The 2015 season is complete! Pat yourselves on the back for making it another long
year and if you’re like me, you’re ready for 2016 already. Hey, I had a day off or two
and now the CFB itch is back. I can’t help it!
During this past bowl season, we had a chance to see many young stars show their
stuff and get us hyped up for their seasons in 2016. There are certainly going to be
players who exceed expectations and some who don’t (think Trevor Knight). Today,
I’m giving you my thoughts on the best young performers of the 2015 bowl season
and how they’ll pan out in the upcoming season.
First off, let’s start with a quarterback I can already feel myself get way too excited
about…
Lamar Jackson – Louisville – 227 passing yards, 2 TDs; 226 rushing yards, 2
TDs
Jackson came into the 2015 season a true freshman and a backup. He left the season
with quite possibly the most dominating offensive performance of the bowl season.
His ability to run the football (163/960/11) is on the elite side of things, but his
passing is honestly, quite horrible. He only completed 54.7% of passes, throwing for
12 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The freshman certainly struggled, but with
every major skill player returning around him, I can’t possibly see him do anything
but get better in 2016. It’s also important to note that he didn’t play in about 3.5
games this season. Jackson has 2,500 passing, 1,250 rushing yard potential making
him a very high draft pick in dynasty drafts and one player I’m going to target early
in those formats.
Brett Rypien – Boise State – 29 for 40, 377 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
Rypien, like Jackson, was a freshman that did not start the season under center, but
found his way towards the top and excelled with his opportunity. He was quite
impressive overall (3,353 passing yards, 63.5% completion, 20 TDs, 8 INTs), but
doesn’t add the rushing ability that Jackson has. Rypien comes with a high floor
though because of his weak schedule, passing talent, and stars around him that can
catch the football (Thomas Sperbeck and Jeremy McNichols specifically). As a
sophomore, I’m not expecting the moon out of him, but once McNichols heads to the
NFL (likely after 2016 season), you’re going to see a quarterback that has another
20-25 touchdowns on the table for the taking. I love Rypien and what he has to offer
in 2016, and would have no issue taking him in the top two rounds of dynasty drafts
this offseason.
Myles Gaskin – Washington – 26 carries, 181 yards, 4 TDs
Gaskin slowly emerged as the top back for Washington, but once he did, it was
obvious he needed to be the guy. He ended the season with 1,302 rushing yards and
14 touchdowns, an elite year for a freshman running back. While Gaskin does lack
impressive size (5’9, 195), he’s not too small to carry the load for another two to
three seasons. Three of the top six ball carriers this past season were under 185
pounds or smaller (Tyler Ervin, Justin Jackson, and Donnell Pumphrey). With
number one running back duties over the last nine games of the season, Gaskin ran
18 times or more in eight games. With the Huskies style of play (elite defensive
play/control the football), I expect the same amount of usage out of him in 2016.
He’s a player that is deserving of a top five running back ranking for underclassmen
and can likely be a bargain if you play your cards right (discuss his small demeanor
to fellow league owners).
Johnny Jefferson – Baylor – 23 carries, 299 rushing yards, 3 TDs
Jefferson had the best game of all running backs in the bowl game (even better than
Christian McCaffrey), rushing for almost 300 yards on just 23 carries. What was
even more important was his role in the game as wildcat quarterback and ball
carrier when the game mattered the most. Unfortunately for Jefferson and everyone
that plays fantasy college football, Shock Linwood is still in the way. Jefferson has
only two years of eligibility left and if Shock stays at Baylor then I see no reason to
draft him high at all. While Jefferson is a great talent, he doesn’t have the
opportunities to warrant a high pick at this time.
Jamauri Bogan – Western Michigan – 19 carries, 215 rushing yards, 4 TDs
Bogan is the most intriguing player of all listed here today and with good reason. He
generated over 1,051 rushing yards, a 6.5-yard per carry average, and 16
touchdowns this past season. While these numbers are exciting for many reasons
(great offensive system, weak schedule, and plenty of talent), we must remember
what kind of year Jarvion Franklin had his freshman year (2014). In that year, he ran
306 times for 1,551 yards and an astonishing 25 total touchdowns. Somehow,
Franklin saw that number cut in half in 2015 though (153 carries, exactly half of
2014’s output). How are we supposed to know that that won’t happen to Bogan in
2016? All things considered (sporadic carries in 2015, Franklin’s disappearance
from offense, and overall depth at the position), I’ll be passing on Bogan early on in
dynasty drafts and will be waiting till the fourth to fifth rounds (12 man leagues) to
draft him if he even makes it that far.
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Photo Credit: Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution