We are now in the “dead zone” of the NFL football year. This is the time for making sure your dynasty fantasy football taxi squads are full. Sure these aren’t superstar players, but just like penny stocks their value could soar if you get lucky. I based my write-ups on their performances during their 2014 collegian bowl games.
Crockett Gilmore, TE BAL
The tight end was certainly not the best athlete on the field, but he was everywhere. Gilmore lined up in the backfield, as a traditional tight end, and in the slot. The young tight end was better at pass blocking than as a run
blocker as he struggled to seal the cut-back lane. I was impressed with the many different routes that he ran and he got targeted in the end zone only to be knocked down by a defensive back with no penalty he could have caught the pass with his frame and size). Gilmore struggled to gain separation when safeties covered him, but had modest success (four receptions for 44 yards) when the tight end went against linebackers. If he wants to have NFL success, Gilmore will need to attack the ball with his hands and not body catch as well as use his 6′ 6″ size as a weapon.
Ryan Grant, WR WASH
The young receiver went in motion a lot to exploit the best matchup coverage. He gets good separation running deeper routes, but he is by no means a speedster, Tulane flip-flopped between two quarterbacks and this did not seem to matter to the wide out. Grant had the awareness to cut his deeper routes short and come back to his quarterback, but looked lost at times when asked to run block. There were a few times he let the ball come to his body, while most of the time the receiver would snare the ball with his out-stretched hands. I was impressed with his arm strength as Grant threw a rope 50 yards down the field on a reverse, but unfortunately it resulted in an interception. There were a few outstanding one-handed receptions in traffic and another that he skied above two defenders to make an amazing catch to get his team in scoring position. Grant tends to be very precise with his routes as the receiver would stop and wait for the ball to get there. This could tip-off better defenders in the NFL.
Gator Hoskins, TE MIA
He is not a traditional tight end even though he did line up beside the tackle as well as in the slot. Unlike most tight ends, Hoskins ran deeper routes as he reminded me of Miami Dolphins Charles Clay with his athleticism (funny how they are now teammates). The young tight end handles physical coverage well, but blocks more like a wide receiver, just getting in front of his man and leaning a bit. Hoskins does a good job of pretending to block and then sneaks out for the pass. The receiver catches the ball in stride, has a little wiggle to his game, and can carry a few defenders on his back when nearing the goal line. In the red zone, he ran two quick half circle routes that both resulted in touchdowns. Hoskins has a good catch radius as he skied above to get a few passes and caught a couple more off his hip. I came away very impressed with him.
Kareem Martin, DE ARIZ
The defensive lineman played both defensive end spots as well as bouncing inside to defensive tackle. He gets good penetration, has a quick first step, and keeps his arms up when the quarterback attempts to throw. There were a few times that he got caught off-balance as Martin seemed to do too much lunging instead of getting his hips behind him and powering thru. The defensive end looked spectacular when he split the guard and tackle on his way to scoring a safety with his teammate. It was a continuous swim move with a splice of power. Martin is a more impressive pass rusher than a run stopper, but he did have a nice stop near the goal line when the powerful lineman crashed down the line of scrimmage to hit the running back for a loss.
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