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 some players you need to keep your eye on!
Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina (Sophomore)
The News & Observer
UNC has long been known as a basketball school but Sophomore quarterback Drake Maye is looking to make major changes in that regard. While Maye’s Week 9 performance is what drove him onto this list, going 34-of-44 for 388 yards and 5 touchdowns through the air and an additional 61 yards on the ground, we instead are going to look at just how dominant the future high draft pick has been this season as a whole, in every asset of the game.
Combining passing and rushing touchdowns, the breakout star quarterback of the AP-ranked 17th best team in the nation has tied an ACC single season record with at least five touchdowns with his fifth such outing on Saturday. While speaking of touchdowns, the Tar Heel has scored multiple in each of his eight outings on the season, en route to a line of 196-of-275 passing with 2,671 yards, tying Ohio State’s CJ Stroud with 29 touchdown passes against just three interceptions, while adding an additional 439 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Maye is making an early push towards being the number one pick in 2024 but he will still have to compete with USC’s own superstar Sophomore, Caleb Williams, for the honors of being the top quarterback in the class.
Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA (Senior)
After four Seniors landed in the Devy Dives series in Week 8, we see just one Senior make the list following the weekend slate in Week 9. The UCLA upperclassman is more than deserving of this spot as Charbonnet was completely unstoppable taking on the Stanford Cardinals. His 198 yards and three touchdowns on 21 attempts made it five weeks in a row in which Charbonnet broke the century mark while scoring for the sixth time in seven games. More recently, he has gone for over 150 yards in three straight outings against Utah, Oregon and Stanford.
While he has shown skills as a runner, it might be his receiving talents that land Charbonnet a spot on an NFL roster. After hauling in 24 passes for 197 yards in 2021, Charbonnet has already mustered 232 yards on 20 catches in 2022, helping take the pressure off of his quarterback as a high-quality safety valve. A final interesting anecdote: Charbonnet formerly played for the Michigan Wolverines before being beaten out by current Tennessee Titan Hassan Haskins and 2022’s biggest breakout running back Blake Corum, who has made this list his home recently.
Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ole Miss (Freshman)
It almost seems like a foregone conclusion at this point that we find a Freshman running back making this list, as we now reach four 2022 recruits that have stamped their names in the Devy Dives series from the backfield. This week, it was Ole Miss runner Quinshon Judkins that made his debut on the list, playing smash-mouth football and carrying the now 8-1 Rebels to a slim three-point victory over Texas A&M.
It was not exactly a breakout performance for Judkins, as the young back had already gained over 100 yards rushing in five of the teams first eight games, however, all of these games paled in comparison to the showing he put on in Week 9. Judkins handled a whopping 34 carries which he took for 205 yards and a touchdown, propelling Ole Miss back into the win column after a disappointing Week 8 loss to LSU. Judkins joins Wide Receiver Jonathan Mingo as the second Rebel to find their name in the Devy Dives series in 2022.
Parker Washington, WR, Penn State (Junior)
Draft Network
Through 30 career games, Penn State receiver Parker Washington has yet to go without a catch in any one game. Excluding his Freshman campaign, he has caught three or more passes in all but three games, even while playing second fiddle to 2022 first-round pick Jahan Dotson in 2021. And despite not truly breaking out as expected when taking over the lead duties in 2022, Washington has still shown glimpses of a potential future star, including his recent outing against the vaunted Ohio State defense in Week 9.
Entering the game, it was the Buckeye’s duo of Marvin Harrison Jr. and breakout Sophomore Emeka Egbuka who drew the majority of the attention, with the former expected to be a top pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Nobody truly expected Washington to go toe-to-toe with Harrison Jr. but go toe-to-toe he did as the Penn State receiver tallied 11 catches for 179 yards and a touchdown in the game, putting up a valiant fight against the undefeated Buckeyes. While the team fell short in the end, Washington put his name on the map and will certainly garner more looks as a mid-round target in the 2023 NFL draft following this weekend.
Jordyn Tyson, WR, Colorado (Freshman)
The first non-running back Freshman to make this list, Tyson has quietly given the underwhelming Buffaloes a breath of fresh air. After taking just three receptions for 92 yards in a Week 8 loss to Oregon State, Tyson had a true breakout in a clash with Arizona State on Hallow-weekend. Despite a poor showing from quarterback JT Shrout, who went just 13-of-34 for 222 yards in the game, Tyson made the most of his opportunities by hauling in five passes for 115 yards and a touchdown getting behind the defense late in the first half to pull Colorado within five.
As dynamic a receiver as Tyson was, however, he showed even more talent as a returner on his way to winning PAC-12 Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Tyson showcased his special speed on each of his four punt returns, taking these opportunities for 131 yards including a clutch 88-yard touchdown return with under four minutes remaining in the contest to bring it to a one-score game. While Colorado did not manage to pull off a miracle win, Tyson’s recent success and game-breaking speed make the True Freshman an intriguing pick-up for Devy owners as a long-term stash.
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By Trenton Roberts
For a second straight season, I am betting against Mahomes.