The last game at Stanford for Andrew Luck and Jim Harbaugh? (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
| Featured Game | ||||||
| Orange Bowl |
||||||
|
Stanford |
(11-1) | vs |
Virginia Tech |
(11-2) | Monday 1/3 5:30 PM PT | (ESPN) |
This game is a showcase on the big stage for Stanford QB Andrew Luck and a potential NFL Head Coach in Stanford's Jim Harbaugh. Luck is in line to be the top pick in the draft either this year or whenever he moves onto the NFL. Harbaugh has been rumored as a successor for Mike Singletary with the San Francisco 49ers and there have also been rumblings that he could return to his Alma Mater to take the reigns at Michigan. This might be an opportune time for both to leave since Stanford has a lot of players in their senior (you can see this in the sleepers section, especially with WRs Chris Owusu, Ryan Whalen and Doug Baldwin, TEs Coby Fleener and Konrad Reuland and FB Owen Marecic all moving on) and this may be the pinnacle of their success for the near future. Although, they do have a tremendous Sophomore talent in RB Stepfan Taylor.
Virginia Tech started off their season by losing to WAC powerhouse Boise State in the opening week. They then embarrassed themselves by surrendering a victory to James Madison University, which isn't even an FCS school. Since then they've won 10 straight and dominated the ACC including a win in the ACC Championship Game against Florida State. Going into the season many expect the Hokies to lean on RB Ryan Williams to lead a strong offense, but as the season progressed Senior QB Tyrod Taylor and Junior RB Darren Evans led the high-powered Virginia Tech offense. They also have a nice trifecta of receiving targets in Junior WRs Jarrett Boykins and Danny Coale and Senior TE Andre Smith.
These teams were the 9th (Stanford) and 18th (Virginia Tech) highest scoring teams this season. Expect a shootout and a chance to see future NFL players before they were stars.
| BFTB Scouting Targets: | |||||
| Player | School | Pos. | Class | Height | Weight |
| Rashad Carmichael |
Virginia Tech |
CB |
Sr. | 5'10 | 182 lbs |
| Carmichael's greatest asset on the football field is his top end speed. His man-to-man coverage skills have developed really well. He needs to get better at recognizing the ball in flight. He needs to get better at supporting the run game and his size and strength are lacking. He's been durable throughout his college career. High character guy. 3rd round pick. Original Writeup | |||||
| NFL Prospects: | |||||
| Player | School | Pos. | Class | Height | Weight |
| Andrew Luck | Stanford | QB | So. | 6'4 | 235 lbs |
| Much of the speculation about the 2011 draft centers around young Andrew Luck. He could stay in school and earn his Stanford degree, but right now he's the sure-fire top QB prospect in the draft and would be turning down tons of money to do so. His best asset is his pocket presence. He does what it takes to avoid the rush and has the athleticism to move around, make people miss and take off on a long scramble. The touch he puts on the ball is excellent and can make the NFL type throws where the ball splits defenders by taking something off or gunning it. His delivery and release are smooth and quick and he gets plenty of zip on his throws. He already can read and manipulate coverages to get the best throwing lanes. He doesn't have much experience at the college level, but what he does have is top notch. 1st round pick, possible #1 overall if the Panthers decide they want a new QB. | |||||
