Week Fourteen Risers
1. Dalvin Tomlinson, DT, Alabama
Bio
Tomlinson, a four-star recruit in 2012, has been a steady rotational player for a few years, playing as both an end and a tackle at 6'3 and 307 pounds. The senior had 34 tackles and six pass breakups in 2015.
Tomlinson was a three-time state wrestling champion in high school (Georgia). In fact, he was the first wrestler in state history to win three heavyweight championships, Tomlinson finished his senior season 49-0.
Also a former soccer player, he tore is left ACL while playing soccer in high school. Then, he suffered a torn right ACL in the first game of the 2013 season.
My pre-season thoughts
Replacing Jarran Reed and A'Shawn Robinson would be very difficult, for 99% of college teams, but Tomlinson, Da'Shawn Hand, and true sophomore Da'Ron Payne should each make a lot of noise this fall.
While Tomlinson could make a huge push up the rankings, he looks to be the odd man out behind Payne, Hand, and potential first round DE/DT Jonathan Allen.
Offering little more than an occasional bull-rush, he should not be counted on as a difference-making pass-rusher, but he is a low-center of gravity run-stuffing defensive tackle.
Update
Tomlinson has certainly NOT been the "odd man out" in 2016. In fact, there are some that believe he has performed just as well as Robinson and Reed.
Tomlinson was credited with a pair of QB hurries in the SEC Championship game. His pressure contributed to blowing-up the Gators' fourth-and-goal play and forcing a pop-up throw.
Tomlinson moves around the line, changing positions to play five-technique or nose tackle. A stout run defender, he plays with good leverage when man-up and can shed his man to fill the gap. Tomlinson's strong first step generates interior pressure. He had a sack against both Texas A&M and LSU (4.5 TFL, including three sacks for the season).
Over half of Alabama’s defensive starters are good enough to be selected in on the first two days of the 2017 NFL draft, with four or five of them getting serious first-round consideration. Much like Robinson and Reed, Tomlinson probably won't be selected in the first round, but I think his increased playing time this season will help him break into the top-50.
2. Wayne Gallman, RB, Clemson
Bio
Gallman ran for a team-high 769 yards and four touchdowns on 161 carries along with 24 receptions as a red-shirt freshman. Then, on a team that nearly won a national championship, he contributed 1527 yards with 13 touchdowns, adding 21 catches in 2015.
My pre-season thoughts
At 6'1/215, Gallman is certainly big enough to handle a full work-load, but suffers from inconsistent use in Watson-led offense. (26 carries vs Oklahoma, 14 vs Alabama). I expect his yards to be down next season despite improved efficiency.
Gallman has a fluid, but somewhat upright running style. More than adequate in pass-pro, and effective catching out of the backfield. Reminds me of DeMarco Murray.
Update
In the ACC Championship Game, Gallman rushed for 59 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries in Clemson's 42-35 win over Virginia Tech.
After the game, NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah wrote about Gallman. "He's a complete back and scouts in attendance believe he's ideally suited for the NFL."
Coming into the ACC Championship game, he had rushed for a combined 273 yards against Wake Forest and South Carolina in Clemson’s previous two games, but has been held under 65 yards rushing in seven of 13 games this season.
Gallman has taken a beating this year, but he has continued to produce. ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit said Gallman looked "fresher" than he looked at the end of last season. I am not so sure.
Earlier this season, Gallman had 16 carries for 110 yards in Clemson's win over Louisville and 30 carries for 123 yards in Clemson's opener against a talented Auburn defense.
He ran for 82 yards on 20 carries with two scores against Florida State. Of his 84 yards, 55 came after contact. Gallman also broke a pair of tackles on his 20 carries, and scored a couple of touchdowns, including one nice second effort after his attempted jump over was stuffed.
As a runner, there is a fine line between patience and being hesitant. At times, Gallman looks both. His efficiency in pass protection and good hands will likely help him quickly get on the field as a rookie. Gallman looks like an average athlete for the position. In a deep RB class, he looks like a third or fourth round pick.
3. Forest Lamp, OT/OG, Western Kentucky
Lamp accepted his invite to the Senior Bowl. ESPN's Mel Kiper wrote Lamp "reminds me a little bit of Brandon Scherff" and says "Lamp is in the second-round range right now. "
Lamp actually began his career at right guard, starting the first three games of his redshirt freshman season there before being moved outside to left tackle, where he's started the past 49 consecutive games, including Saturday's win.
