New Day 3 Pet Cat

[KingintheNorth]

I went to the 2nd ranked (FCS) Montana State vs. 4th ranked UC Davis game yesterday. You guys know I am always looking for draftable players, but I went into this game blind. Since my move up here, I have spent time with and paid attention to the Sacramento State program. I knew Davis was good but not much else.

I found out that UC Davis has a pretty innovative play caller at Head Coach in Tim Plough. This is the first HC gig for the former UC Davis quarterback, who spent the last three years as Boise State (OC & QB Coach) and California (TE Coach). His Aggies have the 6th ranked Total Offense in FCS and 3rd overall Passing Offense. Despite a two-point loss and one heck of a 4th quarter comeback, Davis will still be hosting a playoff game (and I’ll probably be there.)

Typically, I shoot a note to Dane Brugler before I go to smaller school games asking who I should look for. At the very least, I Google the rosters. I’m in the middle of buying a house and the girlfriend set this game up for her employees, so again, I did zero prep work.

I’m watching the offense, reveling in all the creative Counter plays, and this #3 is really sticking out. He’s playing running back, but they are motioning him and lining up all over the field. He is running incredibly crisp routes and every time he touches the ball, he explodes. He has good size (6’0”, 215 lbs.) but he’s way faster than I would have imagined, and again, everything he is being asked to do on the field, he is excelling at. His name is Lan Larison.

Then he makes this catch…



So now I have to text people. I’m Tweeting at Jim Nagy (Senior Bowl), hitting up my usual contacts via text or DM. Apparently, I have been completely sleeping on this kid. Google brings me to his UC Davis profile and right away I see his accolades:

- 2023 Walter Payton Award Finalist
- 2023 FCS Football Central All-American First Team
- 2023 AP All-American Third Team
- 2023 Walter Camp Football Foundation All-American
- 2023 Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year
- 2023 All-Big Sky Conference First Team
- 2022 All-Big Sky Conference First Team
- 2021 Hero Sports Freshman All-American

Lan Larison - Football - UC Davis Athletics

Of course he is leading the FCS in All-Purpose Yards, averaging 169 yards per game. He’s 6th in Rushing and 8th in scoring. He has surpassed 3000 All-Purpose Yards over his career.

I am by no means saying this kid is Christian McCaffery, BUT he can do McCaffery-like things. The way he runs routes and his YAC ability reminded me a lot of Pukua Nucua. I think he’s an ideal slot WR at the NFL level in the mold of Wes Welker, Julian Edelmen, Cole Beasley, and Hunter Renfrow, but a bigger version.

I wonder if a former Patriots Head Coach would have any interest in a player like that?

 

[tm1119]

Good find, you forgot what might be the most impressive fact tho…he was the Idaho state steer wrestling champion in high school.

I’ll take your word for it on the crisp routes, but looks a lot stockier than most slot WR’s. Maybe a present day Austin Eckeler as a comp (if everything goes well of course)?

 

[gtb1943]

Good find, you forgot what might be the most impressive fact tho…he was the Idaho state steer wrestling champion in high school.

I’ll take your word for it on the crisp routes, but looks a lot stockier than most slot WR’s. Maybe a present day Austin Eckeler as a comp (if everything goes well of course)?

One thing for sure; you gotta be TOUGH to wrestle steers.