Saturday, December 3
Conference
USA Championship; Noon ET; ABC
Southern Mississippi (10-2) at Houston (12-0) … Houston is one of
only
two remaining unbeaten teams at the D1A level and with a win over
Southern Miss this afternoon, the Cougars are guaranteed a spot in a
BCS Bowl as well as the lucrative pay day that comes along with it. The
game will also provide one more chance to check out star Houston QB
Case Keenum (#7, 6-2, 210) who became the NCAA‘s all-time leading
passer earlier in the
season. Keenum, who made a successful return from a torn ACL suffered
early last year, has put up some off the charts numbers this fall as he
has completed over 73% of his passes, including 43 for TDs while losing
only three picks. Keenum, though, still hasn‘t gotten much respect from
NFL scouts who consider him to be more a system passer who lacks
prototype size and arm strength. Keenum works with an outstanding
receiver corps led by WRs Patrick Edwards (#83, 5-9, 175) and Tyron
Carrier (#35, 5-8, 170), a pair of track stars who can really fly. For
the record, Edwards has almost 1,500 receiving yards and 18 scores to
date, while Carrier has 83 receptions. The Houston defense isn‘t as
good, but has several decent second-tier prospects including MLB Marcus
McGraw (#55, 6-0, 225), a tackling machine with almost 500 career
stops, including 120 this year, and emerging edge-rushing OLB Sammy
Brown (#8, 6-2, 240) who has
12.5 sacks and 26 total tackles for loss this fall.
Southern Mississippi, though, will be no pushover for
Houston. The
Golden Eagles have their own draft prospect at QB in athletic veteran
Austin Davis (#12, 6-2, 200) who has completed 63% of his passes this
fall and thrown for 24 scores against 10 interceptions while running
for another 385 yards. In fact, Southern Miss could have one of its
better draft classes this coming spring, although it does not appear as
if the program has anyone likely to be selected within the first 100
picks. DE Cordarro Law (#49, 6-2, 255), OLB Ronnie Thornton (#56, 6-2,
230), SS Kendrick Presley (#26, 6-2, 200) and PK Danny Hrapmann (#34,
5-9, 160) are mid-to-late round prospects, while OTs Lamar Holmes (#72,
6-5, 335) and Jason Weaver (#52, 6-5, 315) are big bookend tackles that
could draw some free-agent interest.
SEC Championship; Atlanta; 4 PM ET; CBS
Georgia (10-2) versus LSU (12-0) … Unbeaten LSU comes into the SEC
title game as the top-ranked team in
the country. Indeed, the betting is that even if the Tigers were to
lose to Georgia later today, they are still pretty much assured a spot
in next month’s national championship game against Alabama. LSU starts
with a defense that may be the fastest in the country. Junior CB Morris
Claiborne (#17, 6-0, 180), who took over from Patrick Peterson, the 5th
player selected at the 2011 draft, as LSU‘s shut-down corner, is the
Team‘s top prospect for the 2012 draft. As good as he is, though,
Claiborne still may not even be the team‘s best cover corner as true
sophomore CB Tyrann Mathieu (#7, 5-9, 180) could be the Tigers‘s best
player period. The LSU defense also features several decent later-round
or free-agent type prospects including SS Brandon Taylor (#18, 6-0,
195), who leads the team in tackles, along with OLBs Ryan Baker (#22,
6-0, 230) and Stefoin Francois (#23, 6-0, 215). The Tigers get their
pass rush, though, primarily from sophomore DEs Sam Montgomery (#99,
6-4, 265) and Barkevious Mingo (#49, 6-4, 240). The Tigers‘
offensive isn‘t as talented, but has a couple of solid senior
second-tier QBs in Jordan Jefferson (##9, 6-4, 225) and Jarrett Lee
(#12, 6-2, 210). LSU also has a pair of dangerous receivers in juniors
Rueben Randle (#2, 6-3, 210) and Russell Shephard (#10, 6-0, 190),
while TE Deangelo Peterson (#19, 6-4, 245) is a
dependable underneath target.
It wasn‘t all that long ago that Georgia head coach Mark Richt looked
like a goner, but a 10-game winning streak has put the Dawgs in the SEC
final with a shot
at a BCS bowl. However, Georgia, which had top 5 picks in two of the
past three years, won‘t have quite that impact this coming April, but
does have a potentially mid-to-late first rounder in massive OG Cordy
Glenn (#71, 6-5, 350), while veteran C Ben Jones (#60, 6-3, 315) and CB
Brandon Boykin (#2, 5-9,185) have top 100 potential. Same for junior TE
Orson Charles (#7, 6-3, 245) who leads the team in receiving.
