This section breaks down many college football games each week and highlights how 2013 NFL Draft Prospects have performed. Or look at the 2013 NFL Draft Stock page.
By Charlie Campbell.
Send Charlie an e-mail here: [email protected]
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TCU 24, SMU 16
One of the most interesting prospects in the 2013 NFL Draft class is SMU senior defensive end Margus Hunt. The 6-foot-8, 280-pounder is a unique athlete who is very strong with a surprising burst. He has been a special teams ace with 16 blocked kicks in his career. Hunt started out the season in ugly fashion against Baylor, but in the following games he has played better.
Hunt had a quality performance against TCU. He used a swim move to beat the right tackle, but the offensive lineman got away with a hold. Hunt also contributed to a couple of tackles at the line of scrimmage, but had a running back slip out his grasp.
Hunt forced an incompletion in the second quarter. He started playing contain before TCU quarterback Casey Pachall rolled his direction. The senior chased down the signal-caller and hit him just after he threw the ball away. It should’ve been an intentional grounding call by the officials.
Hunt shed the right tackle with his strength at bit later and used a burst to turn the corner and sack Pachall. Hunt got a hit on Pachall in the third quarter, shoving the right tackle back and firing into the inside to close on the quarterback.
Hunt totaled six tackles, two tackles for a loss and a sack versus the Horned Frogs. Overall, he is showing good signs of developing his pass-rushing moves and his technique in the ground game. When Hunt uses the proper knee bend and pad level, he is very tough to move at the line of scrimmage. The senior did well holding his ground at the point of attack for the most part.
The Karksi-Nuia, Estonia is very raw after a late start in football. He needs more development, but has some real upside to turn into a good NFL player and starter.
However, Hunt will require some patience, so he should go to a team with veterans starters that will allow him the time to be developed as a backup. Hunt looks like a second-day pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.
A potential mid-round pick is SMU running back Zach Line. The senior is a good runner and receiver who has to move to fullback in the NFL. Line (6-1, 230) fumbled the ball away in the first quarter. It was a freak play as a guard’s foot came flying in the air and kicked the ball out of Line’s hand.
Line stonewalled Maponga in a one-on-one block in the second quarter. It was a phenomenal block for a running back/fulllback to shut down a pass-rusher.
Line had a highlight-reel run on the same drive. Already five yards past the line of scrimmage, he bounced off three tacklers. Line dodged a defensive back a few yards later and trucked into the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown run. He totaled 44 yards on 15 carries.
Line is a blue collar player who could be a nice contributor for an offense that still uses the fullback significantly. He should be a mid-to-late round pick on the final day of the 2013 NFL Draft.
One pass-rusher who has had a mildly disappointing season is TCU’s Stansly Maponga. He has been held in check in a few games this year. Maponga flashed some ability against SMU, but did not have a big impact. He totaled just two tackles versus the Mustangs.
Maponga burst into the backfield early on to blow up a run, but had his jersey grabbed from behind and was held from making the play.
Maponga had also two dumb late hits. The first he got away with, but the second was flagged. It was unnecessary as the junior hit the quarterback well after the ball was thrown. Maponga had a near sack in the fourth quarter with a nice speed rush around the edge.
Maponga needs more work on his pass-rushing moves. If the junior entered the 2013 NFL Draft, he could be a mid-rounder, but would be better off returning for his senior season with a goal towards the first three rounds.
Nebraska 30, Wisconsin 27
One of the most well-known prospects in the nation continues to have a rough season. Wisconsin senior running back Montee Ball should’ve entered the NFL draft after a prolific junior year, and his stock is in firm decline as a senior.
It isn’t all Ball’s fault as the Badgers have lost a ton from their 2011 team including their quarterback, No. 1 wide receiver, center, guard, right tackle, offensive line coach and offensive coordinator. However, Ball’s lack of speed is becoming a glaring issue. It was clearly evident against Nebraska.
Ball ran for 90 yards on 32 carries with three short touchdown runs, but never was able to get into a groove versus the Cornhuskers. He also had a bad dropped pass that could’ve been a touchdown. The pass was underthrown, but Ball should’ve hauled it in. The senior fumbled the ball away at the end of the game when he didn’t secure the handoff on a short-yardage carry. That clinched the win for Nebraska.
