If you’ve followed or read Devy Watch for any length of time now, you know signing day is not complete without an incoming freshmen-only mock draft.
Round 1
1.01 – Cody – Julian Fleming, WR, Ohio State
Julian Fleming is the cream of the crop for me when it comes to the 2020 class. Fleming has an excellent build at 6’2” 199lbs and fantastic athleticism. He has elite speed, reportedly running a 4.45 forty over the summer and can kick it into a second gear quickly. Combo all this with great hands and Fleming is as complete of a wideout as you could ask for. He will have some competition early at OSU with Olave and Wilson being the focal points, but Fleming is talented enough to potentially make it an elite trio.
1.02 – Kyle – Kendall Milton, RB, Georgia
Milton is a talented back that steps into a favorable situation at Georgia. With Swift and Herrien moving on, the backfield will likely be split three ways in 2020, with Milton being one of them. The chance at early production and a featured role in 2021 and 2022 are appealing to me. Milton already has NFL size and has some similarities to Alabama’s Najee Harris in terms of size and ability to move well for such a big man.
1.03 – Jason – Zachary Evans, RB, Uncommitted
The No.1 RB in the 2020 class according to 247sports, Evans possesses the skillset to be an every-down back at the collegiate level. Evans has a muscular frame which he leverages to bully his way between the tackles and break through potential tacklers in the open field. Gifted with very good athleticism as he has a recorded 4.51 forty, an incredible 3.84 shuttle and a 37.2 inch vertical. Evans has the profile of a blue-chip prospect. There will be much better clarity on what to expect from him in year one after he commits at the Under Armour All-America Game on January 2nd.
1.04 – LJ – Demond Demas, WR, Texas A&M
Demas is listed at 6’3″ 196 lbs. His unofficial testing by way of Hudl is amazing. I wouldn’t put too much stock into unofficial testing, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Demas isn’t far off from the reported numbers. His forty is listed at 4.34, and vertical at 43″. He looks like one of the most athletic players in the nation. He ran very well at the opening and his signature backflip went viral over the offseason. He was ruled ineligible for his senior season in high school after transferring schools. Demas posted over 1,500 yards at 30 yards per catch as a junior and is still considered one of the top WRs in the nation. He has been a long-time commit to Texas A&M and his skillset should allow him to produce year one.
1.05 – Clayton – Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
This pick was a toss-up between Robinson and Brad’s selection of Bowman below. Bijan got the edge based on his more refined receiving skill set, superior lateral agility, and potential body/athletic development. Already a dynamic threat receiving the ball out of the backfield, Robinson pairs that with his innate talent to string together consecutive evasive moves on multiple defenders. His slick elusiveness will translate instantly and has shown to be a desired trait of NFL scouts in recent years. Robinson’s balance could use some improvement, and that should develop with leg gains in a collegiate weight room. His well-rounded game and frame, however, gives this running back full-on bellcow potential for the Longhorns and beyond.
1.06 – Brad – Demarkcus Bowman, RB, Clemson
Bowman is the second-ranked RB and top player in the state of Florida according to 247sports. He is a compact ball of muscle with game-changing speed and acceleration. He runs with great instincts. He’ll get the tough yards between the tackles, turn the corner and break a long run, and finish his runs with physicality when necessary. He’s very productive as a north-south runner, and he doesn’t do much laterally outside of an effective jump cut. At Clemson, he’ll have to play his role and wait to be the lead guy. There’s no reason to think he won’t thrive as the lead once he earns that role.
1.07 – Greg – Jalen McMillan, WR, Washington
The Huskies pulled off a major recruiting win by securing the signature of McMillan over the Fightin’ Irish. The California native capped off his high school career with a monster senior season 89/1644/12. McMillan is a big, physical wideout who has the making of a future WR1 for Washington. He possesses good route running ability and is good at getting off the line of scrimmage. He shows above-average speed and playmaking ability. I can see McMillan becoming a focal point in Washington’s passing game during his sophomore season.
