The Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs are now over, and there's a lot to really think about. In this mock draft, I have a few trades, including a block buster to help find the successor for a QB headed for Canton, as well as a blockbuster deal in which a team that is currently at dumpster fire status get's their lost draft capita back. Here's the mock draft.
1 - Jacksonville Jaguars - Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
Nothing to say here. They didn't call this season 'Tank for Trevor' for nothing, now did they?
2 - New York Jets - Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
TRADE - Dolphins send 3rd overall pick to the New Orleans Saints, in exchange for 28th overall pick in 2020, Saints' 2nd round pick in 2020, Saints' 3rd round pick in 2020, Saints' 1st round pick in 2021, Saints 3rd round pick in 2021, and Saints 4th round pick in 2021, and maybe more...
3 - New Orleans Saints - Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
The Drew Brees era has ended in New Orleans after a long, and impressive run. At 42 years of age, Brees walks away from the game as 13x pro bowler, a two time OPOTY winner, a super bowl champion (2009), and many other accolades and accomplishments under his belt. With the greatest QB in Saint's history now gone, it's time for New Orleans to fill in the big shoes left by the legend. The Saints are in no position to blow up their roster and tank in the wake of Brees' apparent retirement. They've got a 20+ million dollar WR in Michael Thomas, one of the highest paid RBs in Alvin Kamara, a star-studded OL, a great defense featuring Cameron Jordan, the breakout Trey Hendrickson, Demario Davis, Marshon Lattimore, and Malcolm Jenkins. This team really can't afford to tank for a top QB in 2022 like Sam Howell, or Spencer Rattler. What they can afford, is to give up a lot to receive a lot in Justin Fields. While his 2020 season wasn't anything to ride home about, Justin Fields is still more than likely going to have a great career in the NFL, and frankly what better place for him to go than the Big Easy, which will have a fantastic team around him unlike many other high end QBs in the draft. New Orleans will most certainly be giving up their first round picks for this year, and next year in order to land the coveted college football superstar, and set up their franchise for possibly another 12-15 years.
4 - Atlanta Falcons - Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama
QB is at the top of Atlanta's wishlist, but if they are unable to land neither Wilson, nor Fields, then Atlanta could target one of the biggest receiving talents in CFB history, in Devonta Smith to create the best WR core in the entire NFL. Reportedly, Julio Jones has been the center of trade discussions with the Falcons, as they enter a new era after firing coach Dan Quinn. If Julio goes, then Smith, who is wickedly talented at route running, & separation, could provide the Falcon's receiving department with more than enough insurance if Jones departs. If Jones doesn't leave, then you've still got a ridiculous WR trio for at least the next two years, until Calvin Ridley hits free agency.
5 - Cincinnati Bengals - Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
Sewell is a generational talent at OT, and if the former Outland Trophy winner were to fall to the Bengals at #5, then it's a no-brainer to get him to protect Burrow. Sewell is just 20 years old, he has plenty of room to improve, and with his youth, he could have a 15+ year career barring any injury.
6 - Philadelphia Eagles - Ja'Marr Chase, WR, LSU
Jalen Hurts has some promise in Philly, but he needs some targets. Neither Desean Jackson, nor Alshon Jeffrey can stay healthy, and all you have left is Greg Ward, who is becoming a free agent, and Travis Fulgham who fell off hard after a pretty impressive four game stretch earlier this year. It's time for Philadelphia to get a new WR1, and LSU's Ja'Marr Chase has all of the makings to be the next big thing in Philly. Chase's ridiculous 2019 campaign was so good, that he didn't even need to play in 2020 in order to cement his status as a top 10 pick. It's universally agreed that he is a top 10 level prospect, and his rookie year in Philly should be special.
7 - Detroit Lions - Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
The three top receivers for Detroit will become free agents. While the Lions will likely retain at least one of them (probably going to be Golliday), they will need to reload in this department in order to keep their offense up. Jaylen Waddle was on pace for a ridiculous 2020 season, up until he broke his ankle last October, but in the games we did see him, he was arguably just as unguardable as Devonta Smith. While Smitty was the precise tactician in that stacked Bama receiving corps, Waddle was the dynamite playmaker, who was one of the top downfield threats in the country. Waddle will most certainly make Detroit explosive upon arrival.
8 - Carolina Panthers - Micah Parson, LB, Penn State
I originally had Carolina taking Isaiah Simmons last season, but they passed on him for Derrick Brown instead. Ever since the departure of Luke Kuechly, the team has been in dire need of a leader at LB, and Penn State's Micah Parsons is the one to do it. Parsons can play the Panthers system, and his quickness, and instincts are incredible for the position.
TRADE - Denver Broncos send 9th overall pick + more to the Houston Texans in exchange for QB Deshaun Watson, + a late draft pick.
9 - Houston Texans - Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
The second big shocker of the night. In this scenario, Denver wins the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes, and in return Houston gets its lost draft capita from the O'Brien era. Houston could use this pick to get a lineman like Slater, or a DB like Surtain or Farley, but Kyle Pitts at this point is the best overall player on the board, and he's one of the best TE prospects to come out in a good while. Pitts will likely be the top receiver for Houston, even as a rookie, Deshaun Watson gets an acceptable trade for his sake, and Denver FINALLY gets its QB of the future. This was my favorite move on this mock draft.
10 - Dallas Cowboys - Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
Completely unrelated, but I just wanted check in and see if y'all were still them boys...nah I'm just kidding. But in all honesty, the Cowboys need some help in their secondary, since they just lost Byron Jones a year ago, and Chidobe Awuzie, plus a few others enter free agency, leaving just 2nd year man Trevon Diggs by himself. Reunite him with his former college teammate, Patrick Surtain II, the son of Patrick Sr, who was a 3x pro bowler as a DB during his time in the league. Surtain is a smooth operating corner, whose efforts with the Tide in 2020 earned him SEC DPOTY honors.
11 - New York Giants - Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame
I think that the G-Men will get some pass rushing help in free agency, by way of someone like Haason Reddick or Matt Judon. If they do that, which they probably will, then they can go after the stud LB prospect of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who had a huge 2020 season, winning the Butkus award, and helping Notre Dame make it to the College Football Playoff. JOK has some fantastic instincts, and some frightening closing speed to attack the backfield, and make plays. Not to mention, he is small enough to where he can drop back into coverage, but big enough not to get pushed around.
12 - San Francisco 49ers - Mac Jones, QB, Alabama
It's become evident that Jimmy G just isn't the guy to hold the reins for the 49er offense in the coming years. He's pretty average as an NFL QB in general, and he's well below average for a QB that has a nine figure contract, and on top of that, he has played only one full season as the starter with San Fran, missing 13 games in 2018, and 10 games in 2020. While I expect Jimmy G to start next year, I think it's time for San Fran to get the next guy for the job. Mac Jones, a Heisman finalist this past season had just about as perfect of a season you could have for a college QB. Jones has pinpoint accuracy, and terrific decision making. I think that Jones will stew behind Garoppolo, and get coached up in his rookie season, then he will eventually get turned lose, in the 49ers offense.
13 - Los Angeles Chargers - Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern
Slater has risen up draft boards from 2nd round status, to early 1st round status without even playing game during 2020. Many scouts highlight his brilliant performance against Ohio State in 2019, in which he stifled current NFL star edge rusher Chase Young in their showdown. Slater is versatile enough to play at OG as well, which is really where the Chargers could use some help at right now.
14 - Minnesota Vikings - Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech
Minnesota's ability to protect Kirk Cousins was not too good in 2020. Cousins was sacked 39 times last season. Christian Darrisaw is one of the best offensive tackles in the class with good size for the position, and a ton of praise from scouts around the country.
