Which G5 Underclassmen Are Headed To The NFL: Offense Edition

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Every year, college players ready to no longer "play school" declare their intentions to join the revolving cast of the NFL. Some are guarantees like Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver, while others decide to make the jump without knowing what their futures bring.

With that said, let's take a look at the offensive players of the G5 that have declared for the upcoming draft.

Quarterbacks: (1)

• Tyree Jackson, QB, Buffalo: 6,999 yards passing with 55.8% completion percentage and 49 touchdowns. 201 rushes for 757 yarrds and 16 touchdowns in 32 games played. 2018 MAC Offensive Player of the Year. #7 best QB according to USA Today. 

Jackson is an interesting case for the new NFL. Among the quarterbacks eligible for the draft, Jackson is one of the best dual threat players on the board. His size, 6-7 and 245 pounds, is intriguing and he has an impressive arm, but a completion rate below 60% is worrisome and may scare off some teams. He will get drafted, but do not expect Jackson to go in the first three rounds.

Running Backs: (7)

• Darrell Henderson, RB, Memphis: 431 rushes for 3,545 yards and 36 touchdowns. 63 catches for 758 yards and 8 touchdowns in 38 games played. Finished 10th in 2018 Heisman voting. 2018 Consensus All-American. #1 in NCAA in rushing ypa., #2 in rushing touchdowns, #2 in rushing yards. #8 best running back according to USA Today.
• Joshuwa Holloman, RB, Eastern Michigan: Track athlete. 
• Alexander Mattison, RB, Boise State: 581 carries for 2,829 yards nad 33 touchdowns. 60 cathces for 511 yards nad 1 touchdown in 38 games played. #2 nationally with 302 rush attempts in 2018, #7 nationally in rushing touchdowns (17), #8 nationally with 1,415 yards rushing. 
• Devin Singletary, RB, Florida Atlantic: 714 carries for 4,287 yards nad 66 touchdowns. 51 catches for 397 yards and  touchown in 38 games played. 2017 CUSA MVP. Most rushing attempts in NCAA, #4 in rushing yards, #1 in rushing touchdowns in 2017. #8 in career rushing touchdowns (66). 
• Darwin Thompson, RB, Utah State: Only played one season at Utah State. 153 carries for 1,044 yards and 14 touchdowns. 23 cathes for 351 yards and 2 touchdowns in 13 games played. 
• Kerrith Whyte Jr., RB, Florida Atlantic: 232 carries for 1,358 yards and 11 touchdowns. 22 catches for 227 yards and  touchdowns in 37 games played. Career 26.1 yards per kickoff return. 
• Tony Pollard, RB/KR/WR, Memphis: 139 carries for 941 yards and 9 touchdowns. 104 catches for 1,292 yards and 9 touchdowns in 40 games played. 30.1 yards per kickoff return for his career, including 7 touchdowns. Career leader in kickoff return touchdowns and led the nation with a 40.0 kickoff return average in 2017. 

Let's start with the best of the group. Memphis running back Darrell Henderson was the most explosive running back in the nation last season. He is a bit undervalued due to his time at Memphis, but the Tigers have produced quality NFL players in the past. He is easily a 2-3 round pick in my opinion and has more explosion than any other back in the draft.

Mattison and Singletary are both impressive players that carried the ball quite a bit in their college careers. There are worries that Singletary is more of the player he was as a senior rather than the dominant back he was as a junior. Mattison was a workhorse in 2018, giving scouts the thought that a bit of tread is gone from the tire. Both should hear their names called in the 5-6 rounds of the draft, if not earlier.

Thompson has the chance at being a late round pick, but would have benefited from spending one more season with the Aggies. Same with Kerrith Whyte Jr. He would have been the feature back in the Owls offense with the opportunity to shine in Kiffin's offense.

Tony Pollard is an interesting prospect. He set the kickoff return touchdown record in three seasons and has a full season averaging 40 yards per return in 2017. Whether he is drafted or not, Pollard should be on a roster with a chance to earn a KR/PR job and has the ability to produce in the running and passing game as needed.

