GRAYSON MCCALL, QB COASTAL CAROLINA, 2022 ELIGIBLE
In McCall’s first game back from a back injury that caused him to miss two games, he reminded us all what he is capable of, passing for 319 yards and five touchdowns. Despite missing two games, the redshirt sophomore still leads the Sun Belt in Passing Yards with 2,382, Passing Touchdowns with 22. The 6’3” 210 lbs. had a breakout campaign last year as a redshirt freshman, passing for 2,488 yards and accounting for 33 total touchdowns. McCall’s efficiency stats in 2021 are earth-shattering, leading the NCAA in Passing Efficiency Rating at 184.3, and Passing Yards Per Attempt at 12.8, while holding the #3 spot in Completion Percentage at 74.2%.
Grayson McCall’s stats are slightly padded by Coastal Carolina’s offensive scheme, which I believe would be fair to call a “Spread Triple Option” attack. Their offense utilizes the triple-option rushing attack, but out of the shotgun and receivers spread out wide, opposed to the under-center triple option we typically see from Army and Navy. The Coastal Carolina offense also utilizes a lot of Run-Pass-Options. This scheme forces the defense to respect the run and allows the QB to make easy reads. So you should consider this when evaluating McCall’s stats, but you cannot undervalue his arm talent and athleticism. In 2020 McCall used his legs often and was efficient doing so, running for 569 yards and seven touchdowns. In 2021 he has not run nearly as often, rushing for just 188 yards and three touchdowns through nine games. He has been more effective as a passer though, as I previously mentioned, he leads the country in Passing Efficiency Rating and Passing Yards Per Attempt.
McCall has great athleticism for a QB, as seen below:
He shows great quickness and vision as a rusher, making him deadly in both the triple option when he decides to keep the ball for himself. As a passer, McCall displays a strong arm, with good accuracy, and also the ability to throw on run as seen in this clip:
I believe McCall has all of the physical tools to be a good NFL QB, but he will have a steep learning curve when entering the NFL. NFL teams are using the RPO more and more every year, but McCall doesn’t operate in a traditional “Pro” offense, which could make him more of a “Project QB” in the NFL depending on where he ends up.
Due to the noted learning curve, McCall will face in the NFL, our Devy Rankers have McCall as the QB8 in the 2022 class. The 2022 QB class is not very strong, so the case could be made for McCall to go to the NFL after the season, but if I were advising him I would tell him to go back to school because, after Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud, I believe the QB3 position in the 2023 draft class is wide open. If McCall were to have another strong season and show the NFL he can make next-level reads he could end up a first-round pick in 2023. McCall is a high-risk, high-reward devy prospect. He could never develop into a true NFL QB, but he could also become a real asset in the NFL due to his rushing ability and arm talent.
ZACH CHARBONNET, RB UCLA, 2022 ELIGIBLE
As a true freshman at Michigan, Zach Charbonnet had a strong campaign, gaining 756 yards and 11 touchdowns. Expectations were high for Charbonnet in 2020, but he failed to live up to the hype. In 2020 Charbonnet played in five games and received only 19 carries and six receptions for 165 total yards and one touchdown. After the disappointing season, Charbonnet announced he would be transferring to UCLA for the 2021 season. Charbonnet made his presence known in Week 1, rushing for 106 yards and three touchdowns. The 6’1” 220 lbs. RB has continued to play well for the UCLA Bruins, posting five more 100+ yard games this season. His best game of the season, can this past Saturday against USC. Charbonnet touted the rock 28 times for 167 yards and six yards per touch. Below you can see him fighting his way into the end zone against the Spartans:
Charbonnet has the desired bell-cow size, capable of handling lots of carriers and wearing down a defense throughout the game. He runs with great power and also has good straight-line speed. He is capable of hitting the hole and ripping off a long run. In his first two seasons, Charbonnet only had 14 catches, but in 11 games in 2021, the junior has 18, tied for third-most on the team. He is showing off a well-rounded skill and making the case that he can be a three-down back in the NFL.
Zach Charbonnet has truly resurrected his draft stock this year. Those that drafted Charbonnet after his freshman year were surely kicking themselves last year, but his devy value is rising fast at the moment. I have mentioned in previous articles that I believe the RB3 spot in the 2022 class is wide open, and I believe Charbonnet is in a good spot to claim that spot, which would be huge for his value. A fair offer for Charbonnet right now would be a mid-to-late second-round pick. However, if you can acquire him for that now and he is drafted round three or higher in the NFL draft, Charbonnet could end up a first-round rookie pick this offseason.
DONTAYVION WICKS, WR VIRGINIA, 2022 ELIGIBLE
This redshirt sophomore has exploded onto the scene in 2021. Aided by his 144 yards against Pittsburgh on Saturday, Wicks now has 1,148 yards and nine touchdowns on the season, good for a dominator rating of 28.5%. Wicks leads the ACC in Yards Per Reception with 21.3 and is third in the ACC in both receiving yards and touchdowns. Virginia’s QB Brennan Armstrong has had a spectacular season with 4,044 yards in 10 games and Wicks is the only WR with over 1,000 yards.
Wicks stands at 6’1” and weighs 210 lbs., and possesses the speed and athleticism to be a deep threat in the NFL. His athleticism also appears at the catch point. As seen below, he skies above two defenders for a fantastic end zone snag:
I do not see Wicks as an elite route runner at this point. He just uses his natural athletic ability to be productive. I would like to see Wicks develop as a route runner, as this would make him a more complete receiver and more attractive to the NFL.
Since he only has one real season under his belt, it would not surprise me if Wicks chooses to come back to school and revisit the NFL Draft process next year. That said, it would also not shock me if Wicks receives a good grade from the NFL solely on his production, athleticism, and potential. If a team is looking for a “big play” WR we could hear Wicks name called on Day 2 of the NFL Draft. Wicks is likely not rostered in any devy leagues considering he was just a 3-Star coming out of high school and was not productive in college until this year. He is a true “wait and see” type of prospect, as his value could take many twists and turns over the next year or so.
Thanks for tuning in for another edition of Devy Players of the Week! I’ll be back next week with more college players you should have on your radar. You can follow me @RookieWhisper on Twitter for more content.
