http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/nfl-draft-scout/24705054/nfl-draft-week-3-prospect-preview
FEATURED MATCH-UP:
GEORGIA | SOUTH CAROLINA
Saturday, Sept. 13, 3:30 p.m.
Columbia, S.C. -- CBS
After the woeful performance vs. Texas A&M in the season opener, South Carolina rebounded against feisty East Carolina last week. But the Gamecocks are in danger of falling to 1-2 on the young season as they welcome sixth-ranked Georgia to Williams-Brice, which would mark the first time since 2008 that South Carolina would be under .500 through three games. Coming off their impressive win vs. Clemson in the opener, Georgia was idle last week and is favored by 5.5 points in Columbia.
FIVE PROSPECTS TO FOCUS ON:
RB Todd Gurley, JR, Georgia (6-1 | 232 | 4.54 | #3)
After his 198 yard rushing performance against Clemson in the season opener, Gurley has put himself at the forefront of the early Heisman Trophy race and reinforced why many believe he will snap the two year drought of running backs drafted in the first round. He has legitimate top-20 talent for next spring's draft, but he needs to show he can stay healthy for a full season. Gurley's combination of power, speed and burst out of his cuts sets him apart along with his vision and feel, running inside or outside. Against the Gamecocks last season, Gurley was a workhorse and set a career-high with 30 rush attempts, finishing with 132 yards on the ground and two scores, one rushing and one receiving.
OG A.J. Cann, rSR, South Carolina (6-3 | 318 | 5.18 | #50)
Arguably the top interior offensive lineman in the country, Cann has manned the left guard spot for the Gamecocks since his freshman season, giving him 40 starts under his belt. And as a senior in 2014, he has been the rock of the South Carolina offensive front, using his combination of power, athleticism and heady awareness to be effective in pass protection and run blocking. Cann uses his wide frame and natural strength to seal off inside run lanes, but also shows the flexibility to get to the second level and initiate contact, although he does have room to improve his angles on the move. Cann doesn't receive a lot of media attention, but every SEC defensive coordinator and NFL scout knows how good he is.
RB Mike Davis, JR, South Carolina (5-9 | 216 | 4.52 | #28)
While Gurley is the top running back in this contest, Davis isn't too far behind in terms of natural talent. With zero starts and only 24 carries so far on the young season, it's been a slow start, mostly due to sore ribs, but he knows the Gamecocks will need his best if they are to escape this game with a victory. Davis rushed for a game-best 149 yards in last season's match-up between these two teams, averaging 9.3 yards on the ground. Davis has the compact build, balance and agility to string together chunk plays, making his skill-set an excellent test for Georgia's powerful and athletic front-seven. The Bulldogs held Clemson to just 88 yards on the ground and a two yards-per-carry average two weeks ago.
OLB Leonard Floyd, rSO, Georgia (6-3 | 227 | 4.59 | #84)
The Georgia defense is full of future pros, but Floyd might be the most interesting and talented of the group with his raw athleticism and versatility to wear several hats in the front-seven. He was all over the field vs. Clemson and finished with seven tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble and was credited with six quarterback hurries. Floyd has excellent movement skills for his tall, lengthy frame, displaying the relentless nature and speed to collapse the pocket or chase down plays from behind. He's leaner than ideal and needs to develop his functional strength at the point of attack, but his first step burst and acceleration makes him a frequent visitor in the backfield, either off the edge or knifing inside.
QB Hutson Mason, rSR, Georgia (6-2 | 202 | 4.96 | #14)
With the talent in the backfield, Georgia will be relying heavily on the ground game this season, but it will also be crucial for Mason to limit mistakes and show he can sustain drives with his arm. Although he recorded 69-percent completions and didn't turn the ball over against Clemson, he finished with only 131 passing yards and no passing scores with his longest pass only going 23 yards. Mason plays calm and within himself, showing a clean set-up and release with touch on his tosses, but he lacks ideal velocity on zip throws into tight windows and needs to better anticipate passing lanes. He doesn't have elite NFL tools, but is a smart, mature passer who can do just enough to lead his team to wins.