NFL.com's Chad Reuter wrote this about Lamp
NFL scouts that haven't watched much of the Hilltoppers could only say only one thing after their Conference USA championship victory over Louisiana Tech: I love Lamp. The four-year starter at left tackle has helped WKU rank seventh in the country in total offense. He's not huge (6-4, 300) or physically dominant, but because of his ability to sit and slide, pass rushers find it difficult to get around him. That bend helps him anchor both against bull rushes and move his man in the run game. Tech linebackers got tired of him getting in their face at the second level, as well. Because Lamp isn't a physical specimen like other tackles in this class, he might be available in the third or fourth round. However, if a team in need a of a blind-side protector takes him late in the second round, it could end up very happy with the decision.
Mike Mayock said on The College Draft with Ross Tucker podcast (if you are interested in the NFL Draft and have never listened to this pod-cast, you should consider)
The offensive lineman that I enjoyed watching the most is Forest Lamp...if you watch his tape against Alabama, he handles speed - Tim Williams. The kid was phenomenal from a technique perspective. Then he had to go up against (Jonathan) Allen. Against the best that college football that has to offer...he handled Alabama.
Every year there is a left tackle that can kick inside and probably be an All-Pro....for me I think it's Forest Lamp.
The conference USA Championship was the first game I studies Lamp, but I also watched his Alabama cut-up on Draftbreakdown.
Lamp is now my top-ranked guard for the 2017 NFL Draft, and I see him as a likely top-50 selection.
4. Taywan Taylor, WR, Western Kentucky
Bio
Taylor was a 0-star recruit whose only other offers were Colorado State and UT-Martin, but he quickly proved to be a diamond in the rough, earning seven starts as a true freshman. As a sophomore, he once again started seven games, and had 69 catches for 1,037 yards in his first two seasons.
In 2015, Taylor set single-season records for receiving yards (1,467), receptions (86) and touchdown catches (17). Additionally, Taylor only dropped two passes all season. Strangely, Taylor was only on the field for 53.5 percent of the school’s snaps in 2015 and 53 percent of his catches were made between the numbers and less than 10 yards down field.
Tayor made Bruce Feldman's Annual 'Freaks List": Feldman wrote "his spring testing numbers — an 11-5 broad jump, a 39.5-inch vertical and a 4.33 40 — figure to turn heads when the wideout gets to the NFL Combine next year."
Draftbreakdown - 10-catch game against LSU is not yet up.
My pre-season thoughts
The 6-1, 195-pound senior may miss QB Brandon Doughty in 2016, but if he sees a higher percentage of his teams snaps, his numbers may not suffer that much. His resume should get him a Senior Bowl invite, and if Feldman is correct, the NFL Combine may also boost his stock.
Update
Taylor caught seven passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns in WKU's win over Louisiana Tech. The win gaveWestern Kentucky consecutive Conference USA titles.
In the process, Taylor broke the WKU single-season record that he set a year ago with 89 for 1,586 yards and 16 touchdowns.
As expected, Taylor has been invited to the Senior Bowl. He currently (12/5/16) ranks 10th among senior receivers on NFLDraftScout.com's board.
If he performs like he is expected at the NFL combine, the SPARQ guys should love him. The stats and analytics guys will love his production. Quick in and out of his breaks, the film junkies should be impressed with his tape.
5. Elijah Qualls, DT, Washington
Last season, Qualls was playing at an all-Pac-12 level before an October leg injury kept him out for a month, butfinishing with 26 tackles and 4.5 sacks. In Qualls, who’s been moved from the nose to end, the Huskies boast a budding star. He laid the ground floor in 2015 for what could be an All-Pac-12 junior year in Seattle.
Red-shirt junior, Qualls was actually a 1100-yard rusher in high school.
Update
Qualls is part of the Washington Wall (I just made that up) that has shut down opposing running attacks all season.
Against Colorado, Qualls had three hurries, and led was stout against the run.
For a 6-1, 321-pound interior lineman, Qualls moves surprisingly well down the line, having learned a lot in his one season playing with current Cleveland Browns tackle Danny Shelton.
For the season, Qualls has 32 tackles, with five TFL, including three sacks.
Washington boasts three defensive lineman over the 320 pound mark. As pro prospects, I would rare Vita Vae first, Qualls second, and Greg Gaines third. Currently, I have Qualls as a third round pick.
6. Marcus Allen, FS, Penn State
Bio
Junior safety. Listed at 6'2/202. Third-team Freshman All-American in 2014 (seven starts). Started 12 games in 2015, and was second on the teams with 81 tackles. No relationship to the former USC and Raiders' running back of the same name, but is the godson of former Pitt and NFL standout running back Curtis Martin.
