Devy 100: 50-46

Rob Willette

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.

50. Rashod Bateman, WR Minnesota Golden Gophers

The Skinny: The Minnesota Golden Gophers have become… appointment viewing? Well, at least from a devy perspective. Love him or hate him, P.J. Fleck has stocked the cupboard at the skill positions, giving a moribund program intriguing devy prospects for the first time in years.

Plucked from the bowels of SEC Country, Bateman eschewed late overtures from Georgia and Tennessee to join Fleck’s program and paid immediate dividends. The true freshman posted a 51-704-6 line despite catching passes from a pair of freshmen who experienced numerous growing pains. Long, lean, and with flexibility which would make Gumby blush, Bateman is ascending receiver with oodles of upside.

2019 Outlook: The Gopher depth chart is fairly well-set for 2019. It is Bateman and Tyler Johnson at the top with Chris Autman-Bell augmenting the group. While Johnson is still the alpha here, expected improved play under center could result in Bateman building off his impressive gateway campaign.

49. Jadon Haselwood, WR Oklahoma Sooners

The Skinny: One-time Georgia commit Jadon Haselwood reversed course and is arriving on campus in Norman, giving one of the nation’s annually elite offenses another premier weapon. I’m a sucker for competitive receivers, and few are better at combining athleticism and ferocity at the catch point than the Georgia product.

Haselwood has size and uses it; he’s physical and bullies corners who fail to take the fight to him. While he’s unlikely to simply outrun defenders, there is more than enough athleticism to be enthused about his overall bounce as he matures physically. The frame alone allows for a lot of projection with Haselwood, an important factor when players change levels.

2019 Outlook: Oklahoma is bringing in a trio of gifted receivers to complement CeeDee Lamb, as well as other talented youngsters (showing my age, here) such as Charleston Rambo. Early playing time is going to be tough, though Haselwood may be the best equipped of all Sooner freshman to contribute early. More likely is a 2020 breakout, once Lamb has presumably taken his talents to the NFL.

48. Zach Charbonnet, RB Michigan Wolverines

The Skinny: The punishing Zach Charbonnet is arriving at Michigan at a perfect time. Already built like a pro, Charbonnet treats arm tackles with disdain and finishes every run with panache. While an imposing figure, he’s also blessed with light feet and soft hands.

It should be a fairly seamless transition to the collegiate game, as Charbonnet has a full toolkit. With a change in offensive scheme and a blue-chip running back prospect incoming, the Wolverines offense could finally get out of neutral.

2019 Outlook: It is hard to imagine a scenario in which Charbonnet does not make a major impact in 2019. Michigan graduates Karan Higdon and Chris Evans is not going to play in 2019. While Jim Harbaugh has brought in notable talent at running back over the past several classes, none compare to Charbonnet. This could be his backfield from day one.

47. Tamorrion Terry, WR Florida State Seminoles

The Skinny: Despite a repugnant season for the Seminoles, Tamorrion Terry was a weekly standout. The tall, lithe receiver made a living torching defenses deep, averaging 21.3 yards per grab in 2018. Much like Haselwood, Terry is a menace at the catch point yet has a bit more juice in the open field. Terry’s long gait belies excellent long speed. While far from a finished product, Terry is incredibly intriguing and has already produced at a high level as he grows into his game.

2019 Outlook: Florida State’s offense is still – we’ll say – maturing. Despite its shortcomings, Terry stands as the top receiver on the depth chart and one of the verified playmakers within the offense. Another step forward could lead to Terry entering the 2020 NFL Draft as one of its premier deep threats.

46. Chuba Hubbard, RB Oklahoma State Cowboys

The Skinny: An angular athlete with elite athleticism, Chuba Hubbard thrived next to Justice Hill in 2018. The tall back has track star speed and is a natural moving in space. The Cowboys do an excellent job of scheming him into space, allowing him to showcase his burst and creativity.

Oklahoma State’s offense does not ask for a ton of dirty work from its backs, and we’ve yet to really see if Hubbard can hold up as a rugged back under a heavy workload. But those are minor concerns when juxtaposed with what Hubbard can do. He’s a plus athlete and receiver and has plenty of room to grow after playing high school football in Canada.

2019 Outlook: Justice Hill is now with the Baltimore Ravens, leaving Hubbard as the main cog in the Oklahoma State backfield. Hill peaked as a 299-touch back in his sophomore season. I am skeptical Hubbard is ready to field such a workload, but his expanded role should at the very least offer him a chance to jump into the foray in a deep 2020 running back crop.

rob willette