Devy Roundup: Week Ten

All the conferences are finally playing! Man, it felt great to see names like USC and Stanford finally joining in the fray. We had college games from Wednesday to Saturday and even had nine games canceled or postponed due to COVID-19. When will we get to see Graham Mertz and the Badgers play again? Wisconsin has been decimated by the virus and who knows what will happen at Notre Dame after the postgame rushing of the field this weekend.

I am still on a high from the Notre Dame upset – those types of games are why I love college football. Even my 15-year old antisocial daughter was watching the end of the game.

Check here for all the week ten scores.

Top Devy Performances

Kyle Trask, QB FLORIDA

Trask had the biggest game of his career on a huge stage as Florida pounded Georgia in the World’s Largest Cocktail Party. He completed 30 passes for 474 yards and four touchdowns against the “vaunted” Georgia defense. Florida fell behind 14-0 early and the Gator offense went on a tear to take a 38-21 lead before halftime.

The throw here displays the touch Trask has and highlights how much of a beast TE1 Kyle Pitts is as well. Trask consistently throws with touch, placement, and anticipation – his overall improvement from 2019 to 2020 is exponential. The 2021 QB class looks more impressive every week and Trask is my QB5. He could see first-round draft capital if he continues to impress.

Zach Wilson, QB BYU

Boise State was BYU’s biggest test on the schedule and Wilson lit up the Bronco defense for 359 yards and three touchdowns total. The Cougar offense is incredibly difficult to stop with the talented junior at the helm and are poised to make a New Year’s Six Bowl at the least.

The hype train for Wilson is gaining steam and he is firmly entrenched at QB3 in the 2021 class for me. The throws he makes on the run and his mobility is elite. He’s a leader and has moxie. He is nearly everything you would want in a quarterback. The legend is going to grow and you have missed your window to get him cheap in devy leagues.

D’Eriq King, QB MIAMI

Every once in a while, King has a game that highlights his ceiling and what he could be when everything clicks. Against North Carolina State he completed 31 of 41 pass attempts for 430 yards and five touchdowns. Oh, and he also ran for 105 yards as well.

The proficiency and consistency have been the issues and will plague him as a prospect. Games in which he accounts for over 500 yards of offense are a possibility. But games in which he completes 40% of passes and throws three interceptions are also possible. And those latter games have been too prevalent for me to consider King a legitimate quarterback prospect. He will get drafted but how far he goes will be up to him.

Kedon Slovis, QB USC

The Pac-12 finally returned and I was elated to see one of my favorite 2022-eligible quarterbacks in Slovis. He completed 40 of 55 pass attempts for 381 yards and two touchdowns in USC’s thrilling victory over Arizona State. It was one of the better games of the weekend and Slovis outdueled fellow sophomore quarterback Jayden Daniels in the last-minute victory.

For a player to be off the radar as a freshman three-star quarterback, earn the job due to injuries, then play into draft prominence is pretty rare and Slovis has been impressive in doing so. His composure is what strikes me most when watching him – he plays with maturity and doesn’t get rattled. He uses the pocket well and has good mobility. Slovis makes throws with good touch and he throws a catchable ball nearly every time. The 2022 quarterback class is going to be a strong one and Slovis will be one of the first to be drafted.

Jaret Patterson, RB BUFFALO

The return of the MAC (queue the Mark Morrison jam) brought the return of one of my favorite small school backs. Patterson rushed 20 times for 137 yards and scored twice his first game of 2020. It was good to see him back and he has more to prove.

A few months ago I did a detailed cutup of one of his most impressive games, a monstrous game he had in Buffalo’s bowl game victory last season. Patterson runs with power but displays patience and slipperiness as well. He doesn’t take many direct hits and can run through contact. There have not been many passing attempts in his direction and it’s an area he needs to show more in to be drafted higher. I am hoping Buffalo gets him more involved in the passing game.

Kyren Williams, RB NOTRE DAME

Williams continues to be one of the most surprising stars of the 2020 season. He has dominated for the Irish as their starting tailback, rushing 23 times for 140 yards and three touchdowns in the teams’ upset of Clemson.