Ball is not an overpowering runner, and with his quickness problems, his stock has taken a real hit this year. He’s averaging only 3.6 yards per carry so far in 2012, and Wisconsin has had a relatively easy schedule. Ball currently looks like a third- or fourth-round pick as a rotational and third-down back in the NFL.
One lineman who Ball had return was senior left tackle Ricky Wagner. It hasn’t been a great year for Wagner or the Badgers’ offensive line. He was solid in pass protection against the Cornhuskers, but wasn’t getting much push in the ground game.
Wagner almost allowed a sack, but quarterback Danny O’Brien escaped the defender. It was O’Brien’s fault as he held onto the ball way too long and Wagner had the end blocked for plenty of time to get the pass off cleanly. A pro quarterback likely would’ve thrown the ball before the pressure arrived.
Wagner is not pushing his linemen off the line of scrimmage in the ground game in either regular runs or short-yardage situations. The senior is quicker and more athletic then one might think, so in the NFL he could be a better fit as a left tackle in a zone-blocking system. Wagner looks like a second-day pick right now, but he needs to develop his run blocking for the next level. Wagner needs to show he can handle elite speed-rushers and that test may not come until the Senior Bowl.
The Wisconsin player who is helping to improve his stock the most is junior wide out Jared Abbrederis. He outfought a defensive back for a 54-yard reception during the first quarter. Abbrederis had separation, but the pass was underthrown enough to let the corner recover. Abbrederis leapt and boxed out the defensive back to haul the pass in. The redshirt junior later made a leaping catch in the end zone for a 29-yard score after running along the sideline on a go route.
Abbrederis totaled 142 yards on seven receptions and a touchdown against Nebraska. He could’ve had an even bigger game if Wisconsin had better quarterback play. The Cornhuskers corners couldn’t matchup with Abbrederis. The 6-foot-2, 188-pounder has surprising explosion and deep speed. If Abbrederis enters the 2013 NFL Draft, he could be a sleeper second-day selection.
Another senior running back who is having a down season is Nebraska’s Rex Burkhead. He’s dealt with some injuries and hasn’t had a game where he’s received 20 carries yet. The night versus the Badgers started poorly for Burkhead as he fumbled the ball away in the first quarter after running into his own blocker. Burkhead caught a short touchdown later on in the first half on a drag route coming across the field.
Burkhead also took a defender for a ride of about 15 yards with a stiff arm on a nice 21-yard run early in the fourth quarter. The senior totaled 86 yards on 18 carries and seemed to pick up steam as the game progressed. He seems to need to get fed a large amount of carries right now to get into a rhythm. Burkhead looks like a mid-rounder.
Texas 41, Oklahoma State 36
Oklahoma State junior Joseph Randle is currently one of the top backs in college football. The Big XII is a conference comprised of pathetic defenses, but Texas is one of the few that has good NFL talent. The Longhorns have a number of pro prospects on their defensive line and in their secondary. Defensive ends Jackson Jeffcoat and Alex Okafor along with safety Kenny Vaccaro are in contention to be first-round picks in the 2013 NFL Draft.
Randle ripped off a 69-yard touchdown run in the first minute of action. He had a big hole to the left and as Vaccaro ran up to stop him, Randle juked him out of his jock to bust free downfield.
Randle ran at a good clip throughout the night, and he showed the ability to contribute in the passing offense. The junior caught two passes for 19 yards and did well as a pass-protector.
Randle showed his blocking ability with a jarring hit on Texas cornerback Carrington Byndom. The hit knocked Byndom out of the game briefly. Randle broke a few tackles a few plays later for a run of about 20 and finished the drive by powering into the end zone for a go-ahead touchdown.
The junior ripped off some more gains on the next drive. He had a number of runs with broken tackles and got good yards after contact. Randle flat out ran over a few defenders.
Those clutch carries set up the Cowboys to take the lead with a field goal with just a couple minutes remaining, but the defense wasn’t able to hold the lead. Randle totaled 195 yards on 25 carries with two scores against Texas.
Randle showed versus the Longhorns that he can beat defenses with power and physicality, but still has the speed to rip off long runs. There are many plays where he runs angry with the quickness to hit the hole quickly. This was an impressive performance that helps his draft stock. Randle looks like a first- or second-round pick for either the 2013 or 2014 NFL Draft.
Okafor and Jeffcoat flashed in the pass rush on occasion, but were quiet for the majority of the game. Okafor sacked quarterback J.W. Walsh with a speed rush around the right tackle midway through the second quarter. Jeffcoat had a tackle for a loss just before halftime after chasing down the quarterback as he scrambled to the outside.
