With the 2017 college football season rapidly coming to a close, and bowl games coming in fast and furious, the PFF Draft Team is hot on the trails of all the noteworthy bowl games across the country that feature some top, next-level players.
With eyes towards the 2018 NFL Draft, here are the players to keep your eyes on in the Camping World Bowl.
Camping World Bowl
Virginia Tech vs Oklahoma State
December 28, 5:15 p.m., Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida
Virginia Tech wide receiver Cam Phillips
The Hokies are absolutely loaded on the defensive side of the ball, but four-year letterman Phillips had a breakout year and is as talented as they come on the offensive side of the ball. Although he won't play in this game, he's a prospect to remember the name as this season, he'll finish just 36 yards away from his first 1,000-yard season and five receptions away from tying a career-high in receptions as he hauled in 71-of-109 targets this year for 964. The most promising factor from his final year in Blacksburg was his safer hands this season. He dropped only two catchable passes and did not have a fumble this year, as he had dropped eight passes over his first three years and had three fumbles heading into the year. At 6-foot, 202-pounds, he's a legit threat to create space and make something happen with the ball in his hands, and as mentioned, will be a name to remember in April. – @PFF_Cam
Virginia Tech offensive guard Wyatt Teller
Teller was the gold standard at guard this season, in terms of pass protection. He was one of just six guards with at least 200 pass-blocking snaps to not allow a sack nor a QB hit. Teller logged 395 pass-blocking reps and allowed just three QB pressures while also grading positively in run blocking for the fourth-consecutive year. His size (6-foot-5, 315-pounds) and quickness should be highly coveted this April. – @PFF_Cam
Virginia Tech interior defender Tim Settle
A massive space-eater, Settle led the Hokies in QB pressures from his interior defensive tackle position. He was a menace in run defense as well, recording 23 total defensive stops. On the season, he's accumulated five sacks, four QB hits and 19 QB hurries giving him 27 total, which was 18th-most among all FBS defensive tackles. – @PFF_Cam
Virginia Tech interior defender Ricky Walker
The other half of the interior duo, Walker also registered five sacks and totaled 21 QB pressures. Against the run, he totaled 20 stops and missed just two tackles on 32 tackle attempts and has graded positively in run defense in his three years of playing time for the Hokies. – @PFF_Cam
Virginia Tech linebacker Andrew Motuapuaka
Another four-year letterman for the Hokies, no linebacker was better in coverage this season than Motuapuaka. On 315 snaps in coverage, Motuapuaka allowed just five receptions, averaging 63.0 snaps in coverage per reception allowed, the next closest qualified linebacker averaged 37.6. Motuapuaka gave up just 40 yards on those receptions, averaging 0.13 yards per coverage snap, also the top mark in the nation. He brought down 19 QB pressures on just 75 pass-rush snaps and 30 stops in run defense, rounding out an impressive skillset. – @PFF_Cam
Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds
If Motuapuaka was Hokies best cover-backer, Edmunds was Virginia Tech's best run-stopper. Edmunds brought down 45 run stops on 341 snaps in run defense, good enough for a 13.2 run stop percentage, or the ninth-best among draft-eligible inside linebackers. Edmunds was also a pass-rushing force, bringing home 22 total QB pressures on 76 pass-rush snaps. – @PFF_Cam
Virginia Tech cornerback Greg Stroman
The nation's premier coverage corner in 2017, Stroman allowed a ridiculous 21.1 passer rating when targeted. On 41 targets, he allowed just nine receptions and brought down four interceptions while breaking up another 10 more. His 22.0 percent catch rate allowed was lowest among any FBS cornerback, regardless of amount of targets. Stroman's ball skills, size (6-foot, 180-pounds) and return skills (four career return touchdowns) should have NFL scouts excited. – @PFF_Cam
Virginia Tech cornerback Brandon Facyson
A down year by his standards, Facyson was targeted 37 times this season, and only allowed 13 receptions. He did not allow a touchdown in his coverage and recorded three pass breakups, to push his career total to 21 career passes defensed. A big-bodied cornerback at 6-foot-2, 197-pounds, Facyson can match up against any wide receiver, and will be very tell to see him against the talented duo of Washington and Ateman of Oklahoma State. – @PFF_Cam
Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph
One of the more polarizing figures in college football in 2017, Rudolph was masterful with the football this year. Despite attempted a deep pass targeted 20-plus yards downfield on 17.7 percent of his attempts, Rudolph fielded the nation's 23rd-highest adjusted completion percentage among draft-eligible quarterbacks. His poise under pressure will have him heavily talked about come April as Rudolph was pressured on 110 dropback attempts this year, in which he completed 43-of-84 attempts for 844 yards, six touchdowns against just three interceptions for the nation's fifth-highest passer rating under duress among qualified draft-eligible quarterbacks. – @PFF_Cam
Oklahoma State wide receiver James Washington