Tight End: (3)

• Kahale Warring, TE, San Diego State: 51 catches for 637 yards and 8 touchdowns in 19 games played. 
• Dax Raymond, TE, Utah State: 72 catches for 873 yards and 3 touchdowns in 27 games played. 
• Keenen Brown, TE, Texas State: One year at Texas State. 51 catches for 577 yards and 5 touchdowns in 12 games played. Top 10 in Sun Belt in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns in 2018. 

Of the three, Brown is the most intriguing. Brown was a no factor with the Cowboys, but turned into a receiving option of choice at Texas State. He has the size and ability to block, but has to prove he is willing to do so at the NFL level.

Warring and Raymond have a chance to make a roster, but their chances of getting drafted depend on how multiple their skill sets can be at the next level.

Wide Receiver: (9)

• Jalen Guyton, WR, North Texas: Transfer from Notre Dame. 103 catches for 1,580 yards and 15 touchdowns in 25 games played. 
• Diontae Johnson, WR, Toledo: 135 catches for 2,235 yards and 23 touchdowns in 999 career games played. 
• Dredrick Snelson, WR, Central Florida: 106 catches for 1,519 yards and 15 touchdowns in 32 games played. 
• John Ursua, WR, Hawaii: 189 catches for 2,662 yards and 24 touchdowns in 33 games played. #9 in receptions (89), #5 in receiving yards (1,343), and #1 in receiving touchdonws (16) in 2018. 
• Preston Williams, WR, Colorado State: Transfer from Tennessee. 16 catches for 247 yards and 2 touchdowns in 7 games played at Tennessee. 96 catches for 1,345 yards and 14 touchdowns for Colorado State in 2018. #1 nationally with 96 receptions, #4 with 1,345 receiving yards, and #3 in receiving touchdowns (14) in 2018.
• Penny Hart, WR, Georgia State: 203 catches for 2,960 yards nad 19 touchdowns in 29 games played. Top 10 in Sun Belt in receptions in 2015, 2017, and 2018. Led Sun Belt in receiving yards in 2015 and 2017. 
• Cortrelle Simpson, WR, Richmond: Transfer from Temple. 96 catches for 1,670 yards and 11 touchdowns in 20 games played at Richmond. 
• Jovon Durante, WR, Florida Atlantic: Transfer from West Virginia. 60 catches for 726 yards and 7 touchdowns at WVU. 65 catches for 873 yards and 5 touchdowns at FAU in 36 total games played.
• Jazz Ferguson, WR, Northwestern State: Transfer from LSU. 2 catches for 17 yards at LSU in one game played. 66 catches for 1,117 yards and 13 TD at Northwestern State in 11 games played.

One thing the NFL has realized in the last several years is that talent at wide receiver can be found at all levels. This group has multiple transfers from P5 programs in addition to very effective players that battled injuries.

The most exciting of the transfers is Colorado State's Preston Williams. The former Vol looked like a bust in Knoxville, but made the trip to the MWC and led the nation in catches. More impressive is the fact that he did so on a down Rams team that struggled with consistent quarterback play.

Ursua, Hart, and Johnson are pass catching machines, but past injuries will be scrutinized by the medical crews of NFL teams. Hart in particular is small but explosive and could be a steal for the right team in the right offense.

The FCS is sending two players from the wide receiver group and I feel like both are in need of another year at the college level. Ferguson was especially explosive in 2018, but he only had two college catches before last season.

Offensive Line: (2)

• Chidi Okeke, OT, Tennessee State: Transfer from LSU. Two-year starter at TSU. First-team OVC in 2018. 
• Tyler Roemer, OT, San Diego State: Started 23 straight games for SDSU. Former USA Today Freshman All-American. Kicked off SDSU team in 2018. 

Finally, the offensive line comes to the party. Okeke seemed like a player ready to declare for the NFL as soon as he set foot on the Nashville campus of TSU. He seems a year away, but it remains to be seen if he will hear his name called this spring (not incredibly likely).

