What an unpredictable week in college football. #1 Georgia lost to an unranked Auburn team, and #2 Notre Dame lost late to #8 BYU. #3 Miami needed overtime to beat in-state rival Florida State. #4 Ohio State won a competitive matchup over #5 Indiana, handing them their first loss at home under head coach Curt Cignetti. #6 Alabama lost by a wide margin in Knoxville to #14 Tennessee, and #7 Texas gave up a lead and lost to unranked Florida. This chaos has resulted in no undefeated SEC teams, UCLA as the only
unbeaten team in the Big Ten, and three undefeated Big 12 teams – BYU, Texas Tech, and Utah – in the top 10.
Week 8 will see one of those unbeaten teams in the Big 12, #10 Utah, facing off against #14 Houston. A new entrant into the top 10, #9 UCLA will host Michigan State. Both #13 Alabama and #17 Texas will try to avoid three losses in a row. The Crimson Tide will play Texas A&M while the Longhorns play #7 Ole Miss. The top team in the country, Miami, will host Pittsburgh.
Here are a few players who had a good week and might be able to help out the Commanders. Let me know what you think about these prospects and feel free to post players that stood out to you.
Ashton Daniels | QB | Senior | Florida State
As a developmental quarterback prospect, Ashton Daniels could be a fit in Washington. He’s got the size for the position at 6’2”, 225 pounds. He’s not the most creative runner at the position, but he can run away from, and at that size, even over defenders. As a passer, Daniels has shown the ability to make NFL-level throws between defenders and into tight windows. He also can put touch on his passes and allow receivers to run underneath them. He can get himself into trouble when he tries to force throws thinking he can beat defenders. Daniels has thrown 8 interceptions this season. If the Commanders think they can help him improve his decision making, he might be worth investing in. In an overtime loss to Miami, Daniels went 15 of 28 for 298 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception on the last play of the game which any Florida State fan will argue was a catch. He also added 31 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
As a bonus for those who want a big receiver, check out Daniels’ teammate, the 6’6”, 230 pound wide receiver Duce Robinson, in the clip below. He’s wearing #0.
DeSean Bishop | RB | Senior | Tennessee
Many hoped that Kaytron Allen would be the Commanders’ short yardage back. That didn’t happen. DeSean Bishop can be that and more. He isn’t a flashy runner that will wow you with elite speed, burst, or elusiveness. What Bishop is at 5’10”, 215 pounds is a rugged back that will deliver consistent punishment to a defense, wearing them down as the game progresses. His superpower is his ability to run through tackles and gain tough yardage, a role the Commanders need filled desperately. As a former walk-on, it is easy to root for Bishop’s success at the next level. Bishop rushed 32 times for 159 yards and two touchdows in the Volunteers’ victory over Alabama.
Amare Thomas | WR | Senior | Houston
It was tough to see Terry McLaurin sustain a torn patellar tendon against San Francisco. The injury makes the need to improve the position group more urgent than it already was. Houston’s Amare Thomas is a receiver who could really improve the receiving corps. The 6’0”, 205 pound wideout is a quick-twitch athlete who can create separation with his route running. His superior body control and above-average hands allow him to make catches outside the frame of his body. After the catch, Thomas has contact balance to break arm tackles. Long speed is a bit of a question. Thomas helped Houston outlast Oklahoma State with seven catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns.
Peter Clarke | TE | Senior | Temple
I talked about Peter Clarke during this time last year and it looks like he has gotten better. He’s a huge player at 6’6”, 265 pounds, and he uses that size in a variety of ways. First, it allows him to be an effective blocker at the line of scrimmage. Clarke looks like he has improved his technique and is getting lower to maintain leverage. He’s also added more to his game as a receiver. There’s more diversity to the routes he runs, but he still shows the quickness and speed of a smaller player. Clarke became Temple’s all-time touchdown leader for tight ends in a loss to Charlotte with 123 yards and a touchdown on five catches.
Justin Evans| C | Senior | Nebraska
The offensive line had its fair share of struggles against the 49ers. Justin Evans looks like an immediate upgrade at the center position. He has a compact, powerful body at 6’2”, 315 pounds. Evans snaps the ball and gets his hands onto defenders quickly. He is stout in pass protection, constantly moving his feet to mirror rushers. Evans has a solid anchor to prevent power rushers from going through him to get to the quarterback. One of my favorite traits of his is he’ll constantly look for defenders to block. In the run game, he’s not a people mover. What he’ll do is identify defenders and sustain his block. Nebraska used a power run game, so Evans may not be a great fit for a zone rushing attack. Nebraska suffered a close loss on the road to Oregon, but #51 below had a good game.
A.J. Holmes, Jr. | DT | Senior | Texas Tech
The Commanders blitz at a high rate, but they need players that can win one-on-one matchups and finish plays behind the line of scrimmage. A.J. Holmes, Jr. is one of the best defensive tackles in the country. His game starts with his power. He gets off the ball quickly and into blockers before they can get hands on him. He can walk them back into the quarterback or shed them to make plays. He is also a disciplined player that keeps gap integrity, understanding his role in the defense. He is a high-motor player that doesn’t give up on plays. Holmes, Jr. finished Texas Tech’s win over Arizona State with five tackles and 1.5 sacks.
Ben Roberts | LB | Senior | Texas Tech
Playing behind A.J. Holmes, Jr. are a few talented linebackers. Ben Roberts is the one who stood out this week. Where many linebackers are getting smaller, Roberts is 6’3”, 245 lbs, but he can move at that size. He’s not a sideline-to-sideline player, but he covers ground quickly to get to the ball. Roberts’ size makes him a hard hitter and sure tackler. It also lets him stack and shed blockers instead of trying to run around them. In zone coverage, he has excellent awareness and a keen ability to take the ball away from offenses. Roberts had five tackles, one for a loss, and a pick-six in the Red Raiders win over the Sun Devils.
Jamari Sharpe | CB | Senior | Indiana
If the Commanders continue to play a lot of zone coverage in their secondary, Jamari Sharpe could be a good fit. Sharpe is 6’1”, 190 pounds, and at his best in off coverage when he can see routes develop in front of him and see the eyes of the quarterback. He triggers quickly when he recognizes the ball is coming his way so he he can get his hands on it. Sharpe’s change of direction to stay with receivers at the top of their routes is very good. Indiana does not ask him to play much press man, but he’s physical in the run game. While any team covering Jeremiah Smith will have challenges, Sharpe and the Hoosier defense did enough for their team to win the game. Sharpe had three tackles and two PBUs, one leading to an interception, in IU’s loss to Ohio State.
Jordan Castell | S | Senior | Kentucky
It was good to get Nick Cross back against the 49ers, but the team could use a little more in coverage at the position. Jordan Castell had an excellent showing in the Wildcats win over Oklahoma. Castell, a transfer from Florida that has started since he was a freshman, is 6’2”, 211 pounds. His experience means that he plays the position without panic. He can come from depth to stop the run and will patrol his zone with excellent awareness. Although he hit a high top speed in the clip below, I don’t always see that speed in other areas of his play. If he can do that, he’ll be an impactful defender in the NFL. Castell had nine tackles, a PBU, and two interceptions including a pick six against the Sooners.
Which college players caught your eye in Week 6 and could help the Washington Commanders?
