Names to know-College Football

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​We are three weeks through the college football season and there are plenty of players catching fans’ attention. While everybody was focused on Texas A&M vs. Alabama last weekend, Johnny Manziel and A.J. McCarron weren’t the only players to shine.  This week we’ll take a look on some lesser-known players whose name you should know by now and look forward to watching for the rest of the year.

Jameis Winston-Florida St

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​Before this season began, the only reason I had heard of Jameis Winston were because of his ridiculous quotes. Sure, he had some absurd athletic talent, but his sound bits were hilarious. He said to reporters, “if I get Manziel disease, I want everyone of you to get your mics and start slapping me on the head.” The Florida State QB is known to have a love of cheese balls and when asked if he would give up a national championship for a lifetime supply of cheese balls he had to think about but then said, “I would not, BUT I’m gonna get some cheese balls anyway.” A championship may not seem too far-fetched as the Seminoles are currently ranked No. 10 in the AP poll.
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To call Winston efficient would be an understatement. The kid is damn near perfect. In his two games as starter he has completed 40 of 45 passes for 570 yards. That’s an 88.9% completion percentage, or the percentage of fucks to total words in Bo Pelini’s leaked audiotape. He has a 234.8 passer rating and has scored eight touchdowns. If you didn’t notice, he has more touchdowns than incompletions. If you somehow have not heard of Winston yet, you better start paying attention. He’s dove headfirst into the Heisman conversation and doesn’t seem to be slowing down. You shouldn’t feel uncomfortable with putting Winston on a pedestal after two games. In Jameis’ own words, “I could make you [a white reporter] feel at home in a black church.” The guy is hard to not like, and impossible to ignore.

Brett Hundley-UCLA

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​Brett Hundley may not be a stranger to fans of schools in the Pac-12, but he’s starting to become more known on the national stage. UCLA’s comeback against Nebraska on national television gave him the stage to make his name known. Hundley threw for 294 yards and three touchdowns and has UCLA ranked No. 13 in the AP poll. Hundley has 124 yards rushing this season with two touchdowns to go along with his 585 passing yards and five touchdowns.
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He’s not busting into the Heisman conversation, but he is making a name for himself. Hundley has achieved something that seemed impossible a few years ago — he has UCLA considered the better Los Angeles football team. As a USC fan, that’s what hurts the most.

Blake Bell-Oklahoma

NCAA Football: Cotton Bowl-Texas A&M vs Oklahoma
​He had never started a game and Blake Bell made sure that it would be hard to not let him start another. The 6-foot-6, 252-pounder started Oklahoma’s game against Tulsa after starter Trevor Knight was injured. Bell laid a beating down on Tulsa, giving the Sooners a 51-20 victory. Although previously thought of as a bruiser and dual-threat quarterback, Bell looked at home in the pocket. Bell completed 27 of 37 passes for 413 yards and four touchdowns.
Blake Bell
Bell had lost the quarterback competition against the freshman Knight during the offseason, but he seems to have gotten it back with his performance. Bell will be the starting QB when Oklahoma goes against Notre Dame this weekend giving him another chance to make his name known to college football fans.

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Tye Masters
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Fantasy Football Preview: A Guide to Win Your League

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Who to Target, Who to Avoid

Round 1:

Yes, you’re going to want to go RB here, big surprise.  The only non-RB I’m targeting is Calvin Johnson.  Outside of Megatron, I’m taking a top-12 back to help sure up that position.

Who to Target:

CJ Spiller:  Spiller’s going to have a monster year.  Barring injury I’m willing to put my fantasy credibility on the line and say he’s a legitimate candidate to rack up 2000 total yards. He’s my No. 2 pick after Adrian Peterson.

Doug Martin: Dougie has my attention.  I think he’s worth the third pick considering he’s got an elite offensive line clearing holes for him and Greg Schiano said the Bucs will be leaning on him.  If he and his line stay healthy, look for his numbers to improve even after a stellar year last season.

Ray Rice: I’ve seen Rice fall out of the top 5.  At six it’s a no-brainer. Many are afraid of him due to the slight emergence of his backup, Bernard Pierce.  Pierce is an added bonus in my eyes.  John Harbaugh has said Rice will be lined up in the slot when Pierce is in the backfield which sounds like PPR gold to me.  Pierce can also keep Rice fresh throughout the year which could bring a welcomed consistency to Rice’s fantasy performance. Draft Pierce as an insurance policy.

