Weekly Update (10/20/15)

Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, there has never been this many unbeaten teams this late in the season. The Bengals, Patriots, Panthers, Packers, and Broncos are the remaining unscathed clubs. The Lions who were the league's only winless team, got a win over the Bears. The Jaguars now possess the #1 pick in the 2016 NFL draft.  

Check out the 8 games DFD will be focusing on this week, here: WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

The Week Four Rookie of the Week is: Saints OLB Hau'oli Kikaha
Read more about it here: DFD ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

NOTABLE ROOKIE PERFORMANCES FROM WEEK FIVE:

NO - HAU'OLI KIKAHA/OLB/WASHINGTON/2ND ROUND
7 tackles 1 sack
MIN - STEFON DIGGS/WR/MARYLAND/5TH ROUND
7 receptions 129 yards
MIN - ERIC KENDRICKS/ILB/UCLA/2ND ROUND
10 tackles
NYG - LANDON COLLINS/DS/ALABAMA/2ND ROUND
5 tackles 1 interception
PHI - JORDAN HICKS/OLB/TEXAS/3RD ROUND
10 tackles

WEEKLY UPDATE (10/13/15)

Amazingly, every team that entered Week Five in the NFL undefeated, left Week Five undefeated. I believe this may be an NFL record for most teams unbeaten after five weeks. The Bengals and Falcons needed overtime to remain that way. The Patriots dominated the Cowboys. The Packers and Broncos took care of business, while the Panthers had the week off. The Lions were blown out at home by the Cardinals, remaining winless, and keeping a firm grasp on the number one pick.

Figuring out who is the best team in college football right now is a wee-bit tougher, but then again that is why we have a playoff at the end of the year to figure this out. Ohio State remains number one in all of the major polls, but they have not played like the best team. The best resume of any team right now belongs to Utah. The Utes have wins over resurgent Michigan (who has shutout 3 teams in a row) and over one loss Cal. They are the only unbeaten PAC-12 team remaining. 

NEWS & NOTES

• Georgia says RB Nick Chubb has a “significant“ knee injury to multiple ligaments and cartilage but not the ACL, arteries or nerves. Chubb is not draft eligible until 2017.

Check out the 9 games DFD will be focusing on this week, here: WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

The Week Four Rookie of the Week is: Packers CB Quinten Rollins
Read more about it here: DFD ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

NOTABLE ROOKIE PERFORMANCES FROM WEEK FIVE:

HOU - JAELEN STRONG/WR/ARIZONA STATE/3RD ROUND
2 receptions 53 yards 2 TD
SEA - THOMAS RAWLS/RB/CENTRAL MICHIGAN/UDFA
23 attempts 169 yards 1 TD
WSH - JAMISON CROWDER/WR/DUKE/4TH ROUND
8 receptions 87 yards
TB - JAMEIS WINSTON/QB/FLORIDA STATE/1ST ROUND
13/19 209 yards 1 TD
TB - KWON ALEXANDER/OLB/LSU/4TH ROUND
5 tackles 1 sack
STL - TODD GURLEY/RB/GEORGIA/1ST ROUND
30 attempts 159 yards
GB - QUINTEN ROLLINS/CB/MIAMI-OH/2ND ROUND
2 tackles 2 interceptions 1 TD

Thank you Steve Spurrier for all you have done at the University of South Carolina and for college football.

Weekly Update (10/6/15)

Six teams remain unbeaten in the NFL after four weeks (Bengals, Patriots, Packers, Falcons, Panthers, and Broncos). The Lions are the lone winless team in the league.

NEWS & NOTES

• The Dolphins fired head coach Joe Philbin after the teams loss to the Jets in London on Sunday. He was replaced by interim coach Dan Campbell.
• The Ravens traded a 7th-round pick in 2017 to the Rams for WR Chris Givens. 
• The Vikings have traded linebacker Gerald Hodges to the San Francisco 49ers for a 6th-round draft pick and center Nick Easton.
• UCLA OLB Myles Jack has declared for the 2016 NFL Draft. Jack suffered a season ending knee injury a few weeks ago. He has withdrawn from school and started the draft prep process. Jack entered the season as the DFD #2 OLB prospect.
• Auburn has dismissed WR Duke Williams from its football team. He joins Rutgers WR Leonte Caroo as top WR prospects to be kicked off of their respective teams this season.

