Three-Point Stance: Predictions, first-round steals, new coaches
Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell’s Three-Point Stance is here with predictions on the top players at each position for 2019, five first-round sleepers for the NFL Draft and rating the top rebuilding jobs for the new coaches in college football.
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1. THROWING DARTS
Where will the top 2019 prospects at each position end up? Here are my early guesses by position.
Pro-Style Quarterback – Grant Gunnell – Bo Nix (Auburn) and Dylan Morris (Washington) are committed so Gunnell, a former Texas A&M commitment, is on the clock. He reminds me a lot of Mason Rudolph at the same stage so I’ll take a shot in the dark and say Oklahoma State lands him as a perfect fit for its offense.
Dual-Threat Quarterback – Jayden Daniels – He will stay home and play for USC, which seems to be the general consensus.
All-Purpose Running Back – Mark-Anthony Richards – Everyone is coming after him but I think Miami wins this battle.
Running Back – Devyn Ford – Tough call here between Ohio State and Virginia Tech. The Hokies really need to keep him home, but I’m not betting against Urban Meyer here.
Wide Receiver – Theo Wease – He has committed to Oklahoma once already and he ultimately ends up back with the Sooners.
Tight End – Hudson Henry – He follows his brother, Hunter, and plays for Arkansas despite a push from some others.
Offensive Tackle – Darnell Wright – There has been a lot of talk about the Vols winning this battle so I’ll go with Tennessee early here.
Offensive Guard – Evan Neal – Miami has been rumored as his leader for a long time and I don’t see anyone overtaking the ‘Canes.
Offensive Center – Clay Webb – Alabama has to be viewed as the leader at this point and that’s where he ends up.
Weakside Defensive End – Kayvon Thibodeaux – Do I think he gets out of state? Nope. He stays home and plays for USC despite the push from LSU and Alabama.
Strongside Defensive End – Zach Harrison – Harrison will stay home and play for Ohio State.
Defensive Tackle – Ishmael Sophsher – Pulling him away from LSU is going to be tough; I’ll go with the Tigers early.
Inside Linebacker – Shane Lee – He’s very quiet and hard to read but I have a gut feeling about Penn State here.
Outside Linebacker – Owen Pappoe – He almost committed to Georgia once according to sources and I can’t see him going anyplace else.
Cornerback – Derek Stingley Jr. – Another one who should stay in-state, I expect him to sign with LSU.
Safety – Daxton Hill – Many will try to steal him out of state but I’m not betting against Lincoln Riley and the in-state Sooners.
Athlete – Quavaris Crouch – Tough call early here but I’ll go with Clemson based on the way the Tigers recruit North Carolina.
2. POTENTIAL FIRST-ROUND STEALS
Here are five NFL prospects that are expected to be drafted in the middle or back-half of the first round that will turn out to be steals.
DL Da’Ron Payne, Alabama – Payne will be a standout in the NFL for a long time. He can not only handle the run but also flush the quarterback, which is what every NFL team covets these days.
DB Derwin James, Florida State – A rangy safety who can also blitz and work close to the line of scrimmage, James will be a steal for a team in the middle of round one.
LB Rashaan Evans, Alabama – A heady linebacker who can cover a ton of ground and get off blocks, Evans could be the best linebacker in the draft.
DB Josh Jackson, Iowa – I love his length and ball skills and his football IQ is very high. Jackson will be a crafty corner in the league for a long time.
RB Derrius Guice, LSU – I like how hard he runs and, if he can stay healthy, he is an RB1 to me for most teams and a first-round steal.
3. FIRST-YEAR COACHES IN TOUGH SPOTS
Which new coaches are taking over the biggest dumpster fires? The top couple were easy for me, but it's not so clear-cut after that. Here are the five first-year coaches facing tough debut seasons.
Johnathan Smith, Oregon State – The toughest job in college football has to be No. 1 on this list. It’s hard to win in and recruit to Corvallis, and it's especially hard to make a splash in the Pac-12.
Jeremy Pruitt, Tennessee – This will be a rebuilding job. The Vols didn't win a single SEC game last season and their roster isn't loaded with talent. Fans would love to see Kirby Smart-like results but it will take much longer than that.
Scott Frost, Nebraska – The good news? Nebraska isn’t in the Big Ten East. The bad news? The Huskers are a long way from competing for the Big Ten West and Frost will need to work the same turnaround magic that he did at UCF.
Chip Kelly, UCLA – UCLA has some talent on the roster but getting the Bruins to compete and care seems to be a chore. This is a team that hasn’t won much historically and needs a full roster overhaul in order to fit Kelly's style.
Chad Morris, Arkansas – The SEC West is tough and the change of style will take some time. This could be a disaster in the making.