Continuing our coverage of college football’s bowl season to get you familiar with the top prospects in the upcoming 2018 NFL Draft. One bowl game on the docket tomorrow.
DXL Frisco Bowl: SMU vs. Louisiana Tech – 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
The Southern Methodist University Mustangs will take on the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in the sole bowl game on December 20th. SMU has two NFL ready receivers while LA Tech presents a stronger defensive presence for the NFL.
SMU has two very dynamic receivers who have proven that they belong in the NFL. Arguably one of, if not, the best receiver in college football is Courtland Sutton. The redshirt-junior, who is expected to declare for the NFL draft, has totaled for over 3,000 yards and caught 31 touchdowns in his career. He is an absolute nightmare for opposing defenses. Standing at 6-4, Sutton has the ability and athleticism to win any 50-50 ball. He is stronger than most defenders and is the ultimate red zone threat. He does a great job creating separation, but his route running and explosiveness off of the line could be better. He might very well be one of the first few receivers drafted in the 2018 draft.
Sutton is not the Mustangs only dangerous wide receiver. Junior Trey Quinn leads the FBS with 106 receptions. He has 12 touchdowns leads the Mustangs in receiving yards this season. Quinn has excelled in part because of the double and triple coverages Sutton has seen, but Quinn has talents of his own. The transfer from LSU has 4.4 speed and has an incredible set of hands. It seems as if he can catch anything in his general vicinity. Quinn’s draft stock will not get much better than this. I believe he’ll declare for the draft after the Frisco Bowl and go in the top four rounds.
Louisiana Tech free safety, Secdrick Cooper is going to have his hands full with Sutton and Quinn. Cooper is a hard hitting safety who is the Bulldogs only player we could see go in the draft, but not until late. He has been consistent for LA Tech and has unique leadership abilities, but that will only get him so far in the NFL. He lacks the serious talent that other possible NFL safeties possess. A team may take a chance to on him in the 6th or 7th rounds.
DE/LB, Jaylon Ferguson (6-4, 255) is another Bulldog to watch out for, but look for him to return to Lousiana Tech for his senior season to boost his draft stock.
