2018 Devy Preview: Pac-12

Welcome to the 2018 Devy Preview series! College football is just around the corner, dynasty leagues are gearing up for the NFL season, and it’s time to get excited for football again! If you haven’t ever tried a “Devy” league, that’s okay. The goal of this series is simply to help you find the NFL stars of the future. But! If you are a fellow Devy league fanatic like me, then I’m sure you’ll enjoy jotting down some names of current college football studs to watch for and target in future drafts!

We’ll be diving into all of the “Power Five” conferences and the best players in the “Group of Five” conferences over the next several weeks as the college football season approaches. If you’re unfamiliar with “Devy” formats the concept is simple. Developmental (Devy) leagues allow owners to roster current college football players before they ever declare for the NFL Draft. They’re a ton of fun! I highly recommend the format if you haven’t given it a try. Also, if you want to check out some of the top-ranked devy players, you can find those here!

The Pac-12 may not be as stacked as the SEC or even the BIG 10 when it comes to future NFL playmakers, but there is still plenty of talent to get excited about. And there are a ton of fresh new faces in key offensive roles across the division that should be this a fun year in the Pac-12. Let’s dive in and see what future stars we should be excited to watch on Sundays here soon!

USC

Whoever leads the way for USC at quarterback is going to have a pretty stacked stable of offensive talent around them. Matt Fink is the only returning quarterback on the USC roster who has thrown a pass in college football. Jack Sears just joined the team in 2017, coming in as one of the best quarterbacks in his recruiting class. However, true freshman JT Daniels most likely has the highest upside as a future pro quarterback. Daniels tossed four touchdowns in his first real game-like action for USC in a recent scrimmage. He has the arm strength, touch to his passes, and sufficient mobility to instantly plug in. He should get the most action of any Trojan quarterback this year.

Stephen Carr is most definitely the most exciting devy prospect on the USC Trojans. He was already looking like a better running back prospect than Ronald Jones at times last year as a freshman. Plus, Trojan coaches have already been quoted saying he could be a 1,000-yard, 40-reception season kind of player for USC. He’s going to destroy the Pac-12 for upwards of 1,500 yards from scrimmage. By 2020, he could be a top two or three running back in his class. Aca-Cedric Ware has clinched the number two role behind Carr if he does miss some time. Ware has sufficient feature size and should land on an NFL roster as a UDFA one day.

The wide receivers are stacked per usual at USC as well. Deontay Burnett and Steven Mitchell left for the NFL after last year and that left a gaping hole of opportunity (combined for 127 receptions, 1766 receiving yards, and 13 touchdowns). Tyler Vaughns already saw 809 yards in 2017 and will continue to grow as the leader of this receiver group. He annihilates defensive backs on the outside. If he works on his intermediate game, Vaughns could be drafted day two. Michael Pittman Jr. is a massive athlete who came on strong in late 2017. He could grab the most touchdowns for the Trojans this season. If he continues to develop his routes, Pittman could see some decent draft stock as well.

Other Notables: Amon-Ra St. Brown has been lighting it up in camp for the Trojans already. He is one of the top incoming wide receiver recruits in the country (little brother of Green Bay Packer, Equanimeous St. Brown). Tyler Petite should at least be a mid-round draft pick in a weak tight end class in 2019. He most likely profiles as a move tight end.

Stanford

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You can’t mention Stanford football without everyone first thinking of Bryce Love. Love just racked up over 2,100 yards on the ground in 2017 and is an early Heisman candidate for this season. He’s apparently up to 203 pounds this summer. If that doesn’t cause him to lose much of his explosion, then Love could continue to rise until draft day. Barring an injury this season, Love is locked in for at least day two draft pick consideration. He’s a name to trade for before his stock rises even higher.

JJ Arcega-Whiteside is one of the very few solid wide receivers in the entire Pac-12. If you watch much Arcega-Whiteside, you’ll notice he basically wins 100% of jump ball situations. But there’s more to him than that. He uses his body well to manipulate defenders and positions himself well to continue forward progress out of his receptions. Arcega-Whiteside isn’t an expensive devy player to acquire, but could sneak into day two of his inevitable NFL Draft.

Kaden Smith will be one of the hottest tight end names to know for 2018. Smith absolutely dominated up the seam in 2017 as a dynamic physical pass catcher who just so happens to also be 6’5”, 250 pounds. His body control is unbelievable through contested catches. Plus he can block when called upon. There’s a great chance he is selected in the top 100 picks next spring.

Other Notables: Conner Wedington and Osiris St. Brown should be the future of the Stanford receiving game. Wedington could be a future slot option. St. Brown could grow into a decent X receiver if his hype comes to fruition. Trenton Irwin’s hype never showed its face, but he could surprise and make an NFL roster given his route running ability. Colby Parkinson was supposed to be a monster tight end prospect. If he stays completely healthy, Stanford could have the best tight end tandem in the nation.