Calvin Johnson: If I don’t get AP, Spiller, Martin or Rice and I’m sitting at six with Megatron on the board, I’m taking him.  He’s a monster in PPR leagues and I think his TD numbers will be up a whole lot from last year.  Calvin owners from last year won their league 25 percent of the time, the highest winning percentage by any player outside of AP. Expect to get Stevan Ridley and Darren Sproles as your first and second backs and I’d recommend going after a Shane Vereen or Daryl Richardson as well.  Either way you’ll want to pay attention to the RB position later in your draft.

Al Morris/Matt Forte: These two are going at the end of round one and in some drafts, the beginning of round two.  If you have the last pick this year there’s a good chance you end up with both of these guys.  You gotta love that.  When it comes back around you can focus on snagging a couple high-end WRs.  You could take one WR and an elite TE or QB such as Jason Witten or Drew Brees/Aaron Rodgers, a really solid draft strategy.

Who to Avoid:

Jamal Charles: I had a terrible experience with Charles, taking him with the No. 2 overall pick the year he tore his ACL. I may be biased on this guy, but I’m not convinced he’s who I want to count on as my No. 1 RB.  I look for reliability with the first RB I take enabling me to take risks on high upside guys later.  If you must take Charles, look to follow him with a pick like Ridley.  I like Ridley’s ability to remain consistent.

Arian Foster: I love Arian Foster, I took him first overall last year and won my league thanks in large part to him.  There are so many questions surrounding Foster this year I’m almost sure I’m avoiding him completely.  The only chance I’m taking Foster is if he falls to me at six or later and Megatron isn’t available.  I don’t think that will happen in most drafts.  If you take him, Ben Tate is a must-draft later on.

Marshawn Lynch: Why did the Seahawks take a RB in the second round in this year’s NFL draft?  On top of that Christine Michael has really impressed in camp and in preseason games.  He could steal a few carries.  Plus Lynch doesn’t really catch the ball.  I’d take him if it was between him and Morris at the end of the first, but that seems unlikely.

Jimmy Graham/Dez Bryant: Expect huge years for these guys.  I want them both on my team.  But  I’m not spending a first-round pick on either.

 

5 Sleeper WRs to Keep Your Eye On:

Justin Blackmon:  Blackmon isn’t that under the radar; however he’s still going extremely late in drafts for some reason.  Even with the four-game suspension he’s worth it because by the time he falls in drafts teams already have their starting WRs as well as a backup or even two.  You can’t go wrong with Blackmon. I’m sure he’ll produce even with the QB situation in Jacksonville.  The old Phil Simms quote applies here, “even when he isn’t open, he’s open.” I could get this guy the ball.

Kembrell Thompkins:  Another guy who the secret is out on.  Thompkins is going to start alongside Danny Amendola and we don’t see Amendola playing a full 16-game season so Thompkins may be the No. 1 in some weeks.  This kid is going a round or two after Blackmon, so when you take him it’s most likely you’ll already have 4 WRs.  You have to take him if that’s the case. He could be a 75-plus reception guy as he’s run both the deep routes and the Wes Welker-style routes for the Pats.

Markus Wheaton:  Wheaton can absolutely fly.  Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown are the starters for the Steelers but expect Wheaton to be on the field a whole lot for Pittsburgh.  The Steelers could cause some problems for defenses with both Brown and Wheaton out there. That’s a serious amount of speed.

Kenny Stills: He’s the third WR for New Orleans and he’s a talent for sure. Drew Brees has already shown a lot of trust in the rookie in just a few preseason games.  He’ll go undrafted without a doubt, so pick him up if you don’t like how your WR corps looks immediately after your draft.  After 70 yards and a TD in Week 1 it will be a race to waiver wire for him anyway.

Brandon LaFell:  LaFell showed he can contribute as a No. 2 receiver for Carolina.  Cam Newton has found him in the red zone a few times as he’s much bigger than Steve Smith.  If you need a fill in, you could get a TD out of him.

5 Sleeper RBs to Keep Your Eye On:

LaMichael James: The 49ers began to get him involved last year and this year he should see even more action.  James possesses big play ability and is the young guy knocking on the old veteran’s door.  I remember a similar situation last year in San Fran involving a former No. 1 overall pick and some guy name Colin Kaepernick.  Hmm.

Christine Michael:  This kid fits right into the “beast mode” mentality in Seattle.  Michael is a physical runner who punishes defenders with every attempted tackle.  The Seahawks drafted him in the second round with no apparent need at RB, so we ask… Why?

