Devy Wrap-Up: Championship Week

Kenny Pickett

Bruce Matson Posted On December 7, 2021

The College Football Playoff is set. Cincinnati made it in and didn’t get passed on by the committee. They will get the opportunity to shock the world if they can sneak past Alabama in the first round. After watching how Alabama was able to dismantle Georgia in the SEC Championship game, believing that Cincinnati has a chance in this game is very hard to sell.

After beating Iowa in the Big Ten championship, Michigan will get the opportunity to showcase what they can do against the Georgia Bulldogs. The Wolverines could be college football’s Cinderella story this season if they can sneak away with the National Championship.

Let’s check in on some of the top devy prospects from last weekend’s conference championship games.

QUARTERBACK

Bryce Young, Alabama

Everyone thought Alabama was going to get demolished by Georgia. Styles can often make matchups. This becomes more apparent when you have two of the top teams in the nation playing against each other. Young had a great performance against the best defense in the league. He faced a lot of pressure but managed to pick himself back up and continue to sling the rock.

During the toughest test of his season, Young completed 26 of his 44 pass attempts for 421 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed the ball three times for 40 yards and one score. The game started a little slow for him, but once he got his feet wet, we saw him lead the Crimson Tide by putting up 24 points in the second quarter.

We will get to see him compete against Cincinnati in the first round of the College Football Playoff. This should be an easy matchup. Young will be able to slice through the Bearcats like a hot knife through butter. As long as there is not an upset on our hands, we will see him get a rematch against Georgia in the National Championship game or possibly get to test his pocket awareness against Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson.

Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh

Pickett had another stellar outing last weekend against Wake Forest in the ACC Championship game. The most memorable thing he did in this contest was his 58-yard scamper for a touchdown where we saw him commit a controversial fake slide in the middle of his run. Pickett is not the next Michael Vick, but he does have enough speed to avoid defenders to extend the play if he has the angle. The story has been told a million times this season, but he has come out of nowhere to become a first-round draft candidate in 2022.

RUNNING BACK

Donovan Edwards, Michigan

Everyone is excited for the Wolverines right now. Edwards is a young running back prospect who devy gamers are even more excited about. The former five-star recruit is expected to get more run in the offense next year. He is very explosive with the ball in his hands and has demonstrated an aptitude for catching passes out of the backfield. Look for him to take a major step forward in 2022.

Jerome Ford, Cincinnati

Ford blew up against Houston, rushing for 187 yards and two touchdowns. This includes a 79-yard touchdown run. We are going to see him get drafted if he decided to come out for the draft. He will get his revenge game against Alabama, his former school in the College Football Playoff. His performance in that game could dictate his future at the next level considering all eyes will be on that game and it will be his final opportunity to impress scouts against top-tier competition.

Tavion Thomas, Utah

Thomas has been a riser throughout the year. He didn’t have his biggest performance against Oregon last week but he still deserves the spotlight on him. The 6-foot-2 and 221-pound running back rushed for 1,041 yards and 2020 touchdowns this season. He has five 100-yard performances and has scored a touchdown in eight straight games.

WIDE RECEIVER

Jameson Williams, Alabama

Williams was on fire this week. Against Georgia, he caught seven balls for 184 yards and two touchdowns. He is a threat to take the ball to the house every time he gets the ball in space. I know he only has one productive season under his belt, but he’s done enough to be a first-rounder in the NFL Draft. NFL teams love paying the Alabama tax for wide receivers. With Williams’ big-play ability, there will be no surprise when we hear his name called on day one.

John Metchie, Alabama

Metchie caught seven passes for 184 yards before he had to leave the game. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn ACL and will miss the remainder of the season. Even though he caught 96 balls for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns, I think it might be best for him to return to Alabama and work on his development. He was overshadowed by Williams this year and wasn’t dominant enough to warrant top-end draft capital. The injury will also play into his draft stock.

George Pickens, Georgia

Pickens caught two balls for 41 yards against Alabama. We don’t need him to do a lot to get us excited about his play. The fact that he’s on the field catching passes and receiving snaps is good to see. After all, he is coming back from an ACL injury that he suffered last spring, and the fact he is even on the field right now speaks immensely to how determined he is as a competitor. Look for him to make a big impact in the College Football Playoff. Pickens will be one of the top wide receivers if he decides to come out for the draft.

Jordan Addison, Pittsburgh

Addison is one of the best wide receivers in college football. He might be the reason Pickett gets drafted in the first round. We are watching him put the offense on his back every single week. Against Wake Forest, he caught eight balls for 126 yards. He currently has a 32.48 percent market share of Pitt’s passing production and owns a 39.53 percent share of the team’s passing touchdowns. We should only expect big things from him in 2022.

TIGHT END

Brock Bowers, Georgia

Bowers is the most explosive tight end in the country. He is more than your traditional big-play tight end can make plays downfield. He’s a threat to score every time he has the ball in his hands. There’s also the fact that he can out-jump defensive backs for jump balls, making him a huge threat in red-zone situations. The freshman tight end currently has 47 catches for 791 yards 11 touchdowns on the season. He owns a 24.54 percent market share of the team’s passing production.

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Bruce Matson

Contributor at Dynasty League Football

I'm a financial counselor for a hospital in South Central Ohio. I graduated from Muskingum University with a bachelor's in business while minoring in Economics and Accounting. I won my first fantasy football title with Jake Plummer as my quarterback.