Week 9 recap:
- Let me just summarize all the amazingness of Georgia WR A.J. Green. Early in the game he caught a quick pass and stiff armed a defender and pushed him ahead with just his arm for a few yards before going out of bounds. Later he had a similar catch and stiff armed one defender to the ground, then Florida S Ahmad Black came to make the tackle and got stiff armed away while Green picked up a yard or two. Down by 7 with his team driving he made a great diving catch for a first down and then to tie the game he caught a TD pass between bracket double coverage and held onto the ball while taking a hit. Truly a top prospect.
- San Diego St. DeMarco Sampson put on a show for the Aztecs. He didn't have his issues with the drops this week and had some big TD receptions. Great performance. He'll need a couple more of these and a good All Star game performance to earn a mid round draft spot.
- Mr. Beaver Jacquizz Rodgers was at it again. He had an 11 yard passing TD, 119 rushing yards for 3 TDs ad 11 receiving yards.
Week 9 Key Matchups | ||||||
Alabama |
(7-1) | vs | LSU |
(7-1) | Saturday 11/6 12:30 PM PT | (CBS) |
Oregon St. |
(4-3) | vs | UCLA |
(3-5) | Saturday 11/6 4:00 PM PT | (Versus) |
Oklahoma |
(7-1) | vs | Texas A&M |
(5-3) | Saturday 11/6 4:00 PM PT | (Fox Sports West) |
Arkansas | (6-2) | vs | South Carolina |
(6-2) | Saturday 11/6 4:00 PM PT | (ESPN) |
Every week I'll also ask all of you to please share what games you'll be watching and what players you'd think would look good in blue and gold or just generally impressed/disappointed you.
Oregon St. vs UCLA |
It's been a while since Oregon St. got introduced here back in week 3. One of the players introduced was RB Jacquizz Rodgers. Since then I've called him Mr. Beaver, partly because it sounds funny and mostly because he is the Oregon St. Beaver football team. He's had some absolutely monster football games including last week's game that I mentioned in the recap above. The Chargers should serious consider this guy as a Sproles replacement/upgrade. I'm hoping no one takes a chance on him in the first round, but if he's there in the second round he might be worth it. He could be as dynamic as Dexter McCluster who the Chiefs used a second round pick on. The Beavers also have one of the top DE/DT prospects in Stephen Paea. His work this year has shot his draft grade way up to the point where he has value as a 4-3 DT in the top of the first round. That pretty much prices him out for the Chargers because I would recommend drafted a 3-4 DE that high especially since he's a little short for the position. I suppose he could be a NT, but the Chargers like what they have there for now I think. UCLA makes a return here after I profiled them in week 8 and promptly got trounced by Oregon. The Bruins boast one of the top OLB in Akeem Ayers who could be a target for the Chargers if they end up drafting in the mid 1st round or higher. They also have one of the top safeties in Rahim Moore who could be a first round pick or be available in the top half of the second round. Both should make a bigger impact in this game than they did against Oregon. |
Oklahoma vs Texas A&M |