15 - New England Patriots - Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama
The Patriots could use some help up front for their DL. They allowed the 7th most rushing yards in the entire league across all of last regular season, allowing around 131 yards per game. When you compete in a conference that has runners like Derrick Henry, Nick Chubb, the entire Ravens backfield, Josh Allen when he feels dangerous, and even Kansas City who isn't really bad at the run themselves, then you need to do what you can to slow that down. Meet Christian Barmore, the massive Alabama defensive lineman who gained a ton of positive attention thanks to his dominant performance against Ohio State in the national championship game. Barmore, in my opinion has ascended to the top of the IDL big board, thanks to his disruptiveness, his shocking quickness, and his ability to rush the passer, as well as a disrupt the running game make him a great get for the New England Patriots at 15th overall.
16 - Arizona Cardinals - Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
Now while I did say that Najee Harris was the best RB in this class, I just feel that Travis Etienne fits the Cardinal's system more than Najee. Etienne reminds me a lot of Kenyan Drake, who hits free agency this spring. He's a long built, yet quick runner with a keen ability to catch the football. Etienne could make Arizona's defense a legit threat in the coming years.
17 - Las Vegas Raiders - Jaelan Phillips, DE, Miami
When it comes to drafting in the first round, the Raiders do their own thing. They've always been one to reach with their first round selection, showing this with picks like Kolton Miller, Karl Joseph, Damon Arnette, and most infamous as of recent, Clelin Ferrell, who they picked over Josh Allen, which I am still frustrated about to this day. I don't see the Raiders leaving this odd, and borderline comedic trend behind in Oakland, and as a matter of fact, I can see history repeating itself year after year. Jaelan Phillips, who used to play for UCLA, and was a 5 star prospect in high school, finally seemed to hit his stride after dealing with many injuries, and transferring across the country to Miami. Phillips athletic ability, and natural pass rushing tools were on display in the latter half of Miami's 2020 season, and while Phillips currently has a 2nd round grade, I don't see this stopping the Raiders from passing on him over other players projected to go in round 1 (however I think there is a lot more upside to Phillips than past 1st round picks by the Raiders).
18 - Miami Dolphins - Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa
I've become extremely impressed with Nagurski Award winner, Zaven Collins, a defender that combines a staggering amount of size (6'4", 260 lbs), and a surprising amount of speed, and mobility in coverage that makes Collins such a difficult player to face. Collins can be an excellent addition to the Dolphins defense.
19 - Washington Football Team - Trey Lance, QB, ND State
Washington is one QB away from being a legitimate contender in the NFC; not a 7-9 division leader, not fringe wild card team, a legit contender. Do I think this happens within a year? No. If Washington ends up with Trey Lance, they must use him right. He needs to be brought up in the shadows of a veteran QB for at least a season, before getting on the field, similar to what Kansas City did with Patrick Mahomes. The starter for that KC team with rookie Mahomes was Alex Smith. The potential starter for this team with a rookie Trey Lance: Alex Smith. Of course with the depletion of Smith's career because of that brutal leg injury in 2018, Smith may not be playing for Washington despite an inspiring comeback season, potentially the greatest comeback season ever for any NFL player.
20 - Chicago Bears - Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama
The Outland Trophy winner for Alabama has moved around the entire line like many linemen do under coach Nick Saban. The Bears need some help up front, and Leatherwood is an extremely versatile option who is as good of a run blocker as they come.
21 - Indianapolis Colts - Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
T.Y. Hilton, who has really fallen off recently, as well as Zach Pascal, are both free agents for Indy. The only guy they've got is Michael Pittman, who they drafted just last year. While I expect big things from the former USC standout in his sophomore season, this WR group needs a ton of assistance due to it's lack of diversity. Ohio State's Chris Olave was one of Justin Fields' favorite targets across the QB's two year career with the Buckeyes. Olave is sound route runner, with good hands, and solid ability in getting separation.
22 - Tennessee Titans - Azeez Ojulari, LB, Georgia
My team, the Tennessee Titans is probably the most desperate team for a franchise pass rusher. Seeing this pass rush week in, and week out was painful. They recorded the 3rd least sacks, and opposing QBs averaged a 97.5 passer rating (9th highest), when facing Tennessee. The weak pass rush gave QBs more time to make throws downfield, thus tiring the secondary, and making the defense slower. Azeez Ojulari is one of the better LB prospects in this draft class, showing the ability to play standup, but also along the edge, which is where he did really well at in his last season with the Bulldogs. Check out his games against Tennessee, and Alabama, and you will see how he was able to outclass many offensive linemen in those two games.
TRADE - New York Jets send 23rd overall pick to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for the 26th overall pick, as well as a mid round pick in either 2021 or 2022.
23 - Cleveland Browns - Kwity Paye, DE, Michigan
The Browns could be looking for a complementary edge rusher for Myles Garrett with Olivier Vernon departing in free agency. Vernon surged late in 2020, but a very unfortunate achilles injury derailed his hopes to make some more noise in the post season. Kwity Paye, who was projected to go 2nd-3rd round after 2019, exploded thanks to a chaotic performance against Minnesota, in which he had 3 sacks in a row on a 4th qtr drive. While Paye may have small stature, he has enough upside that should make Cleveland want to roll the dice on him.
24 - Pittsburgh Steelers - Najee Harris, RB, Alabama
Pittsburgh has struggled to run the football. They were dead last in total rushing yards as a team, with the 5th least total rushing attempts, and the least YPC (3.6). James Conner and Benny Snell just don't seem to have the answers. But my solution is for Pittsburgh to dip into the pool known as RBU, aka Alabama. Najee Harris was the Doak Walker winner for a reason, becoming a wrecking ball bruiser, that just so happens to be able to catch the ball really well, and jump over defenders that are standing straight up. Najee can help make Big Ben, or the next Steeler QB's job easier with his versatile skillset for the position.
25 - Jacksonville Jaguars* - Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame
The Fighting Irish have provided some of the best linemen in the NFL, like Ronnie Stanley, Zack Martin, and Quenton Nelson to name a few. Liam Eichenberg made the first team all ACC, and was a consensus All-American in 2020. He has overall very sound fundamentals, and I actually think he has the potential to be a legitimate lineman in the NFL.
26 - New York Jets* - Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota
As previously mentioned, the Jets will be selecting Zach Wilson with the 2nd overall pick. With Breshad Perriman entering free agency, the Jets need a receiving facelift in order to provide Wilson with the much needed tools for success. Bateman appears to have the potential to be a WR1, and help give the Jet's atrocious offense something to be excited about.
27 - Baltimore Ravens - Terrace Marshall Jr, WR, LSU
The latest product of LSU, Marshall has been regularly playing since last year, getting reps alongside Ja'Marr Chase, and current pro bowl WR Justin Jefferson. The Ravens offense will get jolt of energy from Marshall, who is impressively built for the position, and who has a keen ability to run routes well.
28 - Miami Dolphins* - Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas
The Dolphins use their second 1st round pick of the draft to help protect Tua. Samuel Cosmi has the positional versatility of a Bama lineman, with the build of the ideal OT. His large stature towers at 6'7", over 300 lbs. He'll add some legit experience points.
29 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Joseph Ossai, LB, Texas
Thanks to the Buccaneers, I was right about TB (both the team and the player) pulling the upset in NOLA. Regardless, at the end of this season, the Bucs need to fill some much anticipated holes this offseason, and many players are likely gone. If Shaquil Barrett is one of those, then Tampa needs an edge rusher, and they need one pronto.
30 - Kansas City Chiefs - Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, USC
The Chiefs are about as perfect as you can get on offense, but some help up front won't hurt at all. Vera-Tucker from USC showed that he has the skill to play at IOL, and OT. While he is built for OG.
