Draft Evaluation for College Players

Ben Friend

This season has been one of the most unpredictable college football seasons in recent memory, and with the playoffs nearing and the Heisman race soon to be decided, it should continue on this trajectory. Throughout this CFB season, there's been so many promising draft prospects, but there are still questions about who the top talents in this draft are. Let's take a look at some of the most exciting playmakers in College Football today and what kind of players they are.

Travis Hunter

When thinking about the upcoming NFL draft, it's going to be hard for teams to ignore a player with such unique talent. Travis Hunter, the potential Heisman winner for this season (awarded to the most outstanding player in college football), is among the most unique players we have ever witnessed in college football. Hunter's ability to play almost every snap of the game on both sides of the ball is what makes him so special. The Colorado Cornerback and Wide Receiver hasn't just been playing on both sides of the ball this season, but he has been dominating at both positions. As a receiver this season, Hunter has had 92 receptions for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns. These numbers make Hunter 6th in the nation for receiving yards, and second for receiving touchdowns. These stats already make Hunter an intriguing draft prospect, but his performance on the defensive side of the ball has also been outstanding. As a defensive back this season, Hunter has allowed just 20 receptions for 187 yards and only 1 touchdown in 11 games, easily making him one of the top corners in CFB . Hunter has electrified both Colorado’s offense and defense this season, and it will be interesting to see where he ends up in the NFL draft. Many are speculating he will be the first overall pick.

Travis Hunter

Cam Ward

Cam Ward has been nothing short of exciting this season for the Miami Hurricanes. Ward has led Miami to a 10-2 record, and he has been the driving force of their offense all season long. This season at Miami, Ward has thrown for 4,123 yards, 36 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. This makes him the second-leading passer in all of College Football. While these numbers speak for themselves and show just how dominant Ward has been this season, they don't account for the incredible arm talent that Ward possesses and his ability to make throws at each level of the field (short, medium, and long passes). On top of this, Ward has a large frame standing at 6’2” and weighing 223 pounds, and his athleticism is top level. Ward is viewed by many as the QB1 in this year's NFL draft, and while he has struggled at times with protecting the ball and limiting turnovers, he still has tremendous untapped potential that will allow him to develop with an NFL team. This year's draft includes many teams that are focused on finding their franchise quarterback, so it will be no surprise if Ward ends up being taken within the top 3.

Cam Ward

Ashton Jeanty

Usually, when a generational player like Travis Hunter jumps on the scene in college football, the race for the Heisman is over before the winner has even been announced, but that is not the case this year, and it's because of Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty is having one of the most incredible seasons we have ever seen by a running back in college football, and he is one of the biggest reasons why Boise State is 12-1 on the year and are the 3 seed for the college football playoff. After 13 games, Jeanty sits just 131 yards away from tying Barry Sanders's single-season rushing record, and with playoff games likely ahead, Jeanty has a very good chance to break this record. Jeanty’s stats this season have been jaw-dropping, with 344 carries, he has 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns , averaging 7.3 yards per carry. Jeanty has elite field vision and is patient with his runs, all while being incredibly tough to bring down in any situation. Jeanty appears to be an NFL-ready running back. While his draft position may be lower than expected due to many teams' lack of need at the running back position, he definitely looks like someone who can make a huge impact on any NFL roster.

Ashton Jeanty