Devy 100: 55-51

Rob Willette Posted On July 15, 2019

As dynasty owners putter about the interwebs discussing short shuttle times and dissecting the nuances of the Dominator Rating, Devy owners are intently watching Spring Practices and eyeing key positional battles. They say dynasty football never sleeps, but devy football never even rests. From Signing Day (both of them) to fall camp, devy calendars are chock-full of important dates.

The Devy 100 is a breakdown of some of the best collegiate talent around. Players will be missed; others will emerge. My rankings will be cursed from Juneau, Alaska to Key West, Florida. Yet hopefully it provides a modicum of assistance to those navigating the murky waters of deep leagues, struggling to identify their tenth round selection as they decide between Auburn’s third-string running back and an incoming freshman receiver at Ohio State. Without any further inane ramblings, on to the list.

55. Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR Liberty Flames

The Skinny: The drumbeat for small school prospects has grown louder as social media and game coverage has taken off, and the next hyped prospect to come from outside the normal powers could be Antonio Gandy-Golden. At 6’4” and just over 200 pounds, he has the type of size which makes owners weak in the knees, even if we have mostly gotten over our hang-ups regarding size.

Physical and acrobatic (he was a gymnast in his youth), Gandy-Golden is a bit more man amongst boys type than technician at this juncture in his career but his final year on campus could see his stock soar, especially given many of the top receivers in the 2020 class (Jerry Jeudy/Henry Ruggs III/Jalen Reagor, etc.) are different types of players.

2019 Outlook: I am not going to pretend to know a lot about Liberty football. I do know this is Gandy-Golden’s offense, with others merely along for the ride. Statistical dominance is in store; his evolution as a true receiver remains to be seen.

54. Kennedy Brooks, RB Oklahoma Sooners

The Skinny: There is nothing about Kennedy Brooks which jumps off the screen. He’s not eradicating pursuit angles with afterburners nor punish defenders as though he possesses the Infinity Gauntlet. Yet he was absurdly productive after stepping in for Rodney Anderson in 2018, showcasing elite balance and footwork and taking advantage of the Sooners’ spread attack and elite offensive line. Said elite OL can make a back like Brooks tough to gauge, yet you cannot dismiss his production: his 8.9 yards per carry were as much his work as his OL’s.

We want to see more from Brooks as a receiver (a pedestrian ten for 57 line in 2018) and growth as an athlete with more time in the weight training would be a huge boost, but Brooks’ production and innate running ability as a redshirt freshman have made him a highly sought after commodity.

2019 Outlook: Few backfields are more crowded than Oklahoma’s. Brooks posted a 1,000-yard season in 2018, Trey Sermon has elite talent, and rising Sophomore TJ Pledger was a four-star recruit in 2018 who adds an element Brooks’ lacks. Still, his performance in 2018 should lend Brooks an upper-hand in earning work, even if he is still sharing half the pie with Sermon.

53. KJ Hamler, WR Penn State Nittany Lions

The Skinny: Few collegiate receivers are more electric than Penn State’s KJ Hamler. Hamler can stop on the proverbial dime (why you’d stop on a dime? I have no clue) and has a gear few can match in the open field. While his height (5’9”) raises some concerns, I have far more reservations about his listed weight of 176. It is tough to succeed at such a number.

Still, we have seen the NFL embrace space players more and more recently, and Penn State’s legendary weight training program should benefit Hamler immensely as his career progresses. Buy the talent and bank on the physical development.

2019 Outlook: More ballyhooed receiver recruits have surrounded Hamler at Penn State, yet he has been the one to emerge as a bona fide star for James Franklin’s crew. Justin Shorter should arrive in 2019 and Penn State’s recruiting at the position has been strong, yet in Hamler’s third year in the system, he figures to be the lead man. Already an all-purpose monster (he broke Saquon Barkley’s school record for all-purpose yardage as a freshman) Hamler could become one of the BIG’s finest receivers.

52. Tyler Vaughns, WR USC Trojans

The Skinny: While no physical specimen at a lithe 185 pounds on a 6’2” frame and without explosive traits, Vaughns wins with sheer will and length, routinely besting defenders at the catch point. He is a quarterback’s best friend in the sense he will give up his body to make a play, and offers a large catch radius. Vaughns has likely ceded the crown of alpha receiver at USC to Amon-Ra St. Brown, but he is still a strong prospect with many NFL traits.

2019 Outlook: Vaughns actually finished third on the Trojans in receiving behind Michael Pittman Jr. (758 yards) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (750 yards), though his 674 yards made it a tight three-way race. All three are back for the Trojans and receiver is one of the team’s deepest positions. While elite production is unlikely to be there, another incremental jump from Vaughns could put him in the day two mix.

51. Master Teague, RB Ohio State Buckeyes

The Skinny: Conjure up an image of a prototypical running back in your mind, and you may imagine something like Master Teague. The compact, powerful Teague played sparingly for the Buckeyes in 2018 yet displayed the trademark strength and burst he did during his high school days.

Teague tested as an elite athlete in high school and shows it on the field, changing directions with ease and possessing the long speed to hit a home run on any given carry. We haven’t seen much from Teague to this point other than elite athleticism and a powerful frame, but the tools alone are tantalizing enough to make Teague a high upside play.

2019 Outlook: JK Dobbins returns, yet Mike Weber departs and his vacated carries may provide the best opportunity for Teague to thrive. Teague’s skill-set differs from Dobbins and Jaelen Gill, offering him an excellent opportunity to emerge as a breakout star in 2019.