5 Acc Sleepers To Keep An Eye On This Season

bodi

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https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/acc-sleepers-2020-college-football-season

1.Zion JohnsonIOL , Boston College

2.Alim McNeill IDL , NC State

The Wolfpack were loaded with NFL talent in 2018 and 2019 and are currently in the process of restocking the cupboard. With that said, Alim McNeil is an intriguing player that is arguably NC State’s best NFL prospect and is deserving of more buzz.

Racking up 7.5 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 2019, McNeil was a bright spot on a Wolfpack defense that struggled last season. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 315 pounds, McNeil is a smooth and explosive athlete that shows excellent lateral mobility. He was used in multiple spots for NC State but is at his best when he can penetrate and shoot interior gaps. In those moments, McNeil demonstrates the ability to reach the edges of blockers and he’s slippery when working through contact. He has good power at the point of attack to hold up against the run.

McNeil has room to improve on the technical side of the game where his hand usage, leverage, and block deconstruction skills are still a work in progress, but the makings of a solid mid-round prospect that can become a valuable part of an NFL defensive line rotation are absolutely present.

3 Cory Durden IDL , Florida State

I remain very high on Florida State’s defensive talent and Durden is a big reason why. Like many players during Willie Taggart’s tenure, Durden was miscast and played primarily on the edge despite being best suited to play primarily on the interior. Despite his odd usage, Durden led the Seminoles in 2019 with 47 pressures and lived in opposing backfields.

Durden has terrific functional strength, which he uses to bull rush and stress the anchor of his blocker, and he sets up his rush from there, showcasing a terrific array of hand swipes and counters to clear contact. His anchor is stout and it takes multiple blockers to move him out of his run fits.

The key for Durden is playing with better control. He has no issues working into the backfield and beating blocks, but he’s not a consistent finisher. While he logged 6.5 tackles for loss and five sacks in 2019, those numbers could have been significantly higher if he came to balance more effectively after clearing contact and finishing plays. If Durden can clean up his missed tackles and get off the ball quicker, his production and draft stock could skyrocket.

4.Dez Fitzpatrick WR , Louisville


5.Jack Wohlabaugh IOL , Duke
 
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