It seems crazy to think that we’re just a month away from the end of the college football regular season. Once again we’ve seen some games postponed as a result of Covid-19, with LSU-Alabama being the biggest loss of the weekend. There are still some great games to pay attention to though and plenty still to play for. This week’s list of players to watch includes a couple of names in first round contention and some later round players with real upside.
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Christian Darrisaw – OT, Virginia Tech Hokies
It’s still early days but the 2021 offensive tackle class looks like it could be just as deep as last year’s. Penei Sewell won’t be challenged as the OT1 of the class but there are several players making a big name for themselves this season and putting themselves firmly in first round contention. Darrisaw is definitely one of the names to watch.
He is now in his third year as the Hokies’ starting left tackle and his performance through seven games has been excellent. He’s a people mover in the running game and has the athleticism to get out in space and make plays on the second level. His PFF run-blocking grade of 94.3 is the best amongst all Power Five linemen. He’s been effective in pass protection too, allowing just five pressures in his 208 pass-blocking snaps.
This weekend he faces a tough test against Miami. Jaelan Phillips and Quincy Roche have combined for 54 pressures through seven games and will be one of the most testing matchups for Darrisaw this season. If he can add a bit more polish to his technique in pass protection he’ll be well worth a first round pick come April.
Ar’Darius Washington – S, TCU Horned Frogs
Coming into the season Washington was the top safety on my draft board. His form so far this season has been disappointing though and he is now way down at No. 44, behind teammate Trevon Moehrig and Syracuse’s Andre Cisco. The big question remaining is whether or not he can turn things around over their next three games and stay in Top 50 contention.
Coming into the season, Washington had earned comparisons to Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu thanks to his diminutive stature and hard-hitting nature. Last season he had five picks and allowed a passer rating of just 11.6. His tackling was elite too, with just three misses on 48 attempts. These numbers have all gone south this season, with Washington giving up four touchdowns and a passer rating of 141.9. He’s also missed seven tackles on 29 attempts.
He was always going to be facing an uphill battle to be a first round pick thanks to his size, but if these numbers don’t improve he could easily drop out of the top two rounds entirely. This weekend TCU travel to face a West Virginia team who are unbeaten at home so far this season.
Aidan Hutchinson – EDGE, Michigan Wolverines
Whilst the season hasn’t gotten off to a great start for the Wolverines, they can take comfort in the fact they possess the best draft-eligible edge rushing duo in all of college football. Kwity Paye has been causing a tonne of havoc so far this season and is my top edge rusher in the 2021 class, but this weekend it is worth keeping an eye on his teammate Hutchinson.
At 6’6″ and 269 lbs, Hutchinson is a big-bodied pass-rusher who can play on the edge or on the interior. He has some of the best hands in college football and is equally comfortable against the pass and the run. He’s showcased his ability against some top college talent and looked excellent last year against an Iowa offensive line featuring 2020 first rounder Tristan Wirfs. He has already registered seven pressures through three games this season, in addition to eight defensive stops.
He probably projects best as defensive end in a 3-4 scheme in the NFL and doesn’t have the elite athleticism that some of his fellow classmates do. This weekend he faces a tough challenge against a Wisconsin line that allowed a single pressure in their opening game against Illinois.
Zion Johnson – OT, Boston College Eagles
With Notre Dame riding high after their win against Clemson last weekend, Boston College will be hoping to pull off an upset in this one. Johnson will be a key figure for the Eagles as he comes up against a pair of talented edge rushers in the form of Daelin Hayes and Ade Ogundeji. A big game here could help boost his draft stock significantly.
Johnson transferred to Boston College last season, after excelling at the FCS level with Davidson. He played solely as a left guard last season and was really solid, allowing just eight pressures on 295 pass-blocking snaps. He has moved to left tackle this season with fairly mixed results so far. He’s most effective as a run blocker, where he showcases excellent strength and some nifty athleticism.
His future is likely a return to guard, although the versatility he has demonstrated as a tackle will help to boost his stock. At the moment I have him as a day three pick, but if he puts up a big performance in a game like this he could see a boost to his draft stock.
Brant Kuithe – TE, Utah Utes
Utah will kick off their 2020 season after cancelling last week’s game against Arizona. Kuithe may not feature near the top of any draft boards but he is an interesting player to watch. He won’t challenge to top three tight ends in the 2021 class, but Kuithe has the potential to be the best of the rest.
Kuithe’s main calling cards are his athleticism and versatility. The Utes even used him on sweeps on several occasions last year, in addition to playing H-back and fullback. He averaged 17.7 yards per reception in 2019 which ranked second amongst FBS tight ends. He’s a consistent chain mover too, with 72 per cent of his receptions resulting in first downs.
The question for Kuithe this year is whether he can maintain his production whilst adding some bulk to his frame. At 6’2″ and 235 lbs he is undersized and will be limited at the next level from an in-line blocking perspective. He kicks his season off against UCLA this weekend and it will be interesting to see how he fares.