Roemer is very interesting because he will fall into the character issues category. He is a former Freshman All-American and started 23 games in a row before being suspended and then removed from the Aztec roster.

Week Zero Thoughts: The Rams Stole the show

By Pmlydon - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7936316

While everyone was excited heading into the opening weekend of college football, the opening weekend of games was not the greatest slate ever. Other than a tough to rate Hawaii win over UMass, it was blowout city in feeling if not fully on the scoreboard. In total, six teams from G5 conferences kicked off their seasons on Saturday.

Rice 7, Stanford 62

This one was even uglier than everyone expected. The Owls made the trip from Texas to Australia to get their doors ripped off by an unproven yet talented Stanford squad. The Cardinal was on point in the first half, taking a total of 23 plays to score four touchdowns and race away for a dominant win.

• The Good: Despite nearly giving up a first down on a third and 27, the Owls bowed up and forced an incompletion with 7:31 left in the first half to preserve their 28-0 deficit. That defensive stop was the only series in which Rice held the Stanford starting offense off the board.
• The Bad: 656 yards of total offense and 62 points allowed. If Rice is to be competitive in CUSA this season, it will be from good play on the defensive side of the ball. This defensive group was completely dominated by a more physical Stanford team and has to prove that this was more of an aberration than how the 2017 season will go.
• The Ugly: Making it home. It has been tough for the Owls to make it back to Houston due to Hurricane Harvey. They are currently forced to relocate to TCU until they are able to make the trip back home. Talk about adding insult to injury. Let’s hope the Owls make it home soon. 

#19 South Florida 42, San Jose State 22

For a quarter, the Bulls faithful were certain that the curse of Charlie Strong was in the process of wrecking their program in the very first game. SJSU jumped to a 16-0 lead and looked like a team prepared to slow down the vaunted USF offense. 28 second quarter points later, the Bulls cruised to a 20-point win.

• What South Florida did well: Controlled the game from the defensive side of the ball. The USF offense was expected to garner headlines, but a solid defensive effort that included three interceptions and only 2.9 yards allowed per rush gave the Bull a chance to recover from a dreadful start to the game.
• What San Jose State did well: A quick start to the game. The Spartans special teams were dominant in the opening moments of the game, forcing a 19-yard punt and blocking another in route to a 16-0 lead. The three scoring drives were a total of 58 yards and gave the MWC program hope that they could pull an upset. During that time, the Spartans held USF to a total of 18 first quarter yards. While South Florida rolled in the final three quarters, it was an impressive first 15 minutes to the season. 
• How does South Florida look moving forward? The Bulls are still in great shape despite looking like they forgot how to play football in the opening quarter. They took care of a tricky cross country season opener and have FCS program Stony Brook waiting in the wings before a trip to a very much rebuilding UConn on September 9. This game will serve as a wakeup call that they cannot take any game lightly this season.
• How does San Jose State look moving forward? Better than expected. It was an up and down game for sophomore quarterback Josh Love. He struggled with making bad decisions in the passing game, but that is expected for such a young starter. All eyes have to be on fellow sophomore Bailey Gaither. After catching only four passes in 2016, he caught six for 100 yards and two touchdowns in the loss. The Spartans will have a tough time getting to a bowl, but this team showed signs of life.

Colorado State 58, Oregon State 27

In arguably the most dominant performance of the young season, the Rams scored 34 points in the second half in route to a win over the Pac-12. Nick Stevens was impressive with 334 yards and three passing touchdowns, the run game looked dominant at times, and Michael Gallup beat constant double coverage for 11 catches and 134 yards. The storyline of the game was a CSU defense that took a dramatic step forward in the second half and totaled five takeaways on the day.