Meanwhile, P Drew Butler (#13, 6-2, 215) and PK Blair Walsh (#57, 5-10,
195) are arguably the best kicking combo in the country. Georgia also
has several second-tier prospects including NT De‘Angelo Tyson
(#94,6-3, 310), OT Justin Anderson (#79, 6-5, 345) and TE/FBs Bruce
Figgins (#89, 6-3, 275) and Aron White (#81. 6-4, 240). The key to the
Georgia turnaround, though, was sophomore QB Aaron Murray (#11, 6-1,
210), while junior OLB Jarvis Jones (#29, 6-2, 245), who has 12.5 sacks
this year, is the impact player on defense.
Big 10+2 Championship; Detroit; 8 PM ET; Fox
Wisconsin (10-2) versus Michigan State (10-2) … Wisconsin, in
particular, would like nothing better than another crack at the
Spartans after their national aspirations came crashing down last month
on a Hail Mary in East Lansing. Former North Carolina State QB Russell
Wilson (#16, 5-11, 205), who was in the thick of the Heisman debate
until the loss at Michigan State, has been a very productive collegiate
QB, but isn‘t very tall and lacks elite arm strength and touch so isn’t
a prime draft prospect himself, although he surely get a late round
call from someone this coming April. The Badgers may have the best
offensive line in college football and will get a further boost if
junior C Peter Konz (#66, 6-5, 315), who has been out injured the past
few weeks, is able to play. Senior OG Kevin Zeitler (#70, 6-4, 320) is
also a good one, while junior LT Ricky Wagner (#58, 6-5, 325) could be
the line‘s best overall prospect. Then there‘s OT Josh Ogelsby (#67,
6-6, 335), who was considered to be one of the nation‘s top recruits
three years ago, but has been held back to date by a recurring knee
injury. Meanwhile, WR Nick Toon (#1, 6-2, 215), the son of former
Badger and NY Jets‘ star WR Al Toon, should also get some top 100
consideration this coming April, while TE Jake Byrne (#82, 6-4, 255)
could be something of a sleeper. And it wouldn‘t be Wisconsin without a
stable of thundering RBs and that will be the case again this fall with
junior Montee Ball (#28, 5-10, 225) and sophomore James White (#20,
5-10, 205) carrying the mail. Ball, in particular, has had an
outstanding year and could very well figure among the top 3-4 backs off
the board this coming April if he opts to leave school early. The
Badgers‘ defense isn‘t as talented, but does have several later round
or free-agent candidates in FS Aaron Henry (#7, 6-0, 210), CBs Antonio
Fenelus (#26, 5-9, 195), DT Patrick Butrym (#95, 6-3, 285) and DE Louis
Nzegwu (#93, 6-3, 245).
As productive a player as Wisconsin QB Russell Wilson is, Michigan
State QB Kirk Cousins (#8, 6-2, 205) is probably the better pro
prospect. For the record, Cousins completed 64% of his pass attempts
this fall for over 2,700 yards and 21 scores, while tossing only 6
picks. The Spartans’ best prospect, though, is junior DT Jerel Worthy
(#99, 6-2, 305), a legitimate opening round candidate who is getting
some top-ten buzz. Other Spartans to watch include WRs B.J. Cunningham
(#3, 6-2, 225), Keith Nicol (#7, 6-2. 225) and Keshawn Martin (#82,
5-0, 185), TEs Brian Linthicum (#88, 6-4, 245) and Garrett Celek (#85,
6-4, 245), OG Joel Foreman (#67, 6-3, 315) and FS Trenton Robinson
(#39, 5-10, 195).
ACC Championship; Charlotte; 8 PM ET; ESPN
Clemson (9-3) versus Virginia Tech (11-1) …. Yet another rematch
with
Clemson looking to finally put to test the underachiever tag, while
Virginia Tech is still holding out hope that they can still somehow
wrangle an invite to the national championship game. For the record,
Clemson won easily (23-3) in Blacksburg the first the two teams hooked
up, but after starting out the season 8-0, but have lost three of their
last four. Clemson looks likey to have a bigger impact at the 2012
draft than Virginia Tech. In particular, Clemson has a number of top
100 prospects for the 2012 draft including DT Brandon Thompson (#98,
6-2, 310), a potential mid-first rounder, along with DE Andre Branch
(#40, 6-5, 260) and juniors Andre Ellington (#23, 5-9, 190), a scatback
with sub-4.4 speed, TE Dwayne Allen (#83, 6-4, 255), and FS Rashard
Hall (#31, 6-1, 200). Clemson also has several later round or free
agent prospects pro scouts will be tracking including OG Antoine
McClain (#74, 6-4, 330), OTs Landon Walker (#72, 6-5, 310) and Phillip
Price (#79, 6-5, 300), FB Chad Diehl (#30, 6-1, 265), DT Rennie Moore
(#94, 6-3, 270), DE Kourtnei Brown (#90, 6-4, 250), and P Dawson
Zimmerman (#96, 6-2, 205). The guy at Clemson that everyone is talking
about, though, is true freshman WR Sammy Watkins (#2, 6-0, 200) who is
averaging over 100 receiving yards per game and has scored 6 times in
his first four career games.
