I’ve Seen Enough: Week 2
Back for the first time. We return with another group of players that showed their talents will translate to the “next level”. Out of conference games continue, and the schedule saw less games where a team was getting a big check to travel. Though at least one team didn’t get the memo that they were supposed to lose.
- Sheldon Arnold, S, UCF
I’m especially excited to see that Arnold is making the transition to FBS. This was a player I tracked last season in the hopes he did decide to test the portal waters. He had offers from Michigan State and Houston, but chose Central Florida after an All-American campaign at ETSU and is picking up where he left off.
In UCF’s second game against Sam Houston, Arnold grabbed his first interception of the season and eighth in his career. A question that always comes up when presenting coaches with a player from FCS, or non-FBS in general, is how their athletic traits will translate. Arnold’s are carrying over on film.
You can see in the interception above that he shows his fluidity and ability to track the ball as well as the range he can cover. His short area explosiveness presents itself when playing downhill and closing in the run game as well.
Arnold will continue to get opportunities to prove himself against tough competition in the Big 12. I would expect that continued success will see him get a chance to play on Sunday.
2. Jack Kelly, LB, BYU
Kelly was an intriguing prospect when he entered the transfer portal because of his versatility. At Weber State he was used as an inside linebacker last season, but saw as much success when used as an edge rusher in 2022. He posted 17 sacks and 73 pressures over the last two seasons.
He only played 31 snaps in the opener against Southern Illinois, likely due to the game being a blowout. He more than doubled his snap count against SMU and was productive. According PFF he recorded 6 pressures on 13 pass rush snaps. And you can see his first sack this season in the tweet above.
He appears to have bulked up. However, he’s still listed at 235 so it could just be my eyes deceiving me. There were a few opportunities for sacks he wasn’t able to secure, but I expect he’ll adjust as the season goes on. Early on, encouraging signs that he will continue to be impactful in the Big 12.
3. Trey Moore, EDGE, Texas
Moore was hardly a secret as a prospect. And while UTSA isn’t exactly the basement of college football, playing in the SEC and having the national champion on the schedule is certainly a step up in competition. And the new Longhorn is making his presence felt.
Through two games, Moore has posted a pass rush grade of 77.1 and accounted for three pressures against Michigan in their win. But as you can see in the tweet above, despite not yet recording a sack he is showing that he belongs.
The 2023 American Conference DPOY is going to see his draft stock skyrocket if he can continue to show his physical dominance in an SEC schedule. He recorded 23 sacks and 83 pressures over the last two seasons. If the production is consistent, he should find himself securing an invite to the NFL Combine.
4. Carlos Allen, DT, Houston
The Coogs replaced one fire hydrant of a defensive tackle in Chidozie Nwankwo with another. Allen transferred in from Kennesaw State and was a major factor in Houston, almost, shocking the world in Norman this past weekend.
In 16 run defense snaps Allen posted a grade of 87.1 against the Sooners. That is the best performance against the run in his career. The fact that it came against an SEC opponent makes it all the more impressive. He regularly took on double teams and stood his ground at the line of scrimmage. Even tossing aside Oklahoma linemen a time or two.
Am I ready to stand on a table to say that a NFL team should draft this kid? Not quite. But if this what can be expected from him on a weekly basis, he is bound to get some attention of pro scouts. Regardless, his performance deserves a spotlight. The Coogs defense gave the Sooners fits and his work in the trenches set the tone.
5. Michael Batton, LB, Houston
I know, another Houston Cougar. Bias? Maybe. But Batton played lights behind Allen as they held the Sooners to just 81 yards on the ground. The ex UL Monroe Warhawk made his presence felt.
Batton, the high school quarterback, got comfortable in the opponent’s backfield. He had a tackle for loss and sack on back to back plays in the fourth quarter giving his team a chance to take the lead. Despite being a little undersized at 220, he has no problem taking on bigger bodies in the trenches in pursuit of the ball.
His quickness and ability to knife through blockers was very disruptive. The sack above shows his closing speed and is an example of his willingness to take on blocks, making it tough on the Sooners running back.
See y’all next week.