Jeffcoat and Okafor combined to record a sack together in the final seconds of the game. Okafor is the more well-rounded of the two. He holds his ground much better at the point of attack. Jeffcoat had a number of good runs from Randle come straight at him and couldn’t make a stop. Jeffcoat needs to add bulk to hold up on the edge for college and the NFL. Their individual pass-rushing skills make them each potential first-rounders, but neither are dominant ends to be picks in the top half of the first round.
Randle juked Vaccaro in the open field for a score early on, but the safety bounced back on the next possession. He had great coverage and undercut the pass to his receiver for an interception.
Vaccaro was beaten down the seam in man coverage during the fourth quarter for a touchdown. He was lined up on the slot receiver and after initiating some contact, allowed separation for the receiver to get wide open. This game was a mixed performance from Vaccaro overall, but he looked more like an early second-round pick and not a Thursday night selection against Oklahoma State.
Byndom allowed a catch of 20 in zone coverage, despite a hard hit that almost jarred the ball loose. He had a nice open-field tackle on the same drive. Byndom was solid in run defense on the perimeter and is an aggressive defender. If the junior enters the 2013 NFL draft, he could be a second-day selection.
Georgia 51, Tennessee 44
There was a great draft matchup in this SEC East battle between Georgia and Tennessee. The Volunteers feature one of the most potent passing attacks in the nation with junior quarterback Tyler Bray throwing to junior wide outs Justin Hunter and Cordarrelle Patterson. Georgia has a defense that is comprised of NFL talent with outside linebacker Jarvis Jones, defensive tackle John Jenkins, linebacker Alec Ogletree, safety Bacarri Rambo and safety Shawn Williams.
Things didn’t start well for Bray as he had a pass deflected by Ogletree that was picked off by the Bulldogs. Patterson dropped a bomb at bit later that was perfectly thrown by his signal-caller and would’ve been a touchdown. It came when Tennessee was down 27-10 and needed a big play.
Bray fought back with a rope to Hunter on a huge third-down conversion to set up a first-and-goal situation and an eventual touchdown. Bray threw a bullet to wide out Zach Rogers a little bit later, who beat Ogletree on a short crossing route for a touchdown. Bray tossed another short touchdown to a running back in the flat.
The Volunteers quarterback hit his tight end Mychal Rivera in stride during the third quarter as Rivera was streaking across the field for a gain of 62. Bray helped bring Tennessee within a touchdown, but had some accuracy struggles and threw wide on some open receivers. He got the Volunteers driving, and threw for Patterson along the sideline, but the pass was inaccurate, flying to Georgia cornerback Sanders Commings (6-2, 216) for an interception.
Patterson showed his electric play-making ability on a reverse in the third quarter. He took the lateral, but with his receiver covered, the junior exploded downfield after picking up a block from Bray. Patterson slashed across the field for a 46-yard touchdown. He only totaled 31 yards on two receptions, while Hunter was held to three receptions for 46 yards.
The gunslinger Bray had one more shot. He had a receiver drop a long pass, but moved on to connect with Patterson on a crossing route for a good gain. The comeback attempt ended when Bray scrambled forward and fumbled the ball away as he was sacked.
John Jenkins recovered the fumble for Georgia to virtually finish off Tennessee. The final play for Bray was another tipped pass that was intercepted by Commings. The senior signal-caller completed 21-of-45 passes against the Bulldogs for 281 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
This outing won’t help Bray’s draft stock, but he didn’t play as poorly as the stats indicate. His receivers had a lot of drops that really hurt the Volunteers’ offense. Bray needs to improve his accuracy and his footwork.
While Jones has been on a tear to start the season, he was held in check by Tennessee. Jones was getting a lot of extra blockers on passing plays throughout the game. He got in a tackle for a loss and contributed to run defense.
Jones was getting into the backfield, but wasn’t getting to Bray for any sacks. It was the quietest game for Jones all season, but shouldn’t change his draft status. The attention that was devoted to Jones helped free up his teammates.
One player who stood out well was Jenkins. He was a load at the line of scrimmage and had some good battles going with a talented Tennessee offensive line. Jenkins came close to a few sacks and was disruptive up front. This showing should help his stock.