Washington

Jake Browning has put together a pretty efficient career for the Washington Huskies. He has a solid completion percentage (64.4%), above average yards per attempt numbers, and a 3:1 touchdown to interception ratio. The only thing he’s clearly lacking is NFL arm strength. He probably doesn’t project as a high draft pick, but an NFL team is going to give him a look in 2019. If you’re familiar with college recruiting you may also know that Washington brought in two of the nation’s top quarterback recruits in Colson Yankoff and Jacob Sirmon. Early indications are that the more mobile Yankoff may be the guy in the near future.

Myles Gaskin has quite possibly been the most consistent running back in the entire country over the past three seasons. Gaskin has logged in between 1,300 and 1,400 rushing yards every season in that span and projects to be very similar to Giovani Bernard. He’s going to put up a similar final season and see some early draft stock in a weaker 2019 running back class. Behind Gaskin, the Huskies have a player who may have an even higher pro ceiling in Salvon Ahmed. The sophomore speedster is likely the fastest player on the team. He can catch and destroy defenders in space. He may be in for a significant role this season.

Marquis Spiker (true freshman wide receiver) is the name to know among the Huskies wide receivers. Their others are decent college players, but Spiker has the size, speed, and strength combination to make an impact from day one. He has the potential to be a top 30 devy pick next spring if he takes advantage of a huge opportunity in a high flying offense.

Hunter Bryant looks like he could be the top tight end prospect for the 2020 class right now. With the departure of Dante Pettis, Washington is going to need some pass catchers to step up. Bryant and Spiker should be the talents that emerge in a big way by season’s end.

Oregon

Justin Herbert should be the first overall draft pick in the 2019 NFL Draft if he stays healthy for all of the 2018 season. That’s been his only real problem, playing in just eight games in each of the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Outside of his health, the 6’6”, 230-pound Herbert checks every box from a productive metrics standpoint with 9.1 adjusted yards per attempt (near elite numbers) and a ridiculous touchdown to interception ratio near 4:1. Herbert has the arm strength, anticipation, and surveys the field incredibly well. He may not have the best supporting cast around him or scheme to put up gaudy stats, but he certainly looks like a professional quarterback.

The rest of Oregon isn’t super exciting for future NFL consideration, but several could make a roster. Tony Brooks-James figures to lead the Ducks in touches out of the backfield in 2018. He was once a highly valued devy asset, but he’s truly tiny and lacks much of a resume. He’ll need to explode in 2018 to find relevance in the NFL Draft.

Dillon Mitchell and Johnny Johnson III are both decent college wide receivers. In fact, Mitchell may be one of the best in the PAC 12. He’s shifty and quick in the short areas of the field. However, he’s going to need to work on his deep game, and physicality to earn much attention from NFL teams. Johnson will likely at least garner a look from NFL teams as a deep threat. He both stacks well once he’s beyond defenders and wins contested situations well for his size.

Tight end Jacob Breeland may present the highest NFL upside of any Oregon Ducks offensive players outside of Herbert. He caught five touchdowns last year on just 18 receptions. If he sees a full season of Herbert throwing him the ball, Breeland could launch his way into mid-round draft consideration. He’ll need to work as a blocker, but he wins through contact as a receiver quite often.

UCLA

The UCLA quarterback room will likely give us at least one interesting NFL quarterback prospect. Wilton Speight is a graduate transfer who had one somewhat productive season for Michigan. He could present the safest play for new coach Chip Kelly to grab some wins early in his UCLA tenure. He needs a huge year to thrust himself into consideration as a draft pick. Dorian Thompson-Robinson (the incoming true freshman) is likely the best fit for Chip Kelly’s spread offense though. He is mobile, strong, and shows good awareness already for his age. Thompson-Robinson is the future for UCLA. Devin Modster (returning sophomore) is the likely odd man out who likely transfers after he realizes his inevitable fate as a backup.

Since the running backs aren’t remotely interesting for future NFL prospects, let’s talk receivers and tight ends. Theo Howard and Caleb Wilson are the only two returning players that grabbed more than 19 passes for UCLA in 2017. Howard could take a giant leap towards some real NFL Draft hype if he takes advantage of the opportunity at hand. Former nobody, Caleb Wilson, destroyed defenses early on in 2017. He looks like the next great move tight end to enter the NFL Draft. He’s nearly a lock for an early selection in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Utah

Tyler Huntley is a fun college athlete playing the quarterback position. If he improves his accuracy and ability to read the entire field, he could be a late-round draft pick. The real quarterback with the best pro potential on the team is true freshman Jack Tuttle. He already possesses excellent touch to his passes, pocket presence, and decision-making to project well for the NFL. Huntley likely keeps his job until he fails.

Zack Moss is the definite leader for Utah’s backfield, but he definitely lacks elite pro level athleticism. Expect Moss to put up another 1,200-yard season or two against weak Pac-12 defenses before he declares for the NFL Draft and inevitably gets drafted somewhere in day three.

