Devy Roundup: Week Three
Week two of the college football season was filled with a little bit of everything. We had a couple of true freshmen (Ryan Hilinski and Kedon Slovis) step in for injured starters and impress.
In addition, we had some devy favorites (Rondale Moore and Cam Akers among others) continue to impress. We also had a stellar cross-conference primetime battle between two powerhouses in LSU and Texas. As usual, the regular season offers many intriguing storylines.
MY RANKINGS
Below is a preview of my Top 25 Devy rankings. You can find my full set here.
We are just two weeks into the regular season so I do not want to overact to a few games but here are a couple of small changes I made this week.
1. Moved D’Andre Swift and Jonathan Taylor above Trevor Lawrence – This is in no way a knock on Lawrence, but the running backs are that good. I want as many shares of both of them as I can get.
2. Moved Rondale Moore up into tier-one – He was already close to the top tier for me but it is time I make him my top devy wide receiver. He is so versatile and can win in so many ways. With the way the NFL is trending towards getting playmakers out in space, I think Moore is going to excel there like he currently is at Purdue.
3. Made my second tier larger – Kylin Hill, Cam Akers, Trey Sermon, CeeDee Lamb, Rashod Bateman, and Justin Fields are too good to leave out of the second tier.
Top performers
Below are some of the top performers of the week. Of course, I could not list everyone who played well, but here are a few who stood out. You can find the full set of statistics from the week here.
Rondale Moore, WR Purdue (13 rec, 220 yards, 1 TD)
You probably do not need me to tell you Moore is one of the top playmakers in college football. In addition to his versatility, he is also a very consistent producer. In his 15 games for Purdue so far, he has gained at least 65 total yards in all but one. Whether it be his speed, agility, or strength, there are so many ways he can beat you.
Cam Akers, RB FSU (193 yards rushing, 2 TDs, 5 rec, 55 yards, 1 TD)
We are finally starting to see the Akers we were hoping for the last couple of years. Any of you who held on or bought low are being rewarded now. He is a good receiver and figures to test well at the combine so putting some good game tape out there is a very important addition to his draft profile. I was particularly impressed with the power he demonstrated on Saturday while running over numerous defenders.
Ryan Hilinski, QB South Carolina (282 yards passing, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 1 rushing TD)
Hilinski made his first start Saturday for the Gamecocks after Jake Bentley underwent surgery for a Lisfranc injury. The true freshman might be just what South Carolina needs to unlock its offensive potential. Nobody is happier than stud wide receiver Bryan Edwards, who caught five passes for over 100 yards and two touchdowns. Granted, it was against Charleston Southern. Let’s see how they do against Alabama next week.
Kedon Slovis, QB USC (377 yards passing, 3 TDs)
Many, including myself, thought the USC offense was in serious trouble after starting quarterback JT Daniels suffered a torn ACL and meniscus. Not so fast. True freshman Kedon Slovis stepped in and shredded the Stanford defense and surprised many people in the process. Could Slovis be the one to save head coach Clay Helton’s job and make the USC offense fun to watch again?
Joe Burrow, QB LSU (471 yards passing, 4 TDs, 1 INT)
Burrow and the LSU Tigers are turning into serious playoff contenders. Their upcoming schedule is brutal but they have serious talent on both sides of the ball. Burrow has helped make LSU’s offense fun to watch again and has helped their trio of receivers (Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, and Terrace Marshall) all play well. Each had over 100 yards against Texas.
Sam Ehlinger, QB Texas (401 yards passing, 4 TDs, 60 yards rushing, 1 TD)
Ehlinger was Burrow’s opponent in their epic battle Saturday night and looked great as well. His has a talented trio of receivers of his own (Brennan Eagles, Collin Johnson, and Devin Duvernay). Ehlinger is a potential Heisman contender but will likely need Texas to win the rest of their games to have a chance to win the award.
MARQUEE MATCHUPS
Below are some of the games I will be sure to tune into for this upcoming week’s slate. You can check out the full week three schedule here.
#2 Alabama @ South Carolina – 9/14 @ 3:30 PM EST on CBS
My favorite matchup of the game will be the new connection of Ryan Hilinski and Bryan Edwards against the tough Alabama secondary. A good performance by Edwards against a solid defense will make me feel more comfortable about him as a prospect. His breakout age is elite but I want to see more consistency against tough competition.
The Crimson Tide seemingly have an endless supply of playmakers. Henry Ruggs and Keilan Robinson showed off their world-class speed in last week’s win against New Mexico State and they are not even the top options at their respective positions. Very few teams can slow them down.
#1 Clemson @ Syracuse – 9/14 @ 7:30 PM EST on ABC
This does not look like a good matchup on paper, but Syracuse has given Clemson fits over the past couple of years. After Syracuse beat them in 2017, Clemson barely escaped with a four-point victory last year. They are not taking this matchup lightly this time around.
Florida State @ #25 Virginia – 9/14 @ 7:30 PM EST on ACCN
The Florida State offense has improved from last year and Cam Akers has been the main beneficiary. I am curious to see how they perform against a top-25 ranked Virginia team. Akers’s devy stock is on the rise and another solid performance would cause it to pick up even more steam.
- Devy Roundup: Week 14 - November 26, 2019
- Devy Roundup: Week 13 - November 20, 2019
- Devy Roundup: Week 12 - November 12, 2019