Commings had sound coverage to go with his two interceptions, so he also should see a nice stock boost for his performance against the Volunteers.
This was the first outing for Bacarri Rambo following his four-game suspension to start the season, and he pretty quiet, really putting up some “lowlights.” Rambo went for an interception, but the ball sailed past his hand for a big reception. Rambo was lucky Zach Rogers fell down after the catch, because if he kept his feet, he would’ve scored a touchdown.
Rambo stuffed a third-and-2 for no gain on the same drive. Williams and Rambo were late to react to a run up the middle In the fourth quarter and the running back split them to dive into the end zone.
Rambo is a good talent, but his off-the-field issues are the largest inhibitor to his draft stock.
Ohio State 17, Michigan State 16
There was an NFL caliber battle in the trenches between Michigan State and Ohio State. Spartans junior running back Le’Veon Bell entered the weekend second in the country in rushing and would have to deal with one of the nation’s top run-stuffing defensive lineman, the Buckeyes Johnathan Hankins.
Hankins was disrupting the interior of the Spartans offensive line all afternoon. He destroyed one run play by staying low and causing a pile up in the backfield. Hankins tossed the center into the backfield in the third quarter to blow up another run. He also put a big hit on the quarterback after powering his way on a pass rush.
Hankins didn’t register a big game on the stat sheet, but he was a force at the point of attack who stuffed running lanes all day. This is another performance that will help him with NFL talent evaluators. Hankins looks like a high first-round pick for the 2013 NFL Draft right now.
Bell had a rough game as the Michigan State offensive line was unable to open up holes for him. He had a few nice pass receptions early on to move the ball for a field goal, but that was about it from him. Bell just couldn’t get in any rhythm. He ran for 49 yards on 17 carries with eight receptions for 58 yards.
Two Michigan State defenders hurt their draft stocks against Ohio State. Defensive end William Gholston was a non-factor against the Buckeyes. He had a tackle for a loss when he came unblocked on a sweep. However, Gholston was absolutely dominated on one play late in the second quarter where the tackle drove him on his back and dove on top of him.
The only plays where Gholston flashed was when he came unblocked. The junior struggles to shed blocks and is lacking a repertoire of pass-rushing moves. He looks like Tarzan, but plays like cousin Vernon. William Gholston should definitely return for his senior season and improve before going pro.
The other Spartan who hurt his draft stock was senior cornerback Johnny Adams. He has repeatedly been beaten for long touchdowns throughout the early going of this season. It happened again versus Ohio State.
Adams was toasted for a 63-yard touchdown right after his team fought back and took the lead. Wide out Devan Smith had one-on-one coverage and ran right by Adams on a go route along the sideline. It proved to be the game-winning touchdown for the Buckeyes. The senior entered the season as a second-round pick, but now looks Day 3 caliber. It isn’t out of the question for him to fall to the late rounds.
West Virginia 70, Baylor 63
This was perhaps the greatest example yet of the Big XII living up to my nickname for it as the “Arena League of college football.” It was West Virginia’s first conference game and a memorable one for great offensive execution and two completely inept defenses. The Mountaineers dominated with senior quarterback Geno Smith, who is playing a like a high first-round pick, and two talented speed receivers in senior Tavon Austin and junior Stedman Bailey.
Smith showed why he is a potential first-rounder on a drive at the end of the first quarter. Smith threw an accurate bullet between a few defenders to Austin for a 19-yard gain. It was a perfect throw, just by the hand of a corner, and fell low into Austin to protect his receiver in the middle of the field.
Smith capped the drive by hanging tough and throwing a frozen rope in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. The senior was blasted by three defenders but hung tough in the pocket to throw the pass even though he was going to get rocked.
Smith put on a quarterback clinic during the second quarter. First, he threw a perfect deep ball to Bailey for a 47-yard touchdown. It was dropped in precisely onto the wide out’s numbers in stride after he beat two defenders.
The next drive ended with another touchdown pass from Smith to Bailey in blown coverage. The signal-caller scrambled after his protection broke down and kept his eyes downfield while Bailey (5-10, 190) worked himself open running across the back of the end zone.
They hooked up on a fade pass for their third touchdown of the game just before halftime. It was Smith’s 11th straight completion. The Mountaineers quarterback had completed 26-of-28 for 288 yards and four touchdowns at the half.