Virginia Tech also has a couple of juniors with late first round
potential in CB Jayron Hosley (#20, 5-10, 175), a ball-hawker supreme
who led the entire NCAA wth nine picks last fall, although he lacks
prototype size and speed, and emerging RB David Wilson (#4, 5-10, 205),
who could be a better prospect than former Hokies‘s RB Ryan Williams,
the 38th player taken this past spring. Like Clemson, Virginia Tech
also has a big, physical offensive line anchored by a couple of
mid-round prospects in OT Blake DeChristopher (#62, 6-5, 315) and OG
Jaymes Brooks (#68, 6-2, 310). Same story for FS Eddie Whitley (#15,
6-1, 190) and big-play WR Danny Coale (#19, 5-11,195), while RB Josh
Oglesby (#2, 5-10, 10), who played FB last year, could be something of
a sleeper. At the same time, junior ILB Bruce
Taylor (#51, 6-2, 255) is a full-sized tackling machine with mid-round
potential if he surprises people and opts to enter this year‘s draft.
The key to the Hokies fortunes, though, will be rangy sophomore QB
Logan Thomas (#3, 6-5, 245), a solid college pivot who can get the ball
downfield as well as run when needed.
Big XII (minus II) Championship; 8 PM ET; ABC
Oklahoma (10-2) at Oklahoma State (11-1) … Expect the football to
be
flying all over the lot when Oklahoma plays at #3 ranked Oklahoma State
in their annual Bedlam encounter that will decide the Big XII’s BCS
rep. This one will feature its own passing dual between OSU‘s Brandon
Weeden (#3, 6-4, 215) and the Sooners’ Landry Jones (#12, 6-4, 230),
both of whom are considered to be among the top QB prospects for the
upcoming draft. Indeed, both have thrown for over 4,000 yards this fall
with Weeden hitting on 73% of his pass attempts, while Jones has
connected on 64%. Weeden, though, is an older player who spent 5 years
playing minor league baseball and will be pushing 30 by the time he
gets to an NFL training camp next summer.
Weeden, though, may have an edge in this game as he‘ll have his top
receiver available in junior WR Justin Blackmon (#81, 6-1, 215), a
potential top 5 prospect this year. And one knows Blackmon is good
because his 103 catches for over 1,200 yards and 15 TDs is considered a
‘slump‘. Unfortunately, OU’s Jones lost his top receiver when WR Ryan
Broyles hurt a knee. Pro scouts will also be checking out a couple of
other likely second-day picks with the unbeaten Cowboys in veteran OT
Levy Adcock (#73, 6-5, 325) and FS Markelle Martin (#10, 6-0, 195).
Meanwhile, slot receiver Josh Cooper (#25, 5-10, 190), DE Jamie
Blatnick (#50, 6-3, 265) and OT Nick Martinez (#75, 305) are later
round or free agent type prospects.
The Sooners started out the season as the #1 team in the country,
but hit a ew unexpected road bumps along the way. Their prospects at
the 2012 draft have also taken a few hits. Along with Broyles, who
almost certainly won’t be able to work out prior to the draft, junior
OLB Travis Lewis (#28, 6-1, 235), who carried a late first round grade
into the season, has also seen his status hampered by injuries. Same
for junior DE/OLB Ronnell Lewis (#56, 6-2, 245) and CB Jamell Fleming
(#32, 5-11, 190). The Sooners, though, do have a number of decent
second-tier prospects including DE Frank Alexander (#84, 6-3, 260), TE
James Hanna (#82, 6-4, 240), OG Stephen Good (#77, 6-4, 295) and LT
Donald Stephenson (#59, 6-5, 310). For good measure, Oklahoma also has
one of the better kickers in the country in junior P Tress Way (#36,
6-1, 225).
