Each week I will bring you the latest updates and NFL buzz surrounding college players that should prove to be integral to future fantasy success. I will utilize recent statistics, performance and film, and general “front office whispers” to compile the intel I share with you. My hope is to provide you with a leg up on your opponents. You will know which devy players to target in trades and/or in what range of draft picks (both NFL and fantasy drafts) you can expect these players to be selected. If you want to read last week’s article, click here.
Week five of the college football season is now in the books, and although it seems cliché to say this, the weekend brought us even more surprises than previous weeks. We witnessed eight ranked teams fall on Saturday, further muddying the college football landscape before the BIG10, and eventually, the PAC12 teams join the ranks. Let’s discuss some of this past weekend’s player performances and draft stock movement!
TRENDING UP
Eric Gray – RB – Tennessee
After being upstaged by backfield-mate Ty Chandler (who serves in the “thunder” role of a thunder-and-lightning tandem) last week, sophomore RB Eric Gray showed why he is already on devy rosters and fantasy radars this past Saturday. Gray churned out 105 rushing yards and a TD on 16 carries and added a 13-yard TD reception, helping the Vols defeat Missouri Saturday afternoon. While this Mizzou team is just a shell of its more recent former self, it does still have a decent amount of young talent on defense, and it is still led by standout LB Nick Bolton. Gray showed instant acceleration and open-field elusiveness that we have become accustomed to seeing.
Gray needs to continue to add weight and strength this offseason to make me believe he can have a three-down role in the NFL. That being said, the lateral quickness, the skills in open space, and the ability to almost instantly hit top speed are talents that make Gray unique as a prospect. Games like these against SEC foes will continue to raise his draft stock, and he should be one of the first three or four RBs drafted in the 2022 draft.
Mac Jones – QB – Alabama
We all watched astounded last season as Joe Burrow went from relatively unknown to number one overall draft pick in one season’s time. Thus far, Mac Jones has looked like a top-five QB in the nation, starting the season in Burrow-like fashion, and against two SEC opponents no less. This past Saturday, he threw for 435 yards and four TDs on 20-of-27 passing with only one INT against the #13 team in the nation.
Jones has thrown for 684 yards with six TDs and 1 INT on 38-of-51 passing now two games into the season. Devy and dynasty owners should take notice now because if Jones can maintain this pace, he could play his way into becoming an NFL 1st-round draft pick next April.
Mike Rose – LB – Iowa St. and Zaven Collins – LB – Tulsa
I’ve written about both of these guys earlier in the season, and from opposing viewpoints. After the second week of the season in which Mike Rose did not play aggressively and looked limited in coverage, his stock looked to be headed down. Fast-forward two weeks and Rose looked like the player we’ve seen the previous two seasons, utilizing his instincts and intelligence in coverage and playing downhill against the run game. While he only recorded six tackles and a half-sack, he helped his team upset Oklahoma and their vaunted offense.
After week three of the college season, I wrote about Zaven Collins trending up. After Tulsa’s upset of #11 UCF in which he led his team in tackles and intercepted Dillon Gabrial, his stock is continuing to rise. I now think he will firmly entrench himself as a day two draft pick if he declares for the NFL Draft after this season. In fantasy, if he is drafted by a team that runs a 4-3 defense and utilizes his skills as a defensive end, his stock will soar.
TRENDING DOWN
Isaiah Spiller – RB – Texas A&M
Isaiah Spiller has been a favorite of many devy analysts for a year or so now. Most believed him to be a top-three RB in the 2022 draft class after a relatively successful freshman season. Spiller, however, has gotten off to a relatively slow start if he hopes to show he is capable of being an NFL bell-cow. Alabama held him to just 25 rushing yards on 11 carries this past weekend. In the Aggies first game, Spiller ran through a vastly overmatched Vanderbilt squad, so his season statistics through two games do not look that bad, aside from only logging 19 touches on the season.
If Spiller hopes to impress NFL scouts, he will have to show he can produce against formidable SEC opponents. Last season, nearly half of his rushing yardage was the result of playing against Texas St., Lamar, and UTSA. Through two games this season, Spiller has not caught a pass. I want to see more from Spiller the rest of this season to feel comfortable rostering him on one of my devy squads.
Sam Howell – QB – North Carolina
Another player who is perceived as a top 2022 devy player is UNC’s signal-caller Sam Howell. Howell had an impressive freshman campaign in 2019 that put him firmly on the devy map. While he led the Tar Heels to victory again this past Saturday, his two games in 2020 have not been that impressive. I need to see more from Howell before I am willing to invest much capital in him as a devy owner. Against Boston College this weekend, he threw for 225 yards with two TDs and one INT and completed just 54% of his passes. A week earlier he threw just one TD and two INTs against Syracuse.
While UNC is winning, Howell needs to be putting up more dominating performances against these mid-tier ACC teams to justify 1st-round draft status. Howell has plenty of time to improve his stock and impress NFL front offices, but at this point in 2020, he appears to be rusty or have regressed.
Marvin Wilson – DT – Florida State
Let me be clear, a large part of Marvin Wilson’s perceived decline this season will be due to his supporting cast, as Florida State has looked pathetic through three games in 2020. Though it’s no fault of his own, Wilson will struggle to put up sack and TFL numbers when his team is constantly playing from behind and teams will intentionally assign two or more blockers to neutralize him. Through three games, Wilson has just eight total tackles, one TFL, and one sack.
Opportunities to wreak havoc in backfields as he did in 2019 will be few and far between this season, so against an opponent like Jacksonville State, Wilson needs to take full advantage. While he logged his lone sack and TFL on the season in this game, Wilson should have dominated this inferior opponent. I am not trying to fool anyone. Wilson is a grown man and virtually a lock to be a 1st-round draft pick in April, but a dull senior season and underutilized pass rush ability could see him fall out of the top-15 and into that 27-32 range this coming April.
SMALL SCHOOL PLAYER TO WATCH
Sincere McCormick – RB – University of Texas-San Antonio
My favorite small school player, Grayson McCall, dominated Arkansas State in an upset victory on Saturday, but I need to talk about UTSA RB Sincere McCormick this week. While UTSA is not a small school, they are a relatively new FBS school that has historically struggled to roster NFL talent and compete with strong division one programs. McCormick broke out as a freshman last season racking up nearly 1000 yards on a 5.6 rushing average for the Roadrunners. Through four games, he is off to an even better start this season.
McCormick rushed for 150 yards on 22 carries with a TD nearly helping his team to an upset victory. Although they lost to a quality opponent in UAB, McCormick has helped his team to a 3-1 record this season. He possesses vision and elusiveness, packed into a 5’9” frame that can be hard to find and difficult to tackle. I am excited to see if McCormick can add more in the passing game to his arsenal this season and watch his steadily climb devy analysts’ rankings. He will be draft-eligible in 2022.
PREVIOUS WEEKS’ DRAFT STOCK WATCH
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