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!
Jack Plummer, QB, Louisville (Senior)
Louisville Report on FanNation
As a fifth-year senior, the odds of Jack Plummer making it to the NFL are already relatively slim. With only around 1% of draft eligible collegiate football players hearing their name called on draft weekend each year, the odds are even worse for a 23-year-old quarterback on his third team in as many years. With that being said, Plummer sure is going to make it interesting for evaluators after the show he put on against Boston College over the past weekend.
Despite the Cardinals undefeated start to the season, Plummer had been average at best, with just 732 passing yards and a 5-4 touchdown/interception ratio in his first three outings. Then, in Week four, the quarterback finally put everything together en route to completing 18/21 passes for 388 yards and five touchdowns while also chipping in an additional score on the ground, leading Louisville to a decisive 56-28 victory and boosting his chances of being noticed by league personnel. Keep watch over the next month as the Cardinals host 11th ranked Notre Dame and 17th ranked Duke to see if Plummer continues to impress against tough opponents.
DJ Giddens, RB, Kansas State (Sophomore)
Following a tough three-point loss to the now 23rd ranked Missouri Tigers in Week 3, Kansas State knew what it needed to do hosting a second undefeated team in as many weeks in UCF. With an over-capacity stadium on Saturday night, that plan was implemented to perfection, as the Wildcats outclassed the Knights on their way to a 44-31 victory. The plan for that game: a heavy dosage of Sophomore running back DJ Giddens.
In the previous week’s loss to Missouri, Giddens saw his lightest load of the season, with just 12 touches and 50 yards. If the team was going to beat UCF, they would need a lot more than that, and a lot more is exactly what they got. Giddens was unstoppable in the outing, tallying 30 carries for 207 yards and four touchdowns. While the numbers alone are impressive, his receiving work was much more surprising, as the tailback hauled in a team-high eight receptions for another 86 yards in the air. Giddens should look to keep involved next month following the team’s bye week.
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State (Sophomore)
Our second Sophomore runner of the week, Ashton Jeanty has been drawing attention to himself recently as a potential future NFL back. The 5’9”, 210lb back from Boise State certainly has the frame to fill that role, but it’s his game tape that speaks more, as Jeanty has made waves as both a bruising runner and as a talented pass catcher out of the backfield. Jeanty has been a dynamo all season and took it to another level on Friday night against San Diego State.
Jeanty made multiple big plays in the game, but the final few minutes were perhaps his most crucial. After scoring his second rushing touchdown of the game with just over two minutes remaining to put Boise State up by 10, Broncos fans saw the end in sight. However, a quick score by the Aztecs put the pressure on once more and Jeanty found himself on the field for the ensuing kickoff, where he sealed the game by securing the ball on the onside kick attempt. Jeanty finished with 205 yards on 23 carries with a pair of touchdowns and also chipped in 49 yards on four receptions, his fourth time in as many games catching 4+ passes. Sooner rather than later, Jeanty will be making these splash plays in the NFL and is currently someone you should be looking to add in all Devy formats.
Naiem Simmons, WR, USF (Junior)
Wagner Football
A transfer from Wagner this past spring, Simmons came to USF looking to rejuvenate his career and make a push towards the NFL draft. After a handful of so-so outings, including a 3-catch, 20-yard game against Alabama in Week Three, Simmons finally made that splash he was looking for, helping lead the South Florida Bulls to a 42-29 conference victory over a clearly outmatched AAC opponent in Rice.
Simmons was explosive from start to finish in the game, as the undersized speed demon accounted for five separate receptions of over 40 yards, including a beautiful 49-yard touchdown late in the third quarter which gave USF a lead it would never relinquish. In total, Simmons caught all eight of his targets for 272 yards and the aforementioned score, leading to a whopping 34-yard average per catch and allowing him to display his potential for any NFL scout who may have been in attendance. Keep an eye out this spring to see if the draft-eligible receiver throws his name in the hat for the NFL draft.
Luke Hasz, TE, Arkansas (Freshman)
TIGHT END ALERT! It took a few weeks, but we finally have our first tight end (not named Brock Bowers) on the Devy Dives segment. The shocking part of it all is that this tight end isn’t even an upperclassman. In an era in which most collegiate tight ends rarely see playing time until later in their careers, we find ourselves looking at true freshman Luke Hasz out of Arkansas as the man of the week at the position, and deservedly so.
Despite back-to-back losses for the Razorbacks, Hasz has developed into one of quarterback KJ Jefferson’s favorite targets, accounting for ten catches, 194 yards, and three touchdowns against a pair of high-quality opponents in the scrappy BYU Cougars and the currently 12th ranked LSU Tigers. With six catches, 116 yards and two touchdowns coming against the vaunted Tiger defense, Hasz as the look of a player who could make waves in draft cycles in a few years.
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By Trenton Roberts
For a second straight season, I am betting against Mahomes.