| Owen Marecic | Stanford | FB | Sr. | 6'0 | 243 lbs |
| Relentless blocker who can take out one player and move onto another on the same play. Could use some technique work on sealing off defenders and positioning for sustaining blocks. He's an okay pass catcher, but isn't going to be a big threat in the passing game. He can help a little running between the tackles. 4th round pick. | |||||
| Ryan Williams | Virginia Tech | RB | So. | 5'10 | 210 lbs |
| As a potential 2nd round oick, Ryan Williams could declare as a draft-eligible sophomore. He's got good speed and he's also a good finisher that runs hard. He's able to run low and get under people to generate power. He's shifty and can juke defenders. Good vision and patience. Has some ball security issues. Needs to improve his skills in the passing game as a receiver and protector. Original Writeup | |||||
| Tyrod Taylor | Virginia Tech | QB/WR | Sr. | 6'1 | 215 lbs |
| Excellent speed for a quarterback, which could translate as game breaking speed at the WR position. Decision-making and footwork are questionable at the QB position. His release and dropback are very quick and he can get zip on his throws. His agility, athleticism and elusiveness are some of the best in the college this year. Possible late round steal if he develops. | |||||
| Sleepers: | |||||
| Player | School | Pos. | Class | Height | Weight |
| Sione Fua | Stanford | DT | Sr. | 6'1 | 303 lbs |
| Derek Hall | Stanford | OT | Sr. | 6'4 | 306 lbs |
| Chris Owusu | Stanford | WR | Sr. | 6'2 | 185 lbs |
| Chase Beeler | Stanford | C | Sr. | 6'2 | 273 lbs |
| Konrad Reuland | Stanford | TE | Sr. | 6'4 | 258 lbs |
| Nate Whitaker | Stanford | K | Sr. | 5'8 | 187 lbs |
| Ryan Whalen | Stanford | WR | Sr. | 6'1 | 207 lbs |
| Richard Sherman | Stanford | CB | Sr. | 6'2 | 212 lbs |
| Andrew Philips | Stanford | G | Sr. | 6'3 | 303 lbs |
| Chike Amajoyi | Stanford | OLB | Sr. | 5'11 | 233 lbs |
| Doug Baldwin | Stanford | WR | Sr. | 5'9 | 192 lbs |
| John Graves | Virginia Tech | DT | Sr. | 6' | 279 lbs |
| Steven Friday | Virginia Tech | DE/OLB | Sr. | 6'3 | 250 lbs |
| Davon Morgan | Virginia Tech | S | Sr. | 5'11 | 195 lbs |
| Beau Warren | Virginia Tech | C | Sr. | 6'2 | 280 lbs |
| Andre Smith | Virginia Tech | TE | Sr. | 6'4 | 269 lbs |
Tracking Prospects Mentioned In Previous Articles:
| Prospect Name | College | Position | Class | Proj. Draft Position |
Bowl Game Opponent (Date) |
Notes |
| Graig Cooper | Miami | RB | Sr. | 6th rd | ||
| Delone Carter | Syracuse | RB | Sr. | 5th rd | 28 car. 202 yds. 2 TDs. | |
| Noel Devine | West Virginia | RB | Sr. | 3rd/4th rd | 8 car. 50 yds. 4 rec. 21 yds. 1 fumble. | |
| Kendall Hunter | Oklahoma St. | RB | Sr. | 3rd/4th rd | 10 car. 32 yds. | |
| LaMichael James | Oregon | RB | So. | 2nd rd | Auburn (1/10) | |
| DeMarco Murray | Oklahoma | RB | Sr. | 2nd/3rd rd | 25 car. 93 yds. 1 TD. 2 rec. -1 yds. | |
| Jacquizz Rodgers | Oregon St. | RB | Jr. | 3rd rd | ||
| Evan Royster | Penn St. | WR | Sr. | 6th rd | 20 car. 98 yds. | |
| Brandon Saine | Ohio State | RB | Sr. | Late rds | Arkansas (1/4) | |
| Shane Vereen | California | RB | Jr. | 3rd rd | ||
| Jonathan Baldwin | Pittsburgh | WR | Jr. | 1st/2nd rd | Kentucky (1/8) | |
| Armon Binns | Cincinnati | WR | Sr. | 5th rd | ||
