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Future Hogs – Week 7: A look at college football players who could help the Washington Commanders

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South Carolina v Alabama
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

There was tons of excitement in the college football games from Week Seven. Oregon and Ohio State was as advertised, full of fantastic plays on both sides of the ball from both teams with Oregon doing just enough to pull out the win. In another ranked-on-ranked matchup, LSU outlasted Ole Miss in overtime. Alabama came close to being upset again, this time by South Carolina. A late interception saved the Crimson Tide from their second loss of the season. In a game that could determine who plays in the Big 12 championship, Kansas State was able to top Colorado. Lastly, the Red River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma looked anything but a rivalry with Texas running away with the game.

The Week Eight lineup will feature two games in the SEC where both teams are ranked. In the first game, Alabama and Tennessee will face off in a matchup of one-loss teams trying to keep their hopes of reaching the SEC championship game alive. The second game will feature Georgia trying to hand top-ranked Texas their first loss of the season.

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.

Hajj-Malik Williams, QB, Senior, UNLV

After UNLV’s starting quarterback left the program over an issue regarding a name, image, and likeness(NIL) deal, backup Hajj-Malik Williams has stepped up and showed out. In each of his starts, he has thrown for three touchdowns and has made plays with his legs. A little undersized at 6’1”, 205 lbs, Williams displays a quick release and good arm strength. He does a good job with ball placement and not putting the ball in harm’s way, only throwing one pick and completing 77% of his passes. As a runner, he has enough speed to make the most of open space in front of him to pick up chunks of yards. To beat Utah State, Williams completed 13 of 20 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns while chipping in 65 yards on the ground.

DJ Giddens, RB, Junior, Kansas State

If Washington would like to add another tough runner to their backfield, they should consider DJ Giddens. At 6’1”, 212 lbs, Giddens isn’t a big as Brian Robinson, Jr., but he runs hard, breaks tackles, and has enough wiggle to make tacklers miss in space. One thing that’s impressive is his ability to find a sliver of daylight at the line and turn it into positive yardage. Look at the :45 mark of the clip below and tell me how he got past the line of scrimmage because I don’t know. While he didn’t find the endzone, he was a big reason Kansas State topped Colorado. Giddens finished the night with 182 yards on 25 carries and two catches for 38 yards.

Kyren Lacy, WR, Senior, LSU

If you want to help the passing game in Washington, why not get a wide receiver from Baton Rouge? Kyren Lacy played two seasons with Jayden Daniels at LSU and it seems they still have a good relationship. On the field, Lacy is able to get separation at the top of his routes and presents an ideal target at 6’2”, 213 lbs. His experience running various routes is a plus, but he gets a lot of free releases from the line of scrimmage. I’d like to see more of him against press coverage. Lacy had five catches for 111 yards to go along with the game-winning TD in overtime for a huge win over Ole Miss. As a bonus, check out the blocking by LSU’s left tackle, Will Campbell, and right tackle, Emory Jones.

Tyler Warren, TE, Senior, Penn State

You are unlikely to see many days from a tight end in college football like the one Tyler Warren had Saturday. The 6’6”, 261 lb senior found a variety of ways to make plays against the USC Trojans. Various screens, catches deep down the field, running the ball, even passing the ball, it all was working for Warren. He is a better athlete than you’d think at his size and doesn’t mind barreling over defenders. Securing catches has been an issue for him in the past, but his versatility is enticing. Penn State needed a little luck and all of Warren’s record-tying 17 catches to pull out an overtime win. Warren finished the day with 224 yards and a touchdown.

Anthony Belton, OT, Senior, NC State

With a nickname like Escalade, you know Anthony Belton is a big man that can move. Belton has been the starting left tackle for the Wolfpack since Ikem Ekwonu was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2022. For a man that stands 6’6”, 336 lbs, Belton is light on his feet and moves well, easily redirecting rushers. Belton uses his size and strength to collapse the line when down blocking, but has enough athleticism to reach the second level and continue blocking down field. Check out #74 in the clip below of NC State’s quarterback CJ Bailey versus Syracuse.

Bradyn Swinson, DE, Senior, LSU

Even after losing standout linebacker Harold Perkins, Jr. to a torn ACL, LSU’s defense has found a way to remain productive. One of the reasons is Bradyn Swinson. The 6’4”, 250lb senior has been winning off the edge and terrorizing quarterbacks with his blend of quickness and technique. Swinson uses a variety of moves to beat blockers and has a high-motor to continue fighting until he gets the sack. No matter if he lined up on the left or right, Swinson found success against the Rebels to the tune of eight tackles, two sacks, and two pass deflections.

Shaun Dolac, LB, Senior, Buffalo

The Buffalo Bulls have a tackling machine in Shaun Dolac. He leads the NCAA in total tackles and has double digit total tackles in every game this season. The 6’1”, 225 lb backer plays in the middle of the Bulls defense and is adept at filling holes in the middle of the defense and chasing ball carriers to the sideline. I don’t know if he has the athleticism necessary for a starting role at the next level, but his level of competitiveness should allow him to make an impact for a team. He had 15 total tackles, one of them for a loss, in a win over Toledo.

O’Donnell Fortune, CB, Redshirt Senior, South Carolina

Alabama had to scratch and claw to get a victory over South Carolina because of players like O’Donnell Fortune. The 6’1”, 185 lb corner was a thorn in the side of the Tide all afternoon. What was most impressive to me was Fortune’s ability to diagnose plays and quickly react to make an impact. Fortune finished the day with nine tackles, one for a loss, a PBU, and an interception.

Jahdae Barron, S, Senior, Texas

Jahdae Barron did not fill up the stat sheet against Oklahoma in this past Red River Rivalry – just four total tackles, but he has been one of their best players nonetheless. Barron is a true defensive back playing both safety and outside corner for the Longhorns. There are some similarities in his game to Commanders DB Quan Martin. He has excellent athleticism and speed, but his ability to read and react to plays is what makes him a dangerous defender.