He set the tone with this rushing touchdown early and the Tigers had no answer for him the entire game. Williams runs hard and has phenomenal vision. He is patient and uses blocks well then has breakaway speed when he gets to the second level. As a sophomore, he is eligible to enter the draft in 2022. I have Breece Hall, Jerrion Ealy, and Isaiah Spiller as the top three backs in the class but Williams is ready to crash the party.

Javonte Williams, RB NORTH CAROLINA

The other running back with the last name of Williams in this article, the Tar Heel back has been equally as impressive and surprising. In the teams’ thrashing of rival Duke, he rushed for 151 yards and three touchdowns on only 12 carries. He added a fourth touchdown receiving and has 17 touchdowns in seven games. The nearly two and a half touchdowns a game pace would project to 29 touchdowns over a full 12-game season. Wow!

Williams is eligible to enter the draft this April and may benefit from a class that isn’t as deep. He is very dangerous – making people miss and running through tackles. His acceleration is elite and the biggest knock is workload – Williams has always shared the backfield. He’s caught 15 passes this season and is effective but not a strength. I have him as RB5 in the class and I feel confident he could be a player drafted on day two who becomes an effective NFL starter.

Bijan Robinson, RB TEXAS

One of the most hyped backs in this year’s freshman class, Robinson finally saw a role and capitalized. He had only had 12 carries but rushed for 113 years and caught two passes for 38 more yards.

This run was impressive and showcases the skills he brings to the field. Robinson has power and balance then can turn it upfield and take over with good speed. The array of moves on this one run was a thing of beauty. The spin move, the nasty stiff-arm -twice, and then the juke to create a better angle. Robinson is going to be a special back and Texas needs to turn over the reins to him.

Mohamed Ibrahim, RB MINNESOTA

I have been skeptical to put Ibrahim on the list but he is averaging nearly 200 yards rushing over Minnesota’s first three games. He carried the ball 30 times against Illinois and amassed 224 yards while scoring four times. In the season, he has scored ten times.

So why have I been skeptical with a player producing on this level? Averaging 190 yards a game and a healthy 5.9 yards per carry look impressive. Ibrahim has done it with a lot of shorter runs and has only a few runs over 20 yards. He had a 53-yard rush this week and a 33-yarder the game before. He gets smaller chunks and frequently is caught from behind on runs even in the 15-20 yard range. I’d like to see breakaway speed before moving him any higher.

Ibrahim is a solid back who will be a backup back in the NFL and occasionally find some playing time. He is a tough runner and one of the better goal line backs I have seen. He finds the smallest crease and then scores. Ibrahim is a name to keep in your back pocket. He is 2021 eligible but will likely stay another season.

Rakim Jarrett, WR MARYLAND

The Maryland offense is humming with quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa and the freshman Jarrett is emerging as a dangerous target. Against Penn State, he caught five passes for 144 yards while scoring twice.

This clip shows both of the touchdowns, it appears to be the same play nearly exactly. Jarrett takes a slant the distance each time and displays his speed to pull away from the defenders. He’s an elite receiver prospect who now has a capable quarterback and could establish himself quickly.

Jordan Addison, WR PITTSBURGH

Another freshman receiver who has already established himself, Addison continues to display dominance and the ability to be a top receiver. He caught 11 passes for 127 yards and is helping Pitt’s offense veer away from a run-first old school offense to a more balanced attack.

Addison already looks like a complete receiver and it’s a bit scary. He tracks the ball well, runs routes precisely and cleanly, and is dangerous after the catch. I won’t continue to bring his name up – if you don’t grab him soon, it’s going to be too late. Addison is one of the biggest risers in the season so far.

Kylen Granson, TE SMU

Every so often, Granson flashes how dominating he can be as a receiving tight end. He caught six balls for 149 yards and one score versus Temple for his first big game of the season. It has been a quiet season thus far despite the offensive prowess of SMU.