| Justin Blackmon | Oklahoma St. | WR | So. | 1st rd | 9 rec. 117 yds. 2 TDs. | |
| Vincent Brown | San Diego St. | WR | Sr. | 4th rd | 8 rec. 165 yds. 1 TD. 1 car. -13 yds. | |
| Ryan Broyles | Oklahoma | WR | Jr. | 2nd rd | 13 rec. 170 yds. 1 TD. 57 yd. punt return. | |
| Michael Floyd | Notre Dame | WR | Jr. | 3rd rd. | 6 rec. 109 yds. 2 TDs. | |
| A.J Green | Georgia | WR | Jr. | 1st rd. | 8 rec. 77 yds. | |
| Leonard Hankerson | Miami | WR | Sr. | 4th/5th rd | 6 rec. 71 yds. 1 TD. | |
| Dwayne Harris | East Carolina | WR | Sr. | 4th rd | 8 rec. 68 yds. 1 car. -7 yds. | |
| Jerrel Jernigan | Troy | WR | Sr. | 2nd rd | 7 rec. 48 yds. 1 TD. 3 car. 16 yds. 1 TD. Returned kicks and punts. | |
| Ron Johnson | USC | WR | Sr. | 4th/5th rd | ||
| Derrell Johnson-Koulianos | Iowa | WR | Sr. | 3rd/4th rd | Dismissed from team after arrest on drug chargers | |
| Julio Jones | Alabama | WR | Jr. | 1st rd | 3 rec. 49 yds. 2 car. 36 yds. 1 TD. | |
| Jeremy Kerley | TCU | WR | Sr. | 5th/6th rd | 6 rec. 58 yds. 1 car. 5 yds. | |
| Greg Little | North Carolina | WR | Sr. | 2nd-4th rd | NCAA ruled him permanently ineligible. | |
| Niles Paul | Nebraska | WR | Sr. | 3rd/4th rd |
|
3 rec. 61 yds. |
| Austin Pettis | Boise St. | WR | Sr. | Late rds | 12 rec. 147 yds. 1 TD. | |
| DeVier Posey | Ohio State | WR | Jr. | 2nd/3rd rd | Arkansas (1/4) | |
| Greg Salas | Hawaii | WR | Sr. | 4th rd | 13 rec. 214 yds. 2 TDs. | |
| DeMarco Sampson | San Diego St. | WR | Sr. | Late rds | 2 rec. 45 yds. | |
| Torrey Smith | Maryland | WR | Jr. | 2nd rd | 2 rec. 10 yds. 1 car. -3 yds. | |
| Terrance Toliver | LSU | WR | Sr. | 4th/5th rd | Texas A&M (1/7) | |
| Nick Toon | Wisconsin | WR | Jr. | 4th/5th rd | 3 rec. 46 yds. | |
| Titus Young | Boise St. | WR | Sr. | 3rd/4th rd | 6 rec. 64 yds. 3 car. 9 yds. | |
| Mike McNeill | Nebraska | WR | Sr. | Late Rds | 3 rec. 33 yds. | |
| Luke Stocker | Tennessee | TE | Sr. | 4th rd | 5 rec. 58 yds. 1 TD. | |
| Gabe Carimi | Wisconsin | OT | Sr. |
1st/2nd rd |
||
| Marcus Gilbert | Florida | OT | Sr. | 5th rd | ||
| Chris Hairston | Clemson | OT | Sr. | 3rd rd | ||
| Jarriel King | South Carolina | OT | Sr. | 4th rd | ||
| Demarcus Love | Arkansas | OT | Sr. | 2nd rd | Ohio State (1/4) | |
| Jason Pinkston | Pittsburgh | OT | Sr. | 3rd rd | Kentucky (1/8) | |
| Derek Sherrod | Mississippi St. | OT | Sr. | 1st/2nd rd | ||
| Clint Boling | Georgia | OT/G | Sr. | 3rd rd | ||
| James Carpenter | Alabama | OT/G | Jr. | 4th rd | ||
| Orlando Franklin | Miami | OT/G | Sr. | 2nd rd | ||
| Stephen Paea | Oregon St. | NT | Sr. | 1st rd | ||
| Ian Williams | Notre Dame | NT | Sr. | Late rds | Torn MCL. Will probably miss bowl game and combine. | |
| Christian Ballard | Iowa | DE/DT | Sr. | 4th rd | 1 sack. | |
| Jared Crick | Nebraska | DE/DT | Jr. | 3rd rd | ||
| Nick Fairley | Auburn | DE/DT | Jr. | 1st rd | Oregon (1/10) | |
| Jarvis Jenkins | Clemson | DE/DT | Sr. | 4th rd | ||
| Allen Bailey | Miami | DE | Sr. | 1st rd | ||
| Da'Quan Bowers | Clemson | DE | Jr. | 1st rd | ||
| Adrian Clayborn | Iowa | DE | Sr. | 1st rd | ||
| Cameron Jordan | California | DE | Sr. | 1st/2nd rd | ||
| Karl Klug | Iowa | DE | Sr. | 5th rd | 1 sack. | |
| J.J. Watt | Wisconsin | DE | Jr. | 2nd rd | ||
| Pierre Allen | Nebraska | DE/OLB | Sr. | 4th rd | ||
| Jeremy Beal | Oklahoma | DE/OLB | Sr. | 2nd rd | ||
| Justin Houston | Georgia | DE/OLB | Jr. | 1st/2nd rd | ||