31 - Buffalo Bills - Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri
A draft pick like this could be a steal for Buffalo, with Nick Bolton providing several bolts of energy, and momentum into these nights. Bolton is a quick, powerful linebacker, and one of the SEC's finest.
32 - Green Bay Packers - Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue
If your name is either Green Bay, Buffalo, or Kansas City then you can really get under the skin of defensive coordinators by taking this guy. Rondale Moore when healthy, is a juggernaut, who is one of the best receivers after the catch. If the Packers decide to finally take a WR in round1, then the earth could shatter.
THANK YOU FOR READING, COMMENT WHAT YOU THINK, GOOD NIGHT
submitted by The title should be pretty self-explanatory. I literally nothing else to do. A long time ago I made a similar post but it wasn't updated and it wasn't as comprehensive. I tried to include far more leagues this time but I know I still missed some, sorry!
Feel free to correct me where I'm wrong; I do not claim this list to be 100% accurate especially because for some smaller leagues the data was not as reliable (missing, incorrect, club name irregularities).
Albanian Kategoria Superiore: Apolonia, Bylis, Kastrioti, Laçi
Algerian Ligue Professionelle 1: Aïn M'lila, Bel Abbès, Biskra, Bordj Bou Arreridj, Magra, Paradou, Saoura
Andorran Primera Divisió: Atlètic Club d'Escaldes, Cannoi, Engordany, Penya Encarnada, UE Santa Coloma
Angolan Girabola: 1º de Agosto, Académica do Lobito, Bravos do Maqui, Cuando Cubango, Desportivo da Huíla, Ferrovia do Huambo, Progresso do Sambizanga, Recreativo da Caála, Santa Rita de Cássia, Sporting de Cabinda, Wiliete
Antigua and Barbuda (Antiguan) Premier Division: All Saints Rangers, Bullets, Grenades, Ottos Rangers, Swetes
Argentine Primera División: Aldovisi, Atlético Tucumán, Central Córdoba de Santiago del Estero, Cólon de Santa Fe, Defensa y Justicia, Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata*, Godoy Cruz, Patronato, Talleres de Córdoba, Unión de Santa Fe
Armenian Premier League: Gandzahar, Lori, Noah, Van
Aruban Division di Honour: Brazil Juniors, Caravel, United Aruba
Australian A-League: Macarthur, Melbourne City, Perth Glory*, Wellington Phoenix, Western Sydney Wanderers*, Western United
- *Won Premierships, however, considered less prestigious than the Championship (contested as the Grand Final)
Austrian Bundesliga: Hartberg, Rheindorf Altach, Ried, St. Pölten, Wolfsberger, WSG Tirol
Azerbaijani Premier League: Gabala, Sabah, Sabail, Sumgayit, Zira
Bahamaian BFA Senior League: Baha Juniors, Future Titans, Mingoes, Renegades, United, Western Warriors Gladiators
Bahraini Premier League: Al-Najma, Al-Shabab, Manama
Bangladeshi Premier League: Arambagh, Bangladesh Police, Brothers Union, Chittagong Abahani, Dhaka Mohammedan, Muktijoddha Sangsad, Rahmatganj, Saif Sporting Club, Uttar Baridhara
Barbadian Premier League: Deacons, St. Andrew Lions, Silver Sands, Wotton
Belarusian Premier League: Energetik-BGU Minsk, Gorodeya, Isloch Minsk Raion, Minsk, Neman Grodno, Rukh Brest, Slutsk, Smolevichi, Torpedo-BelAZ Zhodino, Vitebsk
Belgian First Division A: Beerschot, Charleroi, Eupen, Excel Mouscron, Kortrijk, OH Leuven, Oostende, Sint-Truiden, Waasland-Beveren, Zulte Waregem
Belizian Premier League: Altitude, Belize Defense Force, Valley Pride Freedom Fighters, Wagiya
Beninese Premier League: ASVO, Ayéma, Béké, Dynamo, Energie, ESAE, JA Cotonou, Jeunesse Sportive de Pobè, Panthères de Djougou, Réal Sport, Union Sportive Sèmè Kraké, UPI-ONM
Bolivian Primera División: Atlético Palmaflor, Nacional Potosí, Real Santa Cruz, Royal Pari
Bosnian Premier League: Krupa, Mladost Dodoj Kakanj, Olimpik, Radnik Bijeljina, Sloboda Tuzla, Tuzla City, Velež Mostar
Botswanan Premier League: Gilport Lions, Morupale Wanderers, MR Highlanders, Orapa United, Prisons XI (not kidding...), Security Systems
Brazilian Campeonato Brasileirao Serie A: Atlético Goianiense, Ceará, Fortaleza, Goiás, Red Bull Bragantino
Bulgarian First Professional Football League: Arda Kardzhali, Botev Vratsa, Cherno More, CSKA 1948 Sofia, Montana, Tsarko Selo
Burkinabé Premier League: ASECK, Douanes, Fonctionnaires, KOZAF, Police, Royal, Salitas, Sonabel, Union Sportive
Burundi Premier League: Athlético Academy, Bujumbura City, Bumamuru Standard, Flambeau du Centre, Kayanza United, Musongati, Olympic Star, Rukinzo
Cambodian C-League: Angkor Tiger, Asia Euro United, Bati Youth, Electricite du Cambodge, Kirivong Sok Sen Chey, National Police Commissary, Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng, Soltilo Angkor, Tiffy Army, Visakha
Cameroonian Elite One: APEJES Academy, Avion du Nkam, Bamboutos, Colombe Sportive, Feutcheu, Fortuna Mfou, Panthère du Ndé, Stade Renard de Melong, Yong Sports Academy
Canadian Premier League: Atlético Ottawa, Cavalry, Edmonton, HFX Wanderers, Pacific, Valour, York9
Cayman Islands Premier League: Academy, East End, Future, Roma United, Sunset
Central African Republic League: Castel Foot, ECB, EFC5, FDS, Gbangré, Les Anges de Fatima, Red Star, SCAF
Chad Premier League: Avenir, Boule d'Or, Commune, Educat, Eléphant de Zakouma d'Am-Timan, Rennaisance Moussoro, Scorpion de Faya
Chilean Primera División: Antofagasta, Coquimbo Unido, Curicó Unido, Iquique, La Serena, Unión La Calera, Universidad de Concepción
Chinese Super League: Dalian Pro, Guangzhou R&F, Henan Jianye, Jiangsu Suning
Colombian Categoría Primera A: Alianza Petrolera, Atlético Bucaramanga, Deportivo Pereira, Envigado, Jaguares, La Equidad, Patriotas, Rionegro Águilas
Costa Rican Liga FPD: Cartaginés, Grecia, Guadalupe, Jicaral, La U Universitarios, Limón, Santos de Guápiles
Cote d'Ivoire (Ivorian) Ligue 1: AFAD Djékanou, Bouaké, Indenié Abengourou, Issia Wasi, San Pédro, SOL, USC Bassam, Williamsville
Croatian First Football League: Gorica, Istra 1961, Lokomotiva, Osijek, Šibenik, Slaven Belupo, Varaždin
Cuban Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol: Artemisa, Granma, Guantánamo
Cypriot First Division: AEK Larnaca, Doxa Katokopias, Enosis Neon Paralimni, Ermis Aradippou, Ethnikos Achna, Karmiotissa, Nea Salamis Famagusta, Pafos
Czech First League: České Budějovice, Fastav Zlín, Jablonec, Karviná, Mladá Boleslav, Opava, Pardubice, Příbram, Sigma Olomouc, Slovácko, Teplice
Danish Superliga: Horsens, Randers, SønderjyskE
Democratic Republic of the Congo Linafoot: Dauphins Boirs, Don Bosco, Groupe Bazamo, Kinshasa, Lubumbashi Sport, Maniema Union, Rangers, Renaissance du Congo, Simba Kolwezi
Djibouti Premier League: Arta/Solar7, EAD/PK 12, Espérance Sportive Djibouti, Dikhil/SGDT, Garde Républicaine/SIAF, Hayableh/CNSS
Dominica Premier League: Belfast Estate Mahaut, CCCUL Dublanc, East Central, Happi Bath Estate, LA Enterprises Bombers, Petro Caribe Pointe Michel, Promex Harlem United, WE United
Dominican Liga Dominicana de Fútbol\: Atlético San Cristobal, Atlético San Francisco, Atlético Vega Real, Delfines del Este, Jarabacoa\*, Moca**, Universidad O&M
- *As of last recorded season (2019), can't find anything about 2020, does anyone know what's going on here (maybe COVID-19)?
