Future Hogs – Championship Week: A look at college football players who could help the Washington Commanders

Another season in the books!

Championship Week provided some competitive contests ahead of the College Football Playoff. Despite having two of the best defenses, Oregon versus Penn State was a high-scoring affair. Oregon’s defense made enough plays to keep the Nittany Lions from threatening the Ducks, and the top team in the country walked away with the Big Ten Championship. Texas and Georgia was much more of a defensive affair. Even after losing their starting QB, the Bulldogs run game and defense carried them to an overtime victory. Clemson jumped all over SMU early, but the Mustangs battled back to tie the game late. The Tigers needed a walk-off field goal to secure the ACC title. The last Power Four championship game was not nearly as close as the others. Arizona State capitalized on Iowa State’s miscues and coasted to the Big 12 Championship.

The College Football Playoff bracket is set with Oregon, Georgia, Boise State, and Arizona State getting a bye. The first-round matchups start with upstart Indiana taking on old guard Notre Dame with the winner playing Georgia. Next up will be SMU, whose close loss to Clemson earned them a spot over Alabama, facing Penn State. The winner will get Boise State. Clemson will tangle with Texas for the chance to take on Arizona State. Lastly, Ohio State and Tennessee faceoff, with the winner playing top-seeded Oregon.

This is the last Future Hogs article until next season. Thanks to everybody who stops by, reads the articles, votes in the polls, and comments. Draft season is just getting started, so there will be more draft content in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

Below are just a few players who had a good week and might be able to improve the Commanders’ roster. Let me know what you think of these prospects and feel free to post players that stood out to you.

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Tyler Huff, QB, Senior, Jacksonville State

Jacksonville State rode its running game to the Conference USA Championship. Quarterback Tyler Huff plays almost as big a role in that as running back Tre Stewart. Huff has wheels at 6’1” and 215 lbs. As a passer, he has a quick release with good accuracy even on the move. He could improve his mechanics to be more consistent as a passer. He went 11 for 15 for 176 yards and two touchdowns through the air while adding 167 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

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Anthony Tyus III, RB, Senior, Ohio

Ohio took down Miami of Ohio to win the MAC Championship, their first since 1968. Their running back Anthony Tyus III played an important role in the victory. He’s a big back at 6’1”, 226 lbs, and has rushed for over 1,000 yards this season. At his size, Ohio likes to use him in space and let him get up to full speed, which looks pretty good for his size, and dare defenders to tackle him. He is adept at running between the tackles too, but he doesn’t have the agility to be an elusive back. On 27 carries, Tyus III had 151 yards and a touchdown.

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Matthew Golden, WR, Junior, Texas

This came down to choosing either Oregon’s Tez Walker, who had 11 catches for 181 yards and a touchdown, or Matthew Golden. I picked Golden because Johnson plays bigger than his size, but he is 5’10”, 165 lbs. My gut tells me Adam Peters would not pick a wideout that size. Golden is bigger at 6’, 195 lbs, but he’s not as dynamic. What he is good at is route running, using fakes to get separation from defenders. His hands are reliable with multiple catches away from his body. I’m curious how fast he is because there are times he runs away from defenders and other times where his speed looks average. He also offers value as a kick returner. Against Georgia, Golden had eight catches for 162 yards.

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Terrance Ferguson, TE, Senior, Oregon

It was a modest day for Terrance Ferguson in the Big 10 Championship game, but he’s a good prospect at tight end. He’s not only a big target at 6’5”, 255 lbs, but he’s versatile. Oregon plays him inline, but he has enough athleticism to flex outside and take on cornerbacks. He uses his strength during his routes to create separation from defenders and is surehanded. I would like to see him be more aggressive as a blocker in the run game, but the tools are there for him to be better. He had three catches for 30 yards and a TD against Penn State.

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Jalen Travis, OT, Senior, Iowa State

Iowa State did not have their best game against Arizona State, but left tackle Jalen Travis had a good showing. The 6’7”, 340 lb transfer from Princeton is a massive man. One way that his size is an advantage is it’s hard for players to go around or through him. His feet are active and he moves well for his size, athletic enough to be effective in a zone blocking scheme. He doesn’t have the quickest change of direction, so he can be beat by inside counters or speed rushers around the edge. Nonetheless, Travis is an interesting prospect that has some upside. Travis is #72 in the clips below.

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Mykal Williams, DE, Junior, Georgia

To start the season, there were some who thought Mykal Williams might be the best defensive end in this class. While that hype has died down, Williams is still a specimen at the position and should be drafted early in 2025. To go along with his ideal size at 6’5”, 265 lbs, Williams is quick off the snap and athletic. His motor is high and he will chase down his targets to get a tackle. His game needs more refinement as he often wins because of his athletic tools and motor. Only being a junior, there is still room to grow his game. To help take home the SEC Championship, Williams contributed three tackles and two sacks.

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Barrett Carter, LB, Senior, Clemson

Barrett Carter was an early favorite to be the first linebacker drafted in 2024. While he hasn’t had the standout season of other players, he is still a very good prospect. He’s listed at 6’1”, 230 lbs, but I wonder if he might be a little smaller than that. One reason is he moves like a smaller player. He has the speed to play sideline-to-sideline, is quick enough to evade blockers, and is incredibly athletic. These traits also help him play will in coverage. He needs to be more physical taking on blockers, cut down on the missed tackles, and make impact plays more consistently. He had eight tackles, one for a loss, a PBU, and a pass deflection (not sure how that’s different from a PBU) in the Tigers’ win over SMU.

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Jeremiah Earby, CB, Junior, Boise State

UNLV’s Ricky White III is one of the best wide receivers in college football, but only had four catches for 21 yards thanks to Jeremiah Earby and the Boise State secondary. Earby stood out because of his size – 6’2”, 187 lbs – and strong man coverage skills. He has quick feet, but it is hard for him to sink his hips to backpedal and transition in coverage. Earby had a tackle, an interception, and three PBUs in the win over the Rebels.

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Seyi Oladipo, S, Senior, Boise State

Speaking of Boise State’s secondary, Seyi Oladipo had a great game against UNLV. At 5’11”, 205 lbs, Oladipo thrives playing around line of the scrimmage. He just has a knack for getting into the backfield to make plays, evidenced by his 10 TFL for the season. He also showcased his speed by chasing down a running back who broke a long run, his tackle saving a touchdown. He does have the ability to drop and play good zone coverage, but I’m not sure if he is a true free safety. He forced a fumble against UNLV to go along with 10 tackles, two for a loss, and a sack.

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