Update
Against Wisconsin, Allen finished with eleven tackles, including six solo. His last tackle was an assist to seal the victory in the Big Ten Championship game. Earlier this season, Allen had an amazing 22 tackles in an overtime win over Minnesota.
In the upset over then-No. 2 Ohio State, Allen blocked a Buckeyes field goal attempt that was returned for the winning touchdown.
Thus far, he has 101 tackles, including six TFL, and three pass break-ups.
7. Kevin King, CB, Washington
Bio
Lightly recruited, King saw limited time as a true freshman, but started 12 games (at safety) in 2014.
Update
King made two tackles and two pass break-ups in the UW's Pac-12 Championship Game win over Colorado. He allowed only two catches for 12 yards against Stanford, and just three catches for 19 yards against Utah.
At 6’3″ 190 lbs (per ESPN), Kevin King has prototypical size for a modern-day NFL corner. King has the length to dominate and overwhelm WRs at the catch point, and he compliments his length with impressive ball skills.
His one-handed catch vs Arizona State was probably on of college football's ten best plays of the year. He uses his long arms to break-up passes in the end zone.
Draft Insider's Tony Pauline says NFL teams are "salivating over" King's measurables and "King plays to them, physically beating down opponents to defend passes."
King is a typical Seattle Seahawks type of cornerback who could be selected during the second day of the draft. The Panthers drafted two such players in 2016 in James Bradberry and Darryl Worley. They should love King.
8. Jordan Evans, LB, Oklahoma
Bio
Enters his senior season with 23 starts and 188 tackles under his belt in his college career, including 83 tackles and five tackles for loss last season to earn him second-team All-Big 12 accolades. He was sorely missed in the second half of the Orange Bowl after injuring his shoulder.
With Dominique Alexander and Eric Striker (both undrafted) gone, Evans is the lone returning starter for the Sooners' linebacking corps.
My pre-season thoughts
Evans wears #26, and is frequently asked to drop into coverage, making him look like a strong safety even though he is listed at 6-foot-2 and 233-pounds. Evans has been very productive during is time at Norman, but I am not sure how high his ceiling is. A smooth, coordinated athlete, he too often appears to be "gliding". May be more of a sub-package player in the at the next level. Evans does not look physical enough to remain at ILB in the NFL. When watching him, I don't think to myself "he is way better than Striker and Alexander", quite the contrary, I am not sure he is as good.
Update
Evans broke up two passes against Oklahoma State, helping the Sooners win the Big-12 title.
Earlier in the season, Evans had two interceptions and a pair of sacks against Baylor, followed by one pick against West Virginia the following week. He finished the regular season with with 89 tackles.
At this point, I have Evans as a fifth rounder, and my fifth-ranked S/LB hybrid.
Week Fourteen Sliders
1. Jimmie Gilbert, OLB, Colorado
Bio
At 6'5 and 230 pounds, Gilbert's frame is similar to Leonard Floyd (Georgia, Bears).
Update
Washington ran relentlessly against Colorado, neutralizing Gilbert's pass-rush. Against Washington, the announcers were commenting on Gilbert's basketball player physique, and clearly he will need to get stronger for the NFL.
It wasn't a very impressive performance, but my exposure to him has been limited.
I have only watched Colorado twice this season (UCLA and Washington) and in the UCLA game, Gilbert was ejected in the first defensive series after he was called for targeting.
For the season, Gilbert has 57 tackles, with 12.5 TFL, including 9.5 sacks. His six forced fumbles are the second-most in CU single-season history, rank in a tie for the second-most forced by any player in the country this year. He also has six QB hurries and three passes defended.
2. Jadar Johnson, S, Clemson
Bio
Johnson was forced to sit most of his first three seasons behind Jayron Kearse and TJ Green, but is a starter for his final season.
Update
After collecting five interceptions in his first season as the starter, Johnson is certainly draftable. He has also come up with picks in important games against Auburn (the opener), Louisville, and Florida State.
He has adequate size and his speed is an asset. I am much higher on him than CBS Sports, who list Johnson as just their 15th strong safety prospect (they also have ten free safeties that they have higher).
That being said, I don't think he gets drafted until day three. As a virtual unknown, coming into the season, maybe I am holding on to some of the bigger names, but I don't see him as one of the draft's top-ten safety prospects.
3. Sefo Liufau, QB, Colorado
Bio
Liufau is Colorado’s most important offensive player. The 6-4, 230-pound veteran knows the system and has nearly three seasons of starting experience.
He appeared to be an up and coming talent, when as a sophomore, he threw for 3200 yards and 28 touchdowns.
However, Liufau struggled before getting hurt last year, his production plummeting to nine touchdowns and 2,401 yards in 2015.