- **The teams I could confirm won pre-professional titles
Ecuadorian Serie A: Aucas, Cuenca, Guayaquil City, Independiente del Valle, LDU Portoviejo, Macará, Mushuc Runa, Orense, Técnico Universitario, Universidad Católica
Egyptian Premier League: Al Ittihad, Al Masry, Aswan, El Entag El Harby, El Gouna, ENPPI, Haras El Hodoud, Masr, Misr Lel Makasa, Pyramids, Smouha, Tala'ea El Gaish, Tanta, Wadi Degla,
El Salvador (Salvadoran) Primera División de Fútbol: Chalatenago, El Vencedor, Independiente, Jocoro, Limeño, Sonsonte
English Premier League: Brighton & Hove Albion, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Southampton, West Ham United
Estonian Meistriliiga: Kuressaare, Paide, Tallinna Kalev, Tammeka, TJK Legion, Trans, Tulevik
Eswatini (Swazi) Premier League: Black Swallows, Malanti Chiefs, Manzini Sea Birds, Moneni Pirates, Tambuti
Ethiopian Premier League: Adama City, Awassa City, Bahir Dar City, Dire Dawa City, Fasil City, Hadiya Hossana, Mekelle 70 Enderta, Sebeta City, Sidama Coffee, Suhul Shire, Welayta Dicha, Welwalo Adigrat University, Wolkite City
Faroese Premier League: AB, Skála
Fijian National Football League: Nasinu, Navua, Rewa
Finnish Veikkausliiga: Honka, Lahti, RoPS
French Ligue 1: Angers, Brest, Dijon, Lorient, Metz, Nîmes, Rennes
French Guianese Honor Division: Etoile Matoury, Grand Santi, Olympique de Cayenne, Oyapock, Kourou FC, Remiré
Gabonese Championnat National D1: Akanda, Bouenguidi Sport, Dikaki, Lozo Sport, Migovéen, Oyem, Pélican
Gambian GFA League First Division: Bakau Katchikally Milan, Banjul United, Elite United, Fortune, Marimoo, Tallingding United, Waa Banjul
Georgian Erovnuli Liga: Chikhura, Dinamo Batumi, Locomotive Tbilisi, Merani Tbilisi, Telavi
German Bundesliga: Augsburg, Arminia Bielefeld, Eintracht Frankfurt*, Freiburg, Hertha BSC*, Hoffenheim, Leipzig, Leverkusen, Mainz, Schalke*, Union Berlin
- *Won pre-Bundesliga titles
Ghanaian Premier League: Bechem United, Dreams, Ebusua Dwarfs, Eleven Wonders, Elmina Sharks, Inter Allies, Karela United, King Faisal, Liberty Professionals, Medeama, WAFA
Gibraltar National League: Boca Gibraltar, Bruno's Magpies, College 1975, Europa Point, Lions Gibraltar, Lynx, Mons Calpe
Greek Super League: Asteras Tripolis, Atromitos, Lamia, OFI, Panetolikos, PAS Giannina, Volos
Grenadan GFA Premier League: Camerhogne, Hurricanes, Mount Rich, SAB Spartans, St. John's Sports
Guatemalan Liga Nacional de Fútbol: Achuapa, Iztapa, Malacateso, Sacachispas, Sanarate, Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa
Guinea (Guinée) Championnat National: Académie SOAR, Ashanti, CI Kamsar, Eléphant Coléah, Flamme Olympique, Loubha, Santoba, Wakriya
Guinea-Bissau (Bissau-Guinean) Campeonato Nacional: Canchungo, Cuntum, Desportivo de Gabú, Flamengo de Pefine, Pelundo, Sonaco
Guyanese Elite League\*: Ann's Grove United, Buxton United, Den Amstel, Police, Victoria Kings
- *As of last recorded season (2019), looks like 2020 might have been abandoned, does anyone know what's going on here (maybe COVID-19)?
Haitian Ligue Haïtienne: Cosmopolites, Juventus, Ouanaminthe, Rivartibonitienne, Triomphe
Honduras Liga Nacional de Fútbol: Real de Minas, Real Sociedad, UPNFM
Hungarian Nemzeti Bajnokság I: Budafok, Diósgyőr, Kisvárda, Mezőkövesd, Paks, Puskás Akadémia
Icelandic Úrvalsdeild karla: Fjölnir, Fylkir, Grótta, HK
Indian Super League/I-League: Goa, Gokulam Kerala, Hyderabad, Indian Arrows, Jamshedpur, Kerala Blasters, Mumbai City, NEROCA, NorthEast United, Odisha, Real Kashmir, Sudeva, TRAU
Indonesian Liga 1: Barito Putera, Borneo, Persela, Persikabo, Persita, PSS
Iranian Persian Gulf Pro League: Gol Gohar, Machine Sazi, Naft Masjed Soleyman, Nasaaji Mazandaran, Pars Jonoubi Jam, Paykan, Sanat Naft, Shahin Bushehr, Shahr Khodro, Tractor, Zob Ahan
Iraqi Premier League: Al-Diwaniya, Al-Hudood, Al-Kahrabaa, Al-Karkh, Al-Naft, Al-Najaf, Al-Qasim, Al-Samawa, Al-Sinaat Al-Kahrabaiya, Amanat Baghdad, Naft Al-Junoob, Naft Maysan, Zakho
Irish Premier Division: Finn Harps
Israeli Premier League: Ashdod, Bnei Sakhnin, Hapoel Hadera, Maccabi Petah Tikva
Italian Serie A: Atalanta, Benevento, Crotone, Parma, Sassuolo, Spezia, Udinese
Jamaican National Premier League: Dunbeholden, Humble Lions, Molynes United, Mount Pleasant, UWI, Vere United
Japanese J1 League: Consadole Sapporo, Oita Trinita, Sagan Tosu, Shimizu S-Pulse, Tokyo, Vegalta Sendai, Vissel Kobe, Yokohama
Jordanian Pro League: Al-Hussein, Al-Salt, Al-Sareeh, Ma'an, Sahab, Shabab Al-Aqaba
Kazakh Premier League: Caspiy, Kaisar, Kyzylzhar, Okzhetpes, Ordabasy, Zhetysu
Kenyan Premier League: Bandari, Chemelil Sugar, Kakamega Homeboyz (no, I'm not kidding...), Kariobangi Sharks, Kenya Commercial Bank, Kisumu All Stars, Nzoia Sugar, Posta Rangers, Wazito, Western Stima, Zoo
Korean K League 1: Daegu, Gangwon, Gwangju, Incheon United, Sangju Sangmu
Kosovar Football Superleague: Arbëria, Ballkani, Drenica, Gjilani, Llapi
Kuwaiti Premier League: Al-Nasr, Al-Sahel, Al-Shabab, Al-Tadamon
Kyrgyz Premier League: Abdysh-Ata Kent, Alay Osh, Ilbirs Bishkek, Kaganat, Kara-Balta, Lider-Chempion
Laotian Premier League: Ezra, Master 7, Vienchanh, Young Elephants
Latvian Higher League: Daugavpils, Jelgava, Metta, RFS, Tukums, Valmiera
Lesotho Premier League: Kick 4 Life (not kidding...), Lifofane, Lijabatho, Lipkahoe, LMPS, Sefothafotha, Swallows
Liberian First Division: Bea Mountain, Freeport, MC Breweries, Nimba FC, Nimba Kwado, Small Town, Watanga
Libyan Premier League: Al-Akhdar, Al-Anwar, Al-Hilal, Al-Sadaqa, Al-Ta'awon, Darnes, Khaleej Surt, Ngom Ajdabiya, Shabab Al-Jabal
Lithuanian A Lyga: Banga, Kauno Žalgiris, Panevėžys, Riteriai
