Devy 100: 70-66

Rob Willette Posted On June 22, 2020

The tagline here at DLF is telling: There is no off-season. The edict goes double for devy leagues. From the initial Signing Day in December through fall camps in August, there is an overwhelming amount of information to digest in order to make an informed decision. It is what makes it such a challenge yet so rewarding when a prospect you have invested in for years pays off.

The Devy 100 is intended to be a preliminary deep dive into the best dynasty assets college football has to offer. Even with a list this large, there will surely be omissions and plenty of movement throughout the year as players develop a more robust profile. This is not to hedge my bets (well – maybe a tad) but to illustrate the purpose of such a list. Alas, we get to the 100. Feel free to @RobWillette24 with your hate mail, which I will assuredly ignore.

70: John Emery, RB LSU Tigers (2022 Draft Eligible)

Profile: The most prized running back recruit to hit Baton Rouge since Leonard Fournette, big things were expected from John Emery in his freshman season. In comparison to expectations, he was a disappointment. However, hitting the ground running in the SEC as a freshman is a hard thing to do, especially when you’re watching Clyde Edwards-Helaire develop into one of the nation’s elite runners and sharing work with the equally capable Tyrion Davis-Price behind him.

Emery touched the ball only 45 times but did showcase his trademark speed and athleticism when he was able to find the open field. Emery has a fairly sinewy frame but he still runs with adequate power and few can turn on the jets like he can when there is grass ahead of him. It was somewhat of an inauspicious start to Emery’s career, but there is nothing too alarming if you were a huge fan of his out of high school.

2020 Outlook: CEH is gone, and the opportunity in the LSU backfield is massive. Emery and the aforementioned Davis-Price figure to handle a majority of the workload. While Davis-Price is not going anywhere, Emery’s value should soar once again if he can approach 200 touches.

69: Josh Downs, WR North Carolina Tar Heels (2023 Draft Eligible)

Profile: For all the questions surrounding the Mack Brown hire – and I had many myself – he has surrounded himself with a great staff and dominated on the recruiting trail. One of his most recent finds is Josh Downs, a slight yet electric talent who should thrive in Chapel Hill with Sam Howell.

Downs dazzled in the Army All-American game, proving a nightmare cover for defensive backs as he simply had his way with defenders. Despite their lack of program panache, North Carolina is a great spot for Downs as he embarks on his collegiate career.

2020 Outlook: The Tar Heels are loaded at wide receiver, with veterans Dyami Brown and Dazz Newsome occupying the top of the depth chart. But Downs is the type of talent who could force the issue, contributing enough splash plays to keep his value steady. There is an underrated opportunity here with Sam Howell under center.

68: Jadon Haselwood, WR Oklahoma Sooners (2022 Draft Eligible)

Profile: A massive opportunity awaited Haselwood in 2020, and then it was all taken away in an instant. A torn ACL has Haselwood’s potential breakout campaign on hold. Haselwood posted a 19-272-1 line as a true freshman despite a crowded depth chart, and the stage was set for him to possibly be the heir apparent to CeeDee Lamb. Instead, Haselwood and his freaky contested catch ability will be sidelined until he can get his knee right. A torn ACL is far from a career dagger in 2020 and Haselwood’s game was not predicated on dominating athleticism anyway, but it is still a downer for fans who thought we’d see a new star emerge in Norman.

2020 Outlook: Haselwood is slated to miss at least a portion of the 2020 season. Covid-19 has introduced many questions with regards to when college football will start, or if we’ll even see it at all. A delayed start may allow Haselwood ample time to recover, though it is unlikely he’s all systems-go to start.

67: Master Teague, RB Ohio State Buckeyes (2021 Draft Eligible)

Profile: If I can fire off a hot take, there is never a good time to tear your Achilles tendon, whether you’re an Average Joe or a finely-tuned athlete. For Teague, it is crushing. Teague was poised to take over lead back duties following the departure of JK Dobbins. Instead, he’ll likely miss the season as he rehabs, watching transfer Trey Sermon gobble up opportunities.

Teague is a big-bodied back who has thrived as Dobbins’ apprentice, and to complement his profile he posted elite testing numbers as a high school recruit. The big questions are receiving ability (four receptions over two seasons) and injury; it is possible we don’t see Teague fully healthy until he exhausts his eligibility, a terrible blow to a back who could have entered the second-tier of runners in the 2021 class.

2020 Outlook: It is feasible Teague can make a late-season return – especially if the Buckeyes make a deep playoff run – but this is shaping up to be a lost year. We may not see Teague until 2021.

66: Frank Ladson, WR Clemson Tigers (2022 Draft Eligible)

Profile: As most receivers do at the Wide Receiver Factory which is Clemson, Frank Ladson had to fight for scraps behind the Tigers’ established duo of stars. Ladson may not be a complete receiver at this juncture of his development but he has a skill NFL teams will always covet: the ability to get vertical. With his length and speed, Ladson is impossible to corral as he gallops down the field.

Ladson can adjust to the ball gracefully in mid-air and he’s got the length to simply overmatch most corners. More of a straight-line athlete as opposed to one who can leave defenders grasping for air, Ladson may be typecast as a vertical weapon if he fails to round out his toolkit. That has a lot of value in itself, but it does cap his upside.

2020 Outlook: The injury to Justyn Ross leaves huge opportunity for Ladson. He and Joe Ngata – along with versatile weapon Amari Rodgers – should carry what is nearly guaranteed to be a fruitful passing game. It is a massive opportunity for Ladson to become a devy star.