“Young money
Ya dig
Mack I’m goin’ in
I’m a Millionaire
I’m a Young Money Millionaire, tougher than Nigerian hair” – Weezy
Thoughts on the Eagles draft class? Saw your thoughts on Reagor would like to know about the other receivers as well. @FrancoMark89
Jalen Reagor, 21
John Hightower, 168
Quez Watkins, 200
This is an intriguing group. I had the assignments to write up both Hightower and Watkins in the 2019 edition of the Devy Watch. I’ll include both player’s writeups, both done prior to their final collegiate seasons:
John Hightower came out of nowhere during the 2018 season. He initially went to Hinds to compete on its track team. He played football and ran track, finishing fourth at the 2016 NJCAA national championships in the 400-meter hurdles. Hightower is an interesting individual. He grew up riding dirt bikes and still can be seen riding his bicycle around campus, doing various tricks that provides endless entertainment for his teammates. The balance, coordination, and focus required to do those things are all qualities that are needed to be an effective wide receiver. When Hightower first arrived at Hinds in 2015, he didn’t even make the football team. He worked hard and made it in 2016. What’s even more bizarre is how unproductive he was. Hightower made 31 total catches in two seasons. His teammate, Stephen Guidry (now at Miss State), was being recruited by Boise State, and they were intrigued by Hightower’s speed on film, while they were watching Guidry. His speed is elite. It’s a trump card at the collegiate level, and I think it’s good enough that it could be in the NFL as well. Boise State used him on running plays and he made some really explosive runs. He’s still more of an athlete than he is a refined wide receiver. Ball security has been an issue, and he isn’t a very crafty route runner. He relies on his speed and natural abilities. That will need to change if Hightower wants to play at the next level.
Quez Watkins was a three-star recruit from Athens, Alabama. He caught 78 passes for 1,388 yards and 17 TDs in his final two seasons in high school. He took a redshirt in 2016 after committing to Southern Miss. In 2017, he finished with 23-337-2 as a redshirt freshman. Southern Miss graduated several productive players, and a massive opportunity for production opened up last season. Watkins capitalized on his opportunity, catching 72 balls for 889 yards and nine TDs. He started the season like a man possessed as he caught six touchdowns in the first month of the season. Listed at 6’2″ and 190 pounds, Watkins has good size for a receiver, but he looks like he could use some additional weight and muscle mass, particularly in his lower body. He allegedly has run a 4.30 forty-yard-dash, but I find that hard to believe after watching his tape. Don’t get me wrong, his speed is very good, but it’s not elite. He was used a lot on tunnel screens, and his background as a returner on special teams served him well as he weaved in-and-out of traffic. Southern Miss has a recent history of productive wide receivers that have flashed for a season and regressed the next. That could be the case with Watkins in 2019. To be a valuable NFL prospect, he will need to show greater nuance as a route-runner, as well as having another highly productive season.
While I didn’t write up Reagor, much of the pros and cons I used to describe both Hightower and Watkins could be used to summarize much of the former Horned Frogs’ game. I really like what they were trying to accomplish. However, I think they took some unnecessary risks. It is my understanding that they tried to trade up with the Falcons for CeeDee Lamb, but were spurned. I understand why they would have tried to do that. Lamb is the best receiver in his class and they could have used a player like him who is already a pro. Reagor can be called many things, but a pro isn’t something that I would use to describe his current stage of evolution. He could end up being the best receiver in his class, but much like I described Hightower above, Reagor is currently more of an athlete than a polished receiver. He dealt with abysmal quarterback play in TCU and never had much help from his supporting cast, so perhaps that has stunted his growth. It probably did. Learning the game from Desean Jackson should be huge from him. If he achieves his full potential, DJ in his prime is what he can become. He will hope to have better health, and in turn, more consistency. Consistency and professionalism are two things that this Eagles’ roster badly needed. Taking Reagor over Jefferson, after getting shut out on Lamb, was a curious decision. It was made even more bizarre when they went with raw, burners like Hightower and Watkins in the late rounds. Using the benefit of hindsight and looking at available players in the draft, I would have loved to see them draft guys like James Proche, Isaiah Hodgins, and KJ Hill with their final receiver slot. All three of them are “pros” already and could help to provide some stability for this group that severely lacked it last season. Perhaps they view their two capable tight ends as the safe, sturdy options, but they went all-in on speed and sacrificed skill. Reagor is the only player that I care about from a fantasy standpoint, and his landing spot was a massive boost to his value, in my eyes.