Knowshon Moreno:  Still can picture him leaping over defenders in that Georgia uniform.  He’s a talented player who came on strong after Willis McGahee went down last season.  He is probably the most seasoned RB the Broncos have when you factor in pass protection, ball protection and receiving ability.  He’s worth the late pick it costs to get him.

Kenjon Barner: Jonathan Stewart’s been placed on the PUP list and even after he gets back I feel the tiny Oregon product, Barner, can show he deserves his touches. If he outplays DeAngelo Williams in the first six weeks, look out.

Isaac Redman: Went undrafted in my 12-team PPR high stakes league.  I scooped him off the waiver wire because LeVeon Bell’s out for awhile and sure enough Pittsburgh named him the interim starter. Nothing special here but he’ll carry the ball more than anyone on his team. There are only 32 of those guys out there ya know.

 

The Trick to Adding Depth and My Famous Jason Witten Pick
Year after year my favorite player to draft is Jason Witten. For the past two or three years explosive guys like Jimmy Graham and Vernon Davis garner all the attention and it’s made it even easier for me to go under the radar and snag Witten in the fifth round. At that point I have my starting RBs and WRs, and while people are “adding depth” at those positions, I’m stealing a 20-30 point player (referring to points per game) giving me an edge every week at the TE position.
The only matchup I’m losing is Witten vs. Graham (or Witten vs. a healthy Rob Gronkowski) and even then I’m competing with them, scoring enough at the position to allow my other players win me the week. Graham goes in the mid-to-late second round and scores a little more than Witten. Witten goes three rounds later and really gives you an edge since you took a stud RB or WR in the same round that Graham was picked.
With the next two picks you add either another RB and WR, or one of the two and an elite QB who’s fallen right to you. I find myself in this position every draft, a possible top-three guy like Tom Brady or Tony Romo falling right in my lap in the seventh round holding a big sign saying, “Draft Me!” So through seven rounds all starting positions (outside of DEF/ST and kicker) are filled and everyone of those guys flat out score points. Plus, you have the luxury of not having to worry about a finding a QB who can get you 20 points weekly or a TE who’ll get you 10. Why? Because you stole both Witten and Brady/Romo, who can be counted on to score a substantial amount of points throughout the year.
Now you can focus on depth.  You already know you’re getting points from your workhorses. Now is the time to take risks and target sleepers or undervalued guys. Snatch up guys like Kenny Britt or Lance Moore, DeAngelo Williams or Daryl Richardson adding more starters for their respective teams and late at that. Then take your risks like Kenbrell Thompkins or Justin Blackmon.  Then add a solid defense and kicker one round earlier than most in an attempt to get a leg up on those positions knowing you can get Kenny Stills or Isaac Redman (who have been going undrafted) with your last pick. A good defense and kicker to target just a tad early would be New England and Sebastian Janikowski. Try it out in mocks and see if you like your team.  I always do.

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College Football Top 25 Team Mottos

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We are officially a few days away from the kickoff of college football, meaning that my Saturdays will soon become incredibly unproductive. Coaches are planning, players are practicing and fans are buying gear and beer in preparation for the season.  Every team is hoping for success, and success requires proper motivation. Coaches often come up with motivational sayings or quotes to inspire their team to victory. Here’s a look at what the mottos for the Associated Press’ Top 25 teams should be this year.

1. Alabama-“Roll ‘Bama roll”

Alabama enters the season as the early preseason favorite and for good reason. The powerhouse program has won three of the past four national championships and doesn’t seem to be slowing down. Head coach Nick Saban has the Crimson Tide rolling and you better ride the wave or get the hell out of the way.

2. Ohio State-“Win when it matters”

Ohio State couldn’t go to a bowl game last season, but Urban Meyer led them to an undefeated season. I would take that trade all day. Let’s see if the Buckeyes can repeat and get themselves into the national championship picture. Meyer began the string of seven consecutive championships for the SEC back in 2006, but his Ohio State team will need to win big if he hopes to end the SEC reign.

3. Oregon-“Win the day, especially when it’s in November”

Chip Kelly may be gone, but the Ducks still have high expectations for themselves. What has been the biggest downfall for the Ducks the past two years? How about losses in back-to-back years during mid-November. You don’t make the national championship game when you lose that late in the season.

