Week Four of college football was supposed to be an exciting week of football action. It did not disappoint. I watched four games during the week four slate of contests.Â
Each week, I will look back at the top prospect performances from the games I watched the previous week.
WEEK FOUR PROSPECT REWIND
GEORGIA STATE @ COASTAL CAROLINA
Coastal Carolina QB Grayson McCall has been on our radar for several years. Unfortunately, it does not look like he has taken steps forward as a passer. McCall looked more comfortable in a hurry-up offense than in their base. He finished the game 26/42 for 295 yards and a score.
McCall’s main target is WR Sam Pinckney. He has good size but isn’t much of a separator. Pinckney had a few key drops. He finished with six catches for 67 yards.
Georgia State 4th-year CB Bryquice Brown has good ball skills and size (6’0″ 186). Against CCU, Brown broke up two passes and had two tackles.
MISSISSIPPI @ ALABAMA
Jalen Milroe played like two different players in each half. In the first two quarters, he showed poor pocket presence and didn’t seem to have the trust of the playcaller.Â
I can’t believe Alabama blocked a punt in the end zone, took over at Ole Miss’ 1 and then:
Snap went over Milroe’s head
Milroe sacked
Milroe sacked
40-yard FG— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) September 23, 2023
In the second half, Milroe took shots down the field, played with more confidence, and ran with toughness. He finished 17/21 for 225 yards with a TD and a pick.Â
Alabama CB Kool-Aid McKinstry is a lockdown corner. He kept the receivers he was covering in his hip pocket. McKinstry should be in the first-round conversation. He finished with three solo tackles, one TFL, and one pass defensed.
The Crimson Tide has a pair of closers coming off of the edge. Dallas Turner was a maniac, especially in the fourth quarter. He finished with five tackles (three solos), two sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble.
Turner’s partner in crime, Chris Braswell, recorded 1.5 sacks in the fourth quarter.
Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart showed his toughness in this game. He took a beating for four quarters. Dart finished 20/35 for 244 yards and one INT. He also had a rushing touchdown. I don’t think Jaxson Dart is a draft-worthy passer at this point.
COLORADO @ OREGON
Colorado finally came back to reality this week at the hands of a thorough beating from Bo Nix and Oregon. Nix is playing leaps and bounds better than he was at Auburn. I had basically written him off as a prospect then but now I am back on board.Â
Against Colorado, Nix completed 28/33 for 276 yards and three touchdowns. He also added a rushing score. Nix did have a bad interception in the 2nd quarter but it ultimately meant nothing.
The Ducks overwhelmed the Colorado offensive line for much of the day. South Carolina transfer Jordan Burch finally had a breakthrough game this year. He finished with four tackles and two sacks. Interior DL Brandon Dorlus is a pretty consistent defender. He also had four tackles and one sack.
This was easily the worst game of this season for Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders. Sanders ran for his life most of the game and never developed any rhythm. Sanders completed 23/33 passes for only 159 yards and a TD. He was sacked seven times.
OREGON STATE @ WASHINGTON STATE
In the battle for the 2Pac Championship, it was WAZZU that came out on top. It did so with an outstanding performance for QB Cameron Ward. It appears Ward is finally having a breakout season. Ward has decent size (6’2″ 223), throws a catchable ball, and has nice arm strength. Against the Beavers, he completed 28 of 34 throws for 404 yards and four TDs. Including a 75-yard touchdown on the game’s opening play.Â
I have been on his bandwagon for a few seasons but it is nice to see Cougars’ edge Brennan Jackson continue to have success. Jackson is going to be a nice rotational piece for an NFL team. He recorded five tackles and two hurries against OSU.
This was the worst game of the young season for D.J. Uiagalelei. DJU completed only 50% of his throws for 198 yards with a TD pass and interception. He also ran for 61 and a score. Uiagalelei has looked so much better in the Oregon State pro-style offense than he did at Clemson.
Beavers’ RB Deshaun Fenwick is going to make a zone-blocking run scheme team happy. He is such a good one-cut-and-go type of rusher. Fenwick rushed for three touchdowns against the Cougs while rushing for 101 yards on 11 carries.Â
It helps when you have an athletic blocker at left tackle like OSU has with Joshua Gray.
EVERYTHING ELSE
On the Garnet Roost podcast this week, I questioned whether Mississippi State could beat South Carolina deep. I was wrong. 4th-year WR Lideatrick Griffin got over the top several times on the Gamecocks defense. He caught seven passes for 256 yards and one score.
Fortunately for South Carolina, they have a stud pass catcher of their own. Xavier Legette continues his hot streak to start the season. Legette had multiple 75-yard touchdown receptions. One where he took a short pass and just decimated the angles of the defenders. Another where Legette just beat his man on a go route. He finished with five catches for 189 yards.
Been trying to tell y’all about @GamecockFB wideout Xavier Legette. And this is against an SEC defense. ?pic.twitter.com/ELswPZUdGl
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) September 24, 2023
Fell in love with Washington WR Rome Odunze a year ago. My infatuation continues. Odunze caught five passes against Cal for 125 yards and two scores.
#Washington WR Rome Odunze in the first half:
-83 yard punt return touchdown
-44 yard reception at beginning of second quarter
-This 35 yard touchdown showcasing his tracking.Nearly 200 all purpose yards. Such an impressive talent
— Devin Jackson (@RealD_Jackson) September 24, 2023
The TD throw of the day came from presumptive QB2, North Carolina’s Drake Maye:
Drake Maye throws a left-handed touchdown! pic.twitter.com/Xaz6uGIyGj
— Ian Valentino (@NFLDraftStudy) September 24, 2023
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