As college football season nears kickoff, we’ll be breaking down the best prospects by position in each FBS conference. After covering the similarly acronymed AAC, we turn our focus to the Atlantic Coast Conference for this week. After losing Maryland to the Big Ten, the ACC has perhaps gained an even better team in the Louisville Cardinals, which has proven to be a reliable team for NFL talent. Today’s focus is on the offensive side of the ball.
Check out all of The War Room content
ACC Prospect Preview
QB: Jameis Winston,** Florida State
Winston is a guy who will more than likely appear on this list over the next couple of years if the indications that he will be staying at FSU to play baseball are accurate. Despite winning the Heisman and a National Championship as a redshirt freshman, Winston is still a raw prospect. His mechanics and footwork can be sloppy and slow at times, and his thin lower body is concerning in terms of his ability to use his legs, which is an asset. As a passer, Winston can also hesitate too much and not trust what he sees, and can be highly erratic and inaccurate with his ball placement. Add in the off-field issues that have dogged Winston over the past year, and it’s to his own benefit that he remain with the Seminoles to develop as a quarterback.
RB: Duke Johnson,* Miami
When I first saw Johnson touch the ball, I was blown away by the athleticism he showed as a runner: until he fumbled the ball. Johnson has a great first step to the outside which makes him a dangerous runner with his ability to change direction at full speed. He is not nearly as effective when running inside with his first step, which limits him as a prospect to an extent. In addition, Johnson showed surprising ability as a pass blocker, given his smaller frame. However, if Johnson does not show improved ball security this season, he may find himself in the later rounds of the draft, should he declare.
WR: Rashad Greene, Florida State
While I’m not as big a fan of Greene as others are, I would definitely consider him to be a safer prospect than last year’s teammate and first round pick Kelvin Benjamin. Greene does not have the same egregious drops that plagued Benjamin, and he is better, savvier route runner. Greene would be well served adding more mass and strength to his lean, but he has shown the toughness to take a hit and hang onto the football.
WR: DeVante Parker, Louisville
Though not a burner or a rocket coming off the line of scrimmage, Parker has proven to be one of the better receivers in the nation. Parker does an excellent job of tracking deep passes and adjusting to the thrown ball at any level of the field. With his large frame, Parker has shown a penchant for scoring touchdowns, and was able to grab a pair even coming off a shoulder injury in a loss to Central Florida.
WR: Jamison Crowder, Duke
Duke hasn’t exactly been a powerhouse in terms of producing NFL talent, but Crowder is one to take notice of. Though very small, Crowder is a pesky blocker and is capable of uncovering on deep and intermediate routes, and finding the soft spots in zone. While he might be bullied by the bigger breed of NFL corners at the next level, Crowder possesses the ability to man the slot, both taking the top off a defense and battling underneath in traffic.
TE: Nick O’Leary, Florida State
When he’s not crashing motorcycles and flipping the bird, O’Leary is a capable playmaker on the field. He is good at high-pointing passes in the end zone, and bulldozing through would be tacklers after the catch. While O’Leary is not the most powerful blocker, in age where many TEs are lined up in the slot, he’s capable of doing the job.
OT: Cameron Erving, Florida State
Lauded as one of the best offensive line prospects this year, following a switch from the defensive side of the ball a couple of years ago, I’m not as sold on Erving as others are. Erving possesses excellent upper body strength and hand aggression, but tends to be sloppy with his technique and does not sustain at an elite level. With all the tools to be a left tackle in the NFL, with the fluidity and power to protect the QB, Erving still has developing to do, but has first round potential.
OT: Sean Hickey, Syracuse
While a left tackle with the Orange, Hickey has a skill set more suited to the right side, if not a shift inside to guard. Like former teammate Justin Pugh, Hickey has a more compact frame than the rangy blind side protectors preferred by most NFL teams. Hickey does not hold up that great in pass pro, as does not possess the anchor strength to stonewall pass rushers, and can be pushed back into the pocket. On the other hand, Hickey plays with pop and movement, firing out in the running game where he excels.
OG: Tre’ Jackson, Florida State
Depending on the situation, Jackson can flash brilliantly, or greatly disappoint. Jackson is a massive interior lineman who can block man-to-man, and zone block on the move. He has very good sustain in the run game, but can get shed in pass pro. Jackson seems to suffer from a lack of intensity or focus as he can get jacked backward off the snap by smaller linemen, and get lazy with his technique. However, if he can play more consistently in 2014, he could very well be the first guard selected in May.
OG: Laken Tomlinson, Duke
A capable blocker in both facets of the game, Tomlinson is a good guard prospect, not far off from the aforementioned Jackson. Tomlinson can hold up against the pass rush, though he can miss the occasional delayed blitz, and can bury defensive linemen in the run game. He plays with good intensity and has a finishers’ attitude, which makes him a safer prospect than Tre’ Jackson, but ultimately does not have the same potential.
OC: Jake Smith, Louisville
Entering his fourth season as a starter, his second at guard, Smith is primarily a wall-off blocker who can be stressed by speed. A less physically gifted prospect, Smith gets by with his superior technique and effort, which more than likely will confine him to a zone-blocking scheme and even a spot on the bench. At any rate, Smith’s experience and coached traits will likely earn him a late round spot come May.
Missed the Cut:
QB: Anthony Boone, Duke
RB: Karlos Williams, Florida State
WR: Phillip Dorsett, Miami
TE: Clive Walford, Miami
OT: Jamon Brown, Louisville
OG: Josue Matias, Florida State
OC: Andy Gallik, Boston College
On the Horizon:
QB: Jacoby Brissett,* North Carolina State
RB: T.J. Logan,** North Carolina
WR: Quinshad Davis,* North Carolina
TE: Stanton Seckinger,* Clemson
OT: Ereck Flowers,* Miami
OG: Landon Turner,* North Carolina
Inside next week’s War Room: 2014 Pre-Season B1G Draft Preview
For more on sports injuries, check out our friends at Sports Injury Alert.
Thank you for reading. Please take a moment to follow me on Twitter – @LWOS_Sibo and @WarRoomDraft. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport – and “liking” our Facebook page.
Football fans…check out our two partnered NFL podcasts – Thursday Night Tailgate Radio and Overtime Ireland. Both shows bring you interesting commentary, critical analysis and fantastic guests including former and current NFL players, coaches and personalities.
