When you think of the NFL talent pool, you think of the SEC, The BIG10, blue blood schools with a rich history and track record of current success. While you’d be mostly right, it seems like there is a handful of high level NCAA talent coming out of group-of-five, and Independent football programs yearly.
Josh Allen, arguably the best young quarterback in football came from Wyoming.
Cooper Kupp, who just won the wide receiver triple crown and a Super Bowl MVP, came from FCS Eastern Washington.
Guys like Antonio Brown, Jason Taylor, Ben Roethlisberger, and Khalil Mack have all emerged from group-of-five programs and put together elite careers.
In our final group of five preview we’re going to be covering the AAC, long seen as the best of the non power-five football conferences. Last year Cincinnati made history in season and in the NFL Draft, can the conference make noise again this year?
“MIP Scoutings Watchlist” will be dropping twice weekly covering every conference in the NCAA FBS. To check out what you might’ve missed as well as all of our other NCAA football content click here.
Cincinnati
Ivan Pace Jr. Edge/LB
6’0 240 lbs
Odds are whoever was picked for this spot wouldn’t be exactly a household name. When you lose 9 starters to the NFL Draft, after a historic season ending in the college football playoffs… the cupboard can seem a bit bare.
For this spot we’re keeping an eye on transfer, Ivan Pace Jr. After three seasons at Miami (OH) he’s joining his brother in Cincinnati to help the Bearcats after losing a ton of talent on defense.
Pace has played both on the line and at off-ball backer, his positional versatility will help him impact the game in a variety of ways. His short arms and lack of burst limit what he can do in the pass rushing department, he has to win on the outside by using his bend and compact frame. Pace shows his real value in run defense, he has tremendous gap discipline and is a sure tackler. He has miles of heart, with no issues throwing his body around and he always plays through the whistle.
Unfortunately he just doesn’t have the size to rush with his hand in the dirt, and he doesn’t have the lateral agility or natural instincts to be an effective off-ball linebacker. His best spot may be as a SAM in Mike Tressel’s 3-3-5 defense.
East Carolina University
Keaton Mitchell RB
5’9 190 lbs
As a sophomore, Mitchell was one of the better running backs in the country. He rushed for 1,132 yards at 6.5 yards per carry, and as a pass catcher out of the backfield, he added 253 receiving yards, tallying 10 total touchdowns.
He’s got the shake and the straight line speed to break one off at any given moment, registering a run of 20 yards or more in eight games this previous season. He is a decisive runner with good vision and patience. He runs low, hiding behind his offensive line until he finds a hole to burst through in the defense.
For as good as he is as a receiver, he is a very poor pass blocker so it’s hard to keep him on the field in protection type situations. He has the tendency to bounce runs outside when the play doesn’t develop as expected. He’s a legitimate home run threat but he sometimes it results in a loss of yards. If he improves in those two areas he will hear his name called this coming April.
Houston
Nathaniel Dell WR
5’10 155 lbs
If you had to describe Nathaniel Dell in one word it would be “electrifying”.
Dell is a big play just waiting to happen. He has some of the best footwork in the country regardless of position, changing direction on a dime and being able to start and stop with ease. His acceleration might be his best quality, reaching top speed in the blink of an eye and separating from opposing DBs using that great burst. He has quality hands and uses them often, rarely catching with his body.
His main weakness is no secret, at only 155 lbs (which might be generous) he can easily be manhandled by skilled press corners. While he might be hard to get hands on, he will get bumped off of his route on occasion. He has the tools to be a play maker at the next level, but being his size makes it pretty hard to survive on Sundays.
Memphis
Seth Henigan QB
6’3 200 lbs
Seth Henigan wasn’t supposed to be the starter last year. That job was primed to go to Grant Gunnell until he went down with a leg injury in the preseason.
When the true freshman stepped up to the plate and captured the job, he never let go. After a 22/33, 400 yard, 5 TD performance in his second game ever; he had already secured his place as the longterm starter in Memphis.
He’s got ideal height and has room to fill out his frame. He is not going to be mistaken for Lamar Jackson but has plus mobility, able to escape the pocket and pick up yards when necessary. His arm strength is no issue, with the ability to make throws to every spot on the field. He leads his receivers allowing them to make plays after the catch and has great anticipation when throwing a timing route. He has excellent touch on his deep ball, putting it exactly where his target can run underneath it.
He could stand to make better decisions, as evidenced by his 8 interceptions and 59% completion rate; but that is not unexpected from a true freshman. He breaks out of the pocket a little too soon, he left a few plays on the field by dropping his eyes and running.
Henigan isn’t draft eligible for a few years, but could be one of the best in his class when that time comes.
Navy
John Marshall S/LB
6’2 205 lbs
John Marshall is one part box safety and one part linebacker. While he is listed as a “striker” he will need to step up his game in that front seven that will be missing linebacker Diego Fagot and his 94 tackles last season.
He’s a smart football player in coverage as well as against the run. He has great anticipation when defending the run, flowing to the ball based on what the offensive line shows him. He takes good angles to the ball and is a sound tackler. He has the requisite athleticism, ball skills and instincts to be strong in zone coverage.
He doesn’t give you much in man coverage. His hips are stiff, he isn’t great when moving backwards, and his change of direction is lacking. He is susceptible to being shrugged off when attempting to bring down bigger backs due to his lack of size.
