2020 Superflex Devy Mock Draft Round 2

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If you missed round one of my Superflex Devy mock, it can be found here. Round one was loaded with talent, and round two isn’t much different. Keep in mind, this is the second round of a three-round mock draft highlighting the top talent of the 2021 and 2022 classes.

2.01 Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, USC

With a freshman receiving line of 60-750-2 in just 11 games, Amon-Ra St. Brown posted a breakout season. He didn’t just statistically break out; he did It on film too. St. Brown showed a sophisticated route understanding and technique as a freshman. He used a combination of footwork, head fakes, and mixing up route tempo to consistently create an advantage over the cornerback.

Hopes were high for St. Brown entering his sophomore season.  He benefitted from the Graham Harrell air-raid offense. And despite being in a loaded receivers group, St. Brown posted another impressive receiving line of 77-1042-6.

With two great seasons from a metric and film standpoint, St. Brown is one of the top Devy WRs. I expect him to thrive without Michael Pittman in 2020. If St. Brown is the WR1 conversation next year, I wouldn’t be surprised.

2.02 Zach Charbonnet, RB, Michigan 

Zach Charbonnet entered Michigan as one of their highest-rated recruits at the running back position ever. The 6’2’’, 215 lbs. California native earned a role in his freshman season. Splitting the backfield, Charbonnet rushed for 726 yards on 149 carries (4.9 YPC). He crossed the double-digit touchdown mark by rushing for 11 scores. However, his receiving production has room to grow as he only caught 8 passes for 30 yards.

Because of his size, Charbonnet is a strong, powerful runner. He rarely goes down on first contact. Part of the reason he runs so hard is that he is a decisive runner. He doesn’t waste time behind the line of scrimmage. When he sees his hole, he shoots through it, breaking any arm tackles in the process.

Despite his size, Charbonnet is an agile, nimble runner. He doesn’t allow run over tackler as he can evade most of them. He possesses quick feet and impressive change of direction abilities. Charbonnet is currently my RB2 in the 2022 class.

2.03 George Pickens, WR, Georgia

The 2022 wide receiver class finally makes its first appearance. The 5-star commit is one of the few freshman wide receivers to post a breakout season. With a receiving line of 49-727-8, Pickens lead Georgia in both receiving yards and touchdowns. And his bowl game performance was his best of the year (12 receptions, 175 yards, and 1 TD).

While he lacks elite speed, Pickens is a bully. He uses his big frame and physicality to consistently dominate at the catch point. Pickens doesn’t let the ball come to him; he goes to get it. His “my ball” mentality makes him a king in jump-ball scenarios.

However, he doesn’t only excel in contested catch situations. His route running is better than initially thought and he has running back like abilities with the ball in his hands. While it is bound to change in the coming two years, Pickens is currently my 2022 WR1.  

2.04 Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State

At the time of his signing, Garrett Wilson was the highest-rated WR Ohio State had ever recruited. Wilson entered Ohio State with massive expectations. And despite having to earn a role as a freshman in a crowded receiving corps, Wilson flashed in his freshman season. His receiving line of 30-432-5 failed to register as a breakout, but don’t be fooled; Wilson is on his way to living up to expectations.

He was ready to play the day he walked into Ohio State. In high school, he showed a great understanding of the different types of coverages and how to beat them. He did this while lining up all over the formation, showcasing his versatility.

Wilson’s burst off the line allows him to get an advantage over the corner, his quickness and agility combined with his mental understanding of manipulation allow him to keep that advantage throughout his route. And while he does need to put on some weight, he plays bigger than his size. It’s early, but Wilson is a locked-in 2022 first-round pick in dynasty rookie drafts.

2.05 Brock Purdy, QB, Iowa State

Brock Purdy is going to enter the NFL with one very valuable trait: being a three-year starter. As a freshman, Purdy had inconsistent accuracy at all levels of the field and struggled to process the defense. His poor decision making led to avoidable turnovers. But, while he struggled in some areas, he showed flashes in others. He had impressive arm strength and poise within the pocket.

His second season was a major improvement. He showed better accuracy, hitting receivers in situations where he would often miss the year prior. His mental processing improved too. He cut down on careless turnovers while becoming better a reading a defense to diagnose their movements and find the open man. Equipped with good athleticism and mobility, Purdy has many traits that are desired in first-round quarterbacks. As of right now, I see Purdy as a top 20 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

2.06 Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina

The first 2022 quarterback has come off the board. As a true freshman, Howell threw for 3641 yards, 38 TDs, and 7 INTs while completing 61.4% of his passes. This is more impressive considering he has zero NFL quality offensive weapons at UNC.

Howell has a lot of the traits that teams desire in a franchise quarterback. He doesn’t have the strongest arm in the class, but he’s very capable of attacking the defense vertically. With good accuracy in the short and intermediary spots of the field, Howell can beat a defense anywhere. The ability to anticipate where a receiver is going to throw them open is must-have in quarterbacks, and Howell has it. He’s proficient at placing the ball in a place where only his receiver can catch it and pick up yards after it. Yes, we are two years away, but Sam Howell looks like a top-10 NFL draft pick.

2.07 Seth Williams, WR, Auburn

Another member of the potentially great 2021 WR class is Auburn wide receiver, Seth Williams. Williams got a great start on his draft profile during his freshman year. Despite enrolling in the spring, unlike the winter for many top-rated recruits, Williams posted a freshman year breakout. With a receiving line of 26-534-5, he finished third on the team in yards and tied with Darius Slayton for first in touchdowns.

