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 eyes on!
Mike Wright, QB, Vanderbilt (Junior)
George Walker IV/Tennessean.com/USA TODAY SPORTS
After opening his season with a dominant rushing display in against Hawaii, Commodores Junior quarterback Mike Wright displayed more of his passing capabilities in an outing against Elon University, a member of the CAA conference. Wright’s play was phenomenal in the game regardless of the competition level, as he went 18-29 for 245 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. Wright continued to live up to his dual-threat name with 84 yards and two more scores on the ground.
With this outing, Wright brought his yearly totals to 391 yards passing, 247 yards rushing, and a combined 10 touchdowns, all without having turned the ball over once. While these numbers may be somewhat inflated by the lack of competition the quarterback has faced, he has certainly put his name on the watchlist for the 2024 NFL draft, with the potential for a 2023 showing if he declares early. For now, keep an eye on his upcoming matchup with 22nd-ranked Wake Forest as his first real competition of the 2022 season.
Shedeur Sanders, QB, Jackson State (Soph.)
Shedeur Sanders, the son of former NFL-superstar cornerback and current Jackson State Head Coach Deion Sanders, has had his fair share of doubters in the past two seasons. The sophomore quarterback’s pairing with his father had drawn some questions, as a handful of people were left wondering if this was just an instance of father-son ball making it to the collegiate stage. The younger Sanders, however, put most of those questions to bed with a stellar freshman campaign in 2021, and any remaining doubts that may have carried over to this season should be completely gone after his Week 1 shelling of Florida A&M.
In a dominant 59-3 win, Sanders completed 29 of his 33 pass attempts for 323 yards and five touchdowns through the air, connecting with 12 different receivers in the process. After the game, the star quarterback was quoted as saying that the game is “starting to slow down” for him, and that he feels more relaxed in his second season under center. While Sanders and Jackson State will not see much in the way of strong competition this season, his play and the name attached to it will push him into the spotlight as a future draft prospect in a couple years.
Sean Tucker, RB, Syracuse (Junior)
Sean Tucker might not be a household name yet but he’ll likely be highly touted leading up to the 2023 NFL draft if he can continue to post performances like the one we just witnessed against Louisville. While his offensive line and the Cardinals defense didn’t allow him much room to operate on the ground, Tucker still bulldozed his way to 98 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries with a whopping 3.2 yards after contact, per PFF.
What was more impressive, however, were his contributions to the passing game. Tucker led the Orange with six receptions for another 85 yards and one of the most explosive touchdown catches early in the season. While he will face decent competition in the coming weeks, it will be most interesting to see how he handles a four-game stretch starting on October 15th, over which time he will face four teams currently ranked inside the top 20, including 5th ranked Clemson and 8th ranked Notre Dame.
Jacob Cowing, WR, Arizona (Junior)
Following a stellar campaign with UTEP in 2021, Cowing decided to transfer to Arizona in 2022 and the move seems to be paying off in a big way. The Arizona-born wide receiver exploded for the Wildcats against San Diego State, chalking up 152 yards and three touchdowns on 8 receptions, terrorizing the Aztecs secondary all afternoon.
Though smaller in stature, Cowing displayed his top-end speed and electric movement skills in the outing. Seeing as this is only his first game with the program, it is necessary to temper expectations for the time being. If Cowing continues to flash leading up to back-to-back clashes with 10th ranked USC and 13th ranked Utah, however, we’ll have put his name on the radar as a 2023 draft prospect with high upside.
Injury: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State (Junior)
Likely the consensus top receiver in the 2023 NFL Draft, Ohio State’s star receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was met with quite the scary start to his season against 8th-ranked Notre Dame. The talented wide out took a nasty hit on the sideline during the first quarter of the showcase and, after attempting to stretch the muscles and re-enter the contest, Smith-Njigba eventually pulled himself from the game.
While an MRI is still pending at this time, it is widely expected that the Buckeye will miss some time while he heals. The injury is unlikely to affect his draft-stock at this time, though it may be something to monitor if it flares up again later in the season. Before being pulled, Smith-Njigba had tallied a pair of catches for just three yards in the contest.
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By Trenton Roberts
For a second straight season, I am betting against Mahomes.