2024 NFL Draft Stock Report: Sugar Bowl
I apologize for the delay again. Trust me, I’m getting these to you as fast as I can. Let’s just say it’s been a rough start to 2024. Don’t worry, we have big things in store for you and got the bad days out of the way early. Anyway… after reviewing the Rose Bowl, we have Sugar Bowl notes for you. Let’s talk about all of the 2024 NFL Draft Stock Report notes that you need from the game between Texas and Washington.
Texas
Quinn Ewers seems like he’s heading back to school. That appears to be the right call. Especially after watching this game. Finished the game going 24/43 for one touchdown. If the Texas defense could make a stop it might have been enough to win the game.
Ewers feels like he’s on the cusp of breaking through. It’s just minor things at this point. Some cleanup on the footwork and accuracy and you’re going to get a really good player. Faster than he gets credit for too. Ewers was far from perfect in this one but in terms of a long term projection I’d bet almost anything on him being a better player than Penix. Next year will be a big year. Get rid of some of the Uncle Rico and become a real NFL quarterback. That’s the next step.
Ja’Tavion Sanders was damn good in this one. Six receptions for 75 yards and has some serious receiving ability at the tight end position. Can he block? I think that’s the real question. You’re going to have to grind through the tape for that answer. It’s important.
If we’ve learned anything it’s that it’s not just optional anymore. It’s required and it has everything to do with play call functionality. What has held Kyle Pitts back other than Arthur Smith being incompetent? He can’t block and defenses know it. Sam LaPorta can block. Fits in right away. It matters.
Not sure we learned much from the weapons. Xavier Worthy had two receptions for 45 yards. I think we know what he is at this point. Sticking with that Marquise Brown range. AD Mitchell had a great reception on a fade in the end zone. He’s going to win those balls. How fast is he? We’ll find out in March.
I don’t think we can undersell how bad of a matchup this was for Texas. We’ve been kinda hinting at it all season without totally saying it. This front is really good. Dillon Johnson ran for 2.3 yards per carry on 21 attempts. They just can’t really cover anyone outside of Ryan Watts, but he’s just one guy.
Washington kept picking up first downs through the air and it gassed that front. T’Vondre Sweat spent a lot of time on the sidelines catching his breath. Byron Murphy’s best play was as a runner on the goal line. I think both of those guys will impact any line their part of. Really it was the Texas secondary that got exposed and we knew it going into the game. The edge guys just couldn’t win attacking the quarterback. Washington did win the Joe Moore Award for the best offensive line in college football. Take some of that overwhelming pressure away and you get this result. It is what it is.
Washington
Michael Penix played out of his mind. Credit where credit is due. Of course, if you have been reading all year you know this is something we’re fading. 29/38 for 430 yards and two scores. He also added 31 yards on the ground too. A 97.7 QBR kinda speaks for itself.
I’m not sure this is much different that what we saw with Hendon Hooker a year ago. Both of whom had this one particular calling card to lean on. What Penix does really well at this level is layering the ball down the field. The arm is solid but what he does is put great touch on the deep ball to where it’s a nice catchable ball for the receiver. Some of these throws you couldn’t walk it out there better.
I don’t care that he’s a lefty. I don’t think that’s the hesitation for me. It’s the footwork. It’s the unnatural knee bend in a bad way. We’re talking about a guy that’s had multiple knee surgeries. Will he get away with some of those sins at the NFL level? 90% of the time the answer is no. Will be 24 before taking a snap in the NFL level while being carried by three NFL receivers.
Speaking of which, we do get that Puka Nacua couldn’t get playing time there so he transferred to BYU. That hits a bit differently now after we’ve seen Nacua and the success of this WR group. He’s got three horses. Will he have three horses at the NFL level? Penix had multiple weeks to prepare for this game too with a coaching staff that doesn’t lose (peep DeBoer’s record).
Are you watching the result of the play or the translatable skill of the player? Marcus Mariota had a 42-4 TD to INT ratio his final year at Oregon. Can he throw? Do you know how hard it was to tell everyone he wasn’t good despite those raw numbers?
Let me give you a little secret that I guarantee. His receivers won’t win at the rate they did against Texas. You’re going to see more Big 12 Indiana version of Penix against Michigan. That player is worth a 3rd-5th round pick. That’s who I still think he is.
Bralen Trice went nuts. Took over the game on defense. Not sure they win without him. Two sacks and three TFLs in this one. Feels really similar to Joe Tryon-Shoyinka. Hard to ignore how he wrecked the game. Big shoutout to Jabbar Muhammed too. Three huge pass deflections in this one. Pretty obvious he’s Washington’s best cover guy. A bit grabby and he’s going to get hit with flags at the next level but you will have to learn to live with them. Still competed his ass off and you can tell he’s tough. Eye-catching performance.
We know these receivers are really good. It’s nice to see Jalen McMillan healthy again. What’s more surprising is how Ja’lynn Polk keeps putting up huge numbers despite a crowded target share. He’s fast but more of a real receiver than John Ross was. Rome Odunze continues to blow me away. I’m buying more and more that he’s a real WR1. I’m overly skeptical because you have to be doing this. Odunze just carries the offense and wins with the ball in the air. Curious to see what he looks like moving in space but he makes everything look so damn easy that I don’t know how he fails.
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