College Sports is quickly becoming a marketable, profitable success. As a result of that, many conferences are scheduling games before Saturday in an effort to give their conference, and schools, much-needed exposure that they won’t get on Saturdays do to the mammoth schools that take up all of the television ratings. This isn’t just as advantageous for schools, mind you, but for NFL Draft scouts, who are given more time to assess talent from these showcased schools live from the stands.
That is a good thing for football all-around. The Mid-American Conference was the first to try this, as they generally schedule football games all week. Look at the success that they had, as Western Michigan wide receiver Corey Davis went 5th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Now, other schools are beginning to buy into the Thursday and Friday night slots. It makes the NFL Draft process so much better as we get a good chance to see some of these smaller school prospects in prime time slots, and national television.
Here is the slate for this week:
Thursday, 8PM ET ESPNU – Georgia Southern @ (20) Appalachian State
Thursday, 8PM ET ESPN – West Virginia @ (12) Baylor
Friday, 6PM ET ESPNU – {12} Princeton @ Cornell
Friday, 8PM ET ESPN2 – Navy @ UConn
Let’s dig into the prospects now, shall we?
5. WR Denzel Mims, Baylor
Denzel Mims is not a burner by any means, but has the route running skill to make things happen. His footwork and ability to work through contact is certainly appealing to NFL teams, as well as his stud run-blocking.
This catch by Denzel Mims deserves another look! 😳
(Via @ESPNCFB)pic.twitter.com/fZpFzfDWPa
— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 17, 2019
Mims had a chance to go pro last season, but stayed to play his senior season. NFL scouts have a lot of tape on this guy, but he needs to continue to prove that he is a good route runner, and we want to see him get into more complicated route patterns, something head coach Matt Rhule has begun to incorporate more with his maturing offense.
4. S Josh Norwood, West Virginia
West Virginia runs a very strange zone cover three defensive strategy. Because of this, it’s hard to project how well Norwood will do at the next level. He has the body of an undersized cornerback, waiting for his frame to fill out, listed at just 5’10” and 175 pounds.
Norwood has a big heart, and it’s evident through his tape. It doesn’t appear that zone coverage is his strength, although it’s what he is asked to do week after week. In a few instances in the 2018 Oklahoma/West Virginia match-up, he shadowed top receiver prospect CeeDee Lamb very well, and displayed impressive man coverage skills.
Josh Norwood just destroyed this poor ball carrier. pic.twitter.com/NtREslFYUP
— Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) September 29, 2018
Because we simply don’t know what we have with him, Norwood is an intriguing prospect and a must-watch against an undefeated Baylor squad on Thursday night. Every game, we are learning a little bit more about what he brings to the table. This night will be no different.
3. TE Graham Adomitis, Princeton
Graham Adomitis is a hulking tight end prospect, standing at 6’4″ and 255 pounds. While he’s not much of a receiving threat, per say (36 career receptions in 35 games), he’s a big dude and can be that TE2 or TE3 on an NFL team used primarily for blocking.
Latest From FPC on SportsCastr
Make it two TDs today for Graham Adomitis, and the Tigers open a 36-10 lead just before halftime. pic.twitter.com/ZJK9ATsrWC
— Princeton Football (@PrincetonFTBL) October 7, 2017
There’s not much tape out there on Adomitis, so getting an opportunity to play on national television is huge. If he plays well, it could really put some sugar in his draft stock after Friday night.
2. OT Matt Peart, UConn
It’s not often that we talk highly about the UConn football program, but it does it’s part to provide the NFL with exceptional talent. Matt Peart is the next prospect on this list, being watched by ourlads.com as a potential early day three pick.
Really, with a solid second half of the season, Peart could be looking at being Day 2 material. He’s extremely athletic, and stays in control of his defender. He is a lot of fun to watch, to my shock and amazement, and I can’t wait to see this guy on Sundays.
1. CB Monquavion Brinson, Georgia Southern
Monquavion Brinson has been a shut down corner in the Sun Belt for three years now. Brinson caught the attention of NFL scouts when he intercepted 5 passes as a sophomore, showing good ball skills and man coverage ability. He’s got good size, listed at 5’11” and 190 pounds, and shows a willingness to tackle.
Monquavion Brinson doesn’t make it any easier on the other side. pic.twitter.com/5ZTLbiefi7
— Jefferson Steelflex: Fanboy of the Year (@PJGreenTV) July 23, 2019
Georgia Southern faces off against the best team in the Sun Belt, Appalachian State, on Thursday night. Brinson is a fun candidate to watch, especially if you enjoy watching aggressive, man coverage, tackling cornerback.
Want to get into the NFL Mock Draft conversation? Follow John on Twitter @johndavogel and get all of the latest NFL Draft insight you need!
