Newsletter

Top 20 College Prospects
(page 2)
DynastyRogues.com
 

10. WR Brandon LaFell, 6'3", 209 lbs. - Louisiana State

LaFell has matured greatly since his freshman year where he came in looking like a beanpole. He's now a very well-built WR that can battle for the ball and is an asset in the running game as well. The problem is he's struggled with concentration lapses leading to a lot of dropped balls, although that has improved some over time. LaFell has great after-the-catch skills for a man his size. He can get down the field, he's big and strong and has the body/size combination of an NFL WR right now; it's just hard to fully trust his hands at this juncture. Initially he declared for the 2009 NFL Draft and then withdrew - we think it was a wise decision. Dwayne Bowe faced the same questions heading into his senior year; let's see if LaFell can finally put it all together like Bowe did.

9. QB Jevan Snead, 6'3", 215 lbs. - Mississippi

After winning 0 inter-conference games in 2007, Ole Miss caught SEC flatfooted and became a trendy pick by midseason. They marched to a 9-4 record beating LSU and the eventual National Champions Florida along the way. A lot of that was thanks to Snead's big arm which powered Houston Nutt's offense with 2,762 yards and 26 TDs to only 13 INTs. Snead was a freshman transfer from Texas so few had seen much of him heading into the 2008 season. Snead won't sneak up on anyone this year, and the NFL is eager to see how he'll perform with a target on his back. He'll have to do it without LT Michael Oher and WR Mike Wallace, both drafted in the first 3 rounds of the 2009 NFL Draft.

8. TE Jermaine Gresham, 6'6", 261 lbs. - Oklahoma

Gresham was another Sooner who received a 1st round grade yet chose to return to school for his senior year. He probably would have made Brandon Pettigrew at least break a sweat for the #1 TE drafted in the 2009 Draft. Unlike Pettigrew, Gresham is more like an oversized WR than a well-rounded TE. His size, springy ups, and long wingspan have allowed him to become a force in the end-zone. He's lead the Sooners in receiving TDs the last 2 years even playing with Malcolm Kelly and Juaquin Iglesias. He only needs 6 more TDs to break the school record (31); at his current pace that should happen by sometime in October. Scouts will look for him to work on his blocking, but even if he makes only minimal improvement it won't hurt his draft stock any.

7. QB Sam Bradford, 6'4" 215 lbs. - Oklahoma

After Bradford’s magical season where he threw for 50 TDs on nearly a 68% completion percentage, Bradford has been mentioned in the same breath as Peyton Manning. His 50-8 TD/INT ratio is not only a testament to his accuracy and understanding of adding touch to his throws, but his ability to read coverage and anticipate. Many QB gurus believe anticipation can not be taught, rather it is innate and instinctual which is why Bradford is so esteemed in the scouting community. Had Bradford declared last year, he would have easily bumped Mark Sanchez as the #2 QB taken and possibly overtaken Matthew Stafford as well. Bradford is considered to be on the skinny side, yet he has a cannon arm. Once he gets into a rhythm, he's near unstoppable. Bradford's detractors will tell you he played with a ton of talent on offense and had a lot of time to pick apart defenses. He’ll have a chance to answer these questions this season with only one starter returning from last year's offensive line. LT Phil Loadholt and LG Duke Robinson were both First Team Big 12 selections so it won't be easy for Bradford to collect a 2^nd straight Heisman Trophy.

6. WR Julio Jones, 6'4", 210 lbs. - Alabama

It's still very early, but Julio Jones' upside is almost limitless. He'll only be a sophomore this season, but if he builds on his rock-solid freshman season of 924 yards and 4 TDs, the Calvin Johnson comps will start getting thrown around. To anyone that follows the recruiting circuit, Julio's immediate contributions were of no surprise. He was rated the no.1 WR coming out of high school by almost every scouting service and he's more than lived up to the billing. He's a scary combination of length and speed. He has all the tools to be a Pro Bowl NFL receiver, he just needs to work on refining his routes. He'll get a chance to work on his leadership skills now that he has accepted a nomination for the Student Government Association. He didn't even campaign for the seat, he was write-in favorite.

5. RB Jahvid Best, 5'10", 193 lbs. - California

Perhaps the biggest playmaker on this list, Jahvid Best was one of the best sprinters in California when he was in high school. He won the California Interscholastic Federation state championship in the 100 meters with a time of 10.31 (almost a tenth of a second better than Reggie Bush's time), but don't confuse him as just another track star. Best can flat out ball like the time he pasted Washington State for two 80 yard TDs or the 311 yards he torched the Washington Huskies on only 19 carries. California hasn't had decent QB play since Aaron Rodgers left, so most of the defenses will be geared to stop him (all be it Pac-10 defenses, which are usually weak). Also, Best lost C Alex Mack to the 1^st round of the NFL Draft, but he should still be able to put up gaudy numbers this year. If it's upside you seek, Best is your guy. He had 19 runs of 20 or more yards in 2008, 7 of 60 or more and 3 of 80 or more. However, he does get dinged for durability as he’s had elbow and foot surgeries.

4. RB Jonathan Dwyer, 5'11", 235 lbs - Georgia Tech

The departure of Tashard Choice allowed Dwyer to showcase his skills as the best power-back in the college ranks, only he has another gear to pull away from defenders unlike other RBs his size. As the B-back in the Yellow Jacket's offense, he'll be called upon along with the shiftier Roddy Jones to carry their run heavy offense (the Yellow Jackets ranked 116th in passing out of 119 schools last year). Like most backs his size, once he gets a full head of steam, Dwyer loses some shiftiness and is more likely to run through defenders. As the reigning ACC Player of the Year, he'll have an opportunity to build upon last year's rushing total of 1,395 yards while being a legitimate Heisman candidate.

3. RB C.J. Spiller, 5'11", 195 lbs. - Clemson

Spiller is the very definition of a game-breaker and now that his backfield mate James Davis will be playing on Sundays, Spiller inherits the spotlight. He'll showcase his brilliant speed and stop-start moves not only as runner, but as a returner and receiver. The do-it-all back will battle California's Jahvid Best for the lead in all-purpose yards. The NFL advisory committee had given Spiller a late 1st round grade, but he decided to return to Clemson on the condition they retain interim HC Dabo Swinney. Spiller just needs to avoid injury and he'll be a lock for the 2010 1^st round.

2. WR Arrelious Benn, 6'2", 220 lbs - Illinois

"Rejus" is probably the most physical WR at the college level. He reminds us of a young Eric Moulds fighting defenders for extra yards. We've seen him take some direct kill-shots and just glance off the tackle. He'll need to expand upon his route tree because Ron Zook's Veer-Option Spread doesn't utilize standard NFL routes (such staples as the deep-in and skinny-post). Last year Benn caught 67 receptions for 1,055 yards and 3 TDs and also rushed for 2 more scores.

1. WR Dez Bryant, 6'3", 215 lbs - Oklahoma State

Bryant was the runner-up to Michael Crabtree for the Biletnikoff award last year. What makes him special is his remarkable fluidity and long speed which is on par with smaller WRs, something that shines through on his special teams play. It's not often you see prototype WRs ranked 3rd nationally in punt returns with a 17.9 yard average. Not only is Bryant a deep threat, but he's also dangerous after the catch. All that and we haven't mentioned his best attribute - his ability to high point the ball. The only major downside is he just had minor surgery to repair a slight tear in one of his knee ligaments, presumably the PCL or MCL, since the ACL has been ruled out.

Just missed:

Previous Page