• The Good: A great mix on offense. Passing 39 times and rushing 43 allowed the Rams to keep Oregon State on their heels for a majority of the game. Dawkins and Boddie looked like a very solid duo with multiple other players getting experience in the backfield. Including Stevens, five different players had carries for the Rams. Eight different players caught passes, led by Gallup’s game-high 11.
• The Bad: Multiple personalities on defense. Is Colorado State the defense that completely shut down the Beavers in the second half or the one that was lucky to only give up 20 points in the first half? There were signs that the defense figure things out in the second half, but the next few weeks will determine just how good the CSU defense can be this fall.
• The Ugly: Seven turnovers. Look, we know that with no preseason slate, the season opener for most teams tends to be a bit of a mess. This game was a mess with Oregon State turning it over five times and Colorado State adding two of their own. The two CSU turnovers resulted in 10 points while Colorado earned 27 points from turnover, including a 44-yard pick-six by Tre Thomas.

Hawaii 38, UMass 35:

While Colorado State had the best performance of the day and South Florida was the most talented team on Saturday, it was Hawaii and UMass that put on the best show. UMass looked at times like they were ready to pull away, but the Rainbow Warriors kept within striking range before pulling out the three point win.

• What Hawaii did well: Found a #1 receiver. Sophomore John Ursua had a solid first season in 2016 with 652 yards receiving on 53 catches. He proceeded to catch 12 passes for 272 yards and a touchdown in the win. Those stats accounted for 22.6% of his catches and 41.7% of his receiving yards from last season. That, my friends, is a breakout game.
• What UMass did well: Stuck with a balanced offense. The Minutemen never tried to get into an aerial shootout with Hawaii, doing a great job of keeping the Warrior defense honest. Junior Marquis Young will not earn any headlines but earned a key 83 yards on 20 carries to give UMass a shot at the win. In the end, getting outscored 17-7 in the final quarter was the downfall of a more than capable UMass team. Hopefully, this is the start of something good for this program.
• How does Hawaii look moving forward? Hopeful. This schedule, with a streak that includes UCLA, Wyoming, Colorado State, and Nevada, needed a season opening win to keep bowl hopes alive. Now that they only need five more wins, there is a bit more relaxation on the island with Western Carolina headed into town for Labor Day weekend.
• How does UMass look moving forward? Frustrated. This was a game that the Minutemen faithful will look back at and wonder “what if?” They held a 14-point lead in the third quarter with the Warriors having lost their last 58 games in that situation. Expect lots of work on the punt return game after a muffed punt allowed Hawaii to tie the game at 28 just a few moments into the fourth quarter. A win over new FBS program Coastal Carolina is essential as they will not be in a winnable situation again until October 21 versus Georgia Southern. 

Stats Central:

• Passer: Dru Brown, Hawaii: 25-35, 391, 3TD
• Rusher: D’Ernest Johnson, South Florida: 22/99/2TD
• Receiver: John Ursua, Hawaii: 12/272/1TD
• Tackler: Ethan Aguayo, San Jose State: 14 tackles
• Sacker: Jahlani Tavai, Hawaii: 2.0 sacks
• Interceptions: 8 players tied with 1 interception
• Field Goals: Two kickers tied with 1-1 FG attempts.
• Punting: Michael Carrizosa, San Jose State: 44.5 average

2017 Mountain West Top Returning Offensive Players

Rushing:

1. Tyrone Owens, New Mexico: 137/1,097/7TD
2. Diocemy Saint Juste, Hawaii: 165/1,006/3TD
3. Rashaad Penny, SDSU: 135/1,005/11TD
4. Dalyn Dawkins, Colorado State: 161/919/4TD
5. Tonny Lindsey, Utah State: 148/763/6TD

Others to watch: Charles Williams UNLV (141/763/3TD), Izzy Matthews CSU (153/734/13TD), Timothy McVey Air Force (83/708/10TD), Dontel James FRESNO STATE (208/697/5TD), Richard McQuarley UNM (143/656/18TD), Lexington Thomas UNLV (124/642/8TD).

As much as Conference USA loves to light it up in the air, the MWC is all about the ground and pound. It has to be considering two teams run the option. While the MWC will again put together a great season on the ground, it will be with a new set of faces. Gone are Pumphrey, Hill, McNichols, Butler, and Gipson. Tyrone Owens is the top returning rusher and his finished sixth in the conference last season with 1,097 yards, nearly 200 less than teammate Teriyon Gipson.