| Ryan Kerrigan | Purdue | DE/OLB | Sr. | 1st rd | ||
| Craig Marshall | South Florida | DE/OLB | Sr. | 4th rd | ||
| Cliff Matthews | South Carolina | DE/OLB | Sr. | 3rd/4th rd | 1 sack. | |
| Pernell McPhee | Mississippi St. | DE/OLB | Sr. | 2nd rd | ||
| Brooks Reed | Arizona | DE/OLB | Sr. | 2nd/3rd rd | ||
| Greg Romeus | Pittsburgh | DE/OLB | Sr. | 3rd rd | Torn ACL done for the year. | |
| Jabaal Sheard | Pittsburgh | DE/OLB | Sr. | 2nd rd | Kentucky (1/8) | |
| Kelvin Sheppard | LSU | DE/OLB | Sr. | 3rd rd | Texas A&M (1/7) | |
| Markus White | Florida St. | DE/OLB | Sr. | Late rds | ||
| Akeem Ayers | UCLA | OLB | Jr. | 1st rd | ||
| Bruce Carter | North Carolina | OLB | Sr. | 2nd rd | Torn ACL. Will miss bowl game and probably combine. | |
| Brandon Hicks | Florida | OLB | So. | 5th rd | 1 Int. | |
| Von Miller | Texas A&M | OLB | Sr. | 1st rd | LSU (1/7) | |
| Dontay Moch | Nevada | OLB | Sr. | 3rd rd | Boston College (1/9) | |
| Jonas Mouton | Michigan | OLB | Sr. | Late rds | ||
| Kennth Wright | Mississippi St. | OLB | Sr. | 4th rd | ||
| Obi Ezeh | Michigan | ILB | Sr. | Late rds | ||
| Dont'a Hightower | Alabama | ILB | So. | 2nd/3rd rd | ||
| Ross Homan | Ohio State | ILB | Sr. | 4th rd | Arkansas (1/4) | |
| Mike Mohamed | California | ILB | Sr. | Late rds | ||
| Nate Irving | North Carolina St. | ILB | Sr. | 3rd rd | ||
| Greg Jones | Michigan St. | ILB | Sr. | 3rd rd | ||
| Casey Matthews | Oregon | ILB | Sr. | Late rds | Auburn (1/10) | |
| Quan Sturdivant | North Carolina | ILB | Sr. | 2nd rd | 1 sack and 1 Int. | |
| Chris White | Mississippi St. | ILB | Sr. | Late rds | ||
| Alex Wujciak | Maryland | ILB | Sr. | 4th rd | ||
| Mason Foster | Washington | LB | Sr. | 4th rd | ||
| Travis Lewis | Oklahoma | LB | Jr. | 2nd rd | Connecticut (1/2) | |
| Colin McCarthy | Miami | LB | Sr. | 3rd rd | ||
| Prince Amukamara | Nebraska | CB | Sr. | 1st rd | ||
| Chykie Brown | Texas | CB | Sr. | 4th rd | Broken forearm. Done for season. | |
| Curtis Brown | Texas | CB | Sr. | 2nd rd | ||
| Rashad Carmichael | Virginia Tech | CB | Sr. | 3rd rd | Stanford (1/3) | |
| Chimdi Chekwa | Ohio State | CB | Sr. | 3rd/4th rd | Arkansas (1/4) | |
| Marcus Gilchrist | Clemson | CB | Sr. | 3rd rd | ||
| Brandon Harris | Miami | CB | Jr. | 2nd rd | ||
| Brandon Hogan | West Virginia | CB | Sr. | 5th rd | ||
| Janoris Jenkins | Florida | CB | Jr. | 1st rd | ||
| Patrick Peterson | LSU | CB | Jr. | 1st rd | Texas A&M (1/7) | |
| Chris L. Rucker | Michigan St. | CB | Sr. | 5th rd | ||
| Aaron Williams | Texas | CB | Jr. | 2nd rd | ||
| Shareece Wright | USC | CB | Sr. | 4th rd | ||
| Mark Barron | Alabama | S | Jr. | 2nd/3rd rd | Torn pectoral muscle. Will miss bowl game. | |
| Ahmed Black | Florida | S | Jr. | 4th rd | 1 PBU, 2 Ints. and 1 Int. returned for 80 yd TD. | |
| Quinton Carter | Oklahoma | S | Sr. | 2nd rd | ||
| Eric Hagg | Nebraska | S | Sr. | 5th rd | ||
| Will Hill | Florida | S | Jr. | 5th rd | 1 PBU | |
| Jermale Hines | Ohio St. | S | Sr. | Late rds | Arkansas (1/4) | |
| DeAndre McDaniel | Clemson | S | Sr. | 3rd rd | ||
| Rahim Moore | UCLA | S | Jr. | 2nd rd | Most likely returning to school. | |
| Robert Sands | West Virginia | S | Jr. | 2nd rd | 1 sack. | |
| Deunta Williams | North Carolina | S | Sr. | 3rd rd | ||
| Troy Woolfork | Michigan | S | Sr. | Late rds |
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