4. Stanford-“Nerds do it better”

Just look in Sports Illustrated and see Stanford linebacker Shane Skov embrace his nerd-athletic freak combination.  Not only can the Cardinal beat your football team, but they probably murdered your SAT score as well. David Shaw has run a hell of a program, keeping the Cardinal relevant through a coaching change and the loss of Andrew Luck. Stanford-Oregon will be one of the games of the year and just may be for a national championship berth.

5. Georgia-“Beware of Dawg”

The Bulldogs made it into the SEC Championship last year and very nearly knocked off Alabama. Georgia won games because of its offense and is bringing back 10 starters from that unit. Opposing teams’ defenses better be ready if they hope to stop the Bulldogs. Georgia will live or die though with its defense as eight new starters will have to face Clemson in their first game. If it makes it through the fire early, Georgia will emerge as a strong contender.

6. South Carolina- “WWCD-What would Clowney do”

Unless you haven’t seen SportsCenter in the past year, odds are you’ve seen Jadeveon Clowney’s ridiculous hit, forced fumble and bear-paw fumble recovery against Michigan last year. The future NFL No. 1 pick sets the tone for South Carolina and every player should try to mimic his inhuman athleticism. Steve Spurrier should tell every player to think what Clowney would do on the play — make the hit, grab the ball, dodge some bullets and score a touchdown. Clowney is so feared that he is the only man that can scream “go Cocks” while cheering for his team and no one will laugh. The Gamecocks have talent and that talent could lead them to a title game.

7. Texas A & M-“The Twelfth Man isn’t the guy asking for autographs.

Apparently Johnny Manziel thought the Twelfth Man was the guy who pays you for your autographs. Texas A&M is sitting in some hot water over the recent autograph fiasco and even implemented a new policy against signing memorabilia.  The Aggies need to shift the media away from Manziel and focus on winning the SEC.

8. Clemson-“Live up to the expectations.”

The Clemson Tigers won 11 games last year and have earned themselves a No. 8 preseason ranking.  If the Tigers can make it past Georgia in week 1, they will make a statement and start to expect more than just an ACC Championship. Clemson’s goal should be to the first team that comes to mind when someone says “the Tigers did well this week.” You’re ranked higher than LSU right now, try to keep it that way.

9. Louisville-“Never make an insurance claim.”

Lousiville’s hopes rest on quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and his $10 million insurance policy against a career-ending injury. If the Cardinals hope to enter the BCS picture, they’ll have to make sure that insurance policy never gets claimed. If you insured your expensive house, you better have a good fence around it. There will be a lot of pressure on Louisville’s offensive line to keep its house protected and safe.

10. Florida-“It’s MusCHAMP, not MusChump”

Nobody expected the Gators to go on the tear they did last year and coach Will Muschamp seems to know what he’s doing. Muschamp went 7-6 his first year, 11-2 his second, and he’s looking for a championship in his third.

11. Florida State-“I’m gonna get some cheeseballs anyway”

Jameis Winston has the potential to be this year’s Johnny Manziel, not only because his athleticism, but because he too has a huge personality. For instance, when asked if he would give up a national championship for a lifetime supply of cheeseballs (Winston is known to LOVE cheeseballs) he replied, “I would not, BUT I’m gonna get some cheeseballs anyway.” So, here’s to Winston leading Florida State to a national championship and getting those cheeseballs while providing us with more ridiculous quotes.

12. LSU-“We got Les but we need more offense”

The Tigers lost their games because of their lack of offense. The LSU defense was top 10 in nearly every defensive category and was the reason that it won as many games as it did. LSU needs Zach Mettenberger to play well and Cam Cameron needs to redeem himself for almost preventing the Ravens from winning the Super Bowl. The Tigers are going to need a little more go from the offense if fans hope to be cheering Geaux Tigers this season. We’ll find out their offensive skill early as the Tigers take on TCU in week 1.

13. Oklahoma State-“The best defense is having a good offense”

Oklahoma State better hope this is true because there are some major questions surrounding its defense this year. Its saving grace may be its offense where Jeremy Smith looks to continue where Joseph Randle left off and OSU’s endless supply of talented receivers continues with Josh Stewart.  The Cowboys will need to avoid having their defense hold them back again this season if they hope to make any noise.

14. Notre Dame-“Play like a champion today, even though you couldn’t against Alabama”

Between the Manti Te’o embarrassment and the spanking put on Notre Dame by Alabama during the national championship, it’s easy to forget the Irish had an undefeated season. While the Irish went from unranked to BCS berth last year, they will need to do some serious praying if they hope to end up back there. Tommy Rees is back in the saddle at the quarterback position with Everett Golson suspended. Rees will need to vastly improve to give Notre Dame a 10-win season.