Luxembourg National Division: Differdange, Etzella Ettelbruck, Hostert, Mondorf-les-Bains, Muhlenbach Blue Boys, Racing, Rodange, Swift Hesperange, UNA Strassen, Union Titus Pétange, Victoria Rosport, Wiltz
Madagascar (Malagasy) Pro League: 3FB Toliara, ASSM Elgeco Plus, COSFA, Fosa Junior, Ilakaka, JET Mada, Mananura, Tia Kitra, Zanak-Ala
Malawian Super League: Blue Eagles, Chitipa United, Civil Service United, Ekwendeni Hammers, Karonga United, MAFCO, Mighty Tigers, Moyale Barracks, Mzuzu Warriors, Ntopwa, Red Lions, Thomas Nyirenda Stars
Malaysian Super League: Felda United, Kedah, PDRM, Petaling Jaya, Terengganu, UiTM
Malian Première Division\*: AS Bamako, Avenir, Bakaridjan, Black Stars, Bugouni, Centre Salif Kéïta, Cercle Olympique, Dugowolifa, Kita, Lafia, Mamahira, Nianen, Olympique de Messira, Onze Créateurs, Performance, Police, Sabana, Sonni, USFAS, Yeelen Olympique
- *Seems like a champion hasn't been awarded for sometime now; last data I can find is from 2016, and 2019-20 might've been abandoned due to COVID-19.
Maltese Premier League: Balzan, Gudja United, Gżira United, Lija Athletic, Mosta, St. Lucia, Senglea Athletic, Sirens, Tarxien Rainbows, Żejtun Corinthians
Mauritanian Ligue 1: Corpus Police, El Mina, Kaédi, Kédia, Médine Trarza, Nouakchott King's, Sahel, Tidjikja
Mexican Liga MX: Atlético San Luis, Juárez, Mazatlán, Querétaro
Moldovan National League: Codru Lozova, Dacia Buiucani, Dinamo-Auto, Florești, Petrocub Hîncești, Speranța Nisporeni, Sfântul Gheorghe
Mongolian National Premier League: Anduud City, Athletic 220, Deren, Falcons, Sumida Gepro, UB Mazaalaynuud, Ulaanbaatar City
Montenegrin First League: Dečić, Iskra, Jezero, Petrovac, Podgorica
Moroccan Botola: Berkane, Difaâ El Jadidi, Olympic Safi, Nahdat Zemamra, Raja Beni Mellal, Rapide Oued Zem, Youssoufia Berrechid
Mozambican Moçambola: Black Bulls, ENH, Ferroviáro Lichinga, Ferroviáro Nacala, Incomáti
Myanmar (Burmese) National League: Ayeyawardy United, Chin United, Hantharwady United, ISPE, Magwe, Rakhine United, Sagaing United, Southern Myanmar United, Zwegapin United
Namibian Premier League: Blue Waters, Citizens, Eleven Arrows, Julinho Sporting, Life Fighters, Mighty Gunners, Okahandja United, Tura Magic, Unam, Young Brazilians
Netherlands (Dutch) Eredivisie: ADO Den Haag*, Emmen, Fortuna Sittard, Groningen, Heerenveen, Heracles Almelo*, PEC Zwolle, RKC Waalwijk, Vitesse, VVV-Venlo, Willem II
- *Won pre-Eredivisie titles
New Zealand Football Championship: Canterbury United, Hamilton Wanderers, Hawke's Bay United, Southern United, Tasman United, Wellington Phoenix Reserves
Nicaraguan Liga Primera: Chinandega, Deportivo Ocotal, Junior, Municipal Jalapa, Real Madriz
Niger Premier League: Ader, Gendermarie Nationale, NIGELEC, Racing de Bukoki, Sahel, Urana
Nigerian Professional Football League: Abia Warriors, Adamara United, Akwa United, Dakkada, Enugu Rangers, Ifeanyi Ubah, Jigawa Golden Stars, Katsina United, Kwara United, MFM, Nasarawa United, Rivers United, Sunshine Stars, Warri Wolves, Wikki Tourists
Northern Irish Football League Premiership: Ballymena United, Carrick Rangers, Dungannon Rangers, Larne, Warrenpoint Town
North Macedonian First Football League: Akademija Pandev, Belasica, Borec, Pelister, Shkupi, Struga
Norwegian Eliteserien: Aalesunds, Bodø/Glimt, Haugesund, Kristiansund, Mjøndalen, Odd, Sandefjord, Sarpsborg
Omani Professional League: Al-Arouba, Al-Nahda, Al-Rustaq, Bahla, Saham, Seeb, Sohar, Suwaiq
Panamanian Liga Panameña de Fútbol: Alianza, Atlético Chiriquí, Costa del Este, Universitario
Papua New Guinean National Soccer League: Bougainville, Gulf Komara, Kutubu, Lae City, Morobe United, Morobe Wawens, Star Mountain, Tusbab Stallions, Vitiaz United
Paraguayan Primera División: 12 de Octubre, General Díaz, Guaireña, River Plate, San Lorenzo
Peruvian Liga I: Alianza Universidad, Atlético Grau, Ayacucho, Cantolao, Carlos A. Mannucci, Carlos Stein, Cienciano, Cusco, Llacuabamba, Sport Huancayo, Universidad César Vallejo, UTC
Polish Ekstraklasa: Jagiellonia Białystok, Lechia Gdańsk, Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biała, Pogoń Szczecin, Raków Częstochowa, Stal Mielec, Wisła Płock
Portuguese Primeira Liga: Belenenses SAD*, Braga, Famalicão, Farense, Gil Vicente, Marítimo, Moreirense, Nacional, Paços de Ferreira, Portimonense, Rio Ave, Santa Clara, Tondela, Vitória de Guimarães
- *Almost unanimously considered a "fake" Belenenses, as in, the one that didn't win the 1946 title
Qatari Stars League: Al-Ahli, Al-Khor, Al-Sailiya, Al-Shahania, Umm Salal
Republic of the Congo Premier League: Kondzo, Nico-Nicoyé, RC Brazzaville, Talangaï, Tongo
Romanian Liga I: Academica Clinceni, Botoșani, Chindia Târgoviște, Gaz Metan Medias, Hermannstadt, Politehnica Iași, Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe, Voluntari
Russian Premier League: Akhmat Grozny, Arsenal Tula, Khimki, Krasnodar, Rostov, Rotor Volgograd, Sochi, Tambov, Ufa, Ural Yekaterinburg
Rwandan Premier League: Bugesera, Espoir, Etincelles, Gasogi United, Kigali, Marines, Muhanga, Mukura, Musanze, Police, Sunrise
Saint Kitts SKNFA Premier League: Mantab, Saddlers United, St. Peter's, Security Forces United, Trafalgar Southstars, United Old Road Jets
Saint Lucian First Division: El Niños, Knights, SLSO Monchy United, Ti Rocher, T-Valley
Sammarinese Campionati di Calcio: Cailungo, Juvenes/Dogana, San Giovanni, Virtus
Samoan National League: Fa'atoia United, Togafuafua, Vaipuna, Vaitele Uta, Vaiusu
Saudi Professional League: Abha, Al-Adalah, Al-Fayha, Al-Faisaly, Al-Hazem, Al-Raed, Al-Taawoun, Al-Wehda, Damac