The name to watch is Aztec running back Rashaad Penny. He broke the 1,000-yard mark as a backup last fall and is poised to have an outstanding season with an increased workload.

Passing:

1. Brett Rypien, Boise State: 244-394/3,646/24TD/155.7 Efficiency
2. Josh Allen, Wyoming: 209-373/3,203/28TD/144.9 Efficiency
3. Dru Brown, Hawaii: 209-335/2,488/19TD/139.3 Efficiency
4. Kent Myers, Utah State: 211-361/2,389/10TD/118.7 Efficiency
5. Chason Virgil, Fresno State: 166-322/2,021/13TD/111.4 Efficiency

Others to watch: Christian Chapman SDSU (1,994/20TD), Nick Stevens CSU (1,936/19TD), Ty Gangi NEVADA (1,301/8TD), David Cornwall NEVADA (Transfer), Lamar Jordan UNM, Arion Worthman AIR FORCE.  

While the overall class is not that outstanding, the cream of the crop behind center is among the nation’s best. Between Rypien and Allen, you are looking at two potential first round picks, with Allen’s name thrown around as a possible #1 overall pick. Don’t sleep on Dru Brown and the invigorated Hawaii offense. Brown was outstanding in his first year as a starter and could put up some monster numbers this fall.

A name to pay attention to is David Cornwall at Nevada. He is looking to break a string of Alabama quarterback transfer misses but will have his hands full holding off Gangi for the starting job.

Receiving:

1. Michael Gallup, Colorado State: 76/1,272/14TD
2. Cedrick Wilson, Boise State: 56/1,129/11TD
3. Keesean Johnson, Fresno State: 66/773/6TD
4. Devonte Boyd, UNLV: 45/746/4TD
5. Jamire Jordan, Fresno State: 45/713/2TD

Others to watch: Wyatt Demps NEVADA (53/686/9TD), John Ursua HAWAII (53/652/3TD), Justin Holmes SJSU (36/613/3TD), Olabisi Johnson CSU (28/613/4TD), Ron’quavion Tarver UTAH STATE (46/602/3TD), Mikah Holder SDSU (27/581/5TD), Tre Hartley SJSU (33/572/4TD).

Simply put, the MWC is not a pass happy league like CUSA or the Big 12. No one in the conference puts up astounding numbers, although a few have been able to break the glass ceiling. Michael Gallup is one of the few receivers that would look just as at home on WKU’s roster as Colorado State. He is explosive and talented and should put up great numbers in the Ram’s offense.

I have been on the Devonte Boyd wagon for what seems like forever. For a variety of reasons, he has yet to take a step into the elite receiver category that I pegged him years ago. Here is his one last chance to take the conference by storm and he will have to do so with a redshirt freshman quarterback.

Next week, we will take a look at defense and special teams for the Mountain West Conference before rolling out conference previews. 

Mountain West Week Five Review

Another week is in the books for the 2015 college football season with the Mountain West Conference going 5-7. Conference play kicked into gear with four MWC games played. Let's take a look at the good, bad, and ugly of week five Independent football action.

Mountain West Conference Week Four Review

Another week is in the books for the 2015 college football season with the Mountain West Conference going 6-4 with two conference games taking place (New Mexico-Wyoming, Fresno State-San Jose State). Let's take a look at the good, bad, and ugly of week four MWC football action.

Mountain West Week Four Preview

Week four of the college football season get underway tomorrow with Cincinnati and Memphis getting a seat on the big stage. Mountain West action kicks into gear with the Boise State-Virginia on Friday night.

Mountain West Week Three Review

Another week is in the books for the 2015 college football season with Mountain West going 2-10 with no conference games taking place. Let's take a look at the good, bad, and ugly of week three Mountain West football action.