Friday, December 2
MAC Championship; Detroit; 7 PM ET; ESPN2
Ohio (9-3) versus Northern Illinois (9-3) … The MAC
Championship matches up the two best teams in the conference in what
should be a very competitive game. And while no one from either team is
a lock to be drafted this coming April, there are several players on
each team certainly worth an extra look. The NIU offense, in
particular, looks to be loaded this fall with QB Chandler Harnish (#12,
6-2, 225), one of the most efficient dual-threat passers in college
football, leading the way. Harnish completed 63% of his pas attempts
this fall including 20 for TDs against just 4 interceptions, while he
also ran for over 1,000 yards. Harnish works behind a veteran offensive
line that includes OTs Trevor Olson (#62, 6-6, 305) and OT Keith Otis
(#68, 6-4, 330), OG Joe Pawluk (#72, 6-4, 305) and rugged C Scott
Wedige (#71, 72, 6-3, 315). Meanwhile elusive RB Jasmin Hopkins (#25,
5-9, 175), WR Nathan Palmer (#81, 5-11, 200), and FB Cameron Bell (#32,
6-2, 250) put the skill in the skill positions. After going more than
three decades without having any position player drafted at all, Ohio
had a player selected in three straight drafts between 2008 and 2010
and have a chance to make it four out of 5 this coming April as both
MLB Noah Keller (#47, 6-1, 245) and WR/PR LaVon Brazill (#7, 5-10, 190)
have pro potential. Keller (#47, 6-1, 245) is a tackling machine who
has 92 tackles this fall after racking up 155 in 2009. For his part,
Brazill (#7, 5-10, 190) is a quick slot receiver who has also returned
4 punts for TDs in his career. The Bobcats have a solid set of bookend
OTs in A.J. Sturm (#79, 6-5, 300) and Joe Flading (#78, 6-4, 290) who
could get free-agent looks this year.
Pac 12 Championship; Eugene; 8 PM ET; Fox
Oregon (10-2) versus UCLA (6-6) ... If nothing
else, the Pac 12 has provided other conferences planning to expand with
a model of how to do it right. The conference carefully examined all
its options, and took the prudent route by adding only a couple of
teams (that were a combined 10-15 on the season). And for their
troubles, the Pac 12 folks ended up with a 6-6 team that lost its last
game 50-0 and has already announced that its coach is toast in the
conference's inaugural championship game. In fact, just maybe UCLA
could have done everyone a favor and defaulted to Oregon which could
hang 60-70 points on the Bruins in tonight's game. Of course, the Pac
12 would have had an enticing championship game match-up if Southern
California wasn't on probation for transgressions stretching back into
the Reggie Bush era. The conference also could have put a nice title
game on the table with Stanford substituting for UCLA, but the Cardinal
are in the same division as Oregon. Which is Exhibit A in one of the
major problems with the whole conference title concept and that's when
a league's best teams end up in the same division. But the conference
will still gets its TV money and in college football these days that's
about all that seems to matter.
In fact, UCLA may be weakest team ever to play in a major
conference championship game. The Bruins didn't place anyone at all on
either of the conference's first or second all-league teams and only
have a handful of players that can expect to even get some free-agent
interest this coming off-season from the pros. WR Nelson Rosario (#83,
6-4, 220) at last has NFL size, as do C Kai Maiava (#51, 6-1, 320) and
OT Mike Harris (#65, 6-5, 335), LB Sean Westlake (#11, 5-11, 225) has
some special-team potential.
Despite a gaudy 10-2 record, Oregon may not have much more
of an impact at the 2012 draft than usual as most of the Ducks best
players are underclassmen. The most likely Oregon underclassman to
impact the draft is junior RB LaMichael James (#21, 5-9, 185) who leads
the nation in rushing. In fact, James is part of what may be the
country‘s top RB corps as fellow junior Kenjon Barner (#24, 5-10, 185)
and freshman De’Anthony Thompon (#6, 5-10, 175) would start and star on
just about any other program in the country. At the same time, junior
QB Darron Thomas (#5, 6-3, 215) could very well figure in the Heisman
conversation at this time next year, although he's not a true NFL
prospect at the position. The offense also has a solid supporting cast
including several decent second-tier prospects for the upcoming draft
such as TE David Paulson (#42, 6-4, 245), one of the best receivers at
the position in the country who figures to get some mid-round
consideration, along with OTs Mark Asper (#79, 6-6, 325) and Darrion
Weems (#74, 6-5, 300), and WR Lavasier Tunei (#80, 6-4, 215).
Meanwhile, junior FS John Boyett (#20, 5-10, 200) is the steadiest
player on the defense, while SS Eddie Pleasant (#115-11, 215), OLB Josh
Kladdu (#56, 6-3, 230) and DE Terrell Turner (#45, 6-3, 275) are solid
later round or free agent candidates. The defense’s best player - and
prospect - though is junior CB/KR Cliff Harris (#13, 5-10, 170) who
likely will miss the game after being suspended for the second time
this year for another series of driving offenses.
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