Tag: California Golden Bears

2021 NFL draft: Pair of Pac-12 matchups should draw Chargers’ interest

Out on the west coast, will be a couple of matchups that present a handful of 2021 NFL draft prospects that could intrigue the Chargers.

The college football season is winding down, with bowl season now in hindsight. That also means that scout’s traveling to watch prospects at various programs across the nation is close to coming to an end.

Today, out on the west coast, will be a couple of matchups that present a handful of 2021 NFL draft prospects that could very well intrigue the Chargers.

The first one is the contest between California and Washington State, which is at 1:00 p.m. PT.

The Bears have a pair of defenders, cornerback Camryn Bynum and linebacker Kuony Deng, that would be solid additions to Los Angeles’ defense.

Bynum, the Bears’ four-year starter, is a sound corner with very good reactive athleticism and coverage ability, as he seeks contact and battles on the perimeter, while also being a tenacious, competitive nuisance to receivers.

Given the fact that the Chargers could be looking to add more bodies at the position since Casey Hayward and Chris Harris Jr. are both free agents after the 2021 season, the team could take a hard look at Bynum.

Deng has grown from a skinny basketball player to a legit NFL linebacker prospect. The 6-foot-5 and 225 pounder has range, blitzing versatility, and the length to knock down passes, projecting as a SAM backer.

Meanwhile, the Cougars have an offensive tackle in Abraham Lucas, who is arguably the top guy at his position with Oregon’s Penei Sewell opted out of the season.

Even though there’s a limited sample size in the run game due to their offense, Lucas has the frame, movement skills and anchor to neutralize quickness and control the point of attack in pass protection, projecting to start early at the next level.

Update: The matchup between Cal and Washington State has been cancelled.

A few hours later will be a rivalry battle between USC and UCLA, which is at 4:30 p.m. PT.

The Trojans have a few players on the offensive side of the ball that should garner the attention.

Alijah Vera-Tucker played guard last season but transitioned to left tackle after Austin Jackson left for the NFL. Vera-Tucker is quick-footed and moves smoothly in open space, playing alert and with tenacity every snap, constantly looking for extra blocks.

USC has one of the best pass-catching duos in the Pac-12, Tyler Vaughns and Amon-Ra St. Brown, both of whom could be solid additions to the Bolts’ wide receiver room.

Vaughns is a good-sized receiver that shows tracking ability, body control, and contested catch skills to be an effective receiving threat while St. Brown has the speed, quickness, and playmaking ability to be a solid receiver at the next level.

The Bruins have an edge defender that could be on the Chargers’ radar. Osa Odighizuwa, who has four sacks this season offers good strength and edge-setting at the point of attack with his length, as well as some pass rushing alignment versatility.

UGA football player card: WR Demetris Robertson

Demetris Robertson came out of high school as a five-star recruit. He transferred to Georgia from California.

Demetris Robertson, Wide Receiver (#16):

Class: Senior

Height: 6-0

Weight: 190 pounds

Hometown: Savannah, Georgia

High School: Savannah Christian

Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Demetris Robertson came out of high school as an elite five-star recruit according to most sources. He elected to attend California, where he was spectacular in 2016.

In fact, as a true freshman at Cal, Robertson broke DeSean Jackson’s freshman receiving yards record and Keenan Allen’s receptions record. Robertson caught 50 passes for 767 yards and scored seven touchdowns. These remain the best marks of his career.

During his sophomore season, Robertson suffered a season ending lower body injury. He played in two games before medically redshirting, then transferring to the University of Georgia. Robertson was immediately eligible at Georgia in 2018, where he played in nine games where he rushed for 109 yards on four carries.

Robertson saw more playing time last season, but didn’t match his production at Cal. He hauled in 30 passes for 333 yards and scored three TDs in 2019.

He’s a break-out candidate to watch in 2020, especially with Dominick Blaylock’s torn ACL. He’s expected to start at wide receiver opposite George Pickens. He’ll contribute to the run game as well.

Robertson looks quite difference in a California Golden Bears’ jersey:

Sep 17, 2016; Berkeley, CA, USA; California Golden Bears wide receiver Demetris Robertson  runs the ball against the Texas Longhorns in the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. Cal won 50-43. Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

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2020 NFL draft: Ashtyn Davis scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about California safety prospect Ashtyn Davis

Ashtyn Davis | Safety | California

Elevator Pitch

Ashtyn Davis has all the makings of a ballhawk at the next level, but unlike most of those types, he can punish you with his physicality. A player who can line up in a multitude of spots on the field. He will likely need to add 10-15 pounds but can make an immediate impact on a defense. His medical re-check will be key following his offseason surgery.

Vitals

Height | 6-1

Weight | 202

Class | Senior

College Stats

College Bio

Combine Profile

Strengths

Speed for days. There is no question that Davis is fast. Had he ran at the combine, he would have challenged Javelin Guidry for the top speed among defensive backs. According to DraftScout.com, Davis high 40 time is 4.28 and low of 4.39 which would put him right at the top. When watching Davis roam the backfield, his speed shows up on film.

One aspect of his game that will help him at the next level is position flex, Davis was recruited to Cal as a cornerback that made the move to safety. Teams can ask him to play single-high or come up to cover a back, tight end or slot receiver. When needing to come up to make a play from the defensive backfield, shows off a quick trigger in getting downhill.

While Davis might be relatively green when it comes to playing the game, one trait you can’t teach is his ability to find the ball and make a play. It is one thing to get into place and another to come away with the ball. Davis is aggressive at the catch point which results in passed deflected or an interception. Can make the athletic play to snag balls before they hit the turf.

Weaknesses

While you love the physicality that Davis plays with, his game built on reckless abandonment can be troublesome. The Cal safety will need to focus on playing more under control and wrapping up his opponents. By flying to the ball, Davis can come in hot and off balance causing poor tackle attempts.

When playing near the LOS, Davis can take poor angles. This could very well be a byproduct of not playing football until his sophomore year of high school. As Ashtyn gets more familiar with film study and tendencies, that part of his game should improve.

Projection: Day 2

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