Granson is a dangerous receiving option – he has great hands and runs after the catch like a wide receiver. He runs smooth routes and has sound body control at the catch point. His size is a bit small for a typical tight end at 6’3” and 235 pounds. Granson isn’t the strongest blocker but is willing and he will make hay based on his receiving ability.

Michael Mayer, TE NOTRE DAME

Another key performer in the upset of Clemson, Mayer is going to be a tight end to reckon with. He only caught five passes for 67 yards but several were in key situations. Arik Gilbert gets all the press at tight end in the freshman class but Mayer could be special. He blocks tenaciously, has soft but strong hands, and runs well after the catch. In this game, he looked so polished and made plays when the Irish needed it most. Keep an eye on Mayer, buy him now if you can.

Poor Devy Performances

Spencer Rattler, QB OKLAHOMA

With the recent history of quarterbacks in Norman and the high draft pedigree of Rattler, we all expected more this season. Another lackluster performance, this time against lowly Kansas, and maybe we need to look closer at Rattler. I am not super worried but I am approaching him more cautiously as a devy asset.

The overall numbers are still not atrocious for the season. He is completing 67.8% of his passes and has 18 touchdowns with six interceptions. The most concerning thing to me is the lack of bite in the Sooner offense with him at the helm. Rattler can make some impressive throws but at times he looks lost and the offense sputters. Hopefully we can chalk it up to growing pains but I am apprehensive and if someone offered me a king’s ransom – I would entertain moving him.

Jayden Daniels, QB ARIZONA STATE

Opening up the season against USC, the Sun Devils jumped out to a lead and put it on cruise control for a bit too long. The Trojans came back to win and Daniels was one of the reasons as the offense evaporated in the fourth quarter.

Daniels has a ton of hype with some analysts and could be one of the top quarterbacks in the 2022 class. He has a live arm and moves well around the pocket. When he tucks and runs, he is quick and can eat up green space in a flash. I still see too much inconsistency to rank him in the top three of the class. It’s a big season for him and Arizona State is a program on the rise.

Marquee Week 11 Matchups

Full schedule HERE

#3 Ohio State at Maryland 11/14 @ 3:30 P.M. EST

This could end up being the most dangerous team the Buckeyes play until the championship game and bowl season. Maryland is playing well offensively but the bigger issue will be if they can slow down the Buckeyes offense loaded with NFL talent.

The game could be high scoring and I see Maryland keeping up for a while before Ohio State pulls away. The Terrapins have little to lose and are playing great offensively. Tagovailoa has not seen a defense like this Buckeyes unit though. I am sure Ohio State is not overlooking this team.

#2 Notre Dame at Boston College 11/14 @ 3:30 P.M. EST

After a tough battle with Clemson, Notre Dame travels to Boston College for what could be a dangerous test. Notre Dame’s offense looked the best it has all season last weekend but if they regress they could be in trouble against the feisty Eagles.

Boston College’s quarterback Phil Jurkovec is a solid quarterback and tight end Hunter Long is a future NFL tight end. The team can score and took Clemson to the wire. Notre Dame has had a few lackluster performances like the 12-7 win over Louisville.

It will be a hard-fought battle and I have this game as my upset watch of the week. If you are a betting man, watch the line on this one. It will be closer than Las Vegas pegs it.

Arkansas at #6 Florida 11/14 @ 7:00 P.M. EST

Arkansas is in the same vein as Boston College, a feisty team that has played well at times and could give Florida a game. Florida is also coming off a huge win and could be in letdown mode as well.

Feleipe Franks was the man for the Gators several years ago and has been playing well this season. He will have some extra vitriol in this game and I expect him to have to give it 125% in this matchup. But Florida can score in droves and are in the driver’s seat of the SEC East. There is a lot riding on each game and the Gators have the Tide in their sites.

The Wrap Up

After last weekend’s Clemson and Notre Dame tangle we have a quieter weekend in terms of marquee matchups. The week starts Tuesday and we have a full slate going through the Pac-12 After Dark matchups late Saturday night. The season is full of intrigue and hopefully my Big Ten teams can rebound and do something this year!

Have a great week everyone and stay safe!