After sorting through the Group-of-Five and Independent teams, we are on to the big dogs of the college football landscape. The Power Five Conferences of the NCAA have the gold-standard teams. Alabama, Texas, USC, Clemson, Ohio State etc… all reside here; with the idea of super conferences looming large we may not have the Power Five much longer, so we should enjoy these classic rivalries and conferences while we still have them.
The PAC 12 seems to be crumbling in front of our eyes. USC and UCLA will be leaving for the BIG 10, if reports are to be believed Utah, Arizona, Arizona State, and Colorado could be heading to the Big 12 soon thereafter. The once proud conference, home to John Elway, Andrew Luck, Reggie Bush, Troy Aikman etc.. could see itself dissolved in the midst of conference realignment.
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Cal
Jackson Sirmon LB
6’2 240 lbs
The Washington Huskies loss is the Golden Bears gain. In Sirmon they get a big, physical and athletic linebacker. While he got a late start to his career in Washington, he certainly made it count when called upon.
After three seasons of being relegated to special teams and sub packages, he took over the starting spot in 2021. He answered to the tune of 91 tackles, 5 for a loss and created two turnovers. Using his extra year of eligibility afforded to him by the 2020 Covid-19 season, he decided to leave for warmer weather and head to Cal.
Sirmon is incredibly strong at the point of contact. Using a good combination of quickness and power to shed blocks and get to the ball. He’s not a track star but he has great closing speed on the ball and is quite agile for a 240 pound man. He’s not afraid to stick his nose in and fill gaps when necessary and is always looking to make a second effort.
He’s experienced in coverage as well, which is a prerequisite to play linebacker at a high level nowadays. He is fluid dropping and getting to his spot when in zone coverage. He also is serviceable in man coverage when matched up with a tight end of running back.
Where he lacks is technique. He plays upright way too often and will get blown off the ball when playing around the line of scrimmage. I’ve seen him get taken for rides far too many times for a man with his size and strength. He doesn’t have the natural instincts you get from some of the elite linebackers, but he makes up for it with hustle.
He will undoubtedly be a cog in a defense that was 2nd in points allowed and 4th in yards in the PAC12 last season.
Oregon
Noah Sewell LB
6’3 250 lbs
Papa Sewell must be beaming with pride. After Penei was a top 10 draft pick just two years ago, his younger son Noah is on track to find himself in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Noah is one of the most dominant forces, regardless of position in the NCAA. The 6’3 250 pound linebacker runs like a safety and hits like a dump truck. He possesses elite playmaking instincts, seemingly recognizing the play before the ball is even snapped.
He gets downhill in a hurry, blowing up the line or the ball carrier. His size and strength allow him to take on blockers, stack and shed, and flow to the ball with ease. His instincts aren’t just limited to playing the run either, Sewell is a crafty pass rusher, notching 30 hurries and 6 sacks so far in his career. He holds his own in pass defense, giving up a passer rating just over 80 in coverage.
Sewell lacks elite acceleration off the snap, it takes him a few steps to really get up to top speed which has hurt him against shiftier runners. He is great at working the angles to make up for his lack of acceleration, but if he gets tied up in traffic it’s hard for him to get to the ball. He’s an aggressive down hill player so he can get sucked in on play action occasionally and vacates his responsibility in zone.
All in all he is a top tier linebacker prospect with all of the tools to be great. Some refinement to his game and a little more experience should see him firmly among the elite of his class in 2023.
Oregon State
Jaydon Grant DB
6’0 193 lbs
Grant, the sixth year senior is going into his 4th year as a starter for the Beavers and brings plenty of experience along with him. He’s played 37 games in his career, and is a veteran presence on a young and building Oregon State team.
Grant is reportedly sliding over to safety full time this season and that may be the best move not only for the team but for his draft stock. He brings a bevy of versatility along with his experience, getting significant playing time as a boundary corner, in the slot and in the “core four” special teams units.
He is big and physical enough to play in the box, coming down hill to defend the run. He’s got solid range for the safety position, able to track the ball sideline to sideline. He makes plays at every level of the field with 6 interceptions, 13 PBUs and 3 forced fumbles in his last three seasons.
Grant may be a willing tackler but he’s not the best tackler. He doesn’t always take great angles to the ball and with a lack of top end speed, angles are everything. He has very good ball skills but he isn’t dynamic in coverage and can get turned around when asked to play man.
Though experience is a good thing in some ways, being a potentially 25 year old rookie will be enough for teams to take him out of the discussion.
Stanford
Tanner McKee QB
6’6 228 lbs
Tanner McKee has been a hot name in a stacked 2023 quarterback class as of late. It’s easy to see why. The 6’6 junior for the Cardinal has the size, arm and mind that teams love in a QB1. While his skills haven’t translated to wins or gaudy stats, he didn’t have much to work with on a 3-9 Stanford team last season.
