Who are the big up-and-comers in the FCS?

[asknoquarter21]

I keep up with FCS pretty well but knowing who is primed for a breakout year is something that is hard to predict unless you follow a team very closely.

J am wondering who the top new players will be for your team this year. I know this is hard to predict, but I would like a list of names to follow and see if they are as good as some teams had hoped.

I know last year many App fans felt like Brian Quick was going to have a good year, but I don't think anyone expected what we got out of him. The same goes for our TE Ben Jorden. Mark Legree was the biggest surprise we had, and I for one never saw that coming.


So who are the guys you are looking forward to watching and seeing develop for your team.


For Appalachian I would have to say our young CB McDiffie might be a impact player on defense.

Offensively there are several players that could step up and I would love to see a young offensive lineman breakout(if that is what you would call it), but I think 2 potential skill players are WR Quin Thornton and RB Rod Chisholm.

[AppIAA]

Well Thorton wont be having a break out year at App -- he didnt qualify academically

[asknoquarter21]

Last I heard it was gonna be close. That's too bad, he had a lot of upside.

I wish him the best of luck wherever he went, hopefully JUCO instead of giving up all together

[Silenoz]

For the Griz, maybe QB Justin Roper or WR Jabin Sambrano on offense. Trumaine Johnson at CB could make his way into the Buchanan discussion.

[biggie]

For App on O, Devon Moore should have the comeback year, since out 90% of last year. Though he's not 'up and coming' being an upperclassman(Jr).

[Dinman31]

For Furman, I would say QB Chris Forcier on offense and CB Ryan Steed on defense. Forcier has a chance to add the missing dimension of speed to the Paladin offense and Steed proved to be a future star with his play as a true freshman last year.

[Skjellyfetti]

Rod Chisholm

[mebisonII]

I don't know anything about him myself, but several Bison fans are saying Preston Evans is going to be a beast, ala Joe Mays.

[ASU_Fanatic]

Rod ChisholmYea Rod Chisolm's gonna be a stud.

[asknoquarter21]

The only thing holding Chisholm up is the 3 RBs in front of him.

There is no reason for us to not have a fresh RB every play. We are 5 deep with guys that can go for 100 yards any game

[ASU_Fanatic]

Exactley I'm also psyched about Justin Feagin coming in. He's our next amazing quarterback.

[ncbears]

John Eddy, LB from UNC will be an up and comer. He spent last year on the side line with an injury.

[Canyoncat]

Montana State

DE Brad Smith and MLB Clay Bignell!

[Tribe4SF]

For W&M look for QB R.J. Archer, and CB Terrell Wells.

[ChickenMan]

I have a feeling that a big up and comer in the FCS will soon be... 'Old Dominion'. I expect that after a couple more recruting classes ODU will be competitive with the best of the FCS.

[Screamin_Eagle174]

For Eastern, on defense players that will have a great season: DT Renard Williams (So.) LB Zach Johnson and twin DB Matt Johnson

On offense: Taiwan Jones (http://goeags.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/jones_taiwan00.html). This kid has some ridiculous natural talent and some nasty speed. He switched over from defense (CB) to offense (RB). Think Devin Hester/Reggie Bush. He's been timed "by three different people at 4.22" in the 40 -- Matt Nichols. xeekx xbowx

[Saint3333]

I have a feeling that a big up and comer in the FCS will soon be... 'Old Dominion'. I expect that after a couple more recruting classes ODU will be competitive with the best of the FCS.

I predict that ODU makes the playoffs in 2012 if not before then, they are already competing for players against CAA and SoCon schools and getting them.

[MsippiRattler]

After the attempted move to 1-A debacle, self-imposed athletic sanctions, the throat slashing of the administration and athletic department, four years of very good recruiting, and the accquistion an outstanding coaching staff, look for the Rattlers to get back on track and go deep into the Playoffs.

[bjtheflamesfan]

I think Mike Brown has a chance to have an all conference year. He was our #1 QB coming out of the spring and will certainly be pushed by USC (South Carolina) transfer Tommy Beecher and even if Beecher gets the starting job they will have plenty of chances for him to get the ball and make big plays

[blueballs]

Lee Chapple... don't be surprised if he passes for over 3000 yards this year.

