With the college football season in full swing, here are some early thoughts:
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Join NowObvious alert, but the 2020 eligible crop is loaded. SEVEN backs currently have >90% projection model scores and THREE more are 85%+. As a point of comparison, no back drafted in the top-150 in 2019 was 85%+. Let that sink in…metrically there are 10 backs for 2020 higher in the model than any of the ones last year.
Chuba Hubbard is a rSO and I had him in the 2021 class, but he is already up to 91% in the model as a breakout guy for 2019, so I am shifting him into 2020. He and Cam Akers are the youngest of the RB class currently at 21.2 and 21.3 years old respectively.
With the laundry list of quality backs, RD2 (and maybe even a few picks into RD3) is going to be glorious in 2020 rookie drafts.
Also, the top-end is DEEP. While the 1.01-1.03 will have big-time value, the ‘Big 5’ at RB could be:
This doesn’t even include Hubbard or Trey Sermon or Eno Benjamin (others are more a fan), etc. Even if ‘stuck’ at 1.04-106, that’s not a bad RB-only list.
The senior class doesn’t stink either with Tavien Feaster, Ke’Shawn Vaughn, and Zach Moss notably off to good starts with appealing profiles. They could all be in the secondary market of backs with one of them being an auto-pick in RD3 or so next May.
2020 is pointing towards being a game-changer year for dynasty rosters.
It’s all about being selective at receiver, but the quality profiles do not end at running back for 2020.
The ‘Big 5’ in the top-10% of the model are:
I have some quibbles with Wallace, but I could see all of them being recommended players within the top-15 or so of a UTH Big Board next spring/summer.
Again, add these names to running back and we are already to the late 1st or early 2nd round if there are no other options added. Unreal.
Demetris Robertson is a riser to watch. Katie has been on Robertson since an incoming freshman. He’s an elite recruit with big-time speed and is finally producing (after a transfer) to kick off 2019. Robertson has a chance to crash the top-10% group as well.
On the deeper front, Brennan Eagles (Texas) and Terrace Marshal (LSU) are off to good starts from the 2021-eligible class with top-10% potential in the model by the end of the season.
Oh, and Rondale Moore is a freak (repetitive status update, right?). He’s at 100% in the model and the 2021 draft cannot get here soon enough.
Also, Rashod Bateman (2021) put up a big Week 1 (with Tyler Johnson still there) for Minnesota, which will be a tandem worth tracking this season. Bateman is up to 97% in the model with Johnson returning to school in 2019 with a 91% score. Johnson declaring in 2019 might have been the best thing for his draft stock…
Albert Okwuegbunam is the metric stud to know for 2020 (Missouri) at 99% in the model with ATH and PROD to spare. Jared Pinkney is interesting and Colby Parkinson is the latest Tight End U. product from Stanford likely to be in the first 2 rounds of the 2020 draft at 6’7″ and a 90% PROD score already as a current junior.
Brevin Jordan is not eligible until 2021, but is already in the top-5% of the model out of Miami (FL) and as things sit today is the likely TE1 of that class. He’s a decent but middling athlete on paper, which could be something to hold him back to some extent.
Lauded recruit Jeremy Ruckert (Ohio State) is off to a strong start this season and is already up to 85% in the model and also in the running for the TE1 in 2021 as a true sophomore.