1.08 – Cody – Rakim Jarrett, WR, Maryland
The first big shock of the signing season is Jarrett flipping from LSU to Maryland. Jarrett has been my WR2 behind Fleming all year and the consensus rankings seem to finally have caught up. Jarrett has a nice build at 6’ and a solid 208lbs. Jarrett is a fantastic route runner and does a great job setting up defenders. He does a very good job of finding the soft spots in defenses and is great at making plays once the ball is in his hands. Maryland landed a solid QB last year in LeGrande plus WR Deajaun McDougle this season making the Maryland offense look like a legit threat next year!
1.09 – Kyle – Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
While this is probably considered early for a QB in a non-Superflex draft, he’s got the mobility to score with his legs. The landscape at Alabama is favorable for him to make an impact as an underclassman. The 2020 starting QB job is up for grabs. Young travels to Alabama as a very experienced and accomplished high school player. Not unlike Jayden Daniels last cycle, Young should be well prepared to play P5 football as a freshman. He’s got all of the tools to be great and could be a multi-year starter with a trajectory that’s comparable to Tua’s.
1.10 – Jason – Jermaine Burton, WR, LSU
Burton is a dynamic receiver who is currently ranked as the fourth-best receiver in the 2020 recruiting class according to 247Sports. He holds 20 offers in which LSU and Georgia are currently battling it out for his commitment. Burton made an official visit to the Bulldogs over the past weekend, trying to nab the 4-star from LSU. Whichever team lands Burton, they are getting a very competitive receiver with excellent hands, above-average speed and athleticism. He can be used as a high-level kick returner as well. In regards to his athleticism, he posted a 4.43 40 at The Opening Regional and a 3.95 shuttle, along with a 39-inch vertical at The Opening Finals. Needless to say Burton is a special player worthy of an early selection in this mock.
1.11 – LJ – Sam Adams II, ATH, Washington
Adams is a 6’2″ 200 lb RB/CB for Eastside Catholic. He didn’t spend much time at RB this season as I’ve heard they were trying to get an offer for their other runner. It didn’t make much sense to me given Adams’ ability out of the backfield as a dynamic runner and pass catcher. He is still projected to Washington as an RB and that’s where the coaches want him to play. I feel that Salvon Ahmed will stay for his senior season and the room is too crowded for Adams to see much time year one, but I do believe he is up there with Ahmed as the most talented RB for Washington. He has a frame to add good weight and already possesses very good functional strength and contact balance. Adams Jr. sees the field well and reacts quickly to running lanes with a fluid lower half that allows him to cut seamlessly. He has very good acceleration and long speed to break explosive plays and run away from defenders. The only downside to this pick is the wait we’ll likely endure for Adams to consistently see the field, but I believe his talent is among the best freshmen backs in the nation.
1.12 - Clayton – Gee Scott Jr., WR, Ohio State
Polished is often the word that gets tossed around when discussing Gee Jr. as a prospect. It might honestly be an understatement. Scott’s route-running fundamentals, hands catching technique, and knowledge of the game are already that of a collegiate upperclassman. Oh, and he fits all of that into a readymade frame at 6’2” 210 lbs. Gee isn’t going to blow defenders away with pure speed, but he creates plenty of separation with his excellent use of hands early in the route and at the stem of the route. Speaking of those hands, he plucks literally every football with them extended away from his frame, so as to avoid the arms of incoming defenders. With a frame and play style reminiscent of Pitt-Larry Fitzgerald, Gee Scott Jr. is easily the highest floor WR prospect in this class.
Round 2
2.01 – Brad – Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
2.02 – Greg – Jase McClellan, RB, Oklahoma
2.03 – Cody – MarShawn Lloyd, RB, South Carolina
2.04 – Kyle – DeaMonte Trayanum, RB, Arizona State
2.05 – Jason – Mookie Cooper, WR, Ohio State
2.06 – LJ – Don Chaney Jr., RB, Miami (FL)
2.07 – Clayton – D.J. Uiagalelei, QB, Clemson
2.08 – Brad – Chris Tyree, RB, Notre Dame
2.09 – Greg – Daniyel Ngata, RB, Uncommitted
2.10 – Cody – Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Georgia Tech
2.11 – Kyle – Arik Gilbert, TE, LSU
2.12 – Jason – Keyvone Lee, RB, Penn State
