Devy Dives: Weeks 5 & 6

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 the season, 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 Developmental, or “Devy”, and the 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!

Note: This week’s article covers both Weeks 5 and 6 of the college football season.

Week 5 Dives:

Caleb Williams, QB, USC (Junior)

Caleb Williams is incredibly good at football. While this statement would be expected of a player slated to be the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, it almost undersells just how good Williams is. Prior to a week 5 showdown with Deion Sanders’ upstart Colorado team, Williams had already passed for 1200 yards and 15 touchdowns while chipping in three more rushing scores, all without having a single turnover. While he did eventually throw his first interception of the season in the game, Williams played perhaps his greatest game of the season in downing the Buffalos 48-41.

With all the bright lights shining in Boulder with a premier matchup between Sanders’ 3-1 Buffs and Williams’ 4-0 Trojans, a sold-out crowd bore witness to what might have been the game of the season. In the end, Williams stole the show in only a way that he could, as for the first time in the season he played until the final whistle sounded after having been pulled with massive leads in each of the first four games. With the extra time allowed him, Williams completed 30 of his 40 attempts for 403 yards and six scores, giving USC a 27-point lead on three separate occasions before the defense allowed Colorado a chance at a comeback. While a costly interception didn’t help the matter, Williams put on a vintage performance and put an even tighter stranglehold on his draft value.

Ray Davis, RB, Kentucky (Senior)

Kentucky is notoriously a basketball school, so many were surprised to see the team make their way into the AP Top 25 following a 33-14 demolition of 22nd ranked Florida in Week 5 of the season. The hero of that game? Senior running back Ray Davis, a solid albeit unspectacular player who came out of nowhere to have his breakout game. Prior to the matchup, Davis had managed 314 yards on 50 carries on the season, though his numbers are somewhat helped by his seven total scores on the season on the ground and as a receiver. 

What Davis needed to help bolster his draft stock was a big outing, and that’s exactly what he managed to do. Up against a top 25 team in the nation and seeking their first major victory of the season, Kentucky leaned on their senior tailback early and often. This allowed Davis to pile up the counting numbers en route to 280 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns on 26 carries, while also scoring as a receiver on a 9-yard touchdown catch. While his performances thus far in his career lack many moments that pop aside from this outing, the tailbacks nose for the endzone alone might help his case at getting drafted and carving out a role in the NFL as a goal-line back.

Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State (Junior)

I am cheating a bit here as I want to talk about Royals’ performance in both Weeks 5 and 6, so shortening his impact from two sections of this article to one will be difficult. However, it is simply impossible to talk about one game without mentioning the other and putting into perspective just how crucial the junior WR has been to Utah State over that time frame. To put it into perspective, Royals’ performance earlier in the season left more to be desired, as he had just 19 catches for 197 yards and two touchdowns over the first four weeks of the season.

Since then, Royals has been an absolute monster starting with a matchup against UConn where the receiver caught seven passes for 185 yards and three scores, nearly matching his YTD totals in one outing. That alone would have been impressive, yet the Aggies receiver wasn’t finished yet. Just one week later against Colorado State, Royals exploded once more for 140 yards and two more touchdowns on six receptions, bringing his two-week tally up to 13 catches for 325 yards and five scores. Royals will look to continue to make an impact as a deep threat, something NFL teams are always looking for.

Tory Horton, WR, Colorado State (Senior)

Horton’s three-game stretch between the infamous September 16th clash with the Colorado Buffalos and the team’s week 5 outing against Utah Tech is one of rarity. Over that frame, Horton had been phenomenal, catching 36 passes for 459 yards and six touchdowns. While the first two weeks of this run were good by themselves, with lines of 16/133/1 and 10/99/2 respectively, it was his week 5 outing against the Trailblazers that shone the limelight on him the best.