Williams followed up that season with another strong season by posting a 59-830-8 receiving line. While the raw yardage number isn’t eye-opening, he accounted for 31% of the teams receiving yards and 40% of its receiving touchdowns.

Williams already has two good seasons of film to go with his encouraging breakout age and dominator rating. Williams is surprisingly fluid for a 6’3’’ wide receiver. His fluidness gives him a greater ability to run routes than other guys his size. While he has the physical attributes to develop into a good route runner, he’s not quite there mentally. With that said, he made major jumps with understanding coverages from his freshman to sophomore year. Williams is great at using his size and abilities to dominate contested-catch situations. I would try to buy him in Devy leagues before he explodes in 2020.

2.08 Bo Nix, QB, Auburn

If he declares in 2022, Bo Nix is going to enter the NFL as a three-year starter. As a true freshman, Nix won the starting job in preseason camp. He led the Auburn Tigers to a 9-4 record, finishing 14th in the final AP Top-25 poll. However, Auburn’s run-heavy offense limited Nix to just 2,542 yards and 16 TDs. But despite the lack of volume stats, Nix looks like a future first-round pick.

What Nix lacks in arm strength; he makes up for in the accuracy department. His short and intermediary accuracy combined with his anticipation allows him to pick a defense apart. With great mental processing, quick footwork, and a fast release, the ball doesn’t take too long to get out of his hand. Nix’s mobility is also noteworthy. He does a good job of avoiding sacks, keeping his eyes downfield to process the defense. Nix’s impressive freshman season makes me believe he will be a first-round pick in the NFL Draft.

2.09 Jerrion Ealy, RB, Ole Miss

When he was selected in the MLB Draft, Jerrion Ealy faced a decision: college football or professional baseball? He opted to play football, deciding to attend Ole Miss. The Rebels had an incumbent running back named Scottie Phillips. While Phillips was not an NFL prospect, he was a great college running back. Facing the disadvantage of seniority, Ealy was unable to seize the job from Phillips. But even despite the lack of a workhorse, Ealy flashed his talents as a rusher and receiver.

Easy is one of the most talented running backs in the 2022 eligible class. And even though he is undersized at 5’9’’ and 200 lbs., he has the contact balance necessary to absorb hits and keep moving. His remarkably quick feet give him great change of directions abilities. An explosive athlete, Ealy can take any touch to the house. Unlike many other backs in his class, he’s already showed that he could be a capable pass catcher in the NFL. I have little doubts that Ealy will be a first-round pick in 2022 dynasty rookie drafts. Buy him now, because his price is going to skyrocket after the upcoming college football season.

2.10 Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama

Devonta Smith is the first senior to appear on this list. Seeing wide receivers return for their senior season isn’t something I’m fond to see, but I am fond of Smith’s talent. Playing in one of the most talented offenses in the history of college football, Smith faced great competition for touches. There is a real possibility that Smith played in the same receiving corps as three first-round wide receivers (Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs, Jaylen Waddle). Because he faced heavy competition, he didn’t have the chance to break out at an early age like other receivers. Still, despite this, Smith erupted his this season, posting a line of 68-1256-14.

Smith is easily one of the smoothest route runners in college. His combination of footwork, head fakes, and hand movements allow him to get off the line untouched on a lot of his routes. From there, his agility and change of direction make his transition in and out of breaks flawlessly.

Although he’s not a burner, Smith runs excellent hitch routes because of his ability to stop on a dime. With a great understanding of how to get into the corner’s blind spot, he is a pro-ready route runner. I’m willing to overlook my distaste for senior wide receivers when it comes to Smith.

2.11 Tylan Wallace, WR, Oklahoma State

Tylan Wallace is another senior wide receiver to make this mock, although I suspect things would have been different if not for his injury. Wallace finished as a Biletnikoff finalist his true sophomore season. Accumulating a receiving line of 86-1491-12, Wallace generated a lot of buzz entering his junior season. He continued to live up to that excited through the first nine games of the season. Unfortunately, his season was cut short by an injury during practice.

Because of his thin frame, Wallace has struggled at times getting off press coverage. He combats that with his acceleration and nifty footwork, but there are still some concerns there. His remarkable change of direction abilities is part of the reason why he’s such a skilled route runner. Wallace plays bigger than his 6’0’’ frame would suggest. Equipped with spectacular body control and ball tracking, he dominates the catch point. And with yards after the catch abilities to compliment his route running and ball skills, Wallace is an exciting addition to the 2021 WR class.

2.12 David Bell, WR, Purdue

When phenom Rondale Moore went down with an injury, Purdue needed a playmaker to step up. True freshman David Bell filled in admirably for Moore. In 12 games, Bell accumulated an 86-1035-7 receiving line—dominating the Purdue wide receivers in yardage and touchdowns. And with Moore returning in 2020, Purdue is trotting out one of the most talented WR duos in the nation.

Unlike Moore, Bell has prototypical WR1 size at 6’2’’ and 210 lbs. But, size is just one of many prototypical features that Bell has. He’s a smooth route runner with terrific hands and spectacular ball skills. His body control, ball tracking skills, and athleticism allow him to consistently dominate the catch point. With strong run after the catch skills, Bell is a fantastic, all-around wide receiver. It’s early, but he is one of the reasons why I’m intrigued by the 2022 WR class.

What are your thoughts on this mock draft? Who went too early? Who went too late? Let me know on Twitter at @DFF_Steven.

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