Check out the 7 games DFD will be focusing on this week, here: WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

The Week Four Rookie of the Week is: Rams RB Todd Gurley
Read more about it here: DFD ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

NOTABLE ROOKIE PERFORMANCES FROM WEEK FOUR:

BAL - ZA'DARIUS SMITH/OLB/KENTUCKY/4TH ROUND

4 tackles 2 sacks

JAX - T.J. YELDON/RB/ALABAMA/2ND ROUND

22 attempts 105 yards

WSH - PRESTON SMITH/OLB/MISSISSIPPI STATE/2ND ROUND

3 tackles 1 sack

CAR - RYAN DELAIRE/DE/TOWSON/UDFA

5 tackles 2 sacks

CLV - DUKE JOHNSON/RB/MIAMI-FL/3RD ROUND

8 attempts 31 yards; 9 receptions 85 yards 1 TD

MIN - STEFON DIGGS/WR/MARYLAND/5TH ROUND

6 receptions 87 yards

STL - TODD GURLEY/RB/GEORGIA/1ST ROUND

19 attempts 146 yards; 2 receptions 15 yards

ARZ - DAVID JOHNSON/RB/NORTHERN IOWA/3RD ROUND

3 attempts 18 yards; 4 receptions 63 yards 1 TD

DAL - DAMIEN WILSON/OLB/MINNESOTA/4TH ROUND

9 tackles 0.5 sacks

NO - HA'OLI KIKAHA/OLB/WASHINGTON/2ND ROUND

8 tackles 1 sack

NO - STEPHONE ANTHONY/ILB/CLEMSON/1ST ROUND

7 tackles 1 sack

NO - TYELER DAVISON/DT/FRESNO STATE/5TH ROUND

4 tackles 1 sack

Weekly Update (9/29/15)

Seven team remain unbeaten in the NFL after three weeks, and four team (Bears, Lions, Saints, and Ravens) are in the race to the bottom. Speaking of the Bears, Chicago unloaded DE Jared Allen (to the Panthers) and LB Jon Bostic (to the Patriots) for a pair of 6th round picks in the 2016 draft.

Quick Draft Dish is up with notes from Weeks 3 and 4 of the college football season. You can see them by clicking here: QUICK DRAFT DISH

Check out the 7 games DFD will be focusing on this week, here: WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

The Week Three Rookie of the Week is: Bills RB Karlos Williams
Read more about it here: DFD ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

NOTABLE ROOKIE PERFORMANCES FROM WEEK THREE:

TEN - MARCUS MARIOTA/QB/OREGON/1ST ROUND
27/44 367 yards 2 TD 1 INT
OAK - AMARI COOPER/WR/ALABAMA/1ST ROUND
8 receptions 134 yards
NO - HAU'OLI KIKAHA/OLB/WASHINGTON/2ND ROUND
6 tackles 1 sack
NO - MARCUS MURPHY/RB/MISSOURI/7TH ROUND
3 KR 72 yards; 2 PR 82 yards 1 TD
CAR - SHAQ THOMPSON/OLB/WASHINGTON/1ST ROUND
7 tackles 1 sack
PHI - JORDAN HICKS/OLB/TEXAS/3RD ROUND
10 tackles 1 INT
TB - JAMEIS WINSTON/QB/FLORIDA STATE/1ST ROUND
17/36 261 yards 1 TD 1 INT
SF - ARIK ARMSTEAD/DE/OREGON/1ST ROUND
3 tackles 1 sack
BUF - KARLOS WILLIAMS/RB/FLORIDA STATE/5TH ROUND
12 attempts 110 yards 1 TD
BUF - RONALD DARBY/CB/FLORIDA STATE/2ND ROUND
5 tackles 1 INT
SEA - THOMAS RAWLS/RB/CENTRAL MICHIGAN/UDFA
16 attempts 104 yards

Quick Draft Dish: Week 4

WEEK FOUR

CINCINNATI @ MEMPHIS

·       CINCINNATI JR QB GUNNER KIEL (#11) had a scary moment in this game. After going into a slide, Kiel was nailed by a Memphis defender and knocked unconscious. Kiel was stretchered out. He regained motion in all of his extremities. Compounding the issue is Kiel was concussed a five days earlier in a game against Miami (OH). Kiel has the potential to be an NFL quarterback, but this latest bout of injury news is concerning.

UCF @ SOUTH CAROLINA

·       SOUTH CAROLINA JR WR PHAROH COOPER (#11) is without a doubt the best offensive weapon on the Gamecock’s offense. Cooper is a triple threat for South Carolina. He is phenomenal with the ball in his hands. Cooper does not have what I would call breakaway speed. In this game against UCF, he kind of just went through the motions, especially in the first half. He had a boneheaded fumble on a punt return that he tried to field inside the two-yard line. He also put in a lackluster effort to catch a pass in the end zone. His second half performance was better, but I expect a better effort from a potential top 60 player.