Week Three Scoreboard:

• Boise State 52, Idaho State 0
• Arizona State 34, New Mexico 10
• Michigan 28, UNLV 7
• Michigan State 35, Air Force 21
• Texas A&M 44, Nevada 27
• Washington 31, Utah State 17
• Colorado 27, Colorado State 24 (OT)
• Oregon State 35, San Jose State 21
• South Alabama 34, San Diego State 27 (OT)
• Washington State 31, Wyoming 14
• Utah 45, Fresno State 24
• Hawaii 47, UC Davis 27

Who/What Looked Good:

• Brian Hill, Wyoming: The sophomore running back has been one of the few bright spots for a Cowboys team that is 0-3. In the last two games, Hill has carried the ball 41 times for 381 yards and two touchdowns.
• Rashard Wiggin’s Health: After missing the loss to Minnesota due to injury, Wiggins was again his impressive self with eight catches for 125 yards and a touchdown versus Colorado. The Rams might easily be 3-0 if not for his injury.
• Hawaii: Say what you will about the win over UC Davis, but Hawaii is 2-1 with a win over a team that beat UMass and Colorado State. Max Wittek (43-86/541/5TD) bounced back from a poor showing at Ohio State with his second 200+ yard passing game of the season.

Who/What Looked Bad:

• Non-conference Woes: The MWC went 2-10 in non-conference play during week three and has no non-conference wins over FBS competition since week one. For a conference expected to be among the best in the G5, the start to this season has been disastrous.
• San Diego State’s Defense: The biggest question mark for the Aztecs was on offense heading into the season. Instead, the vaunted defense was the one to disappoint in week three, with South Alabama racking up over 500 yards of total offense. SDSU is playing on a razor’s edge with a bad offense and cannot afford to play like that one defense.
• Utah State’s Offense: The Aggies are struggling badly with only 14.3 points per game, under 300 yards of total offense per game. Injuries have played a major role, but this could get ugly before the season ends.

Week Four Schedule:

• Boise State at Virginia
• New Mexico at Wyoming
• Nevada at Buffalo
• San Diego State at Penn State
• Colorado State at UTSA
• Hawaii at Wisconsin
• Idaho State at UNLV
• Fresno State at San Jose State

Group Of Five Thursday Night Statistical Leaders

One day of FBS football is in the books and here is a look at the top 10 performers from the opening night games.

Mountain West Week One Preview

With 12 games being played by Mountain West teams to start the 2015 season, Week One should be a very good start to the season as I have all but two teams winning their season opener.

2015 MWC Football Schedule

With games on 25 different dates this fall, the Mountain West Conference is in line for a big season this fall. Let's check out the season schedule.

Fall Preview: Hawaii

Hawaii:

Ranking In Order Of Watchability Of The MWC Week One Games

Mountain West Conference Week One Games Ranked:

Week One Friday night Group of Five vs. Power Five matchups

The second official night of FBS football involves five games that match up Group of Five teams versus Power 5 teams. Of those five games, four will be hosted by Group of Five teams with Western Michigan hosting Michigan State, Hawaii hosting Colorado, Boise State hosting Washington, and SMU hosting Baylor.

Hawaii 2015 roster (with 2014 stats)

HAWAII:

NFL Draftees

With the 2015 NFL draft in the books, the MWC, MAC, Sun Belt, Conference USA, and Independent programs saw 24 players drafted by NFL teams with many more signing UDFA contracted with teams.

Mountain West Players in the NFL

The Mountain West Conference is churning out players that end up on NFL rosters at an incredible rate lately with 106 MWC players on NFL rosters. Fresno State (17), Boise State (16), San Diego State (13), San Jose State (11), Nevada (15) and Utah State (12) all have double digit players in the NFL currently.

Mountain West Recruiting 6-15-13

The Mountain West Conference has secured 27 commitments from the 2014 class. San Diego State has been on fire with nine commitments and eight of those commits being 3-stars. SDSU has the 40th ranked class in the nation according to 247 sports. New Mexico, Fresno State, Utah State, and UNLV have not secured a commit yet. 

Mountain West Spring Practices

With 4 Mountain West Teams starting spring practice before the end of February, lets take a look at when each team puts the pads on. 

Mountain West Divisions

Hawaii 2013 Schedule