Austin caught a touchdown in the third quarter when he caught a short pass and broke a tackle. The senior sprinted 45 yards down the field for a touchdown. Smith and Austin hooked up on the next drive again. Smith rolled out of the pocket and set his feet before airing out a deep ball for Austin who was wide open for a 52-yard touchdown.
Bailey hauled an over-the-shoulder deep ball for 47 yards to the four-yard line halfway through the third quarter. Smith hit Bailey in busted coverage to continue their prolific day, making an 87-yard touchdown and a 39-yard touchdown.
Bailey set a school record with 303 yards on 13 receptions and five touchdowns. Austin had 215 yards on 14 catches for two scores. Smith set school records completing 45-of-51 for 656 yards, eight touchdowns and zero interceptions. Both Bailey and Austin look like potential second-day picks as speedy, slot receivers in the NFL.
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Smith has an excellent skill set. He is showing his intelligence and field vision by working through his progressions and looking off safeties. Smith has some natural accuracy with a good arm. He can fire some fastballs into tight windows with phenomenal ball placement to hit receivers in stride.
Smith’s plus mobility allows him to pick up first downs with his feet and bail out his offensive line. He will need to improve his footwork for the NFL though. The senior needs to become more uniform with good feet to get in rhythm. Smith currently looks like a first-round pick in the top half of the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
Baylor’s offense had a record-setter of its own in senior wide receiver Terrance Williams. He showed why he could be a first-rounder next April. Williams (6-2, 205) ran a deep post early in the first quarter and ended up wide open. He caught the ball and raced across the field. It should’ve been a touchdown, but Williams stumbled at the 15-yard line and fell down. The catch still went for 50 yards and set up a Baylor touchdown.
Williams ran a curl route and a stop route on the next drive for a nice gains. He burned a corner who gave him too much cushion in the second quarter to set up the Bears at the goal line with an intermediate gain.
Williams made a leaping catch in the third quarter, but was hit quickly when he landed and fumbled the ball away. The play was reviewed and ruled an incompletion; Williams got lucky. The senior wide out made a leaping 37-yard touchdown catch a short time later while running a go route down the sideline. It was a nice play, but to nit-pick, Williams made a body catch when he should’ve grabbed the ball with his hands.
Williams continued to move the chains with possession catches. He also shielded a defender on a jump ball for a 44-yard gain late in the fourth quarter. The drive finished with a short touchdown catch in the back of end zone to Williams. He set school records with 17 receptions for 314 yards and two touchdowns. It was a tremendous game where the senior showed excellent speed to go along with his size that he uses well. Williams looks like a potential first-rounder.
Baylor junior wide out Tevin Reese is also worth noting. The speedy wide out beat the corner with blinding on a wheel route from the slot down the sideline furing the first quarater. The pass hit Reese perfectly for a 65-yard touchdown. He totaled 120 yards on four receptions. Reese should stay for his senior season.
Penn State 35, Illinois 7
Penn State dominated Illinois, and senior linebacker Mike Mauti led the way for the Nittany Lions’ defense. Mauti entered the game in the top 20 in the nation in tackles with 42. He had a number of tackles in run support against Illinois, but it was his pass defense that provided huge splash plays.
Mauti missed a tackle late in the first half, but made up for it with a massive play just before halftime. He undercut a route on fourth-and-goal and picked off a pass at the goal line. Mauti ran for the corner, turned upfield and trucked down the field. He was tackled a half yard short of the end zone for a 99-yard interception return. There was a second left on the clock, and Penn State’s field goal attempt was blocked.
Mauti started off the third quarter a sack with a nice blitz off the edge. He later grabbed his second interception after reading the quarterback to beat the receiver to a floated pass. Mauti also made a great tackle on punt defense right after the ball was caught. The senior isn’t the fastest linebacker, but he’s instinctive, intelligent and physical. This outing should help Mauti’s cause to be a second-day pick and looks like a solid mid-rounder.
Fellow linebacker Gerald Hodges is also viewed as a second-day prospect. He had a nice hit on a blitz to force an incompletion. Hodges had nice man coverage on a tight end on the same drive. The senior held up well in the ground game and got in on a number of tackles. It was a solid but inconsequential showing for Hodges.
Illinois has four defensive prospects for the 2013 NFL Draft: senior defensive end Michael Buchanan, junior defensive tackle Akeem Spence, junior linebacker Jonathan Brown and senior cornerback Terry Hawthorne. Brown was very quiet and did not have an impact in this game. Buchanan is the top-rated among them as a potential second-day selection, but he also was underwhelming against Penn State.