15. Texas-“Don’t mess with Texas, please Oklahoma?”

Few rivalries go as deep as the Red River rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma. Texas fans are fine with not winning a championship, not winning 10 games and losing in a bowl game. However, they HATE losing to Oklahoma, and the Sooners have now crushed them two years in a row. If Mack Brown and the Longhorns don’t step it up against Oklahoma this year, expect some heads to roll.

16. Oklahoma-“Boomer! Let’s play Texas Sooner”

Oklahoma will aim to win the Big 12 and make it three in a row against Texas. Even more important is for the Sooners to get back in the BCS picture. The Sooners are now three years removed from their last BCS bowl. This Oklahoma team lacks the usual preseason hype. I don’t see it making too much noise in the BCS and think it’ll have its hands full against Texas this year. However, if it pummels Texas three years in a row, Bob Stoops will keep Sooner fans smiling.

17. Michigan-“Defend the Big House”

The schedulers looked kindly upon Michigan this year as they gave it Notre Dame, Nebraska and Ohio State all in Ann Arbor. If the Wolverines can manage to hold down the Big House, it’s easy to see them in the Big Ten championship and potentially the Rose Bowl. Expect the Michigan-Ohio State game to potentially shake up the BCS picture, and for the Big Ten championship to be a rematch of the two teams the next week.

18. Nebraska-“Pound the rock”

Not only is this a saying on the huge rock by the Cornhuskers locker room, but it should ring true this year. Nebraska’s offense looks to be the most dominant in the Big Ten and will put up points all year long. With Taylor Martinez, Ameer Abdullah and Kenny Bell returning, the Huskers offense can be scary. The Huskers will move the ball, but their defense’s inability to stop it could ruin their season.

19. Boise State-“We still hate the BCS system”

It’s entirely possible for Boise State to go undefeated this year and still not make it to the BCS Championship game. Boise State moved to the Mountain West conference but its two most difficult games this year will be out of conference teams BYU and Washington. If you’re a good team joining a new conference, make it an automatic qualifier next time.

20. TCU-“No longer tadpoles, fear the Frogs”

TCU had a little bit of a rough introduction in its first year of the Big 12. The Horned Frogs will have an opportunity to make some noise early when they open the season against LSU. If TCU can beat LSU, they’ll set the tone for the rest of their season and put some fear in the rest of the Big 12 teams.

21. UCLA-“We want Mora what happened last year”

Last year was an incredible success for new UCLA coach Jim Mora. Mora won the Pac-12 South and defeated USC. UCLA fans couldn’t ask for much more. Mora may have a more difficult time winning this year with away games against Nebraska, Oregon, Stanford, and USC. Can UCLA beat USC in the Coliseum and show that LA’s football monopoly is over? Or was last year just a fluke?

22. Northwestern-“More is always better”

Northwestern had one of its best seasons last year and will try to build off of it. Northwestern takes the idea that more is better to heart. Not only does it hope for more wins, but its success comes from utilizing as many players as possible. Why use only one quarterback when you can use two? Let’s throw in three running backs and seven different receivers. The strategy kept opposing teams unprepared and uncomfortable, and Northwestern is hoping for more of what happened last year.

23. Wisconsin-“Jump Around”

Not only is Jump Around a stadium tradition for fans, but the Badgers will need to do it to be successful. With Montee Ball leaving to the NFL, Melvin Gordon and James White will attempt to replace the former leading rusher. If the ball hopes to move, the entire offense will need to jump around opposing defenders and into the endzone.

24. USC-“Fight On! And out of the embarrassment”

If it wasn’t for Marquise Lee, last year would have been an entire embarrassment for the USC football program. As a USC alumnus and fan, I watched my team plummet from preseason No. 1 to completely out of the rankings. Throw that in with an abysmal bowl performance and loss to UCLA and you have a failure of a season. Lee is arguably the most talented football player in the country and will be looking to further improve his draft stock this season. USC hit rock bottom last year, let’s see if it can fight its way back into the college football’s elite.

25. Oregon State-“Beavers are best at building”

The Oregon State Beavers had a quiet 9-4 season last year and will be hoping to build off that success. Mike Riley will have to show that last year wasn’t a fluke and that two teams may soon be relevant in Oregon. With games against Stanford, Oregon and USC, the Beavers will have their hands full.

Bennett Tops Bazz, McLemore as Nation’s Best Freshman

Anthony Bennett is a man amongst boys!

