Again, the Coronavirus has proven ravenous in college football and week 13 has seen multiple games cancelled once again. Week 13 still sees a host of Future Stars on offer though.
Future Stars brings you the 2021 NFL Draft Prospects you should keep your eye on each and every week throughout the college season and into next year’s Draft.
Week 13 will see 6 games televised in the UK across the BT Sport channels.
| PENN STATE at MICHIGAN | 17:00 | BT SPORT 3 |
| KENTUCKY at FLORIDA | 17:00 | BT SPORT ESPN |
| PITTSBURGH at CLEMSON | 20:30 | BT SPORT 3 |
| AUBURN at ALABAMA | 20:30 | BT SPORT ESPN |
| LSU at TEXAS A&M | 00:00 | BT SPORT ESPN |
| UTAH at WASHINGTON | 00:00 | BT SPORT 3 |
FUTURE STARS
JAYSON OWEH – EDGE – PENN STATE
Despite how bad Penn State has been in 2020. Jayson Oweh has been a player who has stood out. Oweh was a player given first round potential, going into the 2020 season, and so far he is living up to expectation.
Oweh is a freaky athlete who will test extremely well. He is a raw prospect who has an abundance of potential as a pro. He could potentially have the highest ceiling of any edge rusher in this class.
Oweh has the speed to bull rush, but also has the flexibility and bend to get round the edge. He is a tackling machine in the run game and he plays hard on every down.
However, Oweh can struggle to counter blocks at times. He doesn’t control every play and doesn’t find a way to be influential on every snap. Oweh is yet to show dominance when rushing, but this is because he is such a raw prospect.
Oweh has the traits to be successful at the next level, but his rawness means teams will be buying into his future potential. Although he has been good so far in 2020, a good performance against Michigan will go a long way to cementing his place as a top edge prospect.
DRAKE JACKSON – C – KENTUCKY
Jackson is a tough player. A ever reliable center on the Wildcats offensive line, Jackson is one of the top prospects this year from Kentucky.
Jackson is a player who possesses good balance and a good centre of gravity. He doesn’t get knocked over easily. He has the size and frame to be a day one starter in the NFL. Jackson has good enough strength and gets his hands up early to boss his opposition. He offers good directional agility and can move his opponent any direction.
Jackson isn’t the quickest of lineman and his hands don’t stick like Velcro to oncoming rushers. He doesn’t issue an instant jab and it would be nice to see him be more aggressive at times. Although he is strong, he doesn’t issue knockout blows in short yardage runs when you would like him to finish opponents to prevent them making a play.
Whether Jackson offers the versatility of other offensive lineman in this class is arguable. He doesn’t have the long extendable arms to slot in to play guard where some other centres in this class do. He fits perfectly into a run heavy, zone blocking system that can utilise his assets.
PATRICK SURTAIN – CB – ALABAMA
There seems to be no consensus building as to who the best cornerback in the class is. But, Patrick Surtain seems to be getting the CB1 tag more than others.
The main reason is Surtain is built like a prototypical corner. He has the size, the length and the frame that NFL teams look for. He shouldn’t have a problem covering anybody.
Surtain is a flexible and adaptable defensive back who plays the game patiently, but bravely. He has a good turn to track receivers and really strong ball skills when the ball comes his way. He is a smooth runner and has a fluent motion through his reads.
Surtain isn’t the best tackler and doesn’t always put his body on the line to stop attackers. He sometimes isn’t aggressive enough to make the tackle and he just needs to play with a bit more strength. It has also been spotted that Surtain doesn’t have the twitch or quickness in short spaces and can be caught out at the change of direction.
Surtain has the physical abilities and the ball skills to be a top NFL cornerback and shouldn’t have any problem transitioning to the next level. The good far outweighs the bad and there is no reason he won’t be a top level corner in the NFL.
PATRICK JONES II – EDGE – PITTSBURGH
If Pittsburgh are to live with Trevor Lawrence and Clemson, then they are going to need to slow them down. Patrick Jones has been key for the Panthers so far in 2020 and is tied for 2nd in total sacks on the season.
Patrick Jones is explosive. He has fantastic get up off the line of scrimmage and always seems to be ahead of the snap. Jones is a fluid and direct athlete who offers plenty of curve and bend. He is a dip and diver. Jones has good length and is cultured in his rushing abilities. He has good hand placement, good counters and vision.
As good as Jones is at rushing the passer it does mean he often leaves running lanes open for running backs. Becoming a more accomplished tackler and run blocker will only help Jones as a pro, but there is no denying his ability to get after the quarterback.
Jones is a quality prospect and is amongst the top edge rushers in this class. The EDGE class is one where teams will just have to pick their type and Jones will fit in and produce in the majority of NFL teams.
It is a class that will feature many Future Stars at the next level
JACOBY STEVENS – S – LSU
Stevens is a hybrid safety who has been used all over the field at LSU.
He is a player who can do a bit of everything and he does most things successfully. He has good size for the position and is reliable in the tackle. Add this to his speed and he can be trusted to make the last defender tackle that stops a touchdown.
What stands out on Stevens film is his ball skills. You can see that he is a former wide receiver as his balls skills are brilliant. His athleticism is good enough meaning he is also effective rushing off the edge and as a linebacker.
Although Stevens’s athleticism is good enough his hips are compact and they don’t move fluidly. It hinders his change of direction and can make him play behind his opponent. It means Stevens plays better when protecting tight ends and bigger receivers, rather than running backs or small twitchy receivers who prove more elusive.
NFL teams will have a role for Stevens to play and his versatility is a huge plus at the next level and to his development. Stevens now needs to go out and prove he can cope against NFL caliber offenses to move himself up big boards in a highly congested 2021 safety class.
Which Future Stars will you have your eye on this week? Let us know over on Twitter @NinetynineYards and @Owain_Jones_
FEATURE IMAGE CREDIT: PITT ATHLETICS