[GannonFan]

Pat Devlin. xthumbsupx

[ncbears]

I think Mike Brown has a chance to have an all conference year. He was our #1 QB coming out of the spring and will certainly be pushed by USC (South Carolina) transfer Tommy Beecher and even if Beecher gets the starting job they will have plenty of chances for him to get the ball and make big plays

Isn't he a rapper?

[SU DOG]

Samford QB Dustin Taliaferro will show what he can really do this season. Dustin, being a true freshman starter, was somewhat(overly?) protected by our coaches last year. He has the most underrated receiver in the SoCon to team with. That would be 6-5 WR Jonathan Lowery. Lowery should be remembered by Furman for his 74 yard TD reception and by the Eagles for his 73 yard TD trek at GSU.

[Monarch History]

I have a feeling that a big up and comer in the FCS will soon be... 'Old Dominion'. I expect that after a couple more recruting classes ODU will be competitive with the best of the FCS.


I predict that ODU makes the playoffs in 2012 if not before then, they are already competing for players against CAA and SoCon schools and getting them.

Thanks to ChickenMan and Saint3333 for their props. I think it will take at least a complete recruiting cycle before the Monarchs make any noise in the FCS. Until then I'm just going to sit back and enjoy watching our players and new program develop.

[mtgrizfan4life]

I too will go with Roper, Sambrano and Trumaine Johnson for the GRIZ. I will add a few more names too, DT Carson Bender and RB Dan Moore. Carson Bender when healthy is an All American talent. As a sophomore he was beginning to break through then got injured.

With Chase Reynolds in place, it would be foolish to expect Moore to put up huge numbers. I do feel he will be an upgrade in backing up Chase, and due to his strength see time a h- back and fullback too. I also feel we will need more depth this year at rb. The GRIZ are breaking in a new starting qb, replacing 3 very good offensive lineman, and learning from a new OL coach. I feel all that caters to relying more on the run to start the season. In addition, Hauck has been known to save the number 1 rb for the stretch run. I just think all that really favors Dan Moore, unless Chase's younger brother, Tel Reynolds emerges to be as good as Chase.

Either way, I cannot wait for the season to start . :)

[lionsrking2]

For Southeastern Louisiana, watch out for sophomore, MLB, Kendrick Jackson, to make a big move this fall...at 6-2, 225, he runs 4.55 with a 37-inch vertical and hits like a Mack truck...he'll start at middle linebacker and should be in position to rack up big numbers stats wise...also a good pass defender...may be our next All-American candidate after Tommy Connors.

#30 Kendrick Jackson
http://lionsports.net/images/2009/6/11/jackson_kendrick_fb2009_web.jpg

[BEAR]

I'm going to go with Wynrick Smothers, freshman QB for UCA. Just watched his first practice and that kid can throw a pass like it was on a rope! Hard, fast and accurate. Plus he can run! (something rare at UCA..not since Brian Stallworth).


WYNRICK SMOTHERS
QB 6-1 191
DESTREHAN HS, DESTREHAN, LA
2008 5-5A All-District selection; 2008 5A All-
State Honorable Mention; Louisiana 5A State
Champions (14-0 record); New Orleans QB
Club Player of the Week vs. John Ehret HS;
2-time member Louisiana 5A State Champions;
3-year letterman in basketball; 2008 was
152-252 for 2,265 yards, 20 TDs, 8 INTs; 82
rushes, 347 yards, 8 TDs; listed on Rivals.
com

[ngineer]

Lehigh has a bunch of good, but very young WRs who reportedly have a lot of talent, but need 'seasoning'...Will QB Clark now solidified in his role, it will be very interesting to see who 'steps up' to become 'the go to man' in the passing game.

[lionsrking2]

I'm going to go with Wynrick Smothers, freshman QB for UCA. Just watched his first practice and that kid can throw a pass like it was on a rope! Hard, fast and accurate. Plus he can run! (something rare at UCA..not since Brian Stallworth).


