A scout’s take on the good, the bad and the ugly from the eighth week of the college football season concerning some of the nation’s top prospects.
Making the best of his offseason situation
It was a shame that Syracuse running back Delone Carter was forced to leave the game in the second quarter this week with a bone bruise because with nine carries and 75 yards up until that point, he looked poised for a monster game. Carter is making the most of his second chance this season as he was suspended this spring for punching a student. However, during that time he was said to really dedicate himself this offseason and physically he looks great. At 5-9, 216 pounds, he possesses a great build for the position, runs low behind his pads and doesn’t give opposing defenders much room to hit. He displays above-average lateral ability and balance when asked to pick his way through traffic and does a nice job being patient and setting up blocks inside. He does, however, dance a bit too much at times, will stop moving his feet and take some negative runs. But overall, I love his thick, compact frame, his physical running style and ability to quickly change directions and accelerate out of his breaks. He’s an NFL-caliber back without a doubt and looks like a guy who can give a team some good, hard reps as a solid rotational back at the next level.
ICONPowell looks like a completely different back from last season.
Churning out the tough yards
I’m really starting to wonder if there was anything physically wrong with Louisville running back Bilal Powell last season. When I saw him on tape this summer he didn’t look nearly as physical or explosive when pressing the hole as he has been so far this season. At 6-1, 215 pounds, he’s a thickly strapped together kid with a strong lower half and does a nice job running behind his pad-level and creating yards after contact. The biggest concern I have with him at this stage is that he is a bit of a linear runner. He’s at his best running off-tackle and pressing the corner quickly, but isn’t nearly as fluid or shifty when asked to break down and make a defender miss in tight areas. However, he possesses good enough footwork to maintain balance, accelerates well once he breaks a tackle and is surprisingly impressive in the open field, displaying a bit of a second gear and knows how to side step defenders at full speed and run to daylight. He’s been the bell-cow for the Louisville offense all season and despite the fact I don’t think he’s quite dynamic enough to carry the load for an NFL team, he’s another solid back who can rotate into your game plan, beat up opposing front sevens and give you an honest day’s work running the football.
Some good and bad from the top small-school quarterback
Delaware quarterback Pat Devlin has done a nice job this season taking much better care of the football compared to last, throwing only one interception on the year while showcasing his toughness by playing through a wrist injury on his non-throwing hand. And watching him again this weekend there are some things I really like about his game. He’s a good athlete who can move around in the pocket. He has a quick compact release, can spin a clean accurate football in the short/intermediate pass game and did a really nice job a couple times Saturday going across the field on his progression and finding his 2nd/3rd options. As for the bad…the first thing I want to see is just how big this guy’s hands are, because a couple of times when throwing down the field he really struggled to grip the rock and let it go. This could be because of the injury to his wrist, but is just one thing I am interested in seeing. Also, he simply has a very average arm and when asked to throw outside the numbers passes will hang on him a bit and he doesn’t generate the type of velocity to consistently throw the ball on a line. However, his footwork looks improved from last year, as he does a nice job sliding his feet and body into throws and there is definitely some upside to his game. Now, I don’t think he’s worth a top-tier pick by any stretch. But as a guy who could be looked upon as a No. 3 guy for a year or so as he matures physically and improves his overall wrist strength — in order to improve his velocity on his passes — I think Devlin has a chance to develop into a potential starting caliber option down the line, if a team is willing to be patient.
Iowa’s unsung heroes
We talk a lot about Iowa here on the site and have given a ton of love to their defensive line and linebacking corps in recent seasons. However, despite their loss this weekend I was really impressed with the play of two guys who typically don’t get much love on their team, but look like prospects who could very quietly end up on NFL rosters in 2011. And they are FB Brett Morse and TE Allen Reisner.
Morse is a strong, well-built kid at 6-2, 238 pounds, and despite his size he does a nice job reaching targets off his frame, leading the way on off-tackle runs and generates a good pop on contact as a lead guy. Plus, he’s a really coordinated kid with good body control when asked to stick to defenders through the play and consistently keeps his head on a swivel, displaying the instincts and vision to quickly decipher information, redirect and pick up an unblocked man. He’s one of the biggest reasons for all the success in the Iowa run game and I think as a later round/free agent lead blocking prospect, he could be a guy to come at a real bargain and make an NFL roster.
Reisner, on the other hand, lacks great height standing just over 6-2. But he’s a strong kid at nearly 250 pounds and can sit into his stance and anchor in pass pro, generates a snap in the run game and is a much more coordinated athlete than given credit for when asked to pluck the football off his frame. He lacks the speed to consistently run by NFL linebackers, but knows how to go up, extend his arms and pluck the football over the middle of the field. He also showcases good coordination as a move player in the run game as well and has bought his time at Iowa playing behind some very good tight ends. The Hawkeyes have had a lot of success in recent years sending tight end prospects into the NFL and although he isn’t as gifted as some over the past couple seasons, he still looks to me like a guy who could make a roster and see some playing time on special teams and as a jack-off-all trades type FB/TE/H-back option.
Offensive snippets and notes
ICONThere are still way too many questions out there for me to draft Toliver.
Yeah, LSU wideout Terrence Toliver has some size and talent, but his lack of concentration is an attribute that has followed him around ever since stepping foot on the Tigers campus. The guy drops more easy receptions than anyone I have seen in recent years and it’s just another reason why in all honestly I wouldn’t even have the guy on my draft board.
One wideout who I am a fan of, though, is West Virginia’s Jock Sanders. He is undersized, has a slight of frame and does have some character concern s. However, he does two things I really like.
1. He can separate out of his breaks.
2. He can run after the catch.
Watching Sanders this weekend bait defenders by changing gears, setting up his routes and then quickly accelerating by them down the field was impressive to see. However, it was his ability to uncover when plays broke down, work back to his quarterback and find a soft spot that stuck out even more to me. Now, don’t get the idea this is a starter in the NFL who can play on the outside. But with more and more teams looking for sudden/quicker options who can separate quickly from the inside, Sanders looks like a prospect who can definitely find a spot for himself on an NFL offense.
The more I watch Missouri center Tim Barnes the more I think he’s one of the best centers in this year’s class. Watching him get out to the second level in the run game Saturday and help spring some long runs by breaking down and sealing in space was one of the biggest reasons why the Tigers were able to ice the game late. Plus, he can sit into his stance, slide his feet in the pass game and looks like a guy who will continue to boost his draft stock as the season goes on.
Finally, one center who I don’t like nearly as much as most is Syracuse’s Ryan Bartholomew. He’s an undersized option at 6-1, 298 pounds, and he isn’t real long armed, which routinely forces him to overextend into blocks and is easily shed in both the run and pass game. Plus, he’s not real physical off the ball as an in-line guy either. He’s a solid college player, but I wouldn’t grade him out as a draftable prospect, more of a low upside free agent type pick-up.
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