Buchanan had one good play. He fought off the left tackle to chase down the quarterback to get in on a sack with a teammate. Buchanan had an ugly game in run defense and was getting pushed off the line of scrimmage all day. He saw a lot of extra blocking attention on pass plays, but it was still a disappointing outing from Buchanan.
Spence had a nice tackle on the goal line in the first quarter. He jumped offsides, but on the next play, he fired past his guard to swallow up the running back for a loss of a yard. Spence was otherwise pretty much held in check by Penn State.
Hawthorne was flagged for a personal foul with a head-to-head hit. It was a dumb play as Brown was tackling the back out of bounds. Hawthorne blasted a receiver coming up from zone a short bit later, forcing an incompletion with his hard hit. Hawthorne had a text-book pass breakup undercutting a route in the third quarter.
Washington 17, Stanford 13
The star prospect of the game was Washington senior cornerback Desmond Trufant. He had some huge plays to lead his Huskies to a win. Throughout the night, Trufant was on an island in man coverage on the left side and held up extremely well. Washington needed to load up the box to stop Stanford’s running game so having their corners execute in man was a must in order for their game plan to work.
Trufant (6-0, 186) had perfect coverage on a number of throws to the outside. He made an NFL play in the first quarter when a pass was thrown up for big wideout Ty Montgomery, who had good positioning. As Montgomery had the ball come into his hands, Trufant ripped his arm away to force an incompletion and a punt. It was a clutch play and showcased impressive strength from Trufant.
Trufant had a nice pressure on a corner blitz in the second half. He had a leaping pass break-up on a deep ball along the sideline. Trufant used a nice arm bar running along the sideline to keep Montgomery from gaining separation.
To end the game on Stanford’s final fourth down attempt, Trufant was in man coverage on tight end Levine Toilolo, a 6-foot-8 tight end. The ball was thrown up for grabs and a little overthrown toward the defender. Trufant made a leaping interception to save the upset win for Washington. The showing against Stanford was an impressive display of ball skills considering Trufant doesn’t have the ball thrown his direction very often.
Trufant could be a nice value pick in the second or third round. He doesn’t have interception numbers (six total in college) that will grab first-round attention, but he looks like a future starter in the NFL.
Washington junior quarterback Keith Price was challenged by one of the best defenses in the Pac-12. Stanford features a front seven loaded with NFL talent including senior linebackers Shayne Skov and Chase Thomas. The Cardinal defenders pressured Price all night and never let him get in a passing groove.
Price threw a bad interception in the second half. He tried to toss a pass in the flat, but Stanford defensive lineman Trent Murphy made a leaping catch and trucked down the field for a score. Price put Stanford in the lead with a touchdown pass on just a short pass in the flat that his receiver took the distance. Price finished 19-of-37 for 177 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
As it stands now, Price should come back for his senior season to improve before going pro. He is a good college signal-caller but could use more refinement and development before going pro. If he entered the 2013 NFL Draft, he’d look like a second-day pick.
Thomas had a good game. He had an impressive sack in the first quarter. He beat a tight end around the left side and pushed through a running back to tackle Price. Shortly later, Thomas showed excellent recognition skills and snuffed out a screen pass for no gain on a third down. Thomas made a nice solo tackle in space on the play. Throughout four quarters, Thomas was getting good pass pressure on rushes around the edge. This outing should help confirm him as a second-round pick. Thomas should definitely stay as a 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL.
Skov was active and made his presence felt as well. He had a good tackle for a loss on Price on a quarterback run. In the third quarter, Skov planted Price into the ground after coming unblocked up the middle. Skov had a quality outing and did well getting pressure on interior blitzes.
Stanford features another tight end, in addition to last year’s Coby Fleener, who is a second-day prospect. Junior Zach Ertz had an excellent night. He was Stanford’s most consistent receiver and worked well in all levels of the defense. He moved the chains and make tough catches in traffic. Ertz (6-6, 252) totaled six receptions for 106 yards. He looks like a solid second-day pick if he enters the 2013 NFL Draft.
Senior running back Stepfan Taylor had a massive game to lead Stanford to an upset win over USC, but Washington loaded the box to prevent running lanes for Taylor. He ran for 75 yards on 21 carries. His stock should remain unchanged as a second-day prospect.
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