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 shined 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!
Garrett Shrader, QB, Syracuse (Senior)
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While peering through the weekly rushing leaders in college football in Week 3, my first thought was “Wow, this Garrett Shrader is a heck of a running back”. I was wrong in that thought, not because the numbers were listed incorrectly but rather because Shrader isn’t a running back. That’s right, the week’s best ground performance belongs to a guy who throws the football for a living.
Let’s not discount his passing on the day either, as Shrader put up a respectable 184 yards on 14 completions despite throwing an interception. In fact, this outing was his worst passing performance of the season so far. That didn’t affect the Orange’s chances at victory however, as the (running back) quarterback tallied 25 carries for 195 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Facing a Purdue team that is going through a disappointing start to their season, the outcome wasn’t very much in question for the now 3-0 Syracuse squad. The way the team and Shrader won, however, was as shocking as any storyline so far this season.
Trevor Etienne, RB, Florida (Sophomore)
Against 11th ranked Tennessee and their star quarterback Joe Milton, many pundits were hesitant to back a then 1-1 Florida team. The Gators weren’t about to back down, however, as the hosts came punching out of the gates and eventually downed the Volunteers 29-16, snagging the final spot on this week’s AP Top 25 list. With quarterback Graham Mertz doing just enough to put the Gators in position to win, the team needed a star to emerge in order to ensure their victory. Enter Trevor Etienne.
The younger brother of Jaguars RB Travis Etienne, Trevor made his case over the weekend to be seen as the better back of the two in the state of Florida. The sophomore running back led not just all rushers on the night but also tallied more yards on the ground than everyone else combined, putting up 172 yards and a touchdown on 23 attempts. If he is able to keep up this pace through the rest of the season and continue propelling Florida to wins, don’t be surprised to see a second Etienne in the NFL in the couple seasons.
Malik Nabers, WR, LSU (Junior)
Finally! Malik Nabers, who many had pegged as a potential top five receiver in the 2023 NFL draft class, had been relatively quiet through two weeks to open his Junior campaign. Despite solid performances against Florida State and Grambling in Week’s 1 and 2, Nabers had just 11 catches, 154 yards and a single touchdown on the season. Those are fine numbers, but not as much as those pining for Nabers’ draft stock were hoping for.
In Week 3, Nabers made a splash, more than doubling his numbers in each category on the season. The versatile receiver thrashed the overmatched Mississippi State Bulldogs to the tune of 13 receptions, 239 yards and a pair of touchdowns, dismantling the defense with a combination of savvy route running and explosiveness. The rest of the season won’t be easy for LSU, but so long as Nabers is given opportunities such as he saw this past week, it’s easy to see him in conversations for the first round of the NFL draft.
Robert Lewis, WR, Georgia State (Junior)
Okay, okay, the competition isn’t great in the Sun Belt. With that being said, Saturday potentially provided one Georgia State receiver a chance to hear his name called on draft night in 2024. With quarterback Darren Grainger making his own case this season for the NFL draft, it was Junior Robert Lewis who made a name for himself over the weekend as Georgia State downed Charlotte 41-25.
Mostly an unknown player heading into his first season as the go-to target, Lewis had been performing admirably as the Panthers got off to a 2-0 start. On a trip to face Charlotte, Lewis did much more than perform “admirably”, helping route the 49ers with 220 yards and two touchdowns on just 6 receptions. While almost half of that total came on a stunning 97-yard touchdown early in the second quarter, the young receiver proved to be uncoverable all night, providing a performance that might just propel him into the late rounds of the draft.
Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington (Senior)
San Diego Union-Tribune
Michael Penix Jr. might have run away with a Heisman trophy already if the future number one pick Caleb Williams didn’t exist. Despite losing in both voters and popularity to the USC star, Washington’s signal caller has the better counting numbers between the two, leading college football with 1332 yards through the air, tying Willims for second with 12 passing touchdowns to just a single interception, and comfortably sits in the top 15 in Passer Rating (5th), completion percentage (14th), and both completions (6th) and attempts (12th). More impressive is that he’s only been sacked a single time thus far, as his mobility is making him a tough case to crack in the pocket.
Saturday’s outing against Michigan State was just another day at the office for Penix, who tallied his third 400-yard game on the season in as many tries while adding four passing scores to boot. While Penix is never going to be a running quarterback, his pocket presence and leadership were once again on full display for NFL scouts, as he continuously led drive after drive deep into Spartan territory as one of the game’s best passers. With Williams and Drake Maye virtually locked in to be the top two quarterbacks taken in the 2024 NFL draft, Penix has made as good a case as anyone to be the third name at the position come draft time.
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By Trenton Roberts
For a second straight season, I am betting against Mahomes.