What are the effects of Jadon Haselwood for the Oklahoma team and the other Sooners players statistically and draft-wise? Thanks @FabFalco
This is a huge blow to Haselwood. At a place like Oklahoma, you’ve got another Haselwood coming in with each recruiting cycle. Throw in a serious knee injury, and you never know how a player is going to respond once they are healthy again. Personally, I believed that Rambo and Wease were more likely to be the focal points of the passing attack in 2020. Haselwood has more talent than Rambo, but now he won’t have any opportunities this season as he recovers. From both a Devy and CFF standpoint, I haven’t prioritized their receiver room. I believe in Wease the most in both formats, especially now after the Haselwood news. He can do things after the catch that most closely resemble what Lamb was able to do. Rattler will be getting his first significant collegiate work, so having a player that can take short and intermediate balls to the house like Wease can make them fast friends. My colleague, Gregor Brandt, speaks highly of incoming freshman, Marvin Mims, so perhaps he carves out an early opportunity? They got a transfer from Obi Obialo, so maybe the veteran is a significant player. I’m a long time fan of Obialo, a former Oklahoma State walk-on turned Marshall Herdsman, and this offense should suit him well. I’m doing lots of speculating here, so I don’t think we will have much data to rely on until a few weeks before toe meets leather. Brad McDaniel’s guy, Theo Wease, is the WR I am most willing to bet on at this juncture. Rambo may be cheaper in college fantasy right now, so I could see myself going that route.
Outside of the obvious choices on Clemson’s and UNC’s roster, what ACC position player and/or group do you believe could have the biggest CFF impact this year? @rahuggins3
I’ve been doing some early mocks in addition to a few redraft leagues, and I’ve left the draft with Boston College’s RB, David “BUFFALO” Bailey in nearly every single one of them. While most CFF players don’t adjust well for coaching changes, their ignorance will likely result in bliss, if they select BUFFALO Bailey. The new OC has an NFL background, most recently, but also fed Dion Lewis the pill 300+ times at Pitt back in the day. Bailey can catch too, which is something they want to see him do more of in 2020. He gets most of his line back as well.
With Rhett Lashlee coming to Miami from SMU, we can use the production of Proche, Roberson, and Granson to get excited about their pass catchers. I’ve been drafting one of Mark Pope, Dee Wiggins, and Brevin Jordan in every draft that I’ve been a part of.
Micale Cunningham and Brennan Armstrong are two QBs that I’ve been targeting. I’ve picked up Sam Hartman in a dynasty league, but his cost is already pretty high. Tommy DeVito is basically free, and I’ll look to him to help round out depth in many of my QB rooms. I’m buying his WR1 Taj Harris on a bounceback, Terrell Jana is the cheapest returning 70+ catch guy in CFB, and Taysir Mack has been dirt-cheap in drafts, where he could get near 100 catches in Whipple’s offense. I’ll be looking forward to figuring out who plays slot WR for NC State this year, but I don’t currently have clarity. Porter Rooks is a name to circle in dynasty formats.
Chase Brice. This guy might not get picked in a 10 round Devy draft, but could he be a sleeper 1st round pick next year? @wannabeerbad
No, I don’t think so. I haven’t seen anything about his skillset, nor do I think he’s primed for a particularly productive season, that leads me to believe that he’s an NFL player, let alone a first-round pick.
How do you like the MD WR group? Jeshuan Jones, Demus, McDougle, and Rakim all sneaky good prospects. Also best sleeper position group in B10 @May_Jolnar
I like them. Maryland has never had a recruiting problem, and they certainly won’t with Locks at the helm. Can they develop these guys and get consistent QB play with good health? They haven’t recently, and that is why the program has consistently failed to live up to low-moderate expectations. I think that the opportunity exists for Maryland to make a little bit of noise in the B1G, and if they do, it will be due in part to their talented pass catchers.
As far as underrated groups go, can I go with none? That was a bit tongue in cheek, but this is a league of the haves and have nots for the most part. If I must choose one non-blue-blood (oh man, I would just upset a lot of people if there were many readers!), then I would side with the Nebraska receivers. I believe Wan’Dale Robinson is a budding star that could explode in 2020 with JD Spielman taking a leave of absence (Unknown length of time). Now that Bowden has ascended, WanDo gets my affection for his versatility and overall game. Omar Manning has tons of buzz surrounding him as a prototypical outside receiver. Alante Brown is a talented four-star recruit, and he’s joined by fellow freshman Zavier Betts, whose tape I liked a lot this summer. This room may take a year or two to hit their strides (like Maryland), but I can get excited about this group if they fulfill their potential.
