Bowls are here. This time of year is wonderful. Spending time with family, football on television almost every day. This is also our last opportunity to see college players on the field before the long offseason begins. Even better, these bowls give you an opportunity to watch small school prospects you may not be able to mid-season due to their games not being televised. These previews will give you an idea of which devy players and rookie prospects are playing during bowl season. They say the best time to watch a prospect is during the biggest games. You cannot get any bigger a stage than the college football playoff.
Washington vs Alabama
Saturday, December 31st 3:00PM
In a game Alabama is favored by 14, Washington will have to rely on quarterback Jake Browning and junior wide receiver John Ross. Ross has been a breakout star this year, coming from nowhere to now being considered a potential 1st round NFL draft pick. The 5’11”, 190-pound receiver has the potential to run in the low 4.3s at the combine. While I expect Ross to be a large focus of the Alabama defense, the Tide cannot focus exclusively on Ross due to talented sophomore running back Myles Gaskin. Gaskin has posted nearly identical numbers to his strong freshman year with the addition of some receiving work. If Washington has a chance in this game, Ross and Gaskin must have huge days.
On the Alabama side, my focus will be on the 2018 prospects. Running back Damien Harris is just short of 1000 yards on the season but has the pedigree and talent to be a 3-down NFL back. The emergence of quarterback Jalen Hurts as a runner has capped Harris’ upside. I will be looking to buy Harris this offseason as an underrated talent. Fellow sophomore Calvin Ridley entered the season on many devy boards as the top 2018 eligible receiver, but he has been relatively quiet this year (66 catches for 727 yards and 7 touchdowns). I am beginning to worry Ridley’s value is tied to his name, instead of his play. I will need to see more in his junior campaign before I am willing to pay up for Ridley.
Ohio State vs Clemson
Saturday, December 31st 7:00PM
With Ohio State Junior running back Curtis Samuel being evaluated as a potential positional convert to wide receiver in the NFL, I will be watching Samuel in the receiving game. Samuel is an exceptional weapon in space. I want to focus on route running and hands catching. These will be key to him succeeding as a receiver at the next level. This game is also an opportunity to watch redshirt freshman back Mike Weber. Weber has the potential to be a 3-down back in the NFL. He will be a buy for me this offseason.
For Clemson, this will be another opportunity to watch junior running back Wayne Gallman and senior wide receiver Mike Williams. Gallman has been a pleasant surprise this year with over 1000 yards and 15 touchdowns. While I do not think Gallman does anything special, he is a well-rounded back that can contribute in the NFL. With the large amount of player returning for their senior seasons, Gallman is clearly in the 1st round discussion for rookie drafts.
Mike Williams was the number one receiver in 2016 for many analysts before his neck injury. This year he has returned on a mission and is the clear WR1 for Clemson. As we enter draft season, we will be spending hours discussing and critiquing these athletes. Take an opportunity to watch Williams against NFL caliber competition.
