It’s Friday and that means it’s time for another mailbag. Thanks again for your questions. We’ve done our best to answer them below.
Nakia Watson. Is he the next 3 down Wisconsin threat? – @AgentDMiller
Watson is certainly the second option behind Jonathan Taylor through the first couple of weeks. I do think that trend continues but my personal favorite behind Jonathan Taylor is true freshman RB Julius Davis. He missed all but 3 games during his senior season in high school due to a sports hernia but was a highly sought after recruit for the Wisconsin staff. He’s the hometown kid who had several big-time offers but opted to stay home. He missed a good chunk of fall camp as well still recovering from his injury but the coaches have raved about Davis’ talent. There is a possibility for him to receive playing time as this season progresses but his real opportunity to battle for a starting job will come next offseason. Both Watson and Davis will be the heavy favorites going into next year, but I personally give the nod to Davis in that position battle. – LJ Chaney @pacificscouting
Will Jacob Eason be a relevant NFL QB? – @DynastyfBaller
The potential for Eason has always been there and he looks to have put a few things together at Washington. There are questions whether or not he can truly process what is in front of him in a timely matter but he has made a solid statement through 3 weeks. He has consistently made NFL level throws this season and has improved his touch and changing RPMs on his ball to fit certain throws. I think his arm talent and size will intrigue NFL teams enough to take him Day 1. He still has a long way to go in order to be a polished prospect, but he has the talent to be a relevant QB at the next level. – LJ Chaney @pacificscouting
Thoughts on Kenny McIntosh? – @NFL_Zack
I wasn’t impressed with McIntosh’s high school film, and I questioned his decision to go to Georgia where there were already two elite runners in front of him. There are a lot of schools where you can bide your time until you earn the role of starter. Georgia and the RB position doesn’t fall into that category.
It’s difficult to tell much from 13 carries against Murray State and Arkansas State. From what I’ve seen so far, McIntosh is a straight-line runner with decent vision who gets what is blocked. He runs somewhat upright and he hasn’t made many people miss. He’s well built for the position. He lacks ideal long speed and his play strength leaves something to be desired.
Currently, he’s Georgia’s RB5 behind Swift, Herrien, White, and Cook. In 2020, with Swift and Herrien gone, the team’s RB4 is likely McIntosh’s ceiling. White will be the lead back, Cook will have his role, and I expect Kendall Milton to immediately pass McIntosh on the depth chart. – Brad McDaniel @DW_BMack
Thoughts on Rakeem Boyd? – @am_misfit
Boyd continued his big finish from 2018 by posting 55-303-3 rushing and 4-30-0 receiving through three games in 2019. His acceleration and knack for creating explosive plays remain impressive. He put on thirteen pounds this off-season, but it doesn’t seem to have limited his juice. Listed at 6’0 and 213 pounds, he’s got the requisite size to be a feature back at the next level. I continue to believe that his receiving abilities are amongst his greatest assets, but Chad Morris’ offense hasn’t deployed him in that role as frequently as I would if I were calling the shots. If a play is blocked well, Boyd will likely maximize his opportunity. Arkansas was unable to pass during the first two games of the season which meant that Boyd’s job was tough. They made a switch at QB, and he looked like an NFL back against Colorado State. I believe Boyd will have a role in the NFL if he can remain healthy. – Kyle Francis @FranchiseKF
How does your opinion of a prospect change if they return to school for their senior season? (Tyler Johnson, Ke’Shawn Vaughn, etc) – @TheRealTheThird
It does give me a bit of a pause on a player when we don’t know the cause. Does the player just love being in college? Or does the NFL just not hold them in high regard? Especially with a player like Ke’Shawn Vaughn. While Tyler Johnson is just returning for his senior season, Vaughn’s is going into his 5th year. I can’t imagine he returned for a fifth season if he was highly regarded by NFL teams already. But generally, I’ll take it on a case by case basis. Not every prospect is ready to leave after three years. – Greg Brandt @devywarehouse
I agree with Greg. I look at each scenario separately. I think returning for a fourth or fifth season is naturally a ding on the player’s profile. We don’t always know why they made that decision, but it is helpful when we hear what grade they got from the NFL advisory committee.
We’ve started to see a trend where QBs are playing out their senior season. I kind of like that. QB is a tough position to learn. The more you play, the more you see. The more you see, the easier it becomes to diagnose what a defense is trying to do.
I think it’s more harmful for RBs to return to school than WRs. An RB’s shelf life is already relatively short, and adding a fourth or fifth season and sometimes another 300 carries only decreases the tread left on the tires. If they aren’t happy with their draft grade and return to school and start slow (i.e. Ke’Shawn Vaughn), they could sink their draft stock completely.
The guys we’ve mentioned have all had some sort of breakout. Players who break out as a senior – as the oldest player on the field – worry me more than someone returning to try to improve on a draft they didn’t like. – Brad McDaniel @DW_BMack