OTHER GEORGIA PROSPECTS TO WATCH:
OLB Jordan Jenkins, JR (6-2 | 246 | 4.76 | #59)
MLB Ramik Wilson, SR (6-2 | 232 | 4.76 | #51)
LT John Theus, JR (6-6 | 298 | 5.28 | #71)
CB Damian Swann, SR (5-11 | 178 | 4.52 | #5)
DE Ray Drew, SR (6-4 | 276 | 4.79 | #47)
RB Keith Marshall, JR (5-11 | 219 | 4.49 | #4)
OTHER SOUTH CAROLINA PROSPECTS TO WATCH:
LT Corey Robinson, rSR (6-7 | 348 | 5.33 | #53)
DT J.T. Surratt, rSR (6-2 | 305 | 5.08 | #97)
DB Brison Williams, SR (5-11 | 218 | 4.57 | #12)
QB Dylan Thompson, rSR (6-3 | 219 | 4.83 | #17)
DB Sharrod Golightly, SR (5-10 | 205 | 4.57 | #9)
WR Shaq Roland, JR (6-1 | 185 | 4.54 | #4)
OTHER MATCH-UPS TO WATCH:
WEST VIRGINIA at MARYLAND
Saturday, Sept. 13, Noon
College Park, Md. – Big Ten Network
WHEN THE MOUNTAINEERS HAVE THE BALL…
Through two games, the standout of the West Virginia offense has been senior
WR Kevin White (6-3 | 209 | 4.49 | #11), who is averaging 122 receiving yards per game on the young season. It also helps that RS senior
QB Clint Trickett (6-2 | 176 | 4.82 | #9) is playing with newfound confidence as the engineer of the Mountaineers offense, consistently pushing the ball downfield. In the trenches, West Virginia RS senior
LG Quinton Spain (6-5 | 332 | 5.36 | #67) vs. Maryland RS senior
NT Darius Kilgo (6-2 | 310 | 5.34 | #97) will be a physical match-up.
WHEN THE TERRAPINS HAVE THE BALL…
The Terrapins have arguably the most talented wide receiver group in the Big Ten, led by junior
WR Stefon Diggs (6-0 | 195 | 4.48 | #1) and RS senior
WR Deon Long (6-0 | 195 | 4.40 | #6), who have combined for 18 catches for 193 receiving yards through two games in 2014. For the West Virginia secondary, junior
FS Karl Joseph (5-10 | 196 | 4.63 | #8) doesn't look like much, but he plays the game with an aggressive, physical demeanor vs. both the run and the pass. So far through two games, he is averaging 10 tackles per contest.
OTHER WEST VIRGINIA PROSPECTS TO WATCH:
RB Rushel Shell, rSO (6-0 | 210 | 4.57 | #7)
RB Dreamius Smith, SR (5-11 | 216 | 4.59 | #2)
DE Shaquille Riddick, SR (6-5 | 242 | 4.82 | #98)
WR Mario Alford, SR (5-8 | 178 | 4.39 | #5)
OTHER MARYLAND PROSPECTS TO WATCH:
OLB Matt Robinson, rSR (6-3 | 240 | 4.78 | #40)
CB Jeremiah Johnson, rSR (5-11 | 195 | 4.54 | #14)
QB C.J. Brown, rSR (6-3 | 210 | 4.76 | #16)
DE Andre Monroe, rSR (5-11 | 275 | 4.87 | #93)
MISSISSIPPI STATE at SOUTH ALABAMA
Saturday, Sept. 13, 4 p.m.
Mobile, Ala. – ESPN NEWS
WHEN THE BULLDOGS HAVE THE BALL…
Through two games this season, junior
QB Dak Prescott (6-1 | 235 | 4.72 | #15) is among the nation's leaders in passing touchdowns with eight scores through the air and has the Bulldogs' offense revving, averaging 48.0 points per game. He has several talented pass-catchers at his disposal, including seniors
WR Jameon Lewis (5-8 | 183 | 4.57 | #4) and
WR Robert Johnson (6-0 | 211 | 4.52 | #12). Senior
TE Malcolm Johnson (6-1 | 231 | 4.76 | #6) is another of Prescott's weapons and although he lacks ideal size, he projects as a versatile H-Back.
WHEN THE JAGUARS HAVE THE BALL…
Most fans don't know that South Alabama is a FBS-level school, but the Jaguars have several NFL prospects on offense that are worth studying. Although he didn't record a catch in the season opener, the top prospect for USA is senior
TE Wes Saxton (6-4 | 235 | 4.65 | #13), who finished last season with 50 grabs. A transfer from Alcorn State, senior
QB Brandon Bridge (6-5 | 235 | 4.68 | #7) is a first-year starter, but he flashes NFL-worthy traits. The Bulldogs are loaded on defense, led by junior
MLB Benardrick McKinney (6-4 | 245 | 4.67 | #50).
