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Future Hogs – Week 9: A look at college football players who could help the Washington Commanders

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL: OCT 19 Texas A&M at Mississippi State
Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

There weren’t a lot of surprises in the college football world from Week 9. Oregon rolled past Illinois to remain atop the rankings. Boise State, a favorite to make the College Football Playoff from the Group of Five, won a close game against UNLV despite running back Ashton Jeanty rushing for a paltry 128 yards. Alabama bounced back in a big way by blanking Missouri. Vanderbilt was at it again, giving a fifth-ranked Texas team all it could handle. Unlike Alabama, Texas did just enough to escape Nashville with a win. In a game that could determine who plays for an SEC championship, Texas A&M orchestrated a phenomenal comeback by shutting down LSU in the second half.

The marquee matchup in Week 10 is #3 Penn State taking on #2 Ohio State. The game could eliminate the Bucketes from contention for the Big Ten championship, but they’ve had Penn State’s number recently. In the ACC, unbeaten Pittsburgh will take on a one-loss SMU and Clemson, whose only loss was to Georgia, will face Louisville. Fresh off their win against LSU, Texas A&M will head to South Carolina. Unbeaten Iowa State will face off against Texas Tech in the Big 12.

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

Taylen Green, QB, Redshirt Junior, Arkansas

Arkansas rolled over Mississippi State with Taylen Green leading the way for the Razorbacks. The Boise State transfer is a blend of elite size at 6’6”, 230 lbs, and athleticism. He is creative as a runner and faster than his looks because of his long strides. There is work to be done in the pocket. His delivery is a little slow and he needs to improve how he sees defenses and where he places the ball. He accounted for six touchdowns – five through the air and one on the ground – while completing 23 of 29 passes for 257 yards with a pick and running for 79 yards on eight attempts.

Jarquez Hunter, RB, Senior, Auburn

When a running back not named Ashton Jeanty puts up the most rushing yards in a game for the college football season, that player deserves a look. Jarquez Hunter is 5’10”, 209 lbs, and has plenty of speed once he gets into the open field. He did a good job of reading his blocks to find the correct hole and wasted no time getting through them. Defenders making arm tackles had a tough time bringing him down. I didn’t see a lot of elusiveness or shiftiness to make defenders miss, but he didn’t need it against Kentucky and one of the best defensive tackles in the country in Deone Walker. Hunter rushed 23 times for 278 yards and two touchdowns.

Jerjuan Newton, WR, Senior, Toledo

It was a pretty good weekend for the Newton family. Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton had a breakout game for the Commanders against the Chicago Bears while brother Jerjuan became the Toledo Rockets all-time receiving touchdowns leader. Newton is a reliable receiver that finds open space and makes tough contested catches. Surprisingly, he’s much smaller than Johnny at only 5’11”, 192 lbs. Although he has made catches behind defenses, I worry about whether he has the speed or quickness to be as impactful in the NFL. In a loss to Bowling Green, Newton made nine catches for 164 yards and two touchdowns.

Colston Loveland, TE, Junior, Michigan

There are some really good tight ends in this draft class, but Colston Loveland is arguably the best prospect at this position. Loveland has been the victim of inconsistent quarterback play by the Wolverines, but he is still finding ways to be productive. He’s the total package at the position: 6’5”, 245 lbs, excellent athleticism, solid hands, and a great blocker. If there is a knock against him, its that he might be smaller than your traditional inline tight end. That hasn’t limited him in college and it shouldn’t be an issue in the pros. Loveland had no love for rival Michigan State with six catches for 67 yards and two touchdowns in a takedown of the Spartans.

Hollin Pierce, OT, Senior, Rutgers

Hollin Pierce wears #72 and anchors the left side of the Scarlet Knight’s offensive line. You probably don’t need any help finding him because he is the largest person on the football field. Standing 6’8” and weighing 344 lbs, Pierce uses that size to dominate blockers in the run game. At his size, he moves really well in space. His feet aren’t the most nimble, but defenders struggle getting around him in pass protection. Another plus for him is he has experience at right tackle. While Rutgers suffered a loss to USC, Pierce played well throughout the game.

Nic Scourton, DE, Junior, Texas A&M

It wasn’t his most productive game, but Nic Scourton played a key role in Texas A&M’s victory over LSU. The 6’4”, 285 lb transfer from Purdue was a constant in the Tigers backfield thanks to his blend of strength and athleticism. If he doesn’t have the best spin move in college football, I don’t know who does. He also can win with his quickness and hand usage. Scourton’s four tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and half a sack do not tell the full story of his disruption. He should be an early pick if he declares for the draft.

Cody Simon, LB, Senior, Ohio State

Nebraska hung with Ohio State for most of the game, but Cody Simon and company shut the door on the Cornhuskers late. Despite being 6’2”, 235 lbs, Simon reportedly ranks in the top 10 on the team in the 10 and 20 yard dashes and the short shuttle. You see that on film with how quickly he gets downhill. He converts that speed to power to knock back blockers then disengage to make plays. In coverage, he understands his assignment and flies to ball carriers. Simon had eight total tackles, three for a loss, against Nebraska.

Justin Walley, CB, Senior, Minnesota

The Golden Gophers were too much for the Maryland Terrapins to handle and Justin Walley was a big reason why. The 5’11”, 195 lb cornerback was not only sticky in coverage but physical tackling. He can take the ball away from offenses and looks to score when he does. While he has good speed, I’m a little concerned about his length at the position. Walley finished the day with seven tackles, three PBUs, and a pick six.

Jaylen Reed, S, Junior, Penn State

Penn State was up against the ropes facing Wisconsin. They were down in the second half with their starting quarterback Drew Allar out with a knee injury. They needed a spark and got it from Jaylen Reed. He dropped into zone coverage, read the quarterback’s eyes, and followed it to a pass that he intercepted and took to the house. The Nittany Lions took the lead and didn’t look back. Besides being good in coverage, Reed plays well around he line of scrimmage using his 6’, 212 lb frame to knife into the backfield, chase down runners, make sure tackles in the flat. Reed tacked on five tackles and a pass deflection to go along with his pick six in the win over the Badgers.