LSU @ SYRACUSE

·       LSU JR OC ETHAN POCIC (#77) is a very good center prospect. Pocic has good power at the point of attack. He looks good down blocking. He has the ability to play guard as well. You don’t often see centers come out early, so he will likely be one of the top prospects at his position in 2017.

TENNESSEE @ FLORIDA

·       FLORIDA JR CB VERNON HARGREAVES (#1) is a top ten prospect for me. He is excellent in press coverage. He recovers well and has excellent ball skills. Hargreaves is solid at blitzing off the edge. The only thing potentially holding him back is his height (5’11”), as the NFL has become fascinated with long, tall corners.

UMASS @ NOTRE DAME

·       UMASS SR QB BLAKE FROHNAPFEL (#7) is an okay prospect. Frohnapfel has adequate arm strength and is fairly accurate in the short to intermediate range. He has great size (6’6” 238). He doesn’t do anything special, however. He is in all likelihood a free agent/camp arm type of prospect.

WESTERN MICHIGAN @ OHIO STATE

·       WESTERN MICHIGAN JR WR DANIEL BRAVERMAN (#8) has really emerged in the early part of the season. Thru the first four games, he has an astounding 50 catches for 521 yards and six touchdowns. Braverman has great hands and he runs great routes. He probably isn’t the fastest guy. He is likely a slot receiver at the next level. He along with JR WR COREY DAVIS (#84) gives the Broncos a pair of NFL prospect wide receivers.

NC STATE @ SOUTH ALABAMA

·       NC STATE RSOPH DE PHAROAH MCEVER (#87) is a guy I was really high on entering the season. McEver was an athletic phenom during his redshirt freshman season. He appears to have bulked up several pounds in the offseason and it has sapped some of his speed. He will need time to adjust his game to a heavier style. He also been moved to the second team. For now, I am ruling him out as a 2016 prospect, and will re-evaluate him next year.

FRESNO STATE @ SAN JOSE STATE

·       SAN JOSE STATE SR RB TYLER ERVIN (#7) is a guy whose bandwagon I jumped on a year ago. He has really taken his game to the next level. Ervin is showing more burst and is showing the ability to carry the load. He was voted as a captain this year. He is also a dynamic return man. He compares favorably to Bengals RB Gio Bernard. I expect many more to join me aboard the Ervin Express after his 300 yard performance in this game.

Quick Draft Dish: Week 3

WEEK THREE

FLORIDA STATE @ BOSTON COLLEGE

·       FLORIDA STATE SR QB EVERETT GOLSON (#6) is a graduate transfer from Notre Dame. Golson is a small framed quarterback (6’0 200), with adequate arm strength, and so-so accuracy. Golson has mobility and he moves the pocket well, but I do not see success for him at the next level.

SOUTH CAROLINA @ GEORGIA

·       GEORGIA JR QB GREYSON LAMBERT (#11) is a graduate transfer from Virginia. I am a little higher on Lambert than most. Lambert has prototype size (6’5” 225). He has decent arm strength, but has very little mobility. In this game, Lambert set the FBS record for in-game completion percentage. Lambert completed 24 of 25 passes for 330 yards. If Lambert continues to improve, he could be one of the top senior quarterbacks in the 2017 draft class.

AUBURN @ LSU

·       AUBURN JR QB JEREMY JOHNSON (#6) came into the season with a small sample size, but oozed potential. Thru the first three games, Johnson has looked completely lost. He can’t read underneath coverage. He has thrown six interceptions, most of which were right to defenders. Johnson has the size (6’5” 230) and arm skills to make it in the NFL. His confidence is in the toilet right now, and he was benched after this game.

GEORGIA TECH @ NOTRE DAME

·       NOTRE DAME SR OT RONNIE STANLEY (#78) is one of the best overall prospects for the 2016 NFL Draft. Stanley is an athletic tackle with amazing strength and feet. In the three games, Stanley has allowed zero sacks and only one pressure. He is a people mover in the run game. Stanley is a near lock for the top ten.

CAL @ TEXAS

·       CAL JR QB JARED GOFF (#16) is one of the fastest rising prospects for the 2016 draft. Goff has great height (6’4”) but does have a smaller frame. He has added weight each of his years in Berkley. Goff makes good decisions and has very good arm strength. He gets through his progressions quickly and is very accurate. Goff is especially accurate beyond 20 yards, which is rare. I am interested to see more.