OTHER MISSISSIPPI STATE PROSPECTS TO WATCH:
FS Justin Cox, SR (6-2 | 190 | 4.54 | #9)
DT Kaleb Eulls, rSR (6-3 | 295 | 5.12 | #92)
DT P.J. Jones, SR (6-2 | 296 | 5.32 | #93)
LT Blaine Clausell, rSR (6-6 | 315 | 5.37 | #75)
OTHER SOUTH ALABAMA PROSPECTS TO WATCH:
LT Ucambre Williams, rSR (6-3 | 295 | 5.03 | #76)
WR Shavarez Smith, SR (6-1 | 210 | 4.58 | #1)
FS Terrell Brigham, rSR (6-0 | 190 | 4.65 | #18)
RB Jay Jones, SR (5-9 | 195 | 4.62 | #8)
MINNESOTA at TCU
Saturday, Sept. 13, 4 p.m.
Fort Worth, Texas – Fox Sports 1
WHEN THE GOPHERS HAVE THE BALL…
Although he doesn't get much attention on a national level, senior
RB David Cobb (5-11 | 229 | 4.59 | #27) is highly thought of in NFL circles and is off to a hot start in 2014. Last week against Middle Tennessee State, he rushed for a career-high 220 yards on 29 carries (7.6 average) and two touchdowns, earning him Big Ten co-offensive player of the week honors. This match-up will provide a tougher test for Cobb as he goes up against one of the Big 12's better run defenses, led by senior
DT Chucky Hunter (6-1 | 305 | 5.12 | #96).
WHEN THE HORNED FROGS HAVE THE BALL…
Senior
QB Matt Joeckel (6-4 | 240 | 4.95 | #16), the brother of 2013 first rounder Luke Joeckel, transferred to TCU from Texas A&M for the chance to see the field in his final season of eligibility. And while he's listed as the co-starter on the depth chart, junior
QB Trevone Boykin (6-2 | 215 | 4.57 | #2) has been the clear-cut No. 1 QB since camp. Coach Gary Patterson remains high on the Aggie transfer and says he wants to get Joeckel on the field any chance he gets. Senior
MLB Damien Wilson (6-1 | 249 | 4.79 | #5) is the Gophers' top defender.
OTHER MINNESOTA PROSPECTS TO WATCH:
DT Cameron Botticelli, rSR (6-5 | 282 | 4.98 | #46)
RB Donnell Kirkwood, rSR (5-10 | 208 | 4.58 | #20)
WLB De'Vondre Campbell, rJR (6-5 | 238 | 4.73 | #26)
CB Derrick Wells, SR (6-0 | 201 | 4.64 | #3)
OTHER TCU PROSPECTS TO WATCH:
CB Kevin White, rSR (5-10 | 175 | 4.43 | #25)
OLB Paul Dawson, SR (6-2 | 230 | 4.76 | #47)
SS Sam Carter, rSR (6-1 | 215 | 4.63 | #17)
TE Cliff Murphy, rSR (6-4 | 265 | 4.90 | #43)
UCLA vs. TEXAS
Saturday, Sept. 13, 7 p.m.
Arlington, Texas – FOX
WHEN THE BRUINS HAVE THE BALL…
When I asked a NFL scout recently about his thoughts on junior QB Brett Hundley (6-3 | 227 | 4.64 | #17), he called him “awesomely talented and frustrating,” which might be the most accurate way to describe the Bruins signal caller. Hundley has all the physical tools to thrive at the NFL level, but his struggles with pressure and decision-making have been red flags that are tough to ignore. He'll face a defense that's full of athletes, but as a unit, the Longhorns' defenders gave up 429 yards and 28 first downs to QB Taysom Hill and BYU last week.
WHEN THE LONGHORNS HAVE THE BALL…
Due to injuries, several of Texas' prospects on offense are sidelined, including senior QB David Ash (6-3 | 227 | 4.68 | #14) and WR Jaxon Shipley (6-1 | 193 | 4.54 | #8). Senior RB Malcolm Brown (6-0 | 228 | 4.59 | #28) is one of the most heralded recruits to arrive in Austin, but so far the production hasn't matched the hype with only 3.2 yards per carry so far in 2014. For UCLA on defense, there are two senior prospects who have really stood out: DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa (6-3 | 270 | 4.79 | #94) and MLB Eric Kendricks (6-0 | 230 | 4.68 | #6).
OTHER UCLA PROSPECTS TO WATCH:
DT Ellis McCarthy, JR (6-4 | 330 | 5.18 | #90)
RB Jordon James, rSR (5-9 | 196 | 4.49 | #6)
LG Malcolm Bunche, rSR (6-7 | 327 | 5.24 | #78)
SS Anthony Jefferson, rSR (6-1 | 190 | 4.58 | #23)
OTHER TEXAS PROSPECTS TO WATCH:
DT Malcom Brown, JR (6-4 | 320 | 5.24 | #90)
OLB Jordan Hicks, rSR (6-2 | 244 | 4.73 | #3)
CB Quandre Diggs, SR (5-10 | 204 | 4.53 | #6)
DE Cedric Reed, SR (6-6 | 271 | 4.89 | #88)
TENNESSEE at OKLAHOMA
Saturday, Sept. 13, 7 p.m.