WYNRICK SMOTHERS
QB 6-1 191
DESTREHAN HS, DESTREHAN, LA
2008 5-5A All-District selection; 2008 5A All-
State Honorable Mention; Louisiana 5A State
Champions (14-0 record); New Orleans QB
Club Player of the Week vs. John Ehret HS;
2-time member Louisiana 5A State Champions;
3-year letterman in basketball; 2008 was
152-252 for 2,265 yards, 20 TDs, 8 INTs; 82
rushes, 347 yards, 8 TDs; listed on Rivals.
com

Saw him play several times last year at Destrehan,...he does have a pretty strong throwing arm but have a hard time believing he'll stay at QB long term unless you change your offense.

[Cocky]

Here are the new names not actually new players:
#1 Greg Smith
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6-1
Weight: 190
Class: Senior
Hometown: Atlanta, Ga

#51 Kevin Dix
Position: Linebacker
Height: 6-2
Weight: 260
Class: Junior
Hometown: Carrollton, Ga

#27 Patrick Tatum
Position: Punter
Height: 6-2
Weight: 200
Class: Sophomore
Hometown: Sylvania, Ala

Freshmen:
#16 Alan Bonner
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 5-11
Weight: 168
Class: Freshman
Hometown: Newnan, Ga

#32 Jahron Brown
Position: Running Back
Height: 5-11
Weight: 220
Class: Freshman
Hometown: Powder Springs, Ga

[BEAR]

Saw him play several times last year at Destrehan,...he does have a pretty strong throwing arm but have a hard time believing he'll stay at QB long term unless you change your offense.

Are you serious? Conque uses those screens and TEs like they were parachute pants in 1988! His ability to pass like that should fit well with conques system. Here's what I've seen so far:

Nathan Dick- soph. QB transfer from uaf has a good deep ball and decent short ball.

Trae Cook- Runs and passes excellent.

Robby Park- Knows the system and is decent.

Wynrick Smothers - Good short passer and running ability.

Conque has a real problem on his hands. An SEC QB, a fifth year senior, a Louisiana all star and a very capable and versitile runner and passer....which one do you use? xlolxxeekx

[eaglewraith]

Samford QB Dustin Taliaferro will show what he can really do this season. Dustin, being a true freshman starter, was somewhat(overly?) protected by our coaches last year. He has the most underrated receiver in the SoCon to team with. That would be 6-5 WR Jonathan Lowery. Lowery should be remembered by Furman for his 74 yard TD reception and by the Eagles for his 73 yard TD trek at GSU.

Oh you mean the one where there were 2 BS blatant holding no calls? Yea..I definitely remember that play but not for him.

I also remember that BS no flag call at the end of the 3rd quarter that miraculously worked in your favor to let you kick the ball in the 4th with hurricane force winds to your back. I wanted to kill every ref on the field for that call.

[SUUTbird]

Easily one of the players in the whole nation to be looked at this year is Junior WR Tyson Poots. He Earned first-team all-conference and honorable mention all-America honors last year after setting school records for receptions (83), receiving yards (1,236) and touchdown receptions (14). Ranked third in the nation in receptions per game (7.55) and receiving yards per game (112.36), was 24th in scoring at 7.64 ppg. Also set SUU records for receptions in a game with 16 at Cal Poly, where his 246 receiving yards were the third-best total in school history. Poots also caught four TD passes at UC Davis to tie the SUU record, easily one of the greatest deep ball threats in the whole of the NCAA.

Another Thunderbird to watch this year will be transfer QB from Oregon Cade Cooper. He spent the 2007 season as a redshirt at Oregon after suffering an injury at BYU in the spring of 2007. He then played two seasons at Snow College, where he led the team to a 12-1 record his sophomore season to earn National Junior College Player of the Year honors. Threw for over 3,100 yards his sophomore season at Snow, when he tossed 33 TD passes and ran for another four scores.