MISSISSIPPI @ ALABAMA

·       MISSISSIPPI JR DT ROBERT NKEMDICHE (#5) is a tremendous athlete. Nkemdiche uses his quick hands and feet to make a living in the opposition’s backfield. He is scheme diverse. He is equally adept at rushing the passer as he is at stopping the run. He has even score three touchdowns on offense this year. The sky is the limit at the next level for Nkemdiche.

Quick Draft Dish: Week 2

WEEK TWO

LOUISIANA TECH @ WESTERN KENTUCKY

·       WESTERN KENTUCKY SR RB LEON ALLEN (#33) was considered a mid-round prospect coming into the season. Allen is a three down back with good size and speed. In the third quarter of this game, Allen suffered a pretty horrific leg injury that will keep him out the rest of the season. It is possible he could pursue a medical hardship and obtain another year of eligibility.

·       LOUISIANA TECH SR RB KENNETH DIXON (#28) is one of the top senior running back prospects. Dixon has good burst and has some wiggle to his game. He has great hands. He never has to leave the field. He has been highly productive for the Bulldogs since his freshman season.

UTAH STATE @ UTAH

·       UTAH STATE SR QB CHUCKIE KEETON (#16) was one of the top quarterback prospects two years ago. After multiple knee injuries, he looks like a shell of his former self. He still has the mobility needed, but he can’t seem to fully be able to plant to maximize his arm strength. He took a beating in this game as well. He probably isn’t draftable anymore because of his medical concerns, and that truly is a shame.

UMASS @ COLORADO

·       UMASS SR WR TAJAE SHARPE (#1) is a big fast wide receiver prospect. Sharpe has great hands and is a solid route runner. Sharpe is electric after the catch. He doesn’t get much pub, but my guess is he will by season’s end. I will get at least one (maybe two) more viewings this year, and hopefully I will get to see him live in Mobile at the Senior Bowl.

KENTUCKY @ SOUTH CAROLINA

·       SOUTH CAROLINA SR TE JERRELL ADAMS (#89) is a solid mid-round prospect. Adams is solid as an inline blocker. He has soft hands, and can open up the middle of the field. He has the occasional concentration lapse and has dealt with a few minor injuries.

NOTRE DAME @ VIRGINIA

·       NOTRE DAME JR OLB JAYLON SMITH (#9) is a tremendous player. Smith will play all over the field. He excels in coverage, even lining up in the slot covering receivers. Smith reads and diagnoses plays quickly. He is a sure tackler. There isn’t much he doesn’t do well. At worst, he is likely a top 15 pick next year.

MIDDLE TENNESSEE @ ALABAMA

·       ALABAMA SR QB JACOB COKER (#14) is not exactly seizing the opportunity given to him. Coker is a graduate transfer from Florida State. He sat behind Jameis Winston and then transferred to Alabama where he sat behind Blake Sims a year ago. Coker has the size (6’5” 230), and has slightly above average arm strength. Coker is not the best decision maker. If backup quarterback Cooper Bateman was any better, he likely would have been replaced already. As of this time, I do not think Coker is draftable.

OKLAHOMA @ TENNESSEE

·       OKLAHOMA SR WR STERLING SHEPARD (#3) is the prototype NFL slot receiver. Shepard is small in stature (5’10”), but is shifty, has great hands, and is a good route runner. Shepard is also an excellent return man. He is comparable to Seattle rookie wide receiver Tyler Lockett (3^rd round/Kansas State), but not quite as dynamic.

LSU @ MISSISSIPPI STATE

·       LSU SR OG VADAL ALEXANDER (#74) is currently the starter at right tackle for the Tigers. Alexander does not have the athleticism to block the edge at the next level. He does however have traits that could translate to Pro Bowl level in the NFL at the guard position. He is very strong at the point of attack. He gets to the second level and finishes blocks. Alexander plays with a mean streak that can’t be taught.

OREGON @ MICHIGAN STATE

·       MICHIGAN STATE SR QB CONNOR COOK (#18) is currently my number one rated quarterback prospect. Cook has NFL size (6’3” 218), has plenty of arm strength, and is a fairly accurate passer. He does go through spells where his mechanics get a little choppy, and his accuracy suffers because of it. These are things that can be cleaned up.

·       MICHIGAN STATE JR TE JOSIAH PRICE (#82) jumped out to me in this game. Tight end talent always seems to be at a premium in the draft, and Price showed me an ability to get open and make plays. I will have to go back and focus on his blocking, but his route running and hands were very good in this game.