SMU
Rashee Rice WR
6’1 188 lbs
Rice had a solid year as the third option for the Mustangs in 2021 bringing in 64 balls for 682 yards and 9 scores. This year he will be the top dog in a receiving corps that lost Danny Gray and Grant Calcaterra to the NFL.
A well rounded receiver with elite speed and a quick twitch that helps him get open with ease. Even if he wasn’t the fastest player his smooth route running and sharp cuts help him separate from defenders. He has good size and is able to use his body to position himself for the catch. He’s dynamic in the open field, seemingly getting one would-be tackler to miss every time he’s got the ball in his hands.
He doesn’t have overwhelming strength and doesn’t have the best vertical so he’s limited in his ability to high point the ball. Rice has strong hands, but his desire to make the big play will lead to concentration drops. He’s a willing blocker, but not very good at it at this stage in his career.
All signs point to him having something of a breakout season for the Mustangs here in 2022.
Temple
Issac Moore OT
6’7 305 lbs
Issac Moore has prototypical size for the position with long arms and plenty of heft. He’s a highly intelligent and experienced football player, playing nearly 2,500 snaps for the Owls across four seasons. He’s well balanced performing equally strong against the run as he does in pass protection. He’s got a finishers mentality, always looking to block his man into the ground.
Moore is a solid but unspectacular athlete. He can hold his own against traditional edge rushers and defensive tackles but gets beat by speed rushers. This could also be due to lack of consistency with his footwork. There are times he gets into his pass blocking set smooth and other times he looks to be out of rhythm. As a run blocker there aren’t many complaints, but he will come off the ball a little high and lose the leverage battle. At 6’7 you have to make sure you’re getting low.
Tulane
Dorian Williams LB
6’2 225 lbs
A modern day linebacker, Dorian Williams is going into his third year as a full time player for Tulane.
He has great play recognition ability and a lightning fast first step, getting downhill and attacking the ball. Williams is one heck of an athlete, with good lateral agility letting him flow freely from sideline to sideline. He brings some positional versatility and could realistically line up at MIKE, SAM or WILL. He is also a candidate to line up on ball since he can get after the QB while blitzing (4.5 sacks and 12 pressures in 2020).
Despite his athleticism and size he isn’t well suited to line up against tight ends or running backs in coverage. He gets lost in the trash in man coverage and will allow his man to get free on crossing routes or when attacking the seam. He fell off a bit from his career best 2020 season, but he has the talent and football smarts to regain that form in 2022.
Tulsa
Gerard Wheeler C
6’3 335 lbs
The elder statesman of the trenches, Wheeler is going into his sixth year at the program. This will be his 3rd season as a starter and he has been a steadying presence for the Tulsa offensive line.
In an age where smaller athletic centers are all the rage, Wheeler is a throwback to the big maulers of yesteryear. Don’t let his size fool you, he has solid lateral agility and a very quick first step coming out of the snap. His squat and stocky build gives him a natural advantage in the leverage battle, staying low and driving his man out of the way.
Unfortunately being a huge center presents some limitations when it comes to getting to those second level blocks and pulling out to the edge. He’s not the guy you ask to lead the way downfield on screens and swing passes. He is solid in pass pro but has a tendency to end up on his heels when a quicker pass rusher gets a good jump. His age is going to be looked at as a detriment to some pro scouts, seeing as though he will be 24 by the time the 2023 NFL season comes around.
UCF
Isaiah Bowser
6’1 225 lbs
Besides sporting one of the best names in all of football, Bowser is one of the most talented power backs in the game. With the transfer of QB Dillon Gabriel, Bowser being productive is paramount to keep the Knights offense humming.
He uses his 225 pound frame like a battering ram between the tackles, forcing defenses to gang tackle him. If you need three tough yards, there aren’t many guys better suited for the job. He may be a power back but that doesn’t mean he is a strictly north/south runner. He’s got excellent agility and change of direction ability. He doesn’t catch the football out of the backfield often, but he is pretty solid all around in the passing game. Bowser has soft hands and he’s a good blocker with a good sense of where the blitz is coming.
Bowser doesn’t posses breakaway speed or acceleration. He is susceptible to being caught from behind, and it takes him a while to get back up to top speed when impeded. The main issue for the senior running back has been his health. He has only played in 20 of a possible 34 games over the last three years. If he can stay healthy he should have a really nice year.
USF
Jaren Mangham RB
6’2 218 lbs
USF has fallen on some tough times in recent years. After being among the most successful group of five schools and sending 14 players to the NFL from 2010-2015 they’ve hit quite the rough patch. They haven’t had a double digit win season in five years and have seven total wins in the last three seasons.
The bruising Mangham was a hammer for the USF offense last year, and one of the lone bright spots. His tough running between the tackles helped move the chains in short yardage situations, and they weren’t shy about letting him pound the rock down by the goal line with 15 touchdowns on only 160 attempts last season. He is a hard nosed runner who is a load to bring down, so he finds plenty of yards after contact.
Mangham lacks the acceleration or the top gear to break many big runs off, he does most of his work grinding out those 4-7 yard chain moving runs. He doesn’t give you much as a receiver, he isn’t a natural catcher of the football, letting it get into his body.
You would have to imagine as his volume increases so will his stats, so he could be in for a big year statistically.
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