I feel bad for any team that underestimates us this year, beware everyone the Thunderbirds are coming!!! xthumbsupx

[CopperCat]

He's already on the Buchanan watch list, but Dane Fletcher is going to be a wrecking ball for MSU this year. He put on 15 pounds (he wasn't small to begin with) and he is probably one of the hardest hitting players we have on defense. He will make an impact early and often.

[89Hen]

Pat Devlin. xthumbsupx
GF, not that I'm not excited about PD, I'm reallllly looking forward the three big uglies the Hens signed this year for the O-line. Whoever succeeds PD may have all the time in the world in the pocket in 2011-2013. :)

[CrazyCat]

I'll throw a few names into the fray


WR Elvis Akpla 6-1 181 So
WR DeSean Thomas 6-1 185 So
RB C.J. Palmer 6-0 228 So


MLB Clay Bignell 6-2 236 So
DE Brad Smith 6-5 237 So
CB Cory Nicol 6-0 215 Sr


And the best player that played like crap last year but will have an excellant 2009 season is

QB Cody Kempt 6-2 236 Jr.

[achrist70]

I think for UNI I look for Maurice Turner, Josh Collins, and Jerrod Herring at Wide out to have big seasons along with Carlos Anderson a freshmen running back to have a big season.

[JohnStOnge]

For McNeese, I'm kind of looking at junior wide receiver Bernardo Henry (http://www.mcneesesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=93663&SPID=11448&DB_OEM_ID=22000&ATCLID=1506035&Q_SEASON=2009) as the most likely previous little-known player to get some attention and at redshirt freshman running back Champlain Babin (http://www.mcneesesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=93663&SPID=11448&DB_OEM_ID=22000&ATCLID=204765616&Q_SEASON=2009) as another possibility.

Henry has very good quickness and speed as well as very good elusiveness. As far as I can tell he has good hands but he hasn't gotten enough action yet to really be sure. I've seen him return some kickoffs and he seems to have the "knack" as well as the necessary speed.

Babin was very good in high school. Then he got 191 yards on 12 carries in the Red Stick Bowl high school all star game. He only got 3 carries in the Texas/Louisiana Bayou Bowl but got 47 yards on them. So that means he averaged 15.9 yards per carry in two high school all star games. He's got good speed as well as quickness and is supposed to be very strong. One never knows until he does something in college but I'm pretty optimistic about him.

[JohnStOnge]

WYNRICK SMOTHERS


I've seen him play twice live and once on TV in the 2008 AAAAA State title game. I think he's very good and was surprised that he wasn't coveted by some FBS mid majors. It also frosts me that a guy from South Louisiana would go play at Central Arkansas when I'm sure there were FCS teams in Louisiana that wanted him. What the heck about Conway, Arkansas, would make a South Louisiana kid want to go play there if he's got a chance to stay close to home?

Anyway, here's what I think is a well done video about Destrehan's State championship game experience:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugDh1RN_tnA

Most of the Smothers highlights are after the five minute mark. Of course, in that game, it was that dominant Destrehan defense that really did it. But Smothers did make some nice plays.

[CopperCat]

QB Cody Kempt 6-2 236 Jr.

xeekx
Good luck on bringing that guy down on the first or second hit.

[Skjellyfetti]

Jamill Lott is apparently having a really good camp. Could make some noise this season as a true freshman.

http://vmedia.rivals.com/uploads/1187/F563038.jpg

[ericsaid]

Jamill Lott is apparently having a really good camp. Could make some noise this season as a true freshman.

http://vmedia.rivals.com/uploads/1187/F563038.jpg

Jamal Jackson as well but not this year. Watch his highlight video on rivals and you'll see why.

But Jabari Fletcher is who to watch. He went from 225 last season at 6'3 to 255. He had 49 tackles last year with 12.5 for a loss and 6.5 sacks. He'll be someone to watch this year at DE.

[phoenix3]

Aaron Mellette - R fr- 6'3"-203 - hands like Hudgins feet like Roberts (El Cid).