Britain Covey has returned from his religious mission to plug back in as a tiny, but productive future slot receiver. Expect him to lead the team in receptions. And lastly, Demari Simpkins spent some time with Antonio Brown this off-season trying to improve his craft. If his route running has improved as much as he says, keep an eye on him.

Washington State

James Williams was one of the most prolific receiving backs in the nation in 2017, despite being locked into a committee with now-departed teammate Jamal Morrow. Williams is a bit undersized to ever feature in the NFL, but if he grabs another 70 passes in this upcoming season, he’ll most assuredly be drafted for his receiving ability alone.

True freshman Max Borghi will be the new face to join the committee with Williams in 2018. Borghi is already as thick as or thicker than Williams and could add some weight to his frame. If he does continue to grow in play strength and in his receiving ability look for Borghi to become an early devy riser next spring.

There aren’t many real NFL prospects at wide receiver on Washington State, but Isaiah Johnson-Mack and Davontavean Martin are at least intriguing. Johnson-Mack is a big bodied force at receiver, and he’ll produce some decent numbers moving forward, but his slow feet may earn him the Auden Tate or Allen Lazard treatment (fringe draft pick candidates). Davontavean Martin is a faster, leaner wide receiver who may project well as a Z receiver (who lines up all over, not tethered to the line of scrimmage) in the NFL if he tests well athletically.

Arizona

Khalil Tate may be the most exciting player in college football now that Lamar Jackson is gone. His 2017 was absolutely absurd. Tate racked up 1,400 rushing yards and a dozen touchdowns on the ground in just 11 games! Of course, he added some passing stats too but as a rusher, he’s just unbelievably electric. His throwing mechanics, footwork, and pocket presence are all basically terrible, but he has two more seasons to continue developing those attributes. He could be a late-round upside selection if he figures anything out as a prototypical passer. Either way, Tate is way too fun not to watch him play this season.

The only other offensive position with much to get excited about for Arizona is running back. JJ Taylor is a tiny little guy, but he has some fantastic moves out of the backfield and actually put together a few impressive pass protection reps as well. Nathan Tilford is the bigger-bodied running back who has better potential as a possible feature at the next level. He just needs to get more snaps this fall and take advantage of his 6’2”, 200-pound physique.

Arizona State

Thanks to the departure of Kalen Ballage and Demario Richard, there is a massive hole in the Arizona State rushing production that needs to be filled. Former four-star recruit Eno Benjamin looks like he should be the most likely beneficiary to inherit the bulk of work at running back. Not only that, but he has the talent to potentially carry the load by himself. With new head coach Herm Edwards at the helm, I don’t think anyone really knows what this offense will look like in-season. However, Benjamin showed great contact balance, agility, and an aggressive style of play in high school. He should be the guy.

N’Keal Karry has been a well-maintained hype machine ever since he hit the ground running as a freshman wide receiver to the tune of 58 receptions, 659 yards, and five touchdowns. This 6’4”, 216-pound nightmare to cover needs to add some polish to his routes, but he’s virtually a lock for an early draft selection in 2019. Expect another 1,200 yards and near double-digit touchdowns.

California

The California offense that gave us Marshawn Lynch is long gone. Patrick Laird took advantage of a prime opportunity for rushing production in 2017 in his fourth year removed from high school, but he doesn’t project to more than a late round flyer. Laird should have another great productive season, which should get him a look in an NFL camp next summer. That may be about all there is to him though.

Vic Wharton also took his opportunity and ran with it in 2017 since California was without star receiver Demetris Robertson for most of the season. Robertson is now playing for the Georgia Bulldogs and former teammate Jordan Veasy is fighting for a practice squad spot with the Tennessee Titans. Wharton looks to be the guy again. He could even eclipse 1,000 yards this season. If that happens, expect an NFL team to draft him late. He’s quick, thick, and shifty enough to stick somewhere as a potential third option in the NFL.

Oregon State

When a team uses their tight end as their lead receiver it’s worth noting. Noah Togiai led the Beavers in receptions and yards in 2017. Now that Jordan Villamin (big WR who played as slow as most TEs) is gone, Togiai could see even more work in the upcoming season. Togiai is probably a mid-to-late round athletic talent, but he brings a balanced skill set that will lock up his spot on an NFL team in the near future.

Colorado

Travon McMillian fell victim to what has derailed so many college careers: coaching changes. He logged over 1,000 yards on the ground as a redshirt freshman back in 2015. Everything changed in Virginia not long after that and McMillian suffered. Now a grad transfer, he’s looking to fill the role of Philip Lindsay (now a Denver Bronco) who just totaled over 1,700 yards from scrimmage for the Buffaloes. He could be the Jordan Wilkins of the 2019 NFL Draft if he puts up decent numbers in the terrible Colorado offense.

As always, find me on Twitter @FF_TravisM. Look for videos from me using the hashtag #TouchdownTime. And yes, I love to chat about these players. I want to learn from you! Thanks for reading, and keeping living that Dynasty Life!

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