Norman, Okl. – ABC
WHEN THE VOLUNTEERS HAVE THE BALL…
Tennessee has struggled to find offensive consistency in recent years, but senior
QB Justin Worley (6-4 | 224 | 4.92 | #14) has the Volunteers on cruise control. He'll face a tough test against an Oklahoma defense allowing only 3.2 yards per play this season. The Sooners defense has a suffocating front-seven led by a pair of underclassmen:
DE Charles Tapper (6-4 | 281 | 4.83 | #91) and
OLB Eric Striker (6-0 | 221 | 4.73 | #19). Striker has the versatility to put his hand in the ground and rush the passer or play on his feet and drop in coverage.
WHEN THE SOONERS HAVE THE BALL…
The key to Oklahoma's top-five ranked status is RS sophomore
QB Trevor Knight (6-1 |201 | 4.62 | #9), who is a dangerous threat with his arm and his legs. He also benefits from a veteran offensive line with seniors
LT Tyrus Thompson (6-5 | 336 | 5.16 | #71) and
RT Daryl Williams (6-6 | 329 | 5.23 | #79) on the edges and
LG Adam Shead (6-4 | 339 | 5.34 | #74)inside. Senior
MLB A.J. Johnson (6-2 | 242 | 4.79 | #45) is the emotional leader of the Tennessee defense and leads the team with 18 tackles, one tackle for loss and one interception.
OTHER TENNESSEE PROSPECTS TO WATCH:
CB Justin Coleman, SR (5-10 | 190 | 4.53 | #27)
RB Marlin Lane, SR (5-11 | 210 | 4.59 | #15)
TE Brendan Downs, SR (6-5 | 228 | 4.76 | #85)
WR Pig Howard, JR (5-8 | 186 | 4.48 | #2)
OTHER OKLAHOMA PROSPECTS TO WATCH:
TE Blake Bell, rSR (6-6 | 259 | 4.97 | #10)
DE Geneo Grissom, rSR (6-4 | 252 | 4.82 | #85)
CB Zack Sanchez, rSO (5-11 | 171 | 4.48 | #15
CB Julian Wilson, rSR (6-2 | 201 | 4.54 | #2)
PENN STATE at RUTGERS
Saturday, Sept. 13, 7 p.m.
New Brunswick, N.J. – Big Ten Network
WHEN THE NITTANY LIONS HAVE THE BALL…
With true sophomore QB Christian Hackenberg not yet draft-eligible, Penn State's top prospect on offense who can enter the 2015
NFL Draft is probably
LT Donovan Smith (6-5 | 335 | 5.12 | #76), who has protected Hackenberg's blindside the past two seasons. The Nittany Lions are loaded at the tight end position on the depth chart, led by junior
TE Jesse James (6-7 | 254 | 4.89 | #18), who leads the team with a pair of receiving scores. Junior
DT Darius Hamilton (6-4 | 260 | 4.74 | #91) is a budding star for Rutgers with loads of potential.
WHEN THE SCARLET KNIGHTS HAVE THE BALL…
The horse of the offense, junior
RB Paul James (6-0 | 210 | 4.62 | #34) doesn't have the name recognition of Melvin Gordon or Ameer Abdullah, but there's a good chance he leads the Big Ten in rushing this season. Opening holes for him in the trenches is seniors
LG Kaleb Johnson (6-4 | 305 | 5.23 | #72) and
C Betim Bujari (6-3 | 295 | 5.17 | #55), who both project as draft picks next spring. The top match-up in this contest might be when junior
TE Tyler Kroft (6-5 | 240 | 4.82 | #86) lines up with senior
DB Adrian Amos (6-0 | 209 | 4.59 | #4).
OTHER PENN STATE PROSPECTS TO WATCH:
DE C.J. Olaniyan, rSR (6-3 | 252 | 4.82 | #86)
FB Zach Zwinak, rSR (6-1 | 233 | 4.64 | #28)
ILB Mike Hull, rSR (6-0 | 232 | 4.63 | #43)
RB Bill Belton, SR (5-9 | 204 | 4.55 | #1)
OTHER RUTGERS PROSPECTS TO WATCH:
FB Michael Burton, rSR (6-0 | 235 | 4.77 | #46)
QB Gary Nova, SR (6-2 | 220 | 4.78 | #10)
WR Leonte Carroo, JR (6-1 | 200 | 4.49 | #4)
OLB Steve Longa, rSO (6-1 | 220 | 4.68 | #3)