[lionsrking2]

I've seen him play twice live and once on TV in the 2008 AAAAA State title game. I think he's very good and was surprised that he wasn't coveted by some FBS mid majors. It also frosts me that a guy from South Louisiana would go play at Central Arkansas when I'm sure there were FCS teams in Louisiana that wanted him. What the heck about Conway, Arkansas, would make a South Louisiana kid want to go play there if he's got a chance to stay close to home?

Anyway, here's what I think is a well done video about Destrehan's State championship game experience:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugDh1RN_tnA

Most of the Smothers highlights are after the five minute mark. Of course, in that game, it was that dominant Destrehan defense that really did it. But Smothers did make some nice plays.

I know the coaches at Destrehan pretty well and I was told UCA was the only school that told him they would try him at QB...everybody else wanted him as a DB or WR...not saying he CAN'T play QB at all, but not sure that's the best position to utilize his ability.

[ericsaid]

And possibly Justin Feagin if he makes it to Boone. Sucks I have to be a student at ECU for this game.

[JohnStOnge]

I know the coaches at Destrehan pretty well and I was told UCA was the only school that told him they would try him at QB...everybody else wanted him as a DB or WR...not saying he CAN'T play QB at all, but not sure that's the best position to utilize his ability.

Not saying you're not right but I'm surprised. He throws a really pretty ball. I saw him just absolutely carve Dutchtown up and Dutchtown had a good defense. Also, I know McNeese will take high school quarterbacks about whom that's been said and give them a shot to play quarterback. That's why Kerry Joseph went to McNeese. That's probably why Derrick Fourroux is at McNeese instead of at ULL. If it's true that there wasn't a single Louisiana FCS that wanted to give him a shot at QB, I'm kind of amazed because when I saw him play in high school he was really smooth and effective.

[SUjagTILLiDIE]

I know the coaches at Destrehan pretty well and I was told UCA was the only school that told him they would try him at QB...everybody else wanted him as a DB or WR...not saying he CAN'T play QB at all, but not sure that's the best position to utilize his ability.

SU recruited him for QB, but I dont think he would have ever saw the field at that position. We have a pretty impressive freshmen that came in during the spring, that caused our backup redshirt senior QB to move to another position. :D

[coover]

Don't be surprised to see the name Dominique Johnson listed among the leading FCS receivers this year. The former starting wide receiver (and star) at UCLA has transferred to Cal Poly (to be with his family) and will be catching passes from Redshirt Freshman Andre Broadous (the State of Oregon 6 Star Football player of the year in 2007) or Utah Transfer Tony Smith. A third candidate at QB, probably not ready yet, is true Freshman Duke deLancelloti, who tore up opposing teams in High School Football crazy Orange County, CA last year.

Also, watch wide receiver Mike Anderson, a former outstanding High School QB, who has great athletic ability and could play at several other positions if needed.

[parr90]

Here are the new names not actually new players:
#1 Greg Smith
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6-1
Weight: 190
Class: Senior
Hometown: Atlanta, Ga

#51 Kevin Dix
Position: Linebacker
Height: 6-2
Weight: 260
Class: Junior
Hometown: Carrollton, Ga

#27 Patrick Tatum
Position: Punter
Height: 6-2
Weight: 200
Class: Sophomore
Hometown: Sylvania, Ala

Freshmen:
#16 Alan Bonner
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 5-11
Weight: 168
Class: Freshman
Hometown: Newnan, Ga

#32 Jahron Brown
Position: Running Back
Height: 5-11
Weight: 220
Class: Freshman
Hometown: Powder Springs, Ga

How would you guys do without the state of Georgia? No wait you dont have to answer, JohnStonage will give me a map and show me.

[bleedblue]

Pat Devlin. xthumbsupx

Not really going out on a limb with that one. I'll say a name that Hens fans love and will get national attention soon. Anthony Walters(CB).

[EmeryZach]

QB Kyle Havens - UMass

JuCo transfer who was a Rivals 3-star.

Should be interesting to see what he can do this year.

[RichH2]

For Lehigh, I look to Jaren Walker rb to break out. Has been injury plagued so far.If he can stay healthy he is a beast. Also, Phil Winnett, dt also coming off injury.