This section breaks down many college football games each week and highlights how 2015 NFL Draft Prospects have performed. Or look at the 2015 NFL Draft Stock page (link coming soon).
By Charlie Campbell.
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Michigan State 35, Michigan 11
The Wolverines started with an out route to Funchess for 11 yards on the first play, as Waynes pushed him out of bounds. Drummond quickly got involved, as he had a nice tackle for a loss after blowing up a wide receiver screen. Drummond then had good coverage on Funchess on an out route. After halftime, Funchess ran a slant to get open but he didn�t hang onto the ball when Drummond hit him. It was a good play by Drummond, but Funchess should have held onto the ball.
Waynes, meanwhile, had lax coverage to allow a 24-yard gain on an inside post. Waynes then ran stride for stride on a go route downfield. Waynes was in position for an interception, but the receiver knocked the pass away from the corner. Midway through the third, Waynes had Funchess blanketed downfield and Funchess couldn�t haul in a well-thrown ball. Waynes was called for a terrible pass interference penalty, but Funchess should have made the catch, as the pass hit off his hands, and they were turned the wrong way.
To end the drive, Funchess was matched up on Drummond on a post route to the back corner of the end zone out of the slot. After getting some separation, Funchess didn�t hold onto the ball, as Drummond pulled at his arms right after the ball hit Funchess� hands. It was another reception that Funchess should have made.
Funchess did get open on an out route for a 16-yard gain on Waynes. He finished with five catches for 64 yards. This tape will hurt Funchess� draft stock. He is a big receiver and not a speed target. He has to be able to make contested catches to truly be effective in the NFL, but he was unable to do that on a number of good opportunities. Throughout the game, Funchess was struggling to get off of the Spartans� press coverage. Funchess did not look like a first-round pick against Michigan State.
Meanwhile, Waynes was solid, and Drummond had a good game. The senior safety needed it; he had some underwhelming performances earlier this year.
Those issues could be seen immediately, as Cook got his game started by dropping in a pretty corner post pass between a few defenders for a gain of 24 yards to Tony Lippett. Right after that, he missed a big play with an overthrow of an open receiver in the middle of the field. The pattern happened again when he lofted in a perfect pass along the sideline before missing a receiver open in the deep middle for what should have been a touchdown.
In the third quarter, Cook made an impressive back shoulder throw to Lippett downfield, who broke a tackle and sprinted away for a 70-yard touchdown. Cook dropped in another perfectly placed throw along the sideline, but once again he missed a few throws to open receivers that he should have completed. Cook finished completing 12-of-22 passes for 227 yards with a score. This won�t help his cause as the questions about his accuracy, footwork and consistency remain.
Kansas State 23, Texas 0
In the early going, Finney and Kansas State had success moving the ball on the ground. Brown didn�t start well by jumping offsides. Ridgeway then fired by Finney to get his fifth sack of the season. Finney didn�t even block Ridgeway, as it was a missed assignment between him and the left guard. Kansas State forgot to block Ridgeway again, as he fired into the backfield to make a tackle for a loss of five yards.
Other than those plays, Finney had a quality outing. Brown had an ugly game with very little impact. He was blocked by the Wildcat guards and lost one-on-ones with an inability to shed blocks. This tape will hurt his draft grade, and he looked nothing like a first-round pick. Ridgeway had a quality performance, but he needs to improve his ability to get off blocks. Ridgeway should return for his senior year to get better before going pro.
Diggs had tight coverage on a slant to Lockett in the first quarter, and Diggs was able to break the pass up. Lockett then got wide open with a double move against cornerback Duke Thomas and caught a pass for a 30-yard gain inside the five-yard line. After halftime, Diggs made a good open field tackle to keep a receiver a yard short on a third-down quick slant. Shortly later, Diggs missed a tackle on Lockett after he made a mistake in not covering Lockett off the snap as his eyes were turned the wrong direction.
Lockett finished with eight receptions for 103 yards. This was a solid tape for him, and he looks like a day-three candidate as a slot receiver. Diggs� draft stock won�t be helped or hurt significantly by this performance.
Miami 30, Virginia Tech 6
Johnson then had a series of impressive runs where he was weaving around defenders, breaking tackles to pick up yards after contact, and finishing his runs well. He ripped off a 25-yard run and followed that up with a 24-yard touchdown run on a zone stretch play. He showed his speed as he exploded into the end zone for the score.
With 10 seconds remaining in the first half, Johnson ran a great route and dodged a safety to spring into the end zone for a 22-yard touchdown catch. If Johnson had been tackled at the five by the defender he juked, the clock would have run out on Miami, but Johnson’s skill to make the tackler miss allowed Miami to get another score and a 24-0 halftime lead.
Johnson was running away from defenders in the second half; he hurdled a few tacklers and was stiff-arming defenders away. He was breaking off chunk runs on every drive. Virginia Tech had no answer for Johnson, as he dominated the Hokies. He showed great quickness, feet and elusiveness. Johnson had 29 carries for 249 yards with a touchdown and two receptions for 37 yards with a score.
Johnson has averaged 7.5 yards per carry for 1,036 yards with seven touchdowns this season. He has 19 receptions for 224 receiving yards and a score. Sources told us they view Johnson as a third- or fourth-rounder, but this tape will help his bid to go on day two.
Perryman made a number of good tackles in the open field, but he did over-pursue to allow a running back break into the secondary for a 41-yard run. That was the only mistake he made and Perryman made up for it.
The next play, Perryman wasn’t fooled again, as he got to the runner for a drag down tackle. Perryman showed his sideline-to-sideline speed by flying to the outside and tackling a receiver in the flat. Perryman then put his helmet on the ball in a perfect form tackle of a running back to force a fumble that was recovered by Miami. In the fourth quarter, Perryman had a nice pass break-up, as he blanketed a tight end.
This was a great tape for Perryman, as he showed it all for NFL evaluators. He illustrated the skills to cover and make plays in pass coverage. Perryman was sideline-to-sideline in pass defense while also being a tough run defender in the box. His tackling was excellent. Perryman made 11 tackles, a forced fumble and a pass broken up against Virginia Tech. Perryman has 62 tackles, two forced fumbles, three passes broken up, one interception and a sack this season. This performance will help Perryman to grade out as a first-round pick.
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