[NCAA] The draft barometer: Kenneth Walker walks on Michigan

Every Sunday, the editorial staff of TDActu offers you an update on university players. Who performed well and who disappointed? Because it’s never too early to prepare for the 2022 draft, a weekly focused on the individual performance of future NFL players. Only players eligible for the 2022 draft are listed here.

Week 9

A Saturday marked by shocks at the B1G conference and by the annual “World’s Largest Cocktail Party” between Georgia and Florida. The poster of the week between Michigan State and Michigan has kept all its promises, what a game!

sunny weather

• Kenneth Walker, RB, Michigan State : 197 yards et 5 touchdowns
• Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU : 266 yards et 5 touchdowns
• Malik Willis, QB, Liberty : 307 yards (19/27) and 4 touchdowns, 37 yards on the ground
• Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia : 7 tackles and 1 interception returned for a touchdown

During the flagship match of this week 9, one player was particularly successful (find the presentation of this match here). Michigan State runner Kenneth Walker scored points for the Heisman Trophy race as well as his odds in the 2022 draft. Specialist in broken tackles and yards gained after 1st contact, his mix of power and speed places him in the top 3 at his position. Remarkable also, his vision of the game to know which breach to attack and when. Arrived this season from Wake Forest where he had already shone, he is a player to follow with Spartans still undefeated (8-0). Another runner to have distinguished himself, Tyler Allgeier of BYU Mormons. Already author of 11 touchdowns in 8 games in 2021, he added 5 more against Virginia! He confirms in 2021, his promising 2020 season alongside Zach Wilson (Jets) where he had signed 13 touchdowns in 11 games.

While embarrassed by an injury sustained last week, the quarterback Malik Willis ran less than usual. On the other hand, he let his arm speak by finding no less than 10 different receivers! Even if the performance is to be put into perspective given the weak opposition from UMass, he once again showed why he is announced as a possible choice of the 1st round of the draft.

In a cuvée of homogeneous interior linebackers, Nakobe Dean confirms week after week that he is a candidate for the top 50 of the 2022 draft. Intelligent, he is the robot portrait of the defense leader who will have a helmet equipped with an NFL headset. Quick in his interventions, he knows how to do everything: chase the runners, blize the quarterback and in 2021 he shows progress in coverage. Against Florida, he signed his second interception of the season and the first “pick six” of his career.

Mentions :

• Carson Strong, QB, Nevada : 417 yards (37/49), 4 touchdowns et 1 interception
• Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati : 227 yards (17/27), 3 touchdowns and 1 pass interception, 47 yards on the ground
• Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina : 341 yards (24/31), 1 touchdown and 1 pass interception, 91 yards and 1 touchdown on the ground
• Kyren Williams, RB, Notre Dame : 199 yards et 1 touchdown
• Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State : 167 yards et 1 touchdown
• Camerun Peoples, RB, Appalachian State : 82 yards et 2 touchdowns
• Travis Dye, RB, Oregon : 47 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground, 75 yards and 1 touchdown after receptions
• Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama : 94 yards et 2 touchdowns
• Drake London, WR, USC : 81 yards et 2 touchdowns
• Erik Ezukanma, WR, Texas Tech : 123 yards et 1 touchdown
• Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State : 127 yards
• Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College : 116 yards
• Kayvon Thibodeaux, Edge, Oregon : 3 tackles and 3 presses of the QB
• Myjai Sanders, Edge, Cincinnati : 1 sack
• Isaiah Thomas, DE, Oklahoma : 3 tackles including 1.5 for losses, 1 covered fumble
• DeMarvion Overshown, LB, Texas : 5 tackles and 2 defended passes
• Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State : 6 tackles and 1 defended pass
• Daxton Hill, S, Michigan : 6 tackles and 2 defended passes
• Brandon Joseph, S, Northwestern : 7 tackles

Rainy weather

• Kenny Pickett, QB, Pitt : 519 yards (39/55), 3 touchdowns et 2 interceptions, -10 yards au sol
• Jayden Daniels, QB, Arizona State : 228 yards (23/35), 1 touchdown et 2 interceptions
• Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss : 289 yards (21/37) and 1 interception, 45 yards on the ground and 1 touchdown
• Tyler Goodson, RB, Iowa : 27 yards en 13 courses

After Laughing Kenny (Walker), Crying Kenny (Pickett). University of Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett had a superb season in 2021. He was in the discussion for the Heisman Trophy and even his name was starting to appear in the mock draft as a round 1 pick. Against the University of Miami, he begins by beating the record for touchdowns thrown from the university, held until then by the legendary Dan Marino. And if he is not the only one to blame for this defeat, his two interceptions are now stain on his record. Also defeated, the Arizona State quarterback Jayden Daniels. Explosive player, capable of deep throws and gaining yards on the ground, his consistency is his Achilles heel. With 2 more interceptions against Washington State, his touchdown / interception ratio in 2021 is currently 7/5! Not enough to reassure an NFL franchise.