McKee has an NFL level arm, there’s no doubts about that. He isn’t going to throw it 70 yards like Josh Allen, and he isn’t going to operate with surgical precision like Aaron Rodgers; but he is perfectly adequate in arm strength and accuracy. He throws a beautiful out-route, hitting his target in time with more than enough zip.
He will whip the ball in to his target, in stride, on just about anything underneath. Another thing I really like about his tape, he seems to throw to where his receiver will be as opposed to where they are. When the throwing windows are tight, and separation is hard to come by; that’s an invaluable skill. He’s a solid athlete for a man of his size, he’s able to extend plays to let his targets work back to the ball; and he can also pick up a first down when necessary.
While he has a ton of strengths to build on; he’s still extremely raw in an experience sense and in his skills. For as good as his accuracy is underneath and across the middle, he could really stand to work on his touch. He knows he has a big arm, but he hasn’t learned how to hone it while going deep.
He often overthrows his receivers or doesn’t put enough air underneath it. His strong arm also gives him a bit of a gunslinger mentality and he takes quite a few unnecessary risks that lead to turnovers (7 interceptions in 2021). He didn’t light the world on fire statistically throwing for just over 200 yards per game and only 15 touchdowns on the year. A deficiency of talent around him certainly didn’t help, but a QB is supposed to elevate the talent around him.
McKee is one of those prospects that could go one of two ways all depending on this season. He could either cement himself into the first round discussion, or he could fall short of the progress you want to see from a young signal caller and be forced to go back to school. Either way he is an interesting prospect to keep an eye on.
Washington
Jaxson Kirkland OT
6’7 310 lbs
This truly came down to a coin toss between two guys I have ranked among the top 55 players in my 2023 NFL Draft board. Kirkland got the nod because of the importance of his position, and Zion Tupuola-Fetui being a pass rush specialist more than an all around football player.
Kirkland originally declared for the 2022 NFL Draft, opted out, petitioned for the extra year of eligibility, and went back to Washington for his 6th year. After a 4-8 Huskies season that ended with him needing surgery, he had a bad taste in his mouth.
Knowing the surgery would’ve taken him off of a few draft boards. Kirkland made the right move to reclaim his spot as one of the elite offensive line prospects in the NCAA. When healthy he is one of the most naturally gifted and well rounded tackles in the nation.
He is an exceptional pass blocker giving up only 5 sacks in 39 games. He blends power and agility to beat his assignment to the spot and manhandle them into submission. He never gives up on a play, blocking through the whistle every single time. During his time in Washington he played inside at guard and has spent the last two seasons at tackle.
Positional versatility is always a bonus. He is fundamentally sound and understands how to give himself the best chance to win. You can tell the kid is a film room junkie, ready for whatever move his assignment may try against him.
He could stand to get a bit stronger at the point of attack when run blocking. When he latches on to his man he kind of holds him up as opposed to running him over. Occasionally Kirkland will get caught reaching and a few potentially big gains were snuffed out. He isn’t much of a straight line athlete and doesn’t work well in space.
Of course there is the surgery that had him come back to school. Lower body injures, especially those of the knee and ankle variety could be a red flag. We will see how he bounces back from that, if he can reclaim his previous form; there’s no reason he won’t be a top 50 pick and add another All-Conference to his trophy case.
Washington State
Cameron Ward QB
6’2 220 lbs
The Cameron Ward hype train is in full effect around NCAA circles. The prolific transfer quarterback has a live arm and poise beyond his years. After lighting it up at division two University of Incarnate Word, he made the jump directly to a power five program.
Ward has a rifle for an arm, seemingly flicking his wrist will send the ball forty yards down field. It wouldn’t surprise me if he could heave it 65 or more yards with a clean pocket and time to step into his throw. There isn’t a throw on the field he can’t make. He has exceptional accuracy on intermediate and short throws, putting plenty of zip to fit it into a tight window and throwing his target open.
Wards game is not without flaws though. He has nice touch on his deep posts and back shoulder fades, but occasionally puts a little too much air under his deep balls. Of course you have to worry about the level of competition he was playing against as well. The talent level between FCS and FBS is easily noticed, jumping from division two into a power five conference is going to be a whole different ball game.
He also isn’t the most mobile of quarterbacks. Obviously a QBs primary responsibility is to throw the ball, but the position is evolving. Josh Allen, Pat Mahomes and Justin Herbert are arguably the three brightest talents at quarterback in the NFL; all of them can make you pay with their legs.
It comes as no surprise that he took such a big leap, in his two years at the division two level he threw for 6,900 yards and 71 touchdowns. He did that while completing 64% of his passes and only throwing 14 interceptions. An astronomical leap in level of competition will show what Ward is truly made of.