While 232 yards and three receiving scores over a two-week span is phenomenal, nearly doubling it in the team’s next outing is even more special. In the 41-20 victory over the outmatched Utah Tech roster, Horton exploded for 227 yards on ten receptions, hauling in both of the first two scores of the game as well as the final touchdown in the fourth quarter. Throughout his performance, Horton was simply unguardable, and while Senior receivers typically have tougher times making it to the NFL through the draft, the CSU star has as good a shot as anyone now.

Week 6 Dives:

DJ Uiagalelei, QB, Oregon State (Junior)

Josie Lepe, Associated Press

David John Uiagalelei has had one of the strangest collegiate careers in recent memory. Starting his career as the backup to Trevor Lawrence at Clemson, Uiagalelei took the reins for a pair of games late in his Freshman year with Lawrence sitting out. In those two outings, Uiagalelei looked to be a future star, completing nearly 70% of his passes for 781 yards and four touchdowns against Boston College and a much tougher Notre Dame team. After being named the successor to Lawrence, however, Uiagalelei fell off, completing just 55% of his passes the following season with a 9-10 TD-INT ratio. Despite some turnaround in 2022, where the quarterback improved his numbers to 62% and 22-7 respectively, he needed a fresh start.

Enter Oregon State. Following a transfer to the Beavers and a fair amount of drama between Uiagalelei and Clemson, the second-year Junior has revitalized his career to a degree with a 60.5% completion percentage, 1307 yards, and a 13-4 touchdown-interception ratio since. It wasn’t until Week Six, however, that DJ really got it going, as the team defeated California 52-40 on the back of Uiagalelei’s 19-for-25, 275-yard, five touchdown day. The quarterback’s legs and arm talent make him a good bet to find a spot in the league, but unless performances like the one witnessed this past week begin piling up, the question remains of what that NFL role might be.

Antario Brown, RB, Northern Illinois (Junior)

If you thought Kentucky Wildcat Ray Davis’ Week 5 performance (see above) was phenomenal, just wait until you hear what Northern Illinois tailback Antario Brown did. I’ll skip the buildup and go straight to the point: He did the exact same thing on half as many carries. That’s right, for those of you who read through the entire article each week (thank you so much if you do!), you’ll be able to deduce that Brown ran for 280 yards (like Davis), scored four times (like Davis), and did all of this on only 13 rushing attempts (half of Davis’ total). 

For those who enjoy the statistical side of football, you might recognize that the total put up by both backs is currently tied for first place in rushing yards on the season across the college landscape. The fact that Brown is just one of four players on the season to average more than fifteen yards per carry on more than 10 attempts (Brown averaged 21.5 in the game) is even more impressive. Putting the statistical concept aside, Brown was a force on tape as well, consistently breaking off long runs and leaving defenders either grasping for air or planted in the dirt. While he likely won’t be a focal point in an NFL offense in the future, he offers enough speed and intelligence to make it as a high-quality backup in a few seasons.

Malachi Corley, WR, Western Kentucky (Junior)

Malachi Corley is an underrated monster well on his way to the NFL, though not many people talk about his dominance. Despite lacking the size and speed that most NFL-level receivers possess, Corley was able to lead all FBS receivers in YAC in 2022 while compiling 101 catches for 1295 yards and 11 touchdowns, spectacular numbers for a guy who doesn’t get talked about often. Despite lacking the huge numbers prior to this past weekend in 2023, Corley remained dominant after the catch, and it finally paid off big.

Taking on Louisiana Tech last Thursday night, Corley put his elusiveness on full display, tallying a career-high 207 receiving yards and three touchdowns on just eight receptions, with over 140 of those receiving yards coming after the catch and each touchdown going for over 25 yards (70, 48, 29). While the Hilltoppers struggled in the second half, mustering just 55 yards of offense in the final two quarters, they managed to ride Corley’s huge first half en-route to a 35-28 victory. Look for Corley to make his way into the NFL this offseason, and watch out if he ends up with a team and coach who prefer to get their receivers the ball in space and allow them to make the plays (cough cough, 49ers).

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By Trenton Roberts