The Sooners have been a part of a featured matchup a bunch of times this year going back to week 2 when they were playing Florida St. We like them because they have multiple high draft pick caliber players at positions the Chargers may be looking to address with high draft picks. As a refresher those players are LB Travis Lewis, DE/OLB Jeremy Beal, S Quinton Carter, RB DeMarco Murray and WR Ryan Broyles. Lewis could play ILB or OLB, but I think he'd be outstanding as a ILB for the Chargers. Beal is a early rounds prospect that can rush the passer, but is a liability in coverage. Carter is a solid DB that could play alongside Eric Weddle. Murray could be a 3rd down back and an asset out of the backfield, but could require an early pick. Broyles' value has been rocketing him towards the first round with great games like his 200 yard effort last week, but he's not quite as tall as the Chargers would probably like. Texas A&M has one player we like in OLB Von Miller who we profiled in week 8. He's a pass rushing LB that led the FCS in sacks last year. When we feature him against Missouri he played a lot of coverage against the spread. Oklahoma also runs a spread, but likes to get into traditional formations too, so he should get some shots on Sooner QB Landry Jones. |
Arkansas vs South Carolina |
Arkansas has one prospect we've been tracking in OT Demarcus Love. Back in week 4 he was facing Alabama and the Chargers didn't have Marcus McNeill signed. So at the time we were curious about a first round OT prospect facing the defending champs. However, even though he's still a very good prospect the Chargers are now set at LT and are unlikely to spend a high pick on a RT. The Razorbacks also have a QB prospect in Ryan Mallett who looks like he'll be a 1st round draft pick, which is always interesting. Back in week 4 Arkansas didn't knock off Alabama even though they came close, but the next week South Carolina did. The Gamecocks are a talented football team coached by the great Steve Spurrier. They don't have a ton of prospects the Bolts would be interested, but there is one pass rusher we can watch in this SEC clash. |
Cliff Matthews, South Carolina, DE/OLB, Senior, 6'4, 263 lbs (3rd round) - A guy with a good motor who has good skills for getting after the passer. He plays with his hand on the ground in college and that exposes his lack of strength against blockers. His main assets are his hands, feet and determination, which will work better as a OLB. He's also got a good spin move. He's a little stiff though so he's not ideal for dropping into coverage. He's got good football smarts and can sniff out screens and draws. He's a hard worker and a team captain dating back to his junior campaign.
Alabama vs LSU |
This is a high profile SEC matchup that features two teams that don't lose a lot of games. Both teams come in with one loss and any dreams of a National Championship for either rest on winning this game and avoiding going to two losses. Both teams are coming off of bye weeks, but LSU is also coming off of their first loss of the season. The loss was to currently top-ranked Auburn Tigers, so the Bayou Bengals don't have much to be ashamed about. Still, these are proud programs and talented teams that badly need to win this game. It provides all our watched prospects with big opportunities to show off their skills at highest level of competition that collegiate football provides. OLB Kelvin Sheppard will go against some of the top OLs in the country and chase down two of the top running backs in the country. LSU WR Terrence Tolliver will have to watch out for ball-hawking Alabama S Mark Barron. And Alabama WR Julio Jones will have to face off of against possibly the best CB prospect in the nation in LSU's Patrick Peterson. |
Tracking Prospects Mentioned In Previous Articles:
Prospect Name | College | Position | Week 4 Opponent | Notes |
Noel Devine | West Virginia | RB | Bye | 16 car. 67 yds. |
DeMarco Murray | Oklahoma | RB | Texas A&M | 11 car. 40 yds. 1 TD. 10 rec. 73 yds. |
Jacquizz Rodgers | Oregon St. | RB | UCLA |