Scottish Premiership: Hamilton Academical, Livingston, Ross County, St. Johnstone, St. Mirren
Senegalese Premier League: CNEPS Excellence, Darak Sacré-Cœur, Jaraaf, Mbour Petite Côte, Niary Tally, Stade de Mbour, Teungueth
Serbian Superliga: Čučarički, Inđija, Javor Ivanjica, Mačva Šabac, Metalac Gornji Milanovac, Mladost Lučani, Napredak Kruševac, Novi Pazar, OFK Bačka, Proleter Novi Sad, Rad, Radnički Niš, Radnik Surdulica, Spartak Subotica, TSC Bačka Topola, Vožvodac, Zlatibor
Sierra Leone National Premier League: Anti Drugs Strikers (not kidding...), Bo Rangers, Central Parade, East End Tigers, Johansen, Kamboi Eagles, RSLAF
Slovak Super Liga: Dunajská Streda, Nitra, Pohronie, Senica, Sereď, Zemplín Michalove, Zlaté Moravce
Slovenian PrvaLiga: Aluminij, Bravo, Mura, Tabor Sežana
South African Premier Division: AmaZulu*, Baroka, Black Leopards, Bloemfontein Celtic, Chippa United, Golden Arrows, Maritzburg United, Polokwane City, Stellenbosch
- *Won pre-Premier Division titles
Spanish La Liga: Alavés, Cádiz, Celta Vigo, Eibar, Elche, Getafe, Granada, Huesca, Levante, Osasuna, Valladolid, Villarreal
Sri Lankan Champions League: Blue Eagles, Defenders, New Young's, Red Stars, Sea Hawks, Upcountry Lions
Sudanese Football League: Al-Ahli Atbara, Al-Ahli Khartoum, Al-Ahli Merowe, Al-Ahli Shandi, Al-Amal, Al-Falah, Al-Hilal Al-Fasher, Al-Hilal Kadaqli, Al-Hilal Obayed, Al-Merrikh Al-Fasher, Al-Rabta, Al-Shorta Al-Qadarif, Hay Al-Arab, Hay Al-Wadi, Khartoum
Surinamese Topklasse: ACoconut, Bintang Lahir, Broki, Inter Wanica, Notch, PVV, Santos, West United
Swedish Allsvenskan: Falkenbergs, Häcken, Mjällby, Örebro, Östersunds, Sirius, Varbergs
Swiss Super League: Vaduz
Syrian Premier League: Al-Jazerra, Al-Nawair, Al-Sahel, Al-Taliya, Al-Wathba, Hutteen
Tajik Higher League: Dushanbe-83, Fayzkand, Istaravshan, Khatlon, Khujand, Kuktosh, Lokomotiv-Pamir
Tanzanian Premier League: Biashara United, JKT Tanzania, KMC, Mbeya City, Mtibwa Sugar, Mwadui, Namungo, Polisi Tanzania, Ruvu Shooting
Thai League 1: Nakhon Ratchasima, Pathum United, Port, PT Prachuap, Ratchaburi Mitr Phol, Samut Prakan City, Rayong, Sukhothai, Suphanburi, Trat
Togolese Championnat National: Gbohloé-su des Lacs, Gomido, OTR, Sara Sport, Unisport de Sokodé
Tongan Major League: Fahefa, Ha'amako United, Lavengatonga, Longoteme
Trinidad and Tobago (Trinidadian) TT Pro League: Club Sando, Cunupia, La Horquetta Rangers, Morvant Caledonia United, Point Fortin Civic, Port of Spain
Tunisian Ligue Professionelle 1: Ben Guerdane, Chebbian, Métlaoui, Monastir, Soliman, Tataouine
Turkish Süper Lig: Alanyaspor, Ankaragügü*, Antalyaspor, BB Erzurumspor, Çaykur Rizespor, Denizlispor, Fatih Karagümrük, Gaziantep, Gençlerbirliği*, Göztepe*, Hatayspor, Kasımpaşa, Kayserispor, Konyaspor, Sivasspor, Yeni Malatyaspor
- *Won pre-Süper Lig titles, but the Turkish Football Federation decided to be a bitch and deliberately eliminate any history pre-1959, lol I can probably kiss that Turkish vacation goodbye (not like I can go anywhere as an American anyways 😭).
Turkmen Ýokary Liga: Ahal, Energetik, Merw, Nebitçi
Ukrainian Premier League: Desna Chernihiv, Dnipro-1, Inhulets Petrove, Kolos Kovalivka, Lviv, Mariupol, Mynai, Oleksandriya, Olimpik Donetsk, Rukh Lviv, Vorskla Poltava
Ugandan Premier League: Bright Stars, BUL, Busoga United, Kyetume, Mbarara City, Onduparaka, Wakiso Giants
United Arab Emirates Arabian Gulf League: Ajman, Al Dhafra, Baniyas, Fujairah, Hatta, Kalba, Khor Fakkan
United States (American) Major League Soccer: Cincinnati, Dallas*, Inter Miami, Los Angeles FC*, Minnesota United, Montreal Impact, Nashville, New England Revolution, New York City, New York Red Bulls*, Orlando City, Philadelphia Union, Vancouver Whitecaps
- *Won Supporters Shields, however, considered less prestigious than the MLS Cup
Uruguayan Primera División: Boston River, Cerro, Cerro Largo, Deportivo Maldonado, Fénix, Liverpool, Montevideo City Torque, Plaza Colonia, Rentistas, River Plate
Uzbek Super League: AGMK, Andijon, Bukhoro, Kokand 1912, Mashal, Metallurg, Nasaf, Qizilqum, Sogdiana, Surkhon
Venezuelan Primera División: Academia Puerto Cabello, Aragua, Atlético Venezuela, GV Maracay, La Guaira, LALA, Metropolitanos, Trujillanos, Yaracuyanos, Zulia
Vietnamese V.League 1: Dược Nam Hà Nam Định, Hải Phòng, Hồ Chí Minh City, Hồng Lĩnh Hà Tĩnh, Sài Gòn, Thanh Hóa, Than Quảng Ninh
Welsh Cymru Premier: Aberystwyth Town, Bala Town, Caernarfon Town, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cefn Druids, Flint Town United, Haverfordwest County, Newtown, Pen-y-Bont
Zambian Super League: Buildcon, Forest Rangers, Green Eagles, Lumwana Radiants, Lusaka Dynamos, NAPSA Stars, Nkwasi
Zimbabwean Premier Soccer League: Bulawayo Chiefs, Harare City, Herentals College, Manica Diamonds, Ngezi Platinum, Triangle United, Yadah Stars, ZPC Kariba
If you look at Vegas’ 2020 Heisman odds, the two names at the top of the list need no explanation: Justin Fields (7/2) and Trevor Lawrence (4/1). The third name, however, likely requires a pause from more casual college football fans: Jamie Newman (10/1).
Transferring after a strong 2019 showing at Wake Forest, quarterback Jamie Newman has clear hopes of emulating the success of Joe Burrow, Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield, Justin Fields, and other recent transfer QBs. So what was it about his 2019 performance, and how that fits into Georgia's new offensive schemes, give Vegas oddsmakers enough confidence in Newman to give him the third best odds of winning college football’s most prestigious individual award?
