2024-25 College Prospect Watch

[Daniel]

Eh.  Hunter is a special player, for sure, but I actually think Luther Burden is a better WR when we're looking at the transition to the NFL.  Hunter isn't going to be able to play both ways in the NFL.  It just won't happen.  And great though he is, the most upside you get from him as a DB is the occasional snap, or having him serve as depth in an injury situation.  That and the fact you can probably try him out at both spots if he fails one or the other.

I'm excited to watch McMillan too.  He might be a better pure WR than Hunter as well, but I haven't had a chance to watch him closely yet.

As per usual, I've been watching a lot of OLs, and I really like the upside of WVU's Wyatt Milum.  Dude is as sloppy as you can be, and still hasn't allowed a pressure this season.  Misses blocks, and his footwork is all over the place, but if his technique can be cleaned up a little, you may have an elite player on your hands.  Penn State tape was very promising IMO.

 

[Andrei01]

I like some of Burden's game too, and McMillan is the best pure WR prospect in this upcoming class, no doubt about that.

But what Hunter's doing has never been done, and is completely absurd. The guy is a legit elite prospect at both WR and DB. I gather he's pretty serious about remaining a two-way player and I'd be surprised if whoever drafts him does not figure out a way for him to do that.

This is not Adoree Jackson being a decent corner who could play some snaps at WR here and there, this is the best CB out of his class and the second best WR behind a prospect that would be WR1 in many classes in McMillan. There's no way you're not looking to maximize that as much as possible. Sure, he won't play over 100 snaps per game the way he's currently doing in college, but if you put your hands on a player that can legit be both Sauce Gardner and Justin Jefferson, you look to make the best of both worlds for sure. Realistically, he will probably not end up being both at the same time, that would really be something out of this world, but you find a great enough compromise.

Plus he's an absolute superstar, and since Brown we've been missing that. To me, it'd be a statement as much as it is a solid value pick. He's exactly the type of player you normally don't expect the Titans to get their hands on. Modern, maybe even futuristic, ahead of the times and perhaps even a trend setter, or at least one that acts like it.

[-Hope-]

i was getting higher on cam ward this year because it was starting to look like he'd learned to play better in structure and take care of the ball vs his wazzu days. he's spent these past two weeks of conference play completely backsliding and shattering that perceived improvement. just brutal, brutal stuff from him. way too much freelancing, making bad situations worse, passing up open checkdowns and getting greedy. tough to look at him as a serious top-tier prospect if this is how it's gonna be.

[-Hope-]

1 hour ago, -Hope- said:

i was getting higher on cam ward this year because it was starting to look like he'd learned to play better in structure and take care of the ball vs his wazzu days. he's spent these past two weeks of conference play completely backsliding and shattering that perceived improvement. just brutal, brutal stuff from him. way too much freelancing, making bad situations worse, passing up open checkdowns and getting greedy. tough to look at him as a serious top-tier prospect if this is how it's gonna be.

he heard me lmao jesus christ alive

i'm sticking with the take though, to be honest. guy was passing up open throws underneath all night, a rough rough look in terms of nfl play

[Andrei01]

I'm confused, in so many ways. I'd give a king's ransom to trade up and pick Ward.

[-Hope-]

1 hour ago, Andrei01 said:

I'm confused, in so many ways. I'd give a king's ransom to trade up and pick Ward.

i am a miami fan, watch him every week, and have watched a good chunk of his wazzu tape since he came to the U. i love the guy and what he’s doing for us. but in terms of his prospects as an nfl player, his mechanics are poor, he has serious turnover issues, and he is way, way too quick to try to freelance and get greedy instead of just working within structure and taking what’s there. he’s not malik willis levels of too-far-gone but mechanical issues and an inability to play in structure are a big reason why willis is probably looking at a backup QB ceiling, and ward carries some of that risk. there are real questions about his ability to play down-to-down in an nfl offense, and that’s why he’s not universally being talked about as a can’t-miss prospect despite lighting it up statistically and having the kind of arm talent he does. and the fact that he’s still having these issues despite being in his 5th year of college football raises some concerns about the growth potential there.

i don’t *dislike* him as a prospect. he’s extremely talented and i’d probably take him in the first round if i felt good about the situation he was going to. but i absolutely do not see him as a slam-dunk guy that you trade the farm for.

[Andrei01]

14 minutes ago, -Hope- said:

i am a miami fan, watch him every week, and have watched a good chunk of his wazzu tape since he came to the U. i love the guy and what he’s doing for us. but in terms of his prospects as an nfl player, his mechanics are poor, he has serious turnover issues, and he is way, way too quick to try to freelance and get greedy instead of just working within structure and taking what’s there. he’s not malik willis levels of too-far-gone but mechanical issues and an inability to play in structure are a big reason why willis is probably looking at a backup QB ceiling, and ward carries some of that risk. there are real questions about his ability to play down-to-down in an nfl offense, and that’s why he’s not universally being talked about as a can’t-miss prospect despite lighting it up statistically and having the kind of arm talent he does. and the fact that he’s still having these issues despite being in his 5th year of college football raises some concerns about the growth potential there.

i don’t *dislike* him as a prospect. he’s extremely talented and i’d probably take him in the first round if i felt good about the situation he was going to. but i absolutely do not see him as a slam-dunk guy that you trade the farm for.

I would, in a heart beat. At this time last year McCarthy wasn't anywhere to a 1st round prospect, Daniels wasn't anywhere to a guaranteed top 10 pick. It happens pretty often, the casual scouts are hanging too much to their preseason projections and hype, eventually the Universe ends up balancing things. Happened with Mayfield, Burrow, as well and it won't be the last.