11 yd passing TD. 22 car. 119 yds. 3 TDs. 3 rec. 11 yds. |
Brandon Saine | Ohio State | RB | Bye | 6 car. 23 yds |
Jonathan Baldwin | Pittsburgh | WR | Bye |
4 rec. 24 yds. |
Armon Binns | Cincinnati | WR | Bye |
3 rec. 28 yds. |
Vincent Brown | San Diego St. | WR | Colorado St. | 5 rec. 144 yds. |
Ryan Broyles | Oklahoma | WR | Texas A&M |
9 rec. 208 yds. 3 TDs. |
Michael Floyd | Notre Dame | WR | Bye |
11 rec. 104 yds. 2 TDs. |
A.J Green | Georgia | WR | Idaho St. | 4 rec. 42 yds. 1 TD. |
Leonard Hankerson | Miami | WR | Maryland |
6 rec. 90 yds. 1 TD. |
Ron Johnson | USC | WR | Arizona St. | 4 rec. 65 yds. 1 TD. 55 yd punt return (4 ret. 94 yds.) |
Julio Jones | Alabama | WR | LSU | |
Greg Little | North Carolina | WR | NCAA ruled him permanently ineligible. |
|
Niles Paul | Nebraska | WR | Iowa St. |
1 rec. 21 yds. |
Austin Pettis | Boise St. | WR | Hawaii |
5 rec. 55 yds. 1 TD |
DeVier Posey | Ohio State | WR | Bye | 6 rec. 115 yds. 1 TD. |
DeMarco Sampson | San Diego St. | WR | Colorado St. | 7 rec. 75 yds. 2 TDs. |
Terrence Toliver | LSU | WR | Alabama | |
Nick Toon | Wisconsin | WR | Purdue | |
Titus Young | Boise St. | WR | Hawaii | 4 rec. 69 yds. |
Gabe Carimi | Wisconsin | OT | Purdue |
|
Demarcus Love | Arkansas | OT | South Carolina |
|
Jason Pinkston | Pittsburgh | OT | Bye | |
Nick Fairley | Auburn | DE/DT | Chattanooga | |
Jared Crick | Nebraska | DE/DT | Iowa St. |
1 sack |
Stephen Paea | Oregon St. | DE/DT | UCLA |
|
Ian Williams | Notre Dame | DE/DT | Bye | |
Pierre Allen | Nebraska | DE/OLB | Iowa St. |
1 sack |
Allen Bailey | Miami | DE/OLB | Maryland |
|
Jeremy Beal | Oklahoma | DE/OLB | Texas A&M |
1 PBU |
Da'Quan Bowers | Clemson | DE/OLB | North Carolina St. |
|
Ryan Kerrigan | Purdue | DE/OLB | Wisconsin |
1 sack |
Greg Romeus | Pittsburgh | DE/OLB | Bye | Back surgery, out indefinitely |
Jabaal Sheard | Pittsburgh | DE/OLB | Bye | 1.5 sacks, 2 FF and 2.0 TFLs |
Kelvin Sheppard | LSU | DE/OLB | Alabama |
|
Akeem Ayers | UCLA | OLB | Oregon St. |
|
Bruce Carter | North Carolina | OLB | Florida St. |
1 sack and 1 hurry |
Brandon Hicks | Florida | OLB | Vanderbilt |
|
Von Miller | Texas A&M | OLB | Oklahoma |
1 sack and 1 hurry |
Ross Homan | Ohio State | ILB | Bye | Foot injury, out for a few games |
Nate Irving | North Carolina St. | ILB | Clemson |
|
Greg Jones | Michigan St. | ILB | Minnesota |
|
Casey Matthews | Oregon | ILB | Washington |
|
Quan Sturdivant | North Carolina | ILB | Florida St. |
|
Travis Lewis | Oklahoma | LB | Texas A&M |
1 PBU |
Colin McCarthy | Miami | LB | Maryland |
1 Int |
Prince Amukamara | Nebraska | CB | Iowa St. |
|
Chykie Brown | Texas | CB | Kansas St. |
|
Curtis Brown | Texas | CB | Kansas St. |
1 PBU and some dumb penalties |
Rashad Carmichael | Virginia Tech | CB | Georgia Tech |
|
Chimdi Chekwa | Ohio State | CB | Bye | 1 Int, 1 sack, 1 FF. |
Marcus Gilchrist | Clemson | CB | North Carolina St. |
|
Brandon Harris | Miami | CB | Maryland |
|
Janoris Jenkins | Florida | CB | Vanderbilt |
1 Int. Was mostly covering A.J. Green. Georgia afraid to challenge him even with 1-on-1 soft coverage in overtime. |
Brandon Hogan | West Virginia | CB | Bye | |
Patrick Peterson | LSU | CB | Alabama |
|
Aaron Williams | Texas | CB | Kansas St. |
1 PBU |
Shareece Wright | USC | CB | Arizona St. | 1 PBU |
Mark Barron | Alabama | S | LSU |
|
Ahmed Black | Florida | S | Vanderbilt |
1 sack, 1 FF. |
Quinton Carter | Oklahoma | S | Texas A&M |
|
DeAndre McDaniel | Clemson | S | North Carolina St. |
|
Rahim Moore | UCLA | S | Oregon St. |
1 Fumble recovery and 1 rec. 11 yds. |
Robert Sands | West Virginia | S | Bye | |
Deunta Williams | North Carolina | S | Florida St. |