Welcome to “I Got 5 On It”, each week I’ll be picking five news-worthy subjects based around college football to cover. Ranging from views on Devy prospects, general college football talk, interesting stats, and a little bit of hip-hop music mixed in now and then.
1. Layne Hatcher
Hatcher is a former Alabama Crimson Tide walk-on who’s found his way to being one of the top G5 QBs in all the land. As an rSO in 2020, Hatcher split time with Logan Bonner. This was a questionable decision when you look at the two QBs. On nearly 70 fewer attempts, Hatcher threw for 200 more yards and 1 more TD than Bonner. Hatcher boasted a 10.77 ANY/A while Bonner only managed a 6.79. Hatcher’s 10.77 ANY/A is the fourth-best returning number in the nation, only behind Kaleb Eleby, Dustin Crum, and Grayson McCall. He was one of only seven QBs in 2020 with at least 100 passing attempts to have an ANY/A over 10. That’s including the previously listed G5 QBs as well as Mac Jones, Zach Wilson, and Kyle Trask.
Hatcher has the potential to be a key member of any championship contending C2C team. In leagues that don’t value the CFF side of C2C, he can be a very cheap option due to his low NFL upside. He’s entering his rJR year at Arkansas State, so you potentially have two years of top-notch fantasy production from Hatcher still to come. Hatcher and Bonner combined for nearly 4,000 yards and 40 TDs in 2020. As long as Butch Jones doesn’t screw up a good thing with Hatcher, he’ll be an exciting player to have on your C2C team for 2021.
2. Planning Ahead
We already know guys like David Bell and Treylon Burks are going to smash it in 2021 for your C2C but who’s taking over their jobs in 2022? Now’s the time to be thinking ahead in your C2C drafts for their replacements to be ahead of the curve in replacing their production. All players should be very cheap in 2021 and very attainable.
Milton Wright, Purdue: Wright is entering his junior season just like David Bell. Wright projects to be Purdue’s WR2 in 2021. GIving him a great setup to be the team’s WR1 in 2022. Wright has Day 3 NFL Draft upside but should be primed for a productive ’22 as the team’s go-to receiver. Second-year receiver TJ Sheffield is another name to monitor for 2022 and taking over David Bell’s lost production.
Danny Gray/Rashee Rice, SMU: This one is a bit harder to pinpoint due to the fact that Gray is currently in his second season at SMU following being a JUCO. He can take an extra COVID year in 2022 or go pro. Either way, with the loss of Reggie Roberson, both are in a good spot to be major players in 2022. Roberson should depart as one of the most productive G5 WRs in terms of CFF production in 2021.
Cam Wiley/Treyson Potts, Minnesota: People that are still hung on recruiting ranks will be targeting Ky Thomas in this spot but he’s at best Minnesota’s RB4 heading into the 2021 season. Let somebody else waste that roster spot. I personally really like what I’ve seen from Cam Wiley in 2020. Potts looked good as well in limited action. The Gophers have two really solid backs waiting in the wings when Mohmad Ibrahim heads to the league. Wiley was Ibrahim’s direct backup in 2020, and I expect that to continue until he’s the RB1 in 2022.
Jirehl Brock, Iowa State: Brock arrived at ISU at the same time as Breece Hall and was actually the higher-ranked recruit of the two. Brock redshirted in 2019, giving him another three years of eligibility left counting this Fall. With Hall’s expected NFL departure, Brock will slide into the RB1 role in 2022.
Others: Jalen McGaughy, Ball State…The Cards have two projected top 30 WRs this Fall and both are seniors. A lot of production will be up for the pickings in 2022, and McGaughy looks to be in the best position to take over the WR1 role….Eric McAlister, Boise State…This one might be a stretch for 2022, but McAlister is an impressive incoming FR for the Broncos. All of Boise’s top 3 WRs for 2021 are listed as seniors. With the extra COVID year, maybe some will return in 2022, but it’ll be a wide-open receiving corps if all three depart… Micah Kelly, Toledo…Kelly was the highest-rated skill position player to sign in the MAC a few cycles ago. Bryant Koback should finally be out of eligibility following the season (2022 would be his 6th year but a possible return with the extra COVID year). Kelly enters 2021 as an rSO with another three years of eligibility left in a highly productive fantasy offense for RBs… Tim Baldwin Jr, Indiana… Thought he’d be the man in 2021, but Stephen Carr transferred in recently. Look to Baldwin to be the RB1 in 2022 with multiple years of eligibility left.
