Welcome to The Broto “Devy Dives” series, where once a week we take a look at some of the biggest names and breakouts in College Football. Throughout this series, we will take an in-depth look at five players who either shone bright or failed to make an impact in the weekly slate of games. With the Devy and Dynasty Fantasy Football communities becoming more and more popular, this short read is your one-stop-shop for weekly updates on players you need to keep your eye on!
E.J. Warner, QB, Temple (Freshman)
We have seen a number of Freshman on this list this season, primarily at the running back position. College football seems to be in good hands for the future and Temple quarterback E.J. Warner is doing his best to make sure the 2022 quarterback recruiting class is keeping pace. On the heels of a 344-yard, two touchdown effort in a victory over South Florida, Warner did everything in his power to put up a fight against Houston on Saturday despite eventually falling short with a final score of 43-36.
None of the blame can be placed on Warner for the loss in this one, as the true freshman completed 42 of a whopping 59 pass attempts for 486 yards and three touchdowns, including a go-ahead score with just over a minute of game-time left to give Temple its first lead since the early third quarter. Despite his heroics, the defense choked the game away just forty-two seconds later, as Houston quarterback Clayton Tune put the Cougars back on top on a 44-yard bomb. Despite a poor record and some shoddy play early in the season, Warner has become quite the show to watch and will look to make waves in the draft cycle in a few years should he continue his current trajectory.
Mohamed Ibrahim, RB, Minnesota (Senior)
ESPN
Here’s a name some die-hard Devy fans might already know but newer players might have never heard of. Just a few seasons ago, Ibrahim seemed poised to become a top pick in the NFL draft whenever he decided to declare, as his power and workhorse production gave a solid foundation for the young power back. However, after a slew of untimely injuries, Ibrahim is now nearing his 25th birthday and looking to make one final run at the draft, and his play supports a selection.
Ibrahim’s 36-178-3 stat line from the past weekend is as good as they come, but for the Gopher’s workhorse, it was just another day at the office. Ibrahim currently holds a streak of 18-straight games with over 100 rushing yards, dating back to the final game of his 2019 season. His scoring streak also reached 10 games over the weekend, with 20 touchdowns over that span and 18 in 2022 alone.
While he does not provide too much as a receiver, NFL teams are always looking for bruisers and short-yardage backs like Ibrahim, so despite his age, he’ll likely finally make it to the league in 2023.
DeWayne McBride, RB, Alabama-Birmingham (Junior)
DeWayne McBride is having a phenomenal season with UAB, slicing up defenses and gashing opponents on his way to the second-highest rushing total in college football in 2022, currently at 1,407 yards on just 204 attempts with 17 scores. His outing against North Texas Saturday afternoon was just another display of dominance for him, as he toted the rock 21 times for 120 yards and three scores despite sharing the workload with fellow back Jermaine Brown Jr.
While McBride’s dominant stretch isn’t quite at the level of Ibrahim’s above, over the weekend he tallied his 10th straight 100-yard outing, a number which would jump to 16 games if he had only mustered a few more yards in a handful of games as a sophomore. Again, like Ibrahim, his receiving skills will hold him back in the eyes of NFL scouts, but with McBride being younger than the Minnesota senior, don’t be surprised if he goes first between the two in the 2023 draft.
Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina (Junior)
Sporting News
UNC quarterback Drake Maye is a legitimate Heisman candidate on one of the better teams in college football but a lot of his breakout campaign can be attributed to his electric connection to 5’10” speedster Josh Downs. The junior receiver has built quite the rapport with Maye recently, tallying 46 receptions, 548 yards and six touchdowns over the past four weeks. Downs has also been electric in the return game, averaging nearly 18 yards per punt return on the season, helping provide his team with better field position.
Downs had arguably his most impressive outing of the season on Saturday, hauling in 11 passes for 154 yards and three touchdowns of seven, twelve, and twenty yards. He showed explosiveness and instincts as UNC edged out Wake Forest 36-34 to improve to 9-1 on the season. His versatility and traits are shooting him up scouting boards ahead of the 2023 NFL draft and he may find himself taken in the first round if he can continue to show out.
Ben Sinnott, TE, Kansas State (Junior)
Ben Sinnott might not be a big-time name, but the 6’4”, 245lb tight end of the 7-3 Kansas State football team could make his way onto Sunday football fields if he can play like he did against Baylor over the weekend. As the Wildcats throttled the Bears 31-3, Sinnott had somewhat of a breakout game, tallying 89 yards and a pair of touchdowns on seven receptions, providing some strong blocking throughout as well.
Previously a fullback for Kansas State, Sinnott transitioned to the tight end position ahead of the 2022 season, meaning that he is still relatively raw at the position and has a lot of room to improve. However, this prior experience provides an interesting amount of versatility that could provide him the springboard he needs to make an NFL roster, and his size and raw athleticism could turn him into quite the success story in the long-term. Stash him now and wait.
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By Trenton Roberts
For a second straight season, I am betting against Mahomes.