Update
Liufau completed just 3-of-13 passes for 21 yards with three interceptions in the Buffalo's 41-10 loss to Washington in the Pac-12 Championship Game.
He suffered a leg injury just minutes into the first quarter. That injury sidelined him for the remainder of the first half.He was also sidelined in the second half of CU's loss to Michigan, missing contests against Oregon and Oregon State. He also missed part of the UCLA game.
As a senior, Liufau threw for 2,171 yards and accounted for 18 touchdowns in the Buffs' resurgent season, the biggest turnaround in Pac-12 history. Colorado finished its Pac-12 South championship campaign with a 10-3 record, a #10 ranking.
The Buffs finished just 4-9 in 2015, and Liufau's status back then was in question because of a Lisfranc injury. At one point, Texas Tech graduate transfer quarterback Davis Webb was committed to Colorado, and Liufau's prospects for 2016 playing time were in considerable doubt. But Webb transferred to California instead, and Liufau's foot healed.
In the week leading up to the PAC-12 Championship game, some draft analyst suggested that Liufau may be the nation's top SENIOR quarterback prospect. Which is an indication of how weak this QB class appears to be.
During his best game, a 38-24 win over Washington State, Liufau became just the second quarterback in Colorado history to surpass 300 passing yards and 100 rushing yards in one game. However, his senior season was limited by a nagging hip injury.
I only watched Colorado play twice this season, and he had two interceptions and a fumble against UCLA and three against Washington. In both games, he was limited by injury.
Admittedly, the sample-size is small, but Liufau looks like a day three lottery ticket at best.
4. Jason Cabinda, LB, Penn State
Bio
Cabinda earned one start as a true freshman, then shifted from outside to middle linebacker in his first season as starter after Nyeem Wartman-White suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 1. Last season, Cabinda led the Lions with 100 tackles (39 solo) and had five pass breakups, 5 ½ tackles for loss and an interception.
My pre-season thoughts
The Nittany Lions boast three starters capable of appearing in the rankings, with Cabinda joining Nyeem Wartman-White and Brandon Bell. The 6-foot-1, 232-pounder is a true junior and could end the season much higher.
Update
Against Wisconsin, Cabinda finished with eight tackles, including three solo, but couldn't stop the powerful Badgers' rushing attack (241 yards, three TDs as a team. Clement 164 yards, 7.8 ypc).
Cabina had 13 tackles against Ohio State (2 TFL, 1 sack, 1 pbu) in his first action after coming back from a shoulder injury.
I missed most of PSU's unlikely road to winning the Big Ten Championship, including their upset of Ohio State. The only games I saw was their loss to Pitt (one of five games Cabinda missed in 2016) and come-back victory over Wisconsin.
I think Cabinda showed some good lateral ability (especially for a guys who missed a significant portion of the season), but I wasn't overly impressed. I will try to dig up the Ohio State tape and be sure to watch PSU play USC in the Rose Bowl.
5. Chuck Clark, S, Virginia Tech
Bio
He has started at both safety and corner during his career, and got a pair of starts as a true freshman.
In 2014, he made 73 tackles, including a whopping 8.5 tackles for loss. In 2015, he started at corner, finishing with 107 tackles (a very high number for a corner).
Clark has just two career interceptions.
Update
The ACC Championship game was Clark's 39th start. A few years ago, I thought Clark could develop into an eventual starter in the NFL, but his game never really progressed. In fact, I could make an argument, that Clark is just the sixth best defensive back on the Hokies roster at this point.
Draft comp: former Hokies' teammate Kyshoen Jarrett (safety, Redskins). Will leave as a 40-game starter. Productive, yet limited athlete. He can be a liability in coverage and will have to be covered up by scheme. Ready to get downhill and battle in run support and can play on special teams right away.
Based on some of his workout numbers found on hisschool bio, he may get a bump during the NFL Combine. His path to the NFL will be based on his special teams play, but I don't think he is a draftable prospect at this point.
6. Woody Baron, DT, Virginia Tech
Bio
Part-time starter (seven career starts) until senior season.
At times, he shows a tremendous amount of get-off and quickness, but is undersized, at 6'2/280.
His career game was vs Miami, when he finished with 4.5 TFL, including 2.5 sacks.
Over-aged, will be 24 yrs old in August.
Update
The ACC Championship game was the first time I really paid attention to Baron, who came into the game with a team-high 17.5 TFL including 4.5 sacks. Pretty impressive numbers. I really didn't see anything more than a late day three pick when studying Baron, but I was not focused on him when watching the Miami contest.