Anthony Bennett is a man amongst boys!

Every year college basketball programs try to attract top recruits who can make an immediate impact on the team. Everyone wants the next Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, or Carmelo Anthony to play for their program and carry them into the NCAA tourney. An incoming freshman with exceptional talent can benefit a program immensely, even if it is “one and done.” Just ask John Calipari how useful a freshman can be. He owes much of his success to freshmen like Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, John Wall and Anthony Davis. Although early, the 2013 freshman class has some studs making their names known and opposing teams praying they’re one and dones.

Forward Anthony Bennett of UNLV is without question the best freshman at this point. The first McDonald’s All-American to join the Runnin’ Rebels in decades has created a new show in a city known for its entertainment. The freshman already has NBA size standing at 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, and his play makes him a consideration as an early lottery pick if he chooses to leave for the NBA after this season. Bennett uses every bit of his size to bully defenders in the paint on his way to 19.9 points per game while shooting 56.1 percent and collecting nine rebounds a game. While Bennett seems capable of getting to the basket at will, his game is far more versatile. His seven-foot wingspan gives him the ability to match-up against any opponent and his 1.5 blocks per game demonstrates his ability to protect the paint. While it would seem his game has to be lacking in some facet, the guy even shoots the three-ball at 38 percent. Bennett’s far more than your typical college player, hell he’s even more than two collegiate players at times (see video below).

Bennett’s 19-plus points per game and 9-plus rebound average have him in the company of Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and Michael Beasley, so it’s safe to say he should be on the National Player of the Year watch. With a player of Bennett’s caliber to watch, UNLV fans should pack the Thomas & Mack Center all season long. While currently ranked 24 in the AP and 19 in the USA Today, the return of 2012 Mountain West Newcomer of the Year Mike Moser and the sure development of Bennett will make this team scary in March. Bennett may be the savior of Sin City and the Runnin’ Rebels have the potential to make a deep run in the NCAA tourney.

ben

While Bennett is far above anyone other freshman this year, consideration must be given to guard Ben McLemore. It’s a pretty big deal when a freshman leads No. 6 Kansas in scoring. McLemore is averaging a team-leading 15.8 points per game with 5.5 rebounds per game and 2.2 assists per game.  All it takes to recognize his talent is to watch his clutch performance against Iowa State. The freshman put up 33 points, including a perfect 6-for-6 from the 3-point line. He stepped up big by knocking down the game-tying three with only a second left. Whenever you have a freshman step up in such big moments, it can’t go unnoticed. From highlight plays that show his ability to elevate higher than kids at a Wiz Khalifa concert, to his ability to come up big during big games, McLemore can’t be ignored. If the freshman can successfully carry his team to a top seed in the NCAA tourney and continue at the pace he’s going, he will overtake Bennett for top freshman honors and further improve his draft stock.
smart

Another top freshman guard is Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart. The young point guard averages 14.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. The Cowboys have lost two of their last three games and need to snap out of the funk they’re in. As a major contributor to their offense, Smart’s stats show his importance to the team. The guy fills up a stat sheet like a young Jason Kidd. He’s a top two contributor in assists, points, and rebounds. While certainly a top freshman, I have a hard time comparing him to the level of Bennett and McLemore. With the college basketball only half-way through, anything can change. While I don’t see Smart capable of overcoming Bennett for top freshman honors, he definitely must be considered in the top-3 freshman.

bazz

The last freshman consideration is UCLA’s forward Shabazz Muhammad. While Muhammad began with a rocky start due to potential NCAA violations of amateurism, he seems to be trying to live up to the preseason hype. Post #FreeShabazz, is averaging 19.6 points per game and 5.2 rebounds per game. With UCLA about to hit the road in the Pac-12, Shabazz better be ready to be heckled by fans for his possible violations and lead UCLA to match the early expectations everyone had for it. If Shabazz can stay on the court and continue to play at the level he’s been at the past couple games, he’ll move up in these rankings (he’s averaged 19.5 points and 8 rebounds over his past two). Shabazz has some big shoes to step into (probably Adidas), and if he fails match the hype, his status as the number one pick may slip. The potential to go either way is there, it will just be up to him to determine which direction he goes in.

Other Considerations:

Jahaii Carson, Arizona State (16.7ppg, 3.1rpg, 5.4apg)

Nerlens Noel, Kentucky (10.3ppg, 9.3rpg, 3.5bpg)

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Tye Masters
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