The Devy Game of the Year

There is typically a game each season which is almost too good to be true, where two college teams square up in the regular season with immense implications on the line. A #1 versus #2 with both teams loaded with college prospects and conference game berths on the line, along with posturing for the Bowl Championship Series, and – perhaps most importantly – bragging rights.

The #1 LSU Tigers travel to Tuscaloosa Saturday to take on the #2 team in the country, the Crimson Tide of Alabama (based on AP rankings; the College Football Playoff Rankings have LSU at #2 and Alabama at #3 behind Ohio State at #1). Both teams enter the match 8-0, and both teams in the storied rivalry are loaded with NFL talent, including possibly the top two quarterbacks entering the 2020 NFL draft in April.

The last time these two clashed with so much on the line was in 2011. LSU was ranked #1 and Alabama #2. It was also the last time the Tigers defeated the Crimson Tide.

Alabama has won eight in a row but this is not the same LSU team. They are explosive, led by a quarterback who can sling it with the best. These teams have so much devy talent, and it has the potential to be the best game of the year.

The Quarterbacks

The man at the helm of the potent LSU offense is senior quarterback Joe Burrow. He entered the season as a prospect that could be a day three pick, but has lit up the stat sheet this season. He’s completed nearly 80% of his passes with 2,805 yards, 30 scores, and only 4 interceptions. The offense is averaging 46.8 points a game and Burrow is a huge reason for their scoring success. Last season, there were flashes of potential. He has taken a huge step forward in 2019.

Burrow has looked like a complete quarterback this year. He is an older prospect, having sat on the bench his first three years at Ohio State before transferring to LSU for his last two seasons. He has tremendous touch and accuracy, his footwork is impressive, and he escapes and feels pressure well. He’s crushing the LSU record books and is now in the early first round of draft discussions. If he continues to play as well as he has so far this year, he will likely be the second quarterback selected.

The first quarterback selected is likely to be the other man on the field Saturday – if he plays – junior Tua Tagovailoa. I fully expect him to play, but Alabama has played well with Tua on the mend from ankle surgery. He has 2,166 yards passing with 27 touchdowns versus only two interceptions in the seven games he has been on the field.

He is also hyper-efficient, completing over 70% of his passes in his three seasons at Alabama. He can make all the throws and takes great care of the ball. He is smart and rarely makes an errant throw. He doesn’t have the deep touch some are enamored with, but he can throw deep when needed. Hopefully we see him this weekend. The game would be a great showcase for Tua on another huge stage.

Running Through the Backs

The lead back for the Tigers this season has been Clyde Edwards-Helaire, a tough runner who always gains positive yards. Ray Garvin dropped a video recently of one of Edwards-Helaire’s runs highlighting how much of a dynamic runner he can be. He’s not a back who will break off huge runs by turning on jets and exploding through defenses. He has great balance through contact and is nearly impossible for one man to bring down.

If Edwards-Helaire has to miss time, talented freshman John Emery can take up the reins. He’s a five-star recruit who is more explosive, the next in line of great Tigers backs and another guy to have on your devy radar.

Najee Harris is the lead back for the Crimson Tide and will likely be a day two draft pick in the NFL draft next year. Harris is rushing for nearly six yards a carry and has also caught 16 passes. He is a versatile back with a nose for the end zone and doesn’t get enough attention in the stacked 2020 class. He is strong, big, has great balance, and possesses enough speed to break off big runs. He has patience and anticipates blocks well, then uses his strength to plow through tackles. In the right situation, he could be a three-down back in the NFL and a valuable player for fantasy teams.

Another explosive weapon the Tide have at their disposal is running back Brian Robinson. He possesses breakaway speed and is a dynamic pass-catching option. He is used sparingly but may be needed more in a big game such as this.

The Elite Fleet – The Wide Receivers

This game features a handful of wideouts who will be playing on Sundays soon. Justin Jefferson is the lead LSU receiver, a 6’3” 195 wideout who has 819 yards and 9 scores this season. He is a junior who excels at high-pointing and tracking, a strong route runner, and good at finding holes in zone coverage. He uses his body well for positioning, but doesn’t create separation using moves as well.

The most lethal pass-catcher for the Tigers is sophomore Ja’Marr Chase, a five-star 2021 eligible player to remember for your devy drafts next year. At 6’1” and 200 pounds with an array of moves after the catch not often seen from such a young prospect, he has a knack for finding the end zone, scoring nine times so far this season. He creates separation and uses his hands to set up defensive backs, has great speed and acceleration, and he catches well away from his body with strong hands. Chase is projecting as a possible first-round pick in 2021, one of the top wide receivers if he comes out after his junior season.

Terrace Marshall completes Louisiana State’s trio of top pass-catching options, another sophomore and a dangerous threat with a nose for the end zone. A tall, lanky receiver at 6’4” and 200 pounds, Marshall has speed for days and can make defenses pay by going over the top as they contend with Jefferson and Chase. He has scored seven touchdowns on only 22 catches despite missing three games this season.

Sounds impressive right? Head over to the other sideline and there are two wideouts that could go in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft, and another who could be the WR1 on many teams in college football.