Currently favorite to be the 1st quarterback chosen for the 2022 draft, Matt Corral suffered a stoppage against Ole Miss. No touchdown thrown and an interception in the end zone! Admittedly deprived of several regular receivers, he did not know how to carry his team. Next week’s game will be very important to his draft status as he faces Malik Willis’ Liberty. A meeting that will bring together many NFL scouts. Another disappointment, the runner from Iowa Tyler Goodson facing Wisconsin. So efficient since the start of the season, the player did not weigh in during this Big Ten shock. The University of Iowa, after 6 wins in as many games, now has 2 consecutive losses.

Under the radars

• Cole Turner, TE, Nevada : 63 yards et 2 touchdowns
• Josh Whyle, TE, Cincinnati : 79 yards et 2 touchdowns
• Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State : 103 yards

8 games and 8 touchdowns for Cole Turner (Nevada). Already author of 9 touchdowns in 9 games in 2020, he confirms all his talent in 2021. Player measuring 2m, this tight-end is essentially a receiver and if it cannot be compared to Kyle Pitts (Falcons), his profile is attractive and an NFL franchise will strengthen its air squad with this offensive weapon in 2022. In the same style of slender tight-end and better receiver than blocker, Josh Whyle is also a candidate for selection by an NFL franchise in the final rounds of the draft. We end this “special tight-end” with the strongest Trey McBride. If he plays on a much less prominent team, the NFL scouts know him well and he too is a candidate for the Saturday of the 2022 draft (rounds 4-7).

The NFL prospect, TE Cole Turner, also shone with a total of 2 TDs on reception including this magnificent one-handed wrestling! ????pic.twitter.com/vBXWa0QkyJ

— TBP College Football (@thebluepennant) October 30, 2021

Mentions :

• Sam Hartman, QB, Wake Forest : 402 yards (24/37) and 3 touchdowns to the pass, 65 yards and 2 touchdowns to the ground
• Hank Bachmeier, QB, Boise State : 253 yards (21/32) et 3 touchdowns
• Shermari Jones, RB, Coastal Carolina : 95 yards et 2 touchdowns
• Jaivon Heiligh, WR, Coastal Carolina : 116 yards et 1 touchdown
• Juan Carlos Santana, WR, Tulsa : 109 yards
• Khalil Shakir, WR, Boise State : 118 yards
• Tre Turner, WR, Virginia Tech : 187 yards et 1 touchdown
• Peyton Hendershot, TE, Indiana : 106 yards et 2 touchdowns
• Derrick Deese, TE, San Jose State : 81 yards
• Leddie Brown, RB, West Virginia : 109 yards et 2 touchdowns
• Xazavian Valladay, RB, Wyoming : 172 yards
• Keaontay Ingram, RB, USC : 204 yards et 1 touchdown
• Jeffrey Gunter, DE, Coastal Carolina : 4 tackles including 1.5 sacks
• Cameron Thomas, DE, San Diego State : 8 tackles including 1 sack
• David Ojabo, DE, Michigan : 4 tackles including 2 sacks
• Zach McCloud, DE, Miami : 3 tackles including 1.5 sacks
• Boye Mafe, DE, Minnesota : 2 tackles including 1 sack
• Cade Hall, DE, San Jose State : 7 tackles including 2 sacks
• Jaxon Player, DT, Tulsa : 6 tackles including 1 for losses
• Dante Stills, DT, West Virginia : 4 tackles including 1 sack
• Cody Roscoe, DT, Syracuse : 5 tackles and 2 presses of the QB
• Nephi Sewell, LB, Utah : 14 tackles including 1 for losses
• Carlton Martial, LB, Troy : 14 tackles
• Quay Walker, LB, Georgia : 13 tackles and 2 presses from QB
• Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin : 9 tackles including 2 for losses
• Jahad Woods, LB, Washington State : 11 tackles
• Micah McFadden, LB, Indiana : 8 tackles including 2 for losses
• Diego Fagot, LB, Navy : 8 tackles including 1 for losses
• D’Marco Jackson, LB, Appalachian State : 7 tackles including 1 for losses
• Devin Taylor, CB, Bowling Green : 6 tackles and 3 defended passes including 1 interception
• Xavier Henderson, S, Michigan State : 7 tackles including 1 for losses and 1 defended pass
• Quentin Lake, S, UCLA : 9 tackles and 1 defended pass
• Smoke Monday, S, Auburn : 9 tackles including 1 sack

Action of the week

During the ACC conference duel between Florida State and Clemson, the runner Lawrance Toafili catch a pass before multiplying feats. Tackled after thirty yards gained after the reception, his body does not touch the ground, it bounces off the defender and resumes its race. By getting up out of balance, he is quite ready to put his foot in touch but, with a balancing act, he manages to stay in play and continues on his way to the touchdown. What mastery!

THIS FLORIDA STATE TOUCHDOWN ????

pic.twitter.com/LBZnfwCXdX

— The Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) October 30, 2021

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