Titans Fan Guide: Slow Saturday Special Edition

#6 Michigan at #24 Michigan State NOON FOX

- Eternal Big Ten rivals square off in East Lansing. Michigan has rebounded nicely after a season opening loss to Notre Dame. They blew out Wisconsin last week while Sparty upset Penn State last week. Who will take this year’s edition in this instate rivarly?

Michigan prospects to watch

1. Rashan Gary 6’4 281 DL Junior

- Gary was the number one ranked recruit in his class. He’s a beast inside. One of the best defensive tackles in the country in a really loaded draft eligible class. Has had a really nice 2018 season with a stat line of 22 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks.

2. Devin Bush, Jr 5’11 222 LB Junior

- Bush is a force to be reckoned with in both the middle and outside. He’s undersized for the position but is very fundamentally sound. A bowling ball of energy. The leading tackler for the Wolverines with 45 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. Leads the team in sacks.

3. Karan Higdon 5’9 190 RB Senior

- One of the more underrated running back prospects in the nation. Has had a decent senior year thus far. He’s a solid threat to score from anywhere on the field but prefers to grind away on tough carries. Not the most experienced as a senior. Size questions will abound at the next level. Has 120 carries for 687 yards and 6 touchdowns.

4. Chase Winovich 6’3 253 EDGE RS Senior

- He’s one of the better edge rushers that no one talks about. A relentless worker that won’t quit until the echo of the whistle. A load to handle for offensive tackles. He may be limited athletically but he just doesn’t stop working to get the sack. He’s third on the team with 39 tackles and tied for second in sacks with 3.

Michigan State prospects to watch

1. Brian Lewerke 6’2 212 QB RS Junior

- Coming into the season, he was hyped to be one of the better quarterback prospects in the country but the season hasn’t played out that way. Has struggled some in all facets. He has enough arm talent to make all the throws. Athletic enough in the pocket to manipulate the defender into a lull to open up his receivers and/or run for it.

Auburn at Ole Miss NOON ESPN

- Auburn travels to the Grove to take on the Rebels in a key SEC West contest. The Tigers offense has been nonexistent and some quarters of the fan base want HC Gus Malzhan fired. Ole Miss just lost a key component of their offense in standout WR DK Metcalf due to a neck injury. Will the Auburn offense finally get some traction before the gauntlet of November appears?

Auburn prospects to watch

1. Jarrett Stidham 6’2 214 QB RS Junior

- Stidham is one of the top ranked quarterbacks in a class in which the perception is generally down. He has a lot of arm talent and can make virtually any throw asked of him. Physically looks the part. The biggest flaw is the program that he chose. Auburn’s offensive system is very poor in terms of development for the next level. He has regressed in 2018 and has reverted to being Blaine Gabbert 2.0 in terms of pocket awareness.

2. Derrick Brown 6’5 325 DL Junior

- He lives in the opponents’ backfield every game. One of the best interior linemen in the SEC. Academics are on point as he’s been named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll every year. Could be one of the more underrated DL prospects due to the talent in the class.

3. Marlon Davidson 6’2 282 EDGE Junior

- Auburn’s best edge rusher. Fundamentally sound and uses every ounce of his athletic ability on every snap. Frequently holds up in the wash so he can make the play. Frame is a plus. Work ethic is a plus as well.

Ole Miss prospects to watch

1. A.J Brown 6’1 225 WR Junior

- Projects to be an excellent slot weapon at the pro level. He knows how to run routes and when to vary his speed and depth in each route.

2. Greg Little 6’5 325 OT Junior

- Little is the best offensive tackle prospect in the country. Has the potential to be a franchise type of left tackle in the pros. Lateral agility and size are huge pluses. IQ is a plus. Laremy Tunsil who? He has that kind of potential and talent.

#16 NC State at #3 Clemson 3:30 PM ESPN

- Which of these two teams will be undefeated at the end of the game. NC State has played the Tigers really tight over the past several years but just couldn’t get it done. Will this be year? QB Ryan Finley will up against a very talented defensive front that comes in waves. Clemson still has some Clemsoning habits as evidenced by the scare that Syracuse gave them.

NC State prospect to watch

1. Ryan Finley 6’4 210 QB Senior

- Finley could be one of the more underrated QB prospects in the country. He’s very fundamentally sound and has enough athleticism in the pocket to get things done. What undoes him as a prospect is that he doesn’t have the arm talent to make it as a starter at the next level. Projects as a career backup.

Clemson prospects to watch

1. Mitch Hyatt 6’5 305 OT Senior

- Hyatt is finally a senior this year after starting as a true freshman. He has dropped off very little in that span of time. Considered to be one of the better tackle prospects in the class. Has experienced nearly everything college football has to offer. Big game player.

2. Dexter Lawrence 6’4 340 DT Junior

- The “other” five star guy in Ed Oliver’s class is no slouch himself. Lawrence is a notch below Oliver but is a talented prospect that has supreme athleticism and has been tutored by one of the best defensive coordinators in college football. He should be a near lock to declare for the draft.

3. Christian Wilkins 6’4 300 DT Senior

- The leader of the vaunted Tigers defensive line that could see the entire unit drafted in the first three rounds. A former five star recruit that developed nicely. An athletic force at the defensive tackle position. Has experience playing edge rusher at times.

4. Clelin Ferrell 6’5 260 EDGE Junior

- Ferrell could be the best of the bunch. He’s one of the best edge rushers in the entire class, let alone the ACC. Fundamentally sound. Knows what he’s doing with an impressive array of moves. Frame is a major plus. Could have outright challenged Bradley Chubb as the premier pass rusher in the country last year.

