Future Hogs – Week 12: A look at college football players who could help the Washington Football Team

Ohio State handled their business by defeating Michigan State and jumping up to the second spot in the College Football Playoff rankings. Oregon’s loss to Utah opened the door for Cincinnati to slide into the fourth spot. Rivalry Week will go a long way to determining the final CFP rankings. Ohio State v. Michigan could see the Wolverines get in with a win. The Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn is usually competitive. Can Auburn pull off the upset and banish the Crimson Tide from the playoff? If teams like Oklahoma State and Notre Dame play strong games, is it possible they find their way into the top four?

I want to focus on a few players who stood out to me, especially those who should be draft-eligible at the end of the season. Feel free to add players in the comments that stood out to you this week and you think can help the team.

Desmond Ridder, QB – Cincinnati

Cincinnati is still undefeated in large part because of a tough defense, but recently the offense has been clicking and Desmond Ridder is responsible for much of that. The quarterback hasn’t had a lot of standout performances, but he makes enough plays to make sure his team wins. Cincinnati beat a potent SMU offense with Ridder passing 17 of 23 for 274 yards and three touchdowns, rushing for 43 yards and a touchdown, and catching a five-yard pass for a touchdown.

Kazmier Allen, RB – UCLA

Kazmeir Allen is listed as a running back, which surprised me after seeing him play against USC. He had no carries, but he did have three catches for 115 yards and two touchdows and a 100-yard kick return for a touchdown. The redshirt junior was a high school sprinter and his speed is evident. He is only 5’9”, 175 lbs, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him return to school to try to add a little size as well as play a larger role in the Bruins’ offense.

Treylon Burks, WR – Arkansas

At 6’3”, 225 lbs, Treylon Burks stands out at wide receiver because of his stature. Add on great hands and athleticism and you see why some consider him a first-round pick. Burks went up against some of the best defensive prospects at Alabama and torched them, pulling in eight catches for 179 yards and two touchdowns. While wide receiver is not the biggest need in Washington, a player with Burks’ ability could really help improve the offense.

Charlie Kolar, TE – Iowa State

If you want a big, athletic target at tight end, it doesn’t get much better than Charlie Kolar. At 6’6”, 260 lbs, Kolar moves like a much lighter player. He is sure-handed, runs really good routes and does a good job finding open spaces in the defense. Against Oklahoma, Kolar had a monster game with 12 catches for 152 yards and a touchdown.

Spencer Burford, OT – UTSA

There are only three unbeaten teams in college football: Georgia, Cincinnati, and UTSA. The Roadrunners are getting it done with talented players on both sides of the ball, but Spencer Burford has a chance to be good at the next level. He has good athleticism and strength at offensive tackle. If he played at a bigger school, I think he would get more attention. It would not surprise me if he rises up draft boards as the draft approaches.

Darius Muasau, LB – Hawai’i

If you want to talk about productivity from a linebacker, just look at the game by Darius Muasau against Colorado State. The 6’1”, 230 lbs junior was everywhere with 13 total tackles, 2.5 for a loss, two sacks, and three forced fumbles. Muasau plays with a lot of aggression and has really good closing speed.

Markquese Bell, S – Florida A&M

Fresh off an invite to the East-West Shrine Game, Markquese Bell helped Florida A&M end a nine-game losing streak to Bethune Cookman. Bell had seven total tackles, a forced fumble, and an interception. Ron Rivera seems to like long defensive backs, and at 6’3”, 205 lbs, Bell has plenty of length for the position.

Delarrin Turner-Yell, S – Oklahoma

Oklahoma has quite a few draft prospects on their defense and one to watch later in the draft is Delarrin Turner-Yell. At 5’11”, 200 lbs, Turner-Yell is a little undersized for safety, but he makes up for it with instincts, smart play, and toughness. In a win against Iowa State, Turner-Yell had 11 tackles and an interception.