It has been another good couple of weeks of football, and this week's notebook dump features a RB-centric theme, a look at what may have been the most rain I have ever seen for a football game, Kirby Smart and his link to Peyton Manning, and a Christian McCaffrey stat I had to re-read multiple times. Without further ado, here we go friends.

8 Prospects Up 

1. Greg Ward, QB, Houston, #1 Senior (vs UConn)

Coming into the game, I had seen enough of Greg Ward to know he had an intriguing combination of arm talent and running ability. After watching this game, however, I found myself very interested in seeing Ward's ability as a passer moving forward. Ward has plenty of arm strength, showcasing both in throwing the deep ball, but in being able to drive the football when necessary. Despite being a convert to the QB spot, Ward has better fundamentals than you would anticipate, he plays within balance, never out of control. His release is effortless, he can flick it with ease.  

What really stood out in this game were two things. UConn was not going to let Greg Ward beat them with his legs, they dropped 8 into coverage multiple times, playing zone, and keeping their eyes on Ward as much as possible. This proved costly, as Ward proved time and again he could beat the defense with perfect throws, to all areas of the field. The biggest takeaway, however, was just how tough Ward is. A sub-6 foot, 200 pound frame is probably his biggest deterrent, but Ward took two major shots during the 2nd quarter and was not phased in anyway. As we watch Blaine Gabbert, Derek Anderson, Cody Kessler etc start NFL games, I just hope a player like Ward is given the chance prove he can play QB next level.

2. Allen Lazard, WR, Iowa State, #5 Junior (vs San Jose State)

One of the more disappointing trends the past few years is reading up on a player that has great size for the WR spot, and finding myself disappointed when I watch the player and they either can't move or they play smaller than their size suggests. Jordan Villamin and Mark Reynolds are two such examples this year, neither has stood out in multiple exposures to them. This is not the case with Allen Lazard.

Allen Lazard is easy to spot as you try and find him lined up along the Cyclones offensive front. He looks every bit of 6'5, 220+ pounds. Lazard shows an ability as a rebounder in contested situations, using his combination of wingspan, body control, and soft hands to secure the ball away from his frame with ease. I was impressed with Lazard in the run game on a few occasions as well. There have been some whispers of him being more finesse than teams would like, I didn't see that in his play demeanor at all.

3. Obi Melifonwu, S, UConn, #20 Redshirt Senior (vs Houston) 

Coming into the Houston game, I had not heard of Obi Melofonwu, and he was not on my Watch List. However, after about 5 plays O had to look up who #20 was. Melofonwu has size for days, listed at 6'3, but where he stood out was how easily he was able to break down in space on a few occasions, and his pursuit to the ball. His long gait helps him close quickly. Concerning on two occasions Melofonwu took poor angles in pursuit, and while he still helped make the play, on Sunday's he simply wouldn't have gotten there. Bob Disco coached defenses are almost always sound fundamentally, and it shows up in Obi's game.

4. Brandon Radcliff, RB, Louisville, #23 Redshirt Senior (vs Syracuse, Marshall, Clemson)

Dating back about 24 months now, while studying two RB's for Louisville who were eligible in Dominique Brown and Michael Dyer, I remember seeing this other young back and thinking he was the best player. A Miami kid who was being touted at squatting over 600 pounds, Brandon Radcliff quickly had me digging to find any information I could on the player.

The insane squat numbers show up in his play immediately, as leg drive is something I have written in my notes a hundred times with Brandon Radcliff. What is unique with a player who has such strength in his lower half is how good his feet are too. Ballerina-like at times, Brandon Radcliff has great lateral quickness to make a man miss while not sacrificing any momentum as he moves upfield. Radcliff's running ability is a perfect compliment to Lamar Jackson and presents major problems for the opposition.

5. Sony Michel, RB, Georgia, #1 Junior (vs Tennessee)

This was Sony Michel's first real go since breaking his arm in an off season ATV accident, and he quickly picked up where he left off from last season. His teammate gets much more hype, but I am not sure that Michel isn't the more complete back moving forward. Hard to watch Michel and not be impressed how much lean he plays with, how often he runs behind his pads. His size is right in my wheelhouse for a RB, and his ability to keep his shoulders square to the LOS while flashing deadly lateral agility makes him a much better than anticipated runner between the tackles. Michel also has incredible balance, multiple times when watching him you will see him use a hand to stay up and keep running, this is a player who as he gets more experience, will only keep getting better.

6. Joe Yearby, RB, Miami, #2 Junior (vs Georgia Tech, Florida State)

Similar to Brandon Radcliff sticking out while watching his teammates, Joe Yearby did the same thing to me when studying Duke Johnson two seasons ago for Miami. While he has a tendency to run a little too upright at times, Joe Yearby offers a tremendous skillset moving forward. First thing that really stands out with him is his vision, I got to a point where I wrote 'eyes in the back of his head' when he gets into space. Yearby has a lethal jump cut, and can string together multiple moves in a row with ease. He is great at using stutter steps and hesitation moves to create space, give himself room to maneuver. Showed a nasty stiff arm a few times as well. Dalvon Cook's high school teammate is a player I am anxious to see as he gets game reps, becomes more comfortable in a brand new offense. A personal favorite. 