Newman caught my eye last year when I would randomly flip through Saturday noon games, and it was clear to my casual viewership that he was operating at a different level from everyone on his team (except for possibly Sage Surratt). Now that Newman is the presumed starter of a team that fully expects to compete for a Playoff berth, I’ve conducted a deeper dive into Newman, evaluating his strengths, weaknesses, and his projected fit in what Todd Monken’s offense may look like.
Specifically, I watched his performances against Utah State, UNC, Boston College, Louisville, Clemson, NC State, and Michigan State: certainly not every 2019 snap, but more than enough to render an informed judgement. Additionally, I’m not projecting any impacts from COVID-19 in this post (i.e. impacts of shortened spring ball to learn the new offense, shortened season, etc.).
After watching his performance in those six games, what was my conclusion?
TLDR: Newman is a strong armed passer who is a perfect fit for Todd Monken’s Air Raid offensive philosophy, and he’ll likely put up prolific passing numbers. If you’re optimistic in how Monken will utilize Newman’s athleticism, and equally optimistic that Newman can adapt to playing against more talented defenses week-over-week, Newman’s preseason Heisman odds are justified, and he will put himself in Heisman contention early and has an outside shot at following in the footsteps of Mayfield, Murray, and Burrow as transfer QBs turned Heisman winners.
Strengths:
Athleticism
While Georgia has enjoyed a relatively strong run of quarterbacks over the last decade and a half, the Bulldogs have not had a truly mobile quarterback as their full time starter since...DJ Shockley? Fortunately, Newman will change that.
Athletically, Newman profiles as a Cam Newton-lite prospect, demonstrating speed and elusiveness required to generate long gains, while possessing the strength to fight for tough yardage. Wake Forest fully utilized Newman’s legs, giving him the ball more than 10 times in over 75% of his starts last season. In three games, he carried it over 20 times. Many of these were short-yardage situation runs, so Newman’s yardage / YPC stat line won’t impress, but clips like the below demonstrate what Georgia can expect:
As shown, Newman has the speed to rip off long, explosive gains, but will also power through defenders. There is some risk with this second strength, as
Newman suffered a shoulder injury directly because of dropping his shoulder at the goal line against Louisville.
For this reason, Georgia would be wise not to use Newman as heavily as Wake Forest given their other offensive talents, and Monken historically has not used QBs in the running game (more on that later). With that being said, Newman’s athleticism is too strong an attribute to ignore, and if Monken and the Bulldogs are smart, they’ll fully utilize designed QB runs and option plays a core component of their 2020 offense.
Vertical passing threat
Newman’s physical strengths don’t end with his legs, as he possesses a similarly impressive arm. Not only can Newman make every throw and drive the ball downfield, he can do so accurately, with his downfield passing ability being the highlight of the Wake Forest offense. To provide a few examples:
When you watch the above clips, you should be able to notice Newman’s ability to hit receivers in stride and/or place the ball in positions advantageous to the receiver, even at depths of twenty plus yards. Such throws were infrequent in Georgia’s offense in 2019, and while I’d attribute that more to former offensive coordinator James Coley than I would Jake Fromm, Newman should be a marked improvement in this category and projects as the best vertical passer the Bulldogs have had since Stafford. I’ll discuss more below, but Monken’s Air Raid background pairs perfectly with Newman’s arm talent, and I fully anticipate more highlight throws like the above in Athens this season.
Keeps the chains moving
Newman’s isn’t just your stereotypical talented, athletic QB prospect: he’s a fully developed passer. Specifically, Newman already processes at a high level and possesses the short-yardage and intermediate accuracy required to keep the chains moving on crucial downs.
First, Newman was equally accurate in short-yardage and intermediate areas as he was when attempting deep passes. As Newman transitions to facing tighter coverage on a weekly basis than he did in the ACC, this skill should translate and enable him to keep the ball-moving without being overly reliant on his legs or the vertical passing game. A couple of examples:
Second, while I’ll highlight how this can be a negative at times, Newman demonstrated an almost Stoic presence on the field, with no noticeable drop off in pressure situations.
On this first clip against Louisville, Newman is facing third and long with his team trailing early. The defense only rushes three, so Newman uses the provided time to scan through his reads before finding a receiver downfield and throwing a dagger to pick up the first down and moving the chains.
On this second clip against Michigan State, Newman faces pressure up the middle, stands in the pocket and takes a hit from two different players as he releases the ball, finding his tight end wide open downfield for a touchdown. As I’ll show below, Newman too often stood in the pocket when facing pressure, but the silver lining is when doing so, Newman kept his eyes downfield and could generate plays if defenses generated pressure at the expense of leaving holes in coverage.
Weaknesses:
Despite athleticism, statue-esque in the pocket
While many athletic college quarterbacks are often knocked for being too quick to leave the pocket, Newman has the opposite problem: under pressure, he’s Stoic, at times to a fault. If Georgia fans were hoping that their new athletic quarterback would reverse their trend of statue-esque signal callers, they’ll likely be disappointed.
For comparison, see the below clips of current college quarterbacks using their legs to escape pressure, extend the play, and make a significant downfield passing play:
While Newman is more athletic than any of the quarterbacks shown above, when you watch Newman’s film, you’ll be hard pressed to find anything comparable. The above plays are highlights for their respective quarterbacks, yet they’re within the realm of what should be expected from an athletic, talented quarterback like Newman. Despite his athleticism, once he drops back, Newman rarely ever uses his legs to effectively extend plays or make those “something-out-of-nothing” plays we’ve seen from great college QBs over the past decade.
In particular, Newman displayed an odd habit of developing cement feet when facing pressure from the interior. When pressured from the edge, he occasionally scrambled, but when the pressure came up the middle via blitzing linebackers or defensive lineman driving his blocker backwards, he almost always refused to move, either throwing the ball away or simply accepting an avoidable hit. A few examples:
Again, compare how Newman reacted to pressure (not moving, occasionally throwing the ball away) to how other top-level college quarterbacks responded (rolling to their left or right, keeping their eyes downfield, completing the pass).
I’m not exactly sure why Newman has this problem. He’s obviously highly athletic, so that’s not the limiting factor. It may be general poor pocket awareness, but given that the issue is particularly noticeable when the pressure is coming right up the middle, in full view, it almost seems that Newman is intentionally choosing to stand tall and take the hit. Further complicating the issue is that in the bowl game against Michigan State, Newman finally did begin to use his feet to extend plays in a few situations, implying that he’s not locked into these Stoic, statue-esque dropbacks. This is pure speculation on my part, but I almost wonder if Newman was coached to stay in the pocket to the point of detriment, and with a new coaching staff, this can be corrected.
Either way, what does Newman’s statue-esque dropbacks mean for Georgia offensively? The Bulldogs will be replacing multiple starters on the offensive line, and will face off against multiple defenses filled with four and five star pass rushers. It’s inevitable that Newman will be pressured and need to extend plays, but it’s unclear whether he’ll actually do so, or if he’ll continue to refuse to leave the pocket and take avoidable, drive-killing hits and sacks.
Fuck it, I’m going deep
Similar to how Newman’s Stoic pocket presence is both a strength (when he gets the ball away for a completion despite pressure) and a weakness (when he could extend a play but chooses not to), Newman’s frequent downfield lobs will be a strength (when his receiver beats his man) and a weakness (when there’s another defender in the area, or the corner is able to get his head around and make a play on the ball).
Newman will be accompanied by more offensive talent than he had in Winston-Salem, but he'll equally be facing off against better defenders and defensive coordinators on a weekly basis in the SEC. Newman is a risk-taker who trusts his receivers to make plays on the ball, and by competing against more talented defenses, those risks are magnified.