Colorado at #15 Washington 3:30 PM Fox

- Colorado travels to Seattle in a suddenly pivotal Pac-12 matchup that could determine a lot of things in both divisions. The Buffs are coming off a loss to inconsistent USC while the Malamutes are coming off a OT loss to Oregon. Which team will bounce back after a depressing loss? The Huskies have the secondary to contain stud receiver Laviskie Shenault.

Colorado prospect to watch

1. Laviska Shenault, Jr. 6’2 220 WR Sophomore

- Shenault is staking a claim to be WR1 for next year’s draft class this season. He’s the Buffs do everything weapon on offense. He’s played receiver, running back, and a little quarterback. An electric athlete. Has taken the country by storm this year. Odds on favorite to win the Biletnikoff Trophy. Currently dealing with a foot injury but should play on it.

Washington prospects to watch

1. Greg Gaines 6’1 332 DT / NT RS Senior

- The next man up in the Huskies’ recent trend of standout interior defensive linemen. He’s a classic space eating type of 3-4 nose tackle. A monster in the middle when rushing the passer. Lack of athleticism like his predecessors will hurt his stock a bit. Vita Vea who?

2. Myles Gaskin 5’9 191 RB Senior

- Gaskin has been a mainstay for the Huskies’ running game for three years now. He broke out as a true freshman and hardly left the scene. Undersized runner that excels catching passes out of the backfield. Football IQ is above average. Knows how to work angles and cutback lanes to his benefit. Tree trunk legs. Plus speed and lateral agility.

3. Myles Bryant 5’8 180 CB Junior

- Washington’s other Myles is no slouch, himself. Size wise, he compares to the Rams’ standout cornerback Lamarcus Joyner. He plays a lot bigger than what he’s listed at. Due to size, he won’t be CB1 but will still play a bit as the third cornerback at the next level. Lateral agility is a plus and instincts are as well. Popped off the screen when I was watching Washington stuff from the past season. Versatile athlete with great speed. Should test well at the Combine and Pro Day next year if he chooses to declare early.

4. Taylor Rapp 6’0 212 S Junior

- One of the better safety prospects in the entire class. Think former Arizona safety Dane Cruikshank with a tad less athleticism. He’s seriously talented. Washington’s leading sacker.

Memphis at Missouri 4 PM SEC Network

- A battle between Tiger themed mascots. Memphis is coming off a heartbreaking loss to reigning national champion UCF in which they blew a significant lead. Missouri is reeling after losing three straight in SEC play. Can they turn it around against a nonconference foe?

Memphis prospect to watch

1. Darrell Henderson 5’9 200 RB Junior

- Henderson is currently the leading rusher in the country statistically just as he was last year as a sophomore. He’s a dynamic talent that should go pro early. One of the best running backs that no one talks about but should get drafted early. He’s a home run threat on every carry.

Missouri prospects to watch

1. Drew Lock 6’3 225 QB Senior

- Lock does have the strongest arm in the class. The deep ball is a major plus. Pocket awareness is somewhat decent. Arm is NFL ready. Can make every throw in the book. Nice quick and compact delivery. No wasted motion. Above average athlete that can make things happen on the move. What is his biggest negative? In a word, consistency. When it goes bad, it’s all over the place. He doesn’t have any touch at times and solely relies on his fastball to get through. Many of his throws were of the where the in the world are you throwing variety.

2. Terry Beckner 6’3 305 DT Senior

- He’s a major talent at the defensive tackle position but the medical history is a giant red flag as he’s torn ligaments in BOTH knees. An impactful run stopper with some pass rush ability. I’d consider him in the sixth round at the earliest due to the medical.

#22 Mississippi State at #5 LSU 7 PM ESPN

- The Bulldogs travel to Baton Rouge to take on the red hot Tigers. LSU defeated Georgia last week in a contest that wasn’t all that close. They dominated UGA in every facet. Miss State is coming off a win over Auburn last week. Can the Bulldogs do the unthinkable and pull off the upset in rowdy Baton Rouge at night? This could be a trap game for LSU as they have Alabama in a couple of weeks.

Mississippi State prospects to watch

1. Jeffery Simmons 6’3 301 DT Junior

- DT2. He’s one of the best defensive tackles in the country and should declare as a junior. A beast in the middle that can impact games. A power game. Capable pass rusher with an arsenal of moves. Best DT not named Ed Oliver. He’s that good. There was a brief time where his eligibility was threatened due to an off field issue involving violence towards women but he has been a model citizen in the time since.

2. Montez Sweat 6’5 241 EDGE Senior

- We have another Sweat named edge defender that’s one of the best in the nation. A fundamentally sound pass and run defender. Athleticism is a plus. Character and work ethic are a plus as well. He’s one of the best in a strong DL class.

LSU prospects to watch

1. Greedy Williams 6’1 182 CB RS Sophomore

- Williams has the speed and athleticism thing down pat along with the height. Lateral agility is a major plus. Can keep up with any receiver in the nation. Consistency is a major issue at times.

2. Devin White 6’0 240 LB Junior

- Next man up to take the star linebacker turn in Baton Rouge before going pro. White has had a solid junior season thus far. He’s now the leader of the defense. White has flashed a ton this season, racking up the stats.

3. Grant Delpit 6’3 203 S Sophomore

- Delpit has been a surprise this season for the Tigers. He’s one of the best safeties in the nation, regardless of class and will be firmly on the radar as a junior next year. A ball hawk with sound fundamentals. Size isn’t a question. Keep an eye out for him in 2019. He’s #good.

Bonus games to watch

#9 Oklahoma at TCU NOON ABC

#2 Ohio State at Purdue 7:30 PM ABC

#12 Oregon at #25 Washington State 7:30 PM Fox

- College GameDay in Pullman for the first time ever!

Where are the Titans scouts?