Georgia’s Andrew Thomas is highly impressive
With the college football season kicking off today, it’s time for an updated watch-list.
After the 2019 draft I posted an early look at the class. LSU safety Grant Delpit might be the most talented of the bunch. He’s a natural playmaker with the range, ball-skills and versatility to be a top-level safety in the modern NFL. Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown could’ve been a top-15 pick this year but chose to stay in school. He’s a complete defensive tackle with the stoutness and strength to play the run and the quickness and mobility to act as a pass rusher (he also has great intensity and a BAMF streak).
Mississippi State linebacker Willie Gay Jr might be the best player nobody talks about in the SEC. In every game last year he seemed to make an incredible play. He jumped a 39-inch vertical at SPARQ, ran a 4.26 short shuttle and achieved an overall score of 128.22. Florida’s Jabari Zuniga and Ohio State’s Chase Young will look to take a step forward as EDGE rushers and Raekwon Davis will be hoping to return to 2017 form to secure a top-20 grade.
On offense, Laviska Shenault Jr at Colorado is the ultimate X-factor weapon capable of scoring and making big gains in every way. His quarterback, Steven Montez, also continues to fly under the radar. The SEC is full of big name potential high picks on offense like Jerry Jeudy, Jake Fromm and Tua Tagovailoa. Oregon’s Justin Herbert is a strong contender and probably the clubhouse leader to go #1 overall.
I’ve spent the last couple of weeks looking at other names to add to the list.
C.J. Henderson (CB, Florida)
Henderson ran a 4.35 forty and a 3.92 short shuttle at SPARQ. He also recorded a 37-inch vertical. There’s evidence of an ability to play the back-shoulder throw which isn’t common among college DB’s. He gets his head turned and plays the ball rather than face-guarding. He’s diminutive with a lean frame but appears to have reasonable arm length. Henderson is very quick and agile and covers ground well as a blitzer (three sacks, five TFL’s in 2018). He made an incredible play against Tennessee where he chased down a receiver who was uncovered. Just as he was about to run in untouched, Henderson flies to make a big hit jarring the ball loose right at the goal line. It rolls out of the end zone for a touchback and a seven-point swing. He could be tried outside but if nothing else he looks like a terrific slot corner.
Javon Kinlaw (DT, South Carolina)
Listed at 6-5, Kinlaw played with 16% body fat at 300lbs last season. He has the length and size to play inside and the quickness to shoot gaps and burst into the backfield. He has great potential. His agility shines when he works down the line on stunts and he can move in space to cover ground and burst to the QB. He broke up five passes in 2018 and has great leaping ability. You’d like to see better hand use inside and he can do some of the little things better — bull rush, power move. Kinlaw managed 10 TFL’s last season and, as with a few South Carolina prospects this year, you want to see him take the next step this season. He has the physical tools to be a high pick and he flashes — now he just has to become more of a complete player.
Brad Stewart (S, Florida)
For a few years now Florida have been churning out quality safety’s and Stewart is next off the production line. He has great range and can get deep downfield to cover the long ball and sprint to the sideline to cut off throws to the outside. He can hit — which is to be expected from a Florida DB. He can play closer to the LOS and blitz or make an ankle tackle on a crossing route. He ran a 4.16 short shuttle at SPARQ and jumped a 39-inch vertical. Stewart can really boost his stock in 2019 by making more plays (two interceptions in 2018, including a pick-six). Florida announced before their game against Miami that Stewart was one of four players serving a suspension.
Andrew Thomas (T, Georgia)
It was a pleasure to watch Andrew Thomas. At left tackle he just oozes control, balance and he’s never flustered. So many young tackles are manic getting into their stance. They struggle with stunts and too often create problems for themselves with bad footwork and spacial awareness. Thomas was a picture of consistency. Even against Alabama he was passing off stunts like a pro, he dominated any defensive end he lay his hands on and when he needed to get into the frame of a defender and drive in the running game he managed it. Thomas, on the evidence of his 2018 tape, is destined to be a high pick next year if he can continue to perform at that level. He managed a 101.52 SPARQ score (the highest by an offensive linemen in his class was Walker Little’s 107.25). An excellent pro-prospect.
Yetur Gross-Matos (DE, Penn State)
He has great hand use and works through traffic. YGM is very comfortable in space which is impressive for his size (6-5, 260lbs) and he sets the edge against the run. You have to love the agility he shows in the open-field and the motor to work across the line to chase down ball-carriers from behind. I’d like to see him win off the edge a bit more with speed this year. He has the frame, length, hand-technique and ability to stay clean or disengage. He had 20 TFL’s last season and could easily work himself into a high grade.
Jordan Love (QB, Utah State)
It’s strange that Patrick Mahomes felt like a unique case and yet two years later, a couple of quarterbacks with similar traits have emerged. Kyler Murray went #1 overall this year in part because of his amazing ability to make the unconventional a reality. Love also shares that quality. He can flick his wrist and zip the ball downfield on the run. He has a great range of throws plus the size and mobility to function as a NFL passer. He’s an exciting prospect and a wildcard to go top-five in 2020 if he has another strong season.