7. Corey Vereen, DE, Tennessee, #50 Senior (vs Appalachian State, Georgia)

As I studied what looked to be a promising Volunteer defense heading into 2016, one name I did not know very much about was Corey Vereen. However, I quickly figured out the best pass rusher in Knoxville might in fact be #50. While Vereen might not flash all world athleticism, length, or strength, he does just enough of everything to make you take notice. He has enough juice to get the edge, and shows promising hand use at times. Facing blocking schemes typically focusing help toward his teammate's side, Vereen has caused problems. Against the Bulldogs, he squared off against draft eligible Greg Pyke (though miscast as a T) and got the better him the majority of the day. With Georgia pinned deep, Vereen was able to get Pyke on skates and not allow anywhere for the QB to step up, and when the ball was fumbled to the turf, Vereen was in the perfect spot to recover the ball for the TD. A player I will be watching more carefully as we move along in the season.

8. Kamari Cotton-Moya, S, Iowa State, #5 Redshirt Junior (vs San Jose State)

Yet another example of a player I had not known anything about prior to the San Jose State tilt, Kamari Cotton-Moya immediately jumped off the tape while watching him against the Spartans. Cotton-Moya's physicality is something I really enjoy watching, he came downhill with bad intentions in more than one instance. In a wide open Big 12, Cotton-Moya will have plenty of chances to show off his athletic ability, what I want to see is how sound he is fundamentally, what types of angles he takes in pursuit, and any chance I can see him matched up in man coverage in space. 

8 Prospects Down 

1. Darius Hamilton, DT, Rutgers, #91 5th Year Senior (vs Iowa)

Darius Hamilton has been on my Watch List 3 years running, and his body has definitely undergone a transformation during that time. When I initially studied Hamilton, he was an undersized interior defensive lineman, tipping the scales around 265 pounds. Fast forward to this year, and Hamilton is now approaching 300 pounds. My concern here, though, is that Hamilton was never the quickest player, and that the weight gain will slow him down even more. Against Iowa, he struggled at the POA vs a heavy run attack, and I am unsure how much, if any, pass rush Hamilton will be able to offer a team as we move along in the process.

2. Derek Barnett, ?, Tennessee, #9 Junior (vs Appalachian State, Georgia)

A ? is listed as Derek Barnett's position for me moving forward, because after having seen many snaps of the player, I am still unsure where to use him to project long term success. Barnett shows some ability to bend the edge and run the arc, but is not often successful on getting home to finish the sack this way. Where Barnett wins is with hand use and leverage, and he does a good job getting pressure when kicked inside. The concern is that Barnett doesn't have the size to survive inside on Sunday's, nor the athleticism to be a difference maker from the edge either. Multiple times Georgia was content to let a TE block him, or a duo of RB/TE, and he should have caused more da!age than he did. Some to like about the player, but every exposure just yields more question marks.

3. Ejuan Price, DE, Pittsburgh, #5 Redshirt Senior (vs North Carolina, Marshall) 

It pains me to place Ejuan Price here, as he has been very intriguing in my first two exposures to him. Right away vs North Carolina, he caused a Safety in the game, and caused major problems for the Tar Heel offensive line. Listed at 6'0, 255 pounds, Price's lack of height is beneficial to him as he can get so low to the ground while running the arc. He flashes pretty good quickness off the snap, and some lateral agility as well. Where the concern lies with Price is he reminds me of Vic Beasley in how he wins, and some of the same issues Beasley now finds himself dealing with are ones Price will as well; athleticism can only get you so far, Price needs to develop better inside counter moves, and work on adding whatever strength he can to his smaller frame. Marshall trotted out Clint Van Horn, a massive T prospect who lacks athleticism, and Price should have had a field day. This did not prove to be the case, however. Lots to worry about here.

4. Billy Freeman, TE, San Jose State, #18 Senior (vs Iowa State) 

Billy Freeman was a name a buddy of mine passed along to me, someone to pay attention to at a lesser known school. Having studied Tyler Ervin a few times last year, I was concerned I didn't recall Freeman. Watching him against Iowa State, he did not stand out in anyway. In fact, after watching him for 10 plays or so, I looked up his listed weight, which is 231 pounds. Sounds about right, as Freeman looks more like a glorified WR than a TE, and it shows in how he plays. While he made one nice full extension grab, he offered little in the way of blocking and didn't look like a difference maker as a pass catcher.