It starts with junior Jerry Jeudy, winner of the Biletnikoff Award in 2018. He will likely be the top wide receiver taken in the 2020 draft and a possible top-10 pick. He is truly elite. The stats don’t even tell the whole story. He has grabbed 52 balls for 682 yards and eight scores, but fights for targets as Tua spreads the ball around. Jeudy is a refined route runner who creates separation consistently with a full array of moves, has phenomenal hands and is dangerous after the catch. At 6’1” and 195 pounds, he has drawn comparisons to Odell Beckham, former LSU receiver.

Henry Ruggs is drawing comparisons to another elite receiver in terms of talent and speed – Kansas City Chiefs’ weapon Tyreek Hill. Ruggs, a junior, could be the fastest player in college football and may run close to a 4.2 in the 40-yard dash if he attends the NFL combine. He has elite acceleration, too, and uses angles well to create yards after the catch. He doesn’t create separation well at the line of scrimmage and is a little slight at 6’0” and 190 pounds, but he is a true burner and difference-maker which the NFL will covet.

Junior Devonta Smith is the third member of the lethal trio in Tuscaloosa. He is capable of putting up huge games. In week five versus Ole Miss he caught 11 balls for 274 yards and five scores. He has great speed and is very athletic. While he doesn’t stand out and can drop balls occasionally, he has the ability to be a strong wide receiver at the next level. He will likely return to Alabama for his senior season and could step up more next year.

Beyond those three, sophomore Jaylen Waddle could also step in and be a spark if needed. At 5’10” and 185 pounds, he is more of a slot-type receiver with electric speed and run after the catch ability. He topped 800 yards and scored 7 times his freshman year, but has not been as much of a factor in 2019. He could be an X-factor returning punts as well, and he’s a fun player to watch.

Tight Ends

Tight ends have not been a huge factor for each school. Burrow has at times used his junior tight end, Thaddeus Moss. At 6’3” and 250 pounds, he’s a solid tight end but doesn’t stick out as a player who will be much of a factor in the NFL.

Alabama has featured Miller Forristall this season at tight end, but he will miss the big game, leaving Major Tennison as the starting tight end. The Tide has a history of sending tight ends to the NFL, and the redshirt sophomore Tennison has a shot of being the next one. He has the size at 6’5” and 250 pounds and was a four-star recruit in 2017. He hasn’t seen much action, but has good hands and, if needed, it will be a good test to see how he performs on the biggest stage of his career thus far.

D-E-F-E-N-S-E

If defense tickles your fancy, this game is loaded with defensive guys who will also be donning helmets in the NFL. Each team has a bevy of devy talent if your IDP league features devy as well.

The safety for LSU is their best defensive prospect entering the 2020 draft, junior Grant Delpit. He is projecting to be an early first round pick – a playmaking safety who can make plays and is versatile enough to help in the run game and in pass coverage. Jacob Phillips, junior linebacker, leads the team with 59 tackles and could be a solid linebacker at the NFL level. He doesn’t have the range and instincts of Devin White, but he makes plays and isn’t a total liability in the pass game. K’Lavon Chaisson is their best pass-rusher, an outside linebacker who can wreak some havoc but is having a down year – only two sacks over six games.

LSU’s cornerbacks are both NFL quality. Kristian Fulton is a senior and day one type of talent for the 2020 NFL Draft. He does everything well as a corner – he covers inside and outside, good in run support, and is physical enough to bump at the line as well as blitzing. Freshman Derek Stingley has been awesome this season and is looking like he will be the top corner in the 2022 Draft. He has been a nightmare to throw against, with four interceptions this season, but he might not play this Saturday due to injury.

The cornerbacks for Alabama are also very good. Trevon Diggs is a senior who will likely go in the first or second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He has only allowed 12 catches on 28 targets this season. Diggs is a pro-ready corner who plays the position like a receiver, playing the ball well and mimicking the moves of the receiver he is covering. Patrick Surtain is a sophomore who is playing better this year and has NFL pedigree as the son of the former NFL corner with the same name.

Xavier McKinney is the Crimson Tide’s junior safety. He leads the team with 56 tackles. He has a knack for getting to the ball quickly and aggressively, anticipating and diagnosing plays well. Shane Lee is one of the freshman inside linebackers. He has 50 tackles on the season and is more of the two-down linebacker type who attacks the ball but is not as good in pass coverage. Freshman Christian Harris is much better and likely to step up as the next great Alabama linebacker, although he is still quite raw and will be tested. The unit greatly missed Dylan Moses, their injured junior who will likely still be an early pick in the 2020 NFL Draft despite missing the entire season.

Anfernee Jennings generates pass rushing from the outside linebacker spot. He is a senior and provides leadership on a defense that hasn’t been asked to win games – yet. Another senior, defensive end Raekwon Davis, may be the highest drafted defensive player from Alabama in the 2020 Draft. Davis is a huge, powerful end who is great in run support and also generates pressure when he isn’t being double-teamed.

Game Overview

This is going to be a fun one. Both offenses are explosive, but haven’t seen the NFL-caliber corners they will face in this contest. Each side of the ball features NFL talent. There are up to ten guys in this game likely drafted in the first round next year alone.

Grab some popcorn, watch this game, and consider recording it – it will be one to go back to and watch closely from a scouting standpoint.

My final prediction: LSU 33, Alabama 30. It’s gonna be a fun one!