Devy 100: 35-31

Rob Willette

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.

35. Hakeem Butler, WR Iowa State Cyclones

Profile: The departed Allen Lazard currently stands as the best receiver in Iowa State history. His standing may not last long with Hakeem Butler moving into a larger role this year. Both are giants on the perimeter, yet Butler is the far superior athlete with velvet smooth movements and sticky hands. Player development has been a strong suit of Matt Campbell during his time in Ames and Butler’s improvement has been rapid. Iowa State games are all of a sudden must-see television for devy fans.

2018 Outlook: Butler will need to prove he can handle the additional defensive attention. Lazard drew a lot of attention and allowed Butler to operate with a lot of freedom on the other side. Given his skill-set, odds are with Butler continuing to thrive even with coverage draped all over him.

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34. Josh Jacobs, RB Alabama Crimson Tide

Profile: It was somewhat of a lost season for Josh Jacobs. He battled lower-body injuries for much of his sophomore campaign, never quite looking himself and seeing his usage and production plummet in juxtaposition with his freshman year. A tackle-breaking machine with an advanced physique, Jacobs looked a step slow and never quite grabbed a consistent role in the offense. Of course, multiple lower-body injuries will conspire to ruin anyone’s season and there is plenty of reason to be bullish on Jacobs moving forward.

2018 Outlook: As is the case every year, the Alabama backfield is dripping with talent. While Jacobs is not going to be a workhorse in the mold of a Derrick Henry, he is the most gifted pass-catcher of the Tide’s quintet and the skill will play at any level. Nick Saban targeted backs who could operate as high-level receivers during the 2018 recruiting cycle; signs point to Alabama’s offense continuing to evolve. Saban is always willing to adjust and evolve to maintain dominance. Jacobs has appeal as a mismatch weapon with enough ruggedness to succeed in getting tough yards as well. While not the most-heralded member of this backfield, he still has the potential to be its best.

33. Myles Gaskin, RB Washington Huskies

Profile: One of college football’s most-decorated runners, there is little left to prove for Myles Gaskin. He’s an extremely competitive runner with elite athleticism. Despite a diminutive frame, Gaskin plays with a unique toughness. It is a big reason why many are so high on him despite Gaskin’s atypical feature back frame.

2018 Outlook: Gaskin returns for his fourth season as lead back, and the departure of Lavon Coleman may lead to Washington leaning even more on the local product. 2017 was his best year as a receiver, posting career highs in yardage (232) and yards per reception (12.2). Another step forward as a receiver and Gaskin’s production profile will be as complete as any back in recent memory.

32. Jhamon Ausbon, WR Texas A&M Aggies

Profile: It was hard to believe Jhamon Ausbon was a true freshman in 2017. He’s advanced physically and steals lunch money from defensive backs. He’s effective using his hands to release from press coverage and features effortless body control. As a bonus, he will carry corners into the upper concourse in the blocking game. He’s a high effort player, though he is far from just a possession receiver. He can excel vertically and is a menace after the catch. Iffy quarterback play resulted in him averaging only 11.2 yards per catch in 2017, but he is fully equipped to thrive all over the field.

2018 Outlook: Change is all over the place in College Station. Kevin Sumlin is out. Jimbo Fisher is in. Nick Starkel and Kellen Mond are entrenched in a quarterback battle. With so much uncertainty, Fisher figures to lean on key figures such as Ausbon and Trayveon Williams on offense. Even with a slower paced, more traditional offense in place, we should see Ausbon’s opportunity skyrocket with Christian Kirk no longer hogging targets.

31. Damarea Crockett, RB Missouri Tigers

Profile: Poised to build off a strong freshman campaign, Damarea Crockett instead had his season truncated following an October shoulder injury. Before the injury, Crockett was productive, averaging six yards per tote, though much of his damage was done in the season opener against Missouri State as the Tigers poured on 72 points.

Crockett is a tremendous athlete with a rocked-up physique. He excels east-west due to his lateral agility, though only utilizes this skill when necessary. He will not leave yards on the field due to getting cute. He’s not the most creative runner at the second level. He often favors power over finding seams. However, as a slashing runner with plus athleticism, he has a lot of appeal as a feature back. With only nine receptions over two seasons, more exposure as a receiver will be essential if he is to break into the upper-tier of runners for 2019.

2018 Outlook: The departure of offensive coordinator Josh Heupel muddies the offensive outlook. Heupel guided a high-octane offense which rebounded following a drubbing by Purdue to become one of the SEC’s best. It remains to be seen how the offense morphs, clouding the outlook for Crockett. Larry Rountree has also earned work following his strong performance after Crockett went down. Despite these factors, Crockett returns as one of the Tigers’ elite offensive weapons and should dominate this backfield’s touches. With a workhorse profile and top-shelf athleticism, Crocket remains an intriguing devy prospect.

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rob willette