Player Report – Week 6
Senior RB Najee Harris (Alabama)
Harris had 23 carries for 206 rushing yards and five rushing TD’s against Ole Miss. He put the game away on a 39-yard TD late in the game on a 3rd & 5 play. He has a great frame at 6’2, 230 pounds with broad shoulders and good athleticism. He is a physical runner who shows terrific power. It is tough for defenders to bring him down once he gets to full speed. He has an effective spin move. But his signature move is to hurdle over defenders in the open field. Everyone was surprised that he didn’t enter the draft after his junior year. For a senior RB, he doesn’t have a lot of tread under his tears. He is also a capable receiver coming out of the backfield.
Senior RB Travis Etienne (Clemson)
Another running back that no one expected to come back for his senior season. Etienne is a matchup nightmare. He can hurt you as a runner and as a receiver. He has great speed and elusiveness. He can hit the homerun. He is so shifty in the open field. He can easily bounce it outside. In the last two years, he has gotten stronger. He has displayed the power to break tackles and get those tough yards. He also shows outstanding hands. Against Miami, he had a season-high 149 rushing yards, scored two TD’s and caught a career-high eight receptions for 73 yards. His versatility will remind NFL teams of Alvin Kamara. Travis Etienne and Najee Harris will be the top two running backs selected in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Senior RB Michael Carter (UNC)
Let’s stay with the running back theme. His stock has been on the rise during his senior year. Against VA Tech, Carter had a career-high 214 rushing yards and two rushing TD’s. He is a very versatile back. He gives you an extra dimension as a receiver and a kick returner. He is an athletic RB with good speed. He displays patience for the hole to develop. He demonstrates good cutback ability. He shows great acceleration with the ball in his hands and is at his best in the open field. He is also capable of breaking tackles. I have compared Carter to another great UNC RB and longtime Bengal Gio Bernard.
Junior TE James Mitchell (Virginia Tech)
Mitchell registered the first multi-touchdown game of his career against UNC. He scored on a one-yard run in the second quarter and on a 26-yard reception in the fourth quarter. He caught four receptions for 103 yards. He is built more like an H-back at 6’3 and 242 pounds. He is a versatile chess-piece for the Hokies offense. He has taken over the role for Dalton Keene who was drafted by the Patriots in the third round of last year’s draft. He shows very good speed and can stretch the field vertically. He displays the ability to pick up yards after the catch. He demonstrated terrific hand/eye coordination on the one-handed catch against the Tar Heels. But I was mostly impressed with his run blocking during the game. His overall effort and his ability to sustain blocks on the outside. This current 2021 TE class is going to be a good one, and you can add James Mitchell’s name to it as well.
Junior CB Eric Stokes (Georgia)
He recorded one INT and two pass deflections against the Vols on Saturday. Stokes has good length (6’1, 185 pounds) and great speed (runs in the 4.3’s). During this game, he displayed the ability to make plays on the ball. He is an instinctive corner with great COD. He is a good press corner with above average mirroring skills. If he continues his strong play, expect the junior cornerback to come out after this season and hear his name called early in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Junior WR Terrace Marshall Jr. (LSU)
Last year, he was lost in the shuffle because Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson were Joe Burrow’s favorite targets in the passing game. This season, Marshall Jr. is the go-to-receiver for the new QB Myles Brennan. He caught 11 receptions for 235 yards and three TD’s against Missouri. He was a five-star recruit coming out of high school. He is a physical receiver with good size and speed. He checks off those boxes as far as the physical attributes are concerned. He excels at making contested catches. The one thing he has to improve on is his route running ability.
