Devy Players of the Week

KENNY PICKETT, QB PITTSBURGH, 2022 ELIGIBLE

In 2021 everything is coming together for the fifth-year senior. Before this season, Pickett’s best year came in 2019, where he threw for 3,098 yards, 13 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. After Week 5, with more than half of the season to go, Pickett has already passed for 1,731 yards, 19 touchdowns, and just one interception, while also completing 72% of his passes. His yardage is good for the fourth-most in the country, and his touchdowns and passer rating are second best. He is having a very strong statistical year, and this has kept the Panthers well above .500 at 4-1.

In Week 5 against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Pickett was lights out, passing for 389 yards and four touchdowns. The large majority of that came in the first half before they turned to the run game to close out the game:

Standing at 6’3” 220 lbs., Pickett has the requisite size for an NFL QB. He has a strong arm and can also throw with accuracy and touch. He is not a dual-threat QB, but he has enough athleticism to avoid pressure and buy more time to make a throw downfield. In addition to his arm talent, he has done an exceptional job taking care of the football this season, a coveted trait.

I see Pickett as a “buy” right now. He is ranked as the Devy QB52 here at Dynasty Football Factory, but he is off the radar for many people. I think Kenny Pickett will see his draft stock rise considerably in the coming months. It seems that every year a QB explodes onto the scene in their final season and finds themselves drafted in the first round. I believe that in the 2022 draft, that QB will be Kenny Pickett. He passes the eye test and if he has a couple of big games on the national stage in the coming weeks, his stock could skyrocket. 

BIJAN ROBINSON, RB TEXAS, 2023 ELIGIBLE

In Week 5 of the NCAA season, Bijan Robinson won the Texas RB Battle. With 215 total yards and two touchdowns on 34 touches, Robinson led Texas past TCU to a 32-27 victory. TCU RB Zach Evans was no slouch, with 124 yards and a touchdown of his own, but it was not enough to pull the “Top Texas RB” title away from Bijan Robinson. 193 yards rushing is no joke, but what makes it even more impressive, is that on a whooping 32 carries he still averaged 6.0 YPC. Bijan Robinson had a truly gargantuan effort in Week 5. If he keeps this up, he could see himself hoisting the Heisman Trophy.

Robinson has workhorse capability at 6’0” 215 lbs., but what makes him a great prospect is his pass-catching upside. Through five games, Robinson possesses 8.8% of the team’s receptions with 10, good for third-best on the team. This is a vast improvement from his total of 15 last year, which was tied for fifth on the team. His value is already sky-high, but if Robinson can continue to showcase his receiving ability he will be very highly regarded by NFL Teams. 

As I mentioned his Devy value is already very high, ranked as the Devy RB1 here at DFF. He’s big, athletic, and is showing a well-rounded skill set, capable of being a three-down back. You can try to “buy” Robinson, but I don’t think you will have much luck at the moment. If you don’t own the superstar sophomore, your only chance for a “buy” window is if Robinson somehow manages to flop in his Junior year, which I would say is unlikely.

JORDAN ADDISON, WR PITTSBURGH, 2023 ELIGIBLE

In 2020 as a true freshman, Addison “broke out” with a 28% dominator rating. He leads the Panthers in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns, an impressive feat for a freshman in the ACC. With five games in the books in the 2021 season, Addison is now sporting a dominator rating of 35.9%. Jordan had a big day against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. He did a ton of damage in the first half alone and joined an all-time great while doing so:

I see this sophomore as a well-rounded receiver. He creates separation with crisp routes and quickness, shows strong hands, and is capable of adding yards after the catch. The big knock on Addison is his size. Listed at 6’0” and only 175 lbs., he will likely be deemed as “too skinny”. I prefer WRs to be “thicker” but his lack of weight will not stop me from drafting and or trading for him. Addison has only missed one game so far in his college career, so it is like his size is keeping him off the field.

I feel comfortable “buying” Jordan Addison right now, especially considering his price. Here at Dynasty Football Factory, Addison is currently ranked as the Devy WR21 which I believe is low. If you can overlook the size, Jordan Addison is a “box-checker” as an NFL prospect. He checks the boxes for age-adjusted production, athleticism, and I believe he will end up checking the draft capital box too and ends up being drafted in the first three rounds. We could also see the devy and dynasty community begin to “fade” BMI if rookie De’Vonta Smith has a good rookie year. This would boost Addison’s value as he and the “Slim Reaper” have similar frames.

I hope you enjoyed another edition of the “Devy Players of the Week”! You can follow me @RookieWhisper for more content!