Top NFL Prospect Performers from CFB Week 15

As the NFL and college football seasons are winding down, plenty of NFL teams are paying more attention to the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft. While many fans have the final weeks of the playoff race and all that follow it to look forward to, draft season is heating up early for those who’s favorite professional team is putting the final touches on a disappointing season. For those unfortunate fans, as well as NFL draft enthusiasts and college football fans alike, here are the Top Prospect Performers from Week 15 of College Football, also known as “Championship Week”.

QB Joe Burrow (LSU)

I’m so ready for Joe Burrow in the NFL
(via @FOXSports)pic.twitter.com/ETeenKzzvl
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) December 8, 2019

Joe “Burreaux” continues to impress each and every week and his case for the Heisman is essentially a foregone conclusion at this point. With little need for a rushing attack until the fourth quarter, he and the Tigers receivers absolutely shredded one of the best defenses in the country for 37 points, by far the most Georgia had given up all season (second-most: 17). With a 13-0 record, the Heisman favorite at quarterback, and a dominant SEC Championship performance fresh in everyone’s minds, Burrow’s LSU Tigers will enter the College Football Playoff as the top team in the nation, giving him one or two more opportunities to prove he’s the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2020.

After some truly special performances in the thick of LSU’s daunting SEC schedule, Joe Burrow has proven without question that he is the best quarterback in all of college football. His rise to prominence has been special to witness, as he has completely transformed the traditionally ground-heavy LSU offense into one of, if not the most potent passing attack in the country. Regardless of who the Tigers play in the CFP Semifinal, Burrow has played himself right into the conversation for the top overall pick.

Projection: 2020 Top-2 Pick

RB Travis Etienne (Clemson)

We can confidently say Travis Etienne is difficult to tackle 😳 pic.twitter.com/oXFcRt74HT
— Stadium (@Stadium) December 8, 2019

Unsurprisingly, Clemson steamrolled Virginia 62-17 to secure their seventh consecutive ACC Championship. And for the seventh time in the last eight games, Clemson RB Travis Etienne surpassed 100 rushing yards, this time on just 14 carries. Throughout this stretch of dominance, Etienne is averaging 129 yards per game on just 14 carries per game for an average of 9.2 yards per carry.

Among this stacked RB class, Etienne is arguably the most explosive of the group. His game-changing speed and elusiveness make him a bonafide home run hitter; he can take it the distance on any given play, from anywhere on the field. Sharp cuts, great change-of-direction, and great balance, Etienne has also shown flashes as a receiver, although he is scarcely used in the passing game at Clemson. He will need to bulk up a bit in order to be seen as a three-down back, but Etienne will be in the first-round conversation as long as he tests as expected at the combine.

Projection: 2020 Early-2nd round

WR CeeDee Lamb (Oklahoma)

Can’t. Stop. Watching.
CeeDee Lamb is a man on a mission.#OUDNA | #BoomerSooner pic.twitter.com/c8PEjg49CM
— Sooner Gridiron (@soonergridiron) December 8, 2019

With their fifth consecutive Big 12 title and a little bit of help from LSU, Oklahoma appears to be in position to return to the College Football Playoff for the third consecutive season. After missing the last game against Baylor a few weeks ago, CeeDee Lamb proved he was the Sooners’ x-factor. He had a fantastic day, hauling in eight catches for 173 yards, including a ridiculous 71-yard catch-and-run in which he forced 5 missed tackles by the best defensive unit in the Big 12.

If it weren’t for the incredible WR depth of this draft class, Lamb would be a surefire top-10 pick. But because so many of his peers have first-round potential, its difficult to gauge. Elite ball skills, body control, positioning, and athleticism, Lamb was born to play WR in the NFL. He has room to grow as a route runner, but an NFL coaching staff will help out quite a bit. Most importantly, he has great hands, can create yards after the catch, can beat press coverage and create separation, and likes being physical with DBs. Regardless of the strength of this WR class, there is zero chance Lamb falls out of the first round. A team picking in the middle of the first round, however, might get very lucky with a top-ten talent falling right into their laps.

Projection: 2020 Top-15 Pick

LB Troy Dye (Oregon)

Oregon LB Troy Dye makes a game-clinching INT with his hand in a massive club pic.twitter.com/7X7aQatxJp
— Kevin Boilard (@247KevinBoilard) December 7, 2019

In Oregon’s Pac-12 Championship upset of #5 Utah, senior LB Troy Dye was flying all over the place, making his presence felt both in coverage as well as in run support. Ever since he began playing with a club on his hand in mid-October, Dye has been on a roll: 4 TFL, 1 SK, 3 PD, 1 INT, and 1 FF. Friday night that continued, as Dye and the Oregon defense tortured Utah QB Tyler Huntley for 2 INTs and 6 sacks along with 9 TFL in total.

A four-year starter at Oregon, Troy Dye has led the Ducks in tackles every single season. While he lacks the body mass of your average NFL linebacker (6’4″, 225 pounds), he possesses great athleticism for the position. Assuming he will add some weight to his frame, Dye immediately gives off the impression of a prototypical modern-day NFL linebacker. He is very quick to diagnose plays and has great reaction time and instincts. A down-hill linebacker with great closing speed and finishing ability, Dye is also quite sticky in coverage with the size to contest NFL-caliber tight ends. He has shown flashes of a pass-rushing ability, but tends to get overwhelmed by larger offensive linemen. Even if Dye doesn’t start immediately, his ability in coverage will earn him plenty of snaps in nickel defensive packages. The Senior Bowl will be pivotal, as he needs to prove that he possesses the coverage ability necessary for a slightly undersized linebacker to compete at the next level.

Projection: 2020 2nd/3rd round

CB Derek Stingley Jr (LSU)

Great work by the LSU’s Derek Stingley
WR lines up off the ball so the space is created. Stingley did a great job of not creating more space. Very patient feet, nice kick step slide, stayed square making the receiver work laterally, looked back once he got In phase. Great work pic.twitter.com/NhBqRrqVfi
— Press Coverage With CrockTime (@PressCovFilm) December 7, 2019

With 2 interceptions off QB Jake Fromm on the biggest stage of his career (thus far), true freshman CB Derek Stingley Jr. has officially broken out. He has made his fair share of mistakes (most notably vs. Alabama’s DeVonta Smith), but the fact of the matter is that at just 18 years old, Stingley has already become the best CB in a loaded LSU secondary. Size, athleticism, instincts, ball skills, strength at release, man and zone coverage ability, Stingley has it all. College football fans will be blessed by his presence for at least two more years, at which point he might be far and away the best CB in college football.

Projection: 2022 1st round