5. Greg Pyke, OL, Georgia, #73 Senior (vs North Carolina, Tennessee)

Greg Pyke was a player I studied previously for the Bulldogs, from the RG position. Pyke now plays RT for Georgia. What you see immediately with Pyke is size, he looks every bit his listed size at 6'6, 320+ pounds, having the length you would hope from his frame. His issues have always been hand placement in the ground game, and his upper/lower body being out of sync at times in pass protection. Too often I saw Pyke overextending, lunging towards his target, playing top heavy and losing his balance and strong base. His functional strength leads you to question whether he can find sustained success as an interior offensive lineman, or the foot quickness to survive on the island outside.

6. Jamar Summers, CB, UConn, #21 Junior (vs Houston)

Syracuse-UConn was accidentally deleted from the DVR, and for Jamar Summers, that might have been a good thing. Amba Etta-Tawo baptized him in a bad way the previous week. No position requires you to watch a player after he gets beat more than the CB spot, as you are going to lose some, but you must be an ultimate competitor. I wanted to see how Summers responded vs Houston. While Summers was not as bad the week before, he left a lot to be desired in this one. The Cougars got him on a double move, and struggled a few other times. He showed good tenacity blowing up a bubble screen, but a lot of concerns were raised watching him play. 

7. Jalen Hurd, RB, Tennessee, #1 Junior (vs Appalachian State, Georgia) 

Jalen Hurd is in reality the offensive version of Derek Barnett for me, looks to be a great Saturday player, but what type of Sunday player is he? It must be noted that Hurd has unique movement skills and athletic ability for a nearly 250 pound RB. His footwork at times leaves you breathless. My overriding concern when watching him is his upright running style. His size makes it hard for him to consistently be the low man and to win with leverage. Ultimately, an epically loaded RB group will have me liking a great deal of players more than Hurd. 

8. Deshone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame, #14 Junior (vs Texas, North Carolina State) 

While Deshone Kizer finds himself in this column on the heels of an abysmal performance vs the Wolfpack, it is an overall sense for his game that finds him here more than anything. Hurricane Matthew made the Irish game one that was played in a torrential downpour. A monsoon. The adjectives don't do justice for how much rain these players dealt with. The reality, though, was that Kizer simply could not throw the ball. While the conditions were less than favorable, North Carolina State's QB completed some passes. My biggest issue here is I watched Jared Goff get killed for getting pulled vs Oregon in a similar situation a few years back, and I am hoping that when people discuss Kizer, that the rain game at least comes up.

From my standpoint, Deshone Kizer has 1-2 wow throws and then I find myself underwhelmed for periods of time. I think he clearly needs seasoning, more refinement, and would be wise to return to school. Entering the Draft will almost assure he is a Top 10 pick, and I am unsure if he is ready to play to that level yet. People anointing Kizer without talking of his shortcomings, while never giving Dak Prescott a chance last year is part of why narratives and groupthink are such a crappy part of the Draft process. Kizer has a long ways to go at this point

Observations 

*One thing any evaluator will tell you is when study in players, any unique uniform accessory that helps you identify the player is a lifesaver. Tuning into San José State-Iowa State, I was thankful Christian Tago wore a yellow undershirt no other LB on the field wore, finding him was easy. Rutgers uniforms prior to 2016 were some of the most difficult to identify Jersey numbers, San Diego State I'd like that right now, too. I am reminded of watching Wisconsin a few weeks ago and being disheartened by them having 4 white LB's, which helped none in the way of finding Vince Biegel on any play

*Haven't seen enough of either yet, but Malik McDowell and Mike McGlinchey have not looked like the premium picks they are being made out to be. McGlinchey's lack of length for his size seems to be my biggest concern from afar, and I was disappointed not to get to see McDowell vs Dan Feeney

*I raised the Lamar Jackson-Mike Vick comparison a few weeks ago, and when watching Jackson vs a bigger Clemson defense, I couldn't help but think of how much he physically reminded me of Pat White, with his rail thin frame. Clear as we head towards 2018 Draft, Jackson's body will need to continue to develop as long as his physical and mental skills

*During Washington's bloodbath of Stanford, a stat was shown on the screen that me me pause and rewind the TV, to look at it again to make sure what I saw was correct. In 13 career true road games, meaning not a bowl game, season opener, neutral site game, Christian McCaffrey has 0 career TD's. In 21 other tilts, McCaffrey averages nearly a 100 more yards from scrimmage per game and has 21 TD's

*Bless the TV networks for finding archived footage of coaches from their playing days, previously I highlighted PJ Fleck and Love Smith, this week I bring you Kirby Smart, and his 1st career interception, courtesy of Peyton Manning

*Finally, I did think it was fitting that the Notre Dame-North Carolina State game was played on the 50th Anniversary of Carter-Finley Stadium. Happy belated birthday to the field, and I doubt that many more games were as unique as this one was in 50 years of Wolfpack football at the site