For the rest of the college football regular season, we’ll be breaking down the best prospects by position in each of the major conferences. This week we’ll be taking a look at the American Athletic Conference (formerly the Big East). Due to the lack of teams and the poor level of talent in the conference, we’re consolidating the more talented FBS Independents Notre Dame and Brigham Young into this feature. Today’s focus is on defense.
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DE: Aaron Lynch,** South Florida
A sneaky good producer of D-Line talent (Jason Pierre-Paul, George Selvie, Terrell McClain), Lynch is USFs latest product. A transfer from Notre Dame, Lynch hasn’t produced in terms of sacks this season due to the attention he’s paid by offensive coordinators. He has a great first step and shines in one-on-one matchups, but he’ll benefit from adding weight at the next level.
DE: Marcus Smith, Louisville
Quick and raw, Smith has upside to be developed. A high school QB, Smith possesses athleticism but definitely needs work with his technique and the nuances of playing on the defensive side of the ball.
DT: Louis Nix III,* Notre Dame
A colossus up the middle, Nix has the size and strength required to play the nose on an NFL D-Line. For a man who weighs in excess of 320 pounds, Nix is a good athlete who can do more than just occupy blockers, but can collapse the pocket and range to edge when fresh. His weight will naturally need to be monitored, but he compares very favorably to Packers NT B.J. Raji.
DT: Shamar Stephen, UConn
Like Nix, Stephen possesses a huge frame, but with more length. He’s not quite the athlete as his Notre Dame counterpart, but he has the strength to overpower O-lineman and stop the run. Stephen projects as a two-down player in the NFL.
LB: Kyle Van Noy, BYU
Smart, instinctive, and productive, Van Noy has built an impressive resume while in Provo. One of the better tacklers in this year’s linebacker crop, Van Noy has had trouble staying on the up-and-up serving several suspensions for violations of team rules. That said, he can play the run and the pass and pressure the QB, a rare combination in today’s game.
LB: Yamin Smallwood,* UConn
A junior who flies under the radar, Smallwood possesses a lot of tools that don’t necessarily come together. Smallwood is a great athlete who can tackle better than most collegiate players. However, he doesn’t excel at taking on blockers or in coverage, making his transition to the pros more somplicated.
LB: Prince Shembo, Notre Dame
A big linebacker who has lined up at the DE position this season, Shembo is a tough dedicated player. He doesn’t have the size or strength to hold up on the edge in the NFL, but will prove to be a capable strong-side ‘backer, a better version of former Giants draft pick Clint Sintim.
CB: Bennett Jackson, Notre Dame
A defensive back who fits the mold of the big corner that is all the rage in today’s game, Jackson lacks the athleticism to be left on an island on the outside. However what he lacks in play speed, he makes for with solid technique and ball-hawking ability.
CB: Zachary McMillan, Houston
A small corner, McMillan lacks any sort of physicality at the line of scrimmage. He does possess good straight-line speed, but has some struggles changing directions and staying balanced.
S: Lonnie Balentine, Memphis
Balentine is this year’s lone representative of the Tigers who stands a chance of going pro. He possesses the size and general toughness to play the run and can hold up relatively well in pass coverage.
S: Hakeem Smith, Louisville
A highly experienced, productive player, Smith possesses a spindly build for a safety. He lacks the ball skills to play at corner but is very athletic and can play a convincing role in run support.
Missed the cut:
DE: Ryne Giddins, South Florida
DT: E.J. Dunston, Central Florida
LB: Ishaq Williams, Notre Dame
LB: Greg Blair, Cincinnati
LB: Preston Brown, Louisville
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