As college football season nears kickoff, we’ll be breaking down the best prospects by position in each FBS conference. After previewing both of the power conferences on the eastern seaboard, we move on to Midwest to the new look Big Ten. The conference has added both Rutgers and Maryland, both programs who boast legitimate draft prospects. Today’s focus is on the offensive side of the ball.
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B1G Prospect Preview
QB: Connor Cook,* Michigan State
It was a down year for signal callers in the Big Ten last year, which is why Connor Cook appears on this list ahead of seniors Braxton Miller and Devin Gardner, both of whom have raw talent, but have spotty decision-making and accuracy. Cook has less than a year of starting experience, which shows in his tendency to make risky throws and rush his mechanics. However, Cook throws a good spiral and has very nice touch, along with natural accuracy and the requisite build. While it would take a big step forward for him to be NFL-ready this offseason, I would expect him to at least be a day two prospect at some point; more than I can say for Miller or Gardner.
RB: Melvin Gordon,* Wisconsin
An impact back as a redshirt sophomore, Gordon is a dynamic outside runner who makes defenses look foolish running jet sweeps. While Gordon has been successful on the perimeter, he is a marginal inside runner who lacks initial burst and is not a bruiser as he has a longer leaner frame than the typical running back. More concerning is the fact that Gordon has only caught three balls in his career, and is very green in pass protection. When Gordon makes the jump to the NFL, he will likely need a lot of developing before he is ready to see the field outside of first and second down.
RB: Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska
An undersized runner by any measuring stick, Abdullah is quick, and capable of making sharp cuts. As a perimeter runner he is dynamic, but he has marginal power and ability to get tough yards. Abdullah offers a competent receiving target out of the backfield and has enough tools to make it as a change of pace runner in the NFL if he can stay healthy this upcoming season.
WR: Stefon Diggs,* Maryland
Diggs is from a similar mold as former Terp receivers Darrius Heyward-Bey and Torrey Smith. Diggs is a taller wideout with very good straight-line speed. Diggs is not sharp laterally, but he is fluid enough to create separation vertically and horizontally. His burst and acceleration is top notch, and he can catch the ball, too. Diggs can secure passes even with defenders bearing down on him and can pick up hidden yards on occasion, as well. If he can prove a full recovery from a leg fracture at midseason last year, he should be a day two prospect or better.
WR: Kenny Bell, Nebraska
Kenny Bell is known for making big plays: the huge blindside block in the 2012 Big Ten Championship Game, and the one-handed touchdown catch against Illinois last season to name two. But Bell is more than just a highlight reel, as he can do the little things and play bigger than his spindly build would ever suggest. Bell might not be a premier pick, but he should latch onto an NFL roster and carve out a specialized role for himself.
TE: Devin Funchess,* Michigan
While he has officially been re-designated as a wide receiver in order to better take advantage of his remarkable receiving prowess and open the door for other TEs on Michigan’s roster, Funchess is still a tight end in terms of his NFL position. Naturally, he is not a very good blocker and few are for a TE anymore. He is a decent run blocker, but can take the top off of a defense like few at his position can, even in the NFL. I view him as a more physically impressive version of Eric Ebron, another detached TE who had trouble with catching the football.
OT: Brandon Scherff, Iowa
A former high school quarterback, Scherff has become one of the more highly regarded offensive tackles in the nation. Like all offensive linemen to come out of Kirk Ferentz’s program, Scherff is strongly versed in the zone blocking scheme, displaying very good technique and polish as a blocker. Scherff lacks elite strength and length, but is more than capable to man the right side, if not even the left at the next level.
OT: Donovan Smith,* Penn State
Smith is a big, strong lineman, who mans the blindside, but is probably better suited to kick over to the right, or slide inside in the NFL. He is flawed technically, as he bends at the waist, doesn’t get very good extension, and can have trouble sustaining in pass protection. However, Smith can finish and dominate in the running game when his heart is in it, and has the natural power to do so. I’d see him as a mid to late round pick at the moment.
OG: Kaleb Johnson, Rutgers
An athletic guard who was once an offensive tackle, Johnson is more than capable of keeping his quarterback upright. Johnson is a smooth mover who is alert and capable of getting downfield or pulling in order to wall off defenders in the running game. However, Johnson can be slow to react off the snap at times, which can lead to a play being blown up in the backfield behind him. Johnson considered leaving for the NFL last season, but another year of seasoning, this time in the Big Ten, could really help him prove some consistency.
OG: Miles Dieffenbach, Penn State
A plus run blocker, Dieffenbach is hit or miss in terms of where his technique is at. He will often get too high as the play wears on and get pushed backward by his man. On the other hand, he is a tenacious hand fighter who can hold his own when he is able to keep his base down. If he can polish up his shortcomings, Dieffenbach could get a look as a zone blocking lineman, but he looks to be a late round pick at best. And that’s all dependent on whether he can successfully come back from an ACL tear he sustained this spring.
OC: Brandon Vitabile, Northwestern
A battle-tested veteran by college standards, Vitabile is the leader of the Wildcats offensive line. He plays with consistent awareness and a mistake-free game for the most part. However, Vitabile is not the quickest off the snap, nor does he maintain proper leverage at the same time. As a result, he can be shed or put on skates too quickly, but for the most part he is able to overcome these deficiencies long enough to keep the play alive through effort. Vitabile is not an elite prospect, but he could see time as an NFL starter at some point in his career.
Missed the Cut:
QB: Braxton Miller, Ohio State
RB: Jeremy Langford, Michigan State
WR: Tony Lippett, Michigan State
TE: Jeff Heuerman, Ohio State
OT: Rob Havenstein, Wisconsin
OG: Dallas Lewallen, Wisconsin
OC: Chad Lindsay, Ohio State
On the Horizon:
QB: Christian Hackenberg,** Penn State
RB: Tevin Coleman,* Indiana
WR: Leonte Carroo,* Rutgers
TE: Maxx Williams,** Minnesota
OT: Jack Conklin,** Michigan State
OG: Jordan Walsh,* Iowa
Inside next week’s War Room: 2014 Big XII Prospect Preview
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