Newman’s tape versus Clemson best exemplifies some of the issues he’ll encounter facing off against more talented secondaries.
In this first clip, Newman fakes the screen and clearly locks onto a receiver running deep. Unfortunately for Newman, a Clemson defender is playing underneath and makes an easy interception.
In this second clip, Newman throws his trademark one-on-one deep lob. Unfortunately again, Newman is targeting an NFL-caliber cornerback in AJ Terrell. Unlike many of the cornerbacks he faced, Terrell has the awareness to get his head around and makes a play on a slightly underthrown ball. Facing off against the likes of Alabama’s Patrick Surtain II, Florida’s Marco Wilson, South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn, and possibly LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr., Newman will have to adapt to corners playing more like AJ Terrell did in the clip above than some of the other corners featured in his other highlights above.
Given Monken’s offensive philosophy and Newman’s passing habits, Bulldog fans should expect a few frustrating, Brett Favre-esque “fuck it, I’m going deep” interceptions, particularly early on as Newman learns the skill level of the defensive backs he’s targeting. Whether this tendency will be just an early season speed bump or a debilitating factor will be seen.
Projected Fit
The immediate good news is that Newman’s strong arm and ability to place the ball downfield is a perfect fit for Monken’s Air Raid background. While I don’t necessarily believe we’ll be seeing Georgia going full Air Raid given how their offensive roster is structured and Smart’s conservative nature, Monken previously summarized his offensive philosophy, and it’s a perfect fit for Newman’s strengths, specifically his ability to drive the ball downfield with accuracy:
“I’ve always thought, we don’t need more 5-yard plays. Who needs more 5-yard plays? How can we be explosive? That’s what the game is about, man. Big plays. I like big plays. So how do we not figure out ways to get explosive plays? That’s fun. That’s fun to me in football.”
In 2019, Newman amassed 2868 passing yards and 26 passing touchdowns (missing one start vs Florida State). For comparison, see the chart below showing starting QBs under Monken over the last five seasons. Simply put, quarterbacks rack up yardage under Monken, and for Newman, a passing stat line similar to Mullens last year with Monken is a realistic outcome.
| Year | Team | QB(s) | Passing yards | Passing TDs |
| 2015 | Southern Miss | Nick Mullens | 4476 | 38 |
| 2016 | Tampa Bay (NFL) | Jameis Winston | 4090 | 28 |
| 2017 | Tampa Bay (NFL) | Jameis Winston / Ryan Fitzpatrick | 4607 | 26 |
| 2018 | Tampa Bay (NFL) | | 5358 | 36 |
| 2019 | Cleveland (NFL) | Baker Mayfield | 3827 | 22 |
What’s unclear is how Monken intends to use Newton’s athleticism. Historically, Monken has not used quarterback runs as any significant element of his offense. Only J.W. Walsh, who Monken coached as Oklahoma State's offensive coordinator in 2012, had any meaningful rushing contribution from the QB position under Monken, accumulating 290 yards and 7 touchdowns that year. The next best rushing performance by a QB under Monken was Jameis Winston’s 281 yards and one touchdown in 2018. Overall, neither stat line compare to what we've seen from athletic quarterbacks at the collegiate level, and would be disappointing numbers for an athlete of Newman's pedigree.
The silver lining is that Monken is at least saying the right things since arriving in Athens, stating that he’s more focused on adapting to his players rather than dogmatic application of a specific style. Newman’s athleticism supports his usage in designed QB runs and read option packages. While Monken does not have a history of using designed QB runs in his offense, if he really intends to adapt to his players, that will require such runs becoming an offensive staple.
Summary
Overall, Georgia should be extremely excited in Newman’s arrival. He is the most physically talented starter they have had since Matthew Stafford, with the added strength of being highly athletic. For Bulldog fans who still rue Justin Fields’ transfer, Newman is an equally talented and similarly built quarterback.
Specifically, Newman’s strong arm and ability to place the ball wherever needed means Georgia should be able to maintain the offensive efficiency enjoyed with Jake Fromm, while adding a true vertical passing element to their passing game. Given Monken’s Air Raid background, I fully expect Newman to rack up passing yardage and put up prolific numbers over the course of the season. Newman’s legs will add another new and dynamic tool to the Bulldog offense: exactly how Monken will use this tool is unclear, as historically QB runs have not been a feature of his offense.
At the same time Newman displayed a frustrating tendency to never leave the pocket on designed passing plays, and he’ll take more hits than necessary, which could result in closer games or even potentially game-altering sacks. Newman also places a lot of trust in his deep ball placement and the ability of his receivers to win their matchup: against more talented SEC defensive backs, some of those plays may switch from receptions to incompletions or interceptions.
Newman projects as an All-SEC caliber quarterback, and if he can avoid unnecessary sacks and interceptions, he should fully be capable of leading the Bulldogs to Playoff contention. Does he have what it takes to become a true Heisman contender?
Monken’s Air Raid offense is designed and has a history of putting up significant yardage and scoring points: given Nick Mullens’ success under Monken at Southern Miss, if Newman can simply match that statistical output, that should be sufficient to put him in contention: eclipsing 4000 yards, as Mullens’ did his junior year, is mark only four SEC quarterbacks have ever crossed.
Additionally, Newman will be playing for a clear top ten (likely top five) team that will demand national media attention for the duration of the season. The Bulldogs’ have games scheduled against Alabama, Auburn, Florida, all of which will likely be at least Top 25 matchups, if not Top 10 matchups, and any of those games may end up as the marquee matchup of their weekend. Should Georgia beat out Florida (and less likely, Tennessee) for the SEC East title, Newman will be provided another significant platform via the SEC Championship Game to demonstrate his worthiness.
All in all, even in the best case scenario for Newman, the odds are stacked against him winning the Heisman. Even so, he has a clear case to quickly find himself in contention: he’s a physically gifted quarterback who has already demonstrated his ability to operate at a high level; he’ll be operating in an offense designed to rack up yardage and scoring opportunities; he’ll be playing for an elite team that will demand national attention throughout the season and will have multiple high-visibility matchups to build his case in front of national audiences. While Lawrence and Fields will rightfully dominate preseason discussions, Vegas currently has Newman with the third-best odds (10/1) to win the award, and when you consider the above, that feels right.
How to read College Football Las Vegas Odds. Similar to our Money Line and 1st Half Odds, every matchup is listed in order of Rotation and those numbers are preceded by the Date and Time of the College Football game.. The rotation for college football games typically lists them by scheduled starting time, which can lead to some confusion since the number will remain the same even if the games ... Odds to Win the 2020 College Football Playoffs Championship according to Bovada Sportsbook. January 7, 2020. College Football 2020 NCAA College Football Championship - Odds to Win LSU (#1) -225 Clemson (#3) +185. New Live Odds & Bowls Scores . Bet on the 2020 College Football Playoffs Championship Las Vegas Odds at Bovada Sportsbook. Odds on every FBS team to win the College Football National Championship for the 2020-21 season with my best value bets to make and take down the playoff. Find updated College Football Future Odds to win the 2020-21 College Football Championship Game to be played on Jan. 11, 2021 from Miami, Florida provided by VegasInsider. 2020 NCAA National Championship (Alabama vs Ohio State) Game Pick & Prediction After crushing Clemson in the semi-final, Ohio State have cemented the reputation of giant-slayer. Clemson entered that game as a -7.5-favorite, but the Buckeyes ended up winning by 21 points. This page is your one stop for the latest odds to win the 2020-21 NCAA Football Championship. We start tracking the odds for the next season right after the conclusion of the title game. We will continue to update the lines throughout the year and provide checkpoints with each update.
