Future Hogs – Week 3: A look at college football players who could help the Washington Commanders

The third week of the college football is in the books and it had a number of exciting games. The Backyard Brawl between Pittsburgh and West Virginia saw the Panthers score 10 points in less than five minutes to pull out a win. South Carolina found ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory with penalties that left the door open for LSU to win with a late touchdown. Then, there were the Wildcats of Kentucky who gave the top team in the nation, Georgia, all they could handle. Georgia’s defense did all it could to help their offense hold on and prevent an impressive upset.

Week Four will feature a few ranked-on-ranked matchups. Tennessee, with their potent offense and stingy defense, will take on Oklahoma in an SEC matchup. Oklahoma State and Utah will face off in a game that could have major Big 12 implications. The last of these matchups will feature a Michigan team looking for its first Big Ten just like their opponent, USC. Another fun matchup will be Notre Dame looking to get its first win against a MAC team in Miami of Ohio.

Below are just a few players who had a good week and might be able to help improve the Commanders’ roster. Let me know what you think of these prospects and feel free to post players that stood out to you.

Kyron Drones, QB, Redshirt Junior, Virginia Tech

At 6’2”, 234 lbs, Kyron Drones is built solidly. He uses all of that frame as a runner, punishing smaller defenders that try to tackle him. But, he’s a quarterback and he needs some development as a passer. While he has a big arm that allows him to make dazzling throws deep down-field and shows accuracy throwing on the run, his mechanics are inconsistent, causing occasional inaccurate passes. In a win over Old Dominion, Drones threw for 176 yards, a TD and a pick while completing 15 of 26 passes. He added 117 yards and a TD on 12 carries.

Kaleb Johnson, RB, Junior, Iowa

The current leader in rushing yards in college football is none other than the Hawkeyes starting running back. While he is definitely the beneficiary of excellent blocking upfront, Johnson has good vision to pick his way through the defense. While not an elusive runner, he uses his footwork and subtle movements to avoid defenders and, at 6’, 225 lbs, he is tough to get to the ground. Against Troy, Johnson ran 25 times for 173 yards and two touchdowns.

Luther Burden III, WR, Junior, Missouri

Week 1, I mentioned Tetairoa McMillan as possibly the first receiver drafted in 2025. Missouri’s Luther Burden is probably McMillan’s greatest competition for that claim. Burden is smaller than McMillan at 5’11”, 205 lbs, but he has such a well-rounded skillset. He tracks the ball downfield as well as he uses his vision and elusiveness to take a screen to the house. With his build, he absorbs contact and shows good balance. I would like to see more of that explosiveness and suddenness after the catch during his routes. In a win over Boston College, Burden had six catches for 117 yards and a touchdown.

Eli Stowers, TE, Senior, Vanderbilt

A former QB for Texas A&M, Eli Stowers transferred to New Mexico State in 2023 and switched positions to tight end. He entered the transfer portal again and found his way to the Commodores. With his 6’4”, 235 lb frame, he is used more often as a big slot receiver than an inline tight end. He’s displayed good hands and a willingness to fight through contact. In a loss to Georgia State, Stowers had nine catches for 110 yards and a TD.

Josh Conerly, Jr., OT, Junior, Oregon

People have been waiting for Oregon to look like one of the top teams in college football and it finally happened this week in a win over their in-state rival Oregon State. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel was able to put up big numbers as a passer and a runner behind a tremendous offense led by two talented tackles. Let tackle Josh Conerly, Jr. at 6’4”, 315, has the length and strength of an NFL tackle. He moves well and has a knack for sealing his assignments to create running lanes and can work to the second level of the defense to make blocks. His foot speed looks sufficient, but I think he could improve the consistency of his hand placement.

Kyle Kennard, DE, Senior, South Carolina

The Gamecocks have possibly the most formidable front four in college football. They continued their game-wrecking ways against LSU, despite coming up a little short in the end. Kyle Kennard, at 6’5”, 254 lbs, is extremely quick off the snap, often using that speed to beat his blocker. The pass rush moves need refinement, but you can’t teach his quickness and length. He also had two significant penalties on Saturday, both negating a pick-six, so some of that aggressiveness needs to be dialed back. Kennard had three tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks against the Tigers.

Deontae Lawson, LB, Redshirt Junior, Alabama

Alabama went to Wisconsin and overwhelmed the Badgers, holding them to only 10 points. The leader of their defense is Deontae Lawson. Responsible for calling the defense, Lawson had some standout plays in Madison. He had a great fourth down stop for one of his seven tackles, broke up a pass, and forced a fumble. At 6’2”, 239 lbs, he might be primarily an early down run stopper, but his ability to read and react to plays is so good he might carve out a larger role at the next level.

Shavon Revel, Jr. CB, Senior, East Carolina

At 6’3”, 193 lbs, Shavon Revel, Jr. is a long cornerback reminiscent of the type of player you might find in Dan Quinn’s defenses in Seattle. What makes Revel, Jr. special is he is such a good athlete. Combine that with his size and it is hard for receivers to get open against him. He trusts his technique enough to turn around and play the ball when it’s in the air. Plus, he is physical in run support. Revel, Jr made three tackles, broke up a pass, and snagged a pick-six in a close loss to Appalachian State.

Jalen Catalon, S, Senior, UNLV

There was a point in Jalen Catalon’s career that some considered him one of the best safeties in college football. However, injuries limited his ability to stay on the field at Arkansas. After a year with Texas last season, Catalon transferred to UNLV looking to regain his status as one of the best in the game. He’s off to a good start with three picks in his first three games, one of them a pick-six. UNLV uses him near the line of scrimmage and deep in coverage, and Catalon has excelled in both areas. In a win over Kansas, he had four tackles and an interception.