented back. He just may not be the fit Fisher is looking for, thus resulting in a rather nondescript season in his first year of draft eligibility.

64. Keelan Doss, WR UC-Davis Aggies

Profile: From David Johnson to Carson Wentz to Adam Thielen, we have seen college football’s second-tier programs produce superstars. Naturally, the devy community has become more attuned to the top players within the FCS.

Perhaps 2018’s biggest star is Keelan Doss, a receiver with a NFL-ready body who has matured from lightly-recruited project to legit NFL talent. Apply all the generic, positive descriptions for receivers to Doss as they all fit, and he’s outgrown his current level of competition. His profile should rise as draft day grows closer.

2018 Outlook: Doss has nothing left to prove at UC-Davis. A 115-1,499-7 line as a junior is a stat-line oddly reminiscent of Rod Tidwell’s 1995 season. We have more than enough evidence Doss can play. Next February is more critical for his draft stock than this fall.

63. C.J. Moore, WR Oklahoma State Cowboys

Profile: As a collective, the football community tends to have an affinity for big receivers. They look good getting off the bus. They make sweet catches seemingly stories off of the ground. They can, however, tend to be overrated merely due to their size, especially given the evolution of passing games to feature more quick strikes based on timing and separation. But when you see a big receiver who is as graceful as your prototypical slot receiver, there is reason to be excited.

Despite a tall frame begging to take on a bit more bulk, C.J. Moore is a terror after the catch and has none of the wasted motion you tend to see from jumbo receivers. His movement skills are reminiscent of Tarik Black from last year; they portend the ability to make an early impact. While mobility is the hallmark of his game, he also makes the type of plays at the catch point which get us so excited about big receivers. Despite a smaller profile, Moore’s upside matches any receiver in this class.

2018 Outlook: The Cowboys turn over a ton of offensive production. Out are mainstays Mason Rudolph, James Washington, and Marcell Ateman. Returning are productive if complementary pieces in Dillon Stoner, Jalen McCleskey, and Tyron Johnson. While it is unlikely Moore provides a leading presence as a true freshman, he offers a dynamic the others lack and has an opportunity to see significant playing time in his first year on campus.

62. Salvon Ahmed, RB Washington Huskies

Profile: One of the greatest true athletes in college football, Salvon Ahmed translates track speed to football speed. His home run hitting ability is evident; Ahmed is the rare runner possessing pulls you out of your seat acceleration. He’s more athlete than refined back at this point. He’s yet to learn the art of creating your own yardage and relies mostly on physical tools. However, the physical tools are immense, and he’s displayed enough nuances in his game to be optimistic his running style becomes more dynamic.

2018 Outlook: The return of Myles Gaskin puts a major cap on Ahmed’s 2018 touch total. Gaskin is one of the nation’s elite runners and can contribute in all situations. On the plus side, Lavon Coleman is no longer siphoning touches in the backfield, likely making Ahmed the preferred second runner. Even without a full workload, we should be able to see the gains he makes in his game before the 2019 breakout.

61. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, Stanford Cardinal

Profile: One of the nation’s top possession receivers, J.J. Arcega-Whiteside is a brutish physical specimen with a high compete level. He has managed to stand out in a run-heavy offense, quickly surpassing the more heralded Trent Irwin as Stanford’s top target.

The main concern with Arcega-Whiteside is separation. He’s not well-equipped to create enormous separation at the line of scrimmage, an increasingly important trait. However, he has traits which speak to a receiver who could mitigate this weakness with a modicum of gains in his footwork and agility.

2018 Outlook: We could see the rising senior’s best year to-date in 2018. He returns as the clear top receiver in the passing game, and K.J. Costello gives Stanford its best pure passer in years. It will be an excellent showcase for Arcega-Whiteside’s talents in what is finally a deep crop of pass-catchers.

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