Jeffrey Okudah (CB, Ohio State)
What an athlete. He has great size and on tape you see the mobility and top-tier traits that could easily push Okudah into the top-15 next year. He’s a former five-star recruit and at SPARQ he ran a 4.49 forty, a 4.03 short shuttle and jumped a 42-inch vertical. His overall score was an elite 142.56. He’s listed at 6-1 and 200lbs. He has technical refinements to work on this year and he needs to make more plays but in terms of raw potential he’s a fantastic prospect.
Dylan Moses (LB, Alabama)
Another fantastic athlete. Moses follows in the footsteps of Devin White and Roquan Smith. His ability to fly to the ball-carrier is comparable to both and he glides through traffic with ease. Moses also hits like a sledgehammer helps set the tone on defense. A former 5-star recruit as an athlete, he ran a 4.56 at SPARQ plus a 4.09 short shuttle and he jumped a 37-inch vertical. He did all this at over 230lbs and scored a 132.48 overall. He’s a freakish athlete.
Trevon Diggs (CB, Alabama)
Diggs vs D.K. Metcalf was a fun battle last year. Metcalf won a couple of times in a big way but Diggs also earned his stripes with tight coverage and he matched up well given the size/speed combo he was covering. He does an exceptional job when his back is turned away from the football. He often reaches out at the last minute to make a key deflection. He’s smooth in retreat and looks like the kind of top-level athlete you’d expect from Stefon’s brother. He also has excellent size. Diggs needs to stay healthy but if he pulls it off he’ll be a high pick next year.
Kristian Fulton (CB, LSU)
Physical cornerback with good size. Likes a tackle and plays with attitude. Fulton is a classic man-to-man corner. He seems to do his best work on shorter-routes across the middle where he can battle receivers and break to play the ball. I have concerns about his ability to run deep and stick with elite speed. He gets a little bit grabby downfield. His stock might be a little more measured than some of the other corner’s eligible for 2020. If you want someone to be physical outside and possibly play some big nickel, Fulton’s a candidate. He jumped a 37-inch vertical at SPARQ.
Isaiah Simmons (S, Clemson)
There’s no real rhyme or reason for Simmons’ great play. He’s listed at 6-2 and 230lbs. His testing results were mixed at SPARQ. He only managed a 4.75 forty (at 211lbs) plus a 4.52 short shuttle. He did jump a 37-inch vertical though. Yet on tape he’s all over the field. He looks like a playmaking strong safety with the ability to play up at the line and attack. Simmons is forceful as an extra rusher and a positive force against the run. Yet you see evidence of him racing downfield and to the sideline against quicker receivers. He plays with a warrior-like intensity. He’s not likely to rock up at the combine next year and put on a great performance. Teams are going to love the different ways he can impact a defense though. And, dare I say it, there’s a little bit of Kam Chancellor to his play (although he’s not the same kind of hitter).
Travis Etienne (RB, Clemson)
His running style is somewhat reminiscent of former-Tiger C.J. Spiller. He’s not quite as quick but he has that burst and second gear to run away from defenders. He narrows his frame to get skinny in the tackle and run to daylight. Etienne ran a 4.43 at SPARQ and jumped a 37-inch vertical. He’s not a physical runner who will drive through contact and wear down a defense. However, he’s incredibly well balanced and it takes a lot to bring him down. He keeps his legs powering and there’s some explosive qualities to go with the quickness. In the modern NFL, teams are looking for backs like this. He was more patient last season operating in the shotgun and began to wait for gaps to develop. It’d be nice to see him expand his role in the passing game this year.
Eno Benjamin (RB, Arizona State)
I loved watching Benjamin’s 2018 tape. He gains speed quickly and hits the line with authority. He has incredibly quick feet which allow him to break into cuts at full speed. He seeks out contact and has a mid-level gear to accelerate from defenders. He’s a competitor on the field and extremely well spoken and engaging in interviews. He’s tough to bring down and he’ll break tackles but he’s also elusive. He ran a 4.10 short shuttle at SPARQ and jumped a 33-inch vertical. He’s listed at 5-10 and 210lbs for this season which is in Seattle’s ballpark. Benjamin had 1642 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns in 2018 (plus 263 receiving yards and a couple of TD’s).
Prince Tega Wanogho (T, Auburn)
His footwork concerns me and likely forces him to the right side. His kick-slide is clumsy and at times he’ll just plant the anchor and rely on his great size/length to connect. At the next level he’s better off at right tackle or even inside at guard where he make the most of his phone-booth skills. That’s where the positives lie. He’s listed at 6-7 and 305lbs and he has an ideal frame with a strong base, long arms and extreme upper body power. He delivers a great jolt on contact. On one snap against Georgia he thumped an EDGE rusher to the turf with a two-handed punch. He’s willing and able to progress to the second level. There are positives and limitations here.
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