College Football: Devy prospects to watch in Dec 31st bowl games

With New Year’s Eve here, each bowl game’s importance amplifies, and the devy prospects get better as we make our way towards the National Championship on Monday, January 13th. In this installment of our devy college football bowl game preview, we take a look at the best devy prospects to watch on Tuesday, December 31st.

The day begins with a noon eastern kickoff in Charlotte, North Carolina, then finishes with a primetime matchup in San Antonio, Texas. College football fans everywhere will ring in the new year while watching Utah and Texas battle it out in the 2019 Alamo Bowl.

Without further ado, here are the best devy prospects to watch in bowl games on Tuesday, December 31st. Be sure to check back throughout the bowl season for our look ahead to every college football bowl game. You can also find my updated 2020 dynasty rookie rankings for a look ahead at which prospects to scout for the 2020 NFL Draft.

Belk Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Kentucky

Date: Tuesday, December 31st
Time: 12:00 PM ET
TV: ESPN
Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina

The 2019 Belk Bowl features 8-4 Virginia Tech matching up against Mark Stoops and the 7-5 Kentucky Wildcats. Sophomore quarterback Hendon Hooker leads Virginia Tech while Kentucky’s Lynn Bowden Jr. literally does it all for the Wildcats.

Even though Hooker’s passing numbers don’t look amazing, the quarterback has been steady this season since taking over as starter under center. Hooker has less than 1,500 passing yards on the season, but the quarterback is also completing over 60% of his passes with an 11-2 TD/INT ratio. Hooker is also a dangerous runner in the open field with 306 rushing yards and five TD’s on the ground.

When I say Bowden Jr. does it all for Kentucky, that’s far from an exaggeration. After a rash of injuries at the QB position, the talented receiver even took snaps behind center this season. With Bowden Jr. as starting quarterback, the Wildcats went 5-2 with victories over Arkansas, Missouri, Vanderbilt, and Louisville.

Bowden Jr. has already announced his intentions to enter the 2020 NFL Draft, so the 2019 Belk Bowl presents one final opportunity for the talented devy prospect to make his mark on the college football landscape.

Sun Bowl: Florida State vs. Arizona State

Date: Tuesday, December 31st
Time: 2:00 PM ET
TV: CBS
Location: Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, Texas

The 2019 Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl features two running backs very likely to make an impact on the next level. Arizona State’s Eno Benjamin and Florida State’s Cam Akers are both currently vying for that RB5 spot behind the “big four” of Travis Etienne, D’Andre Swift, Jonathan Taylor, and J.K. Dobbins.

Benjamin is an extremely talented all-around back that sometimes gets lost in the PAC 12, while Akers has been surrounded by chaos and ineptitude throughout his college career. Even with one of the worst offensive lines year-after-year, Akers still finds a way to make an impact with terrific pass-catching skills.

The Sun Devil passing-attack is led by freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels and top target Brandon Aiyuk. Even as a freshman, Daniels has shown a poise and demeanor usually reserved for more experienced signal-callers. Maybe I’m just a fanboy, but I love Daniel’s potential on the next level, so I definitely recommend scooping the quarterback up in devy drafts.

Finally out of N’Keal Harry’s shadow, Aiyuk has been a revelation this season for Herm Edwards and the Arizona State Sun Devils. While there were concerns about Harry’s ability to separate on the next level, Aiyuk is more explosive than his former teammate and thus less likely to face these same concerns.

Even though Harry had a more consistent Sun Devil career, Aiyuk is on pace for a better statistical season than the 2019 first-rounder ever had in college. Aiyuk’s 1,192 receiving yards are already more than Harry ever had in a single season, while he’s also one touchdown away from matching his former teammate’s career-high. Today’s bowl game is one final opportunity for the devy prospect to exceed any season Harry had at Arizona State.

Liberty Bowl: Navy vs. Kansas State

Date: Tuesday, December 31st
Time: 3:45 PM ET
TV: ESPN
Location: Liberty Bowl, Memphis, Tennessee

Simply put, the 2019 Liberty Bowl features one of the most dominating players in all of college football. Navy quarterback Malcolm Perry was downright spectacular this season with 1,027 passing yards, 1,804 rushing yards, and 27 total touchdowns. Perry was recently named “The American’s Offensive Player of the Year” for his outstanding work in the Midshipmen’s triple-option offense this season.

Kansas State finished the season 8-4, including a 48-41 upset-victory over College Football Playoff semi-finalist Oklahoma. Quarterback Skylar Thompson is the Wildcats’ best player, but there’s doubtful to be many devy or dynasty players featured here. The Wildcats rely on ball-control and good defense, as evidenced by their leading rusher (698 yards) and receiver (567 yards) having subpar numbers.

Alamo Bowl: Utah vs. Texas

Date: Tuesday, December 31st
Time: 8:45 PM ET
TV: ESPN
Location: Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas

#11 Utah takes their talents south for a virtual away contest against Tom Herman and the Texas Longhorns in the 2019 Valero Alamo Bowl. After losing their spot in the College Football Playoff on Championship Weekend, Utah enters the Alamo Bowl looking to prove they belong on the big stage.

Utah’s best offensive weapon, Zack Moss, is a bulldozer of a running back that often looks to initiate contact. Moss racked up over 1,300 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns, but the power-back was also surprisingly effective through the air. Moss finished 2019 with 374 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions.

Even though Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger is a solid quarterback in college football, I have a hard time believing he’s anything more than a backup on the next level. Ehlinger is a better runner than passer, and I don’t see his game translating to the next level. Ehlinger is a full-avoid for me in devy and dynasty leagues.

The Longhorns best offensive weapon, wide receiver Devin Duvernay, enters bowl season with 1,294 yards and eight touchdowns on 103 receptions. Fellow wide receiver Collin Johnson had a disappointing 2019 with less than 500 receiving yards and only two touchdowns this season. Both wide receivers have accepted invitations to the 2019 Senior Bowl.