3. Destyn Hill
Hill is a prospect that has received some major praise from Devy analysts. He’s more on the tempered side viewing Hill as a borderline top 10 receiver in this class. “The Noles signed three talented freshmen this cycle in Malik McClain, Joshua Burrell, and Destyn Hill. Hill has gotten some buzz in devy in C2C circles, but it doesn’t seem likely that he plays a meaningful role this year, if ever. I think that there is a decent likelihood that he may not ever play ball at FSU. There were some semi-private rumblings about him having some issues that have now become semi-public. I would not recommend drafting him in any format.” This passage from Kyle Francis sparked my curiosity on Hill. So after a quick Google search I found even more on the situation from Noles247 “A source tells Noles247 that New Orleans (La.) Edna Karr four-star receiver Destyn Hill will not be enrolling at this time. It’s unclear exactly what is holding him up, but we have learned that his enrollment to FSU has been delayed.”
Not an ideal start for a prospect who had a bright future. It’s not clear at this point if or when Hill will be able to enroll, and if it’s even at Florida State. Hill is untouchable in Devy drafts with the cost and risk associated with him. Plenty of safer options, even before this news there were better options at his price range (currently WR5 in 2024 and WR31 overall in DevyWatch ADP).
4.Sophomore Breakouts
Kole Taylor, TE, LSU: Taylor wasn’t even the top TE to sign with LSU in 2020. Arik Gilbert got all the pub, but Taylor, the 16th overall TE isn’t a slouch himself. The Colorado native is listed at 6’7” and 220lbs. Taylor is long and lanky, and as his size would say, still has plenty of room to develop his body to become a physical mismatch. At 6’7”, Taylor is able to line up out wide and run routes and look good doing it. Does a great job of using his size to high point balls away from defenders. If not for Arik Gilbert being ahead of him, I would have been all over Taylor and most likely would have had him in the 2020 Devy Watch Guide. Taylor’s size and ability as a pass-catcher gives him a very high ceiling.
Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee: Hyatt is a pure burner. Clocking a 4.31 40-yard back in 2018 along with a 10.4 100-meter time. The South Carolina native finished high school with back-to-back 1,300+ yards and 20+ TD seasons, while averaging just a tick under 20 yards per catch over that two-year span. With the new uptempo offense, Hyatt should have more opportunities this Fall. Hyatt fits the mold of receivers that have excelled under Josh Heupel at UCF.
Kobe Pace, RB, Clemson: Pace was overlooked in 2020 due to the signing of now Florida Gator Demarkcus Bowman, but he made a very early impression on the Clemson Coaches. “At 5-foot-10 and 216 pounds, Pace generally fits the mold of the bigger, power backs. However, looks can be deceiving and Elliott says to not be fooled by his appearance.
“When you guys get a chance to see Kobe you’ll see that for a big guy, he’s not a typical big guy,” Elliott said. “He’s very light on his feet, has the ability to make all the cuts.”
“Really been impressed with just his demeanor. It’s very quiet, but he gets on the practice field man, and kid loves to play, loves to practice and loves to prepare. He’s got a very very focused demeanor so really, really pleased so far with what I’ve seen of Kobe.”
Pace is the underrated option in this backfield. With his price tag being much lower than the other backs in this committee, Pace is the back that I’ll most likely be targeting.
5. Freshman Spotlight
Moving forward until next Fall, when we have some game action again, I’ll be highlighting an incoming freshman each week in the 5 spot. This week’s freshman spotlight is a two for one, Blaine and Bryson Green. The Green twins signed with Coach Gundy and Oklahoma State. They are the younger brother of former Minnesota Golden Gopher, Seth Green. Bryson is ranked slightly higher by the 247 Composite ranks but 247 themselves rank Blaine higher. In 2020, Blaine hauled in 44-922-13 (21 YPR). Over the final three years of high school, Bryson hauled in 119-1706-22. Both brothers are listed at 6’2” and 215lbs. Coach Gundy expects the two to play at 225lbs this Fall.
Blaine had a verified 4.68 40 and 36” vertical jump at 204lbs back in March of 2019, while Bryson had a 4.7 and 36.6” at the same event. Both brothers are big-bodied possession receivers with college-ready bodies. Neither receiver has a lot of juice after the catch and with the expected bump to 225lbs I don’t think that’s going to change much. I agree with 247Sports that Blaine appears to be the better prospect right now. He’s been the more productive of two and has a slightly bigger upside. Blaine has been getting some hype that he’ll be in the two deep come this Fall for the Cowboys. From 247Sports “Brennan Presley figures to be a game-breaking threat, but Blaine has the ability to factor into the mix right away thanks to a combination of college-ready size and his physical style with a proven ability to win contested catches. Blaine isn’t going to blow the top off a defense with his speed, but he’ll be a friendly target for quarterback Spencer Sanders when the Cowboys need a first down.”
Blaine is worth a stash in very deep C2C drafts. Blaine was the top remaining player on my board for a recent C2C supplemental draft and I plan to target him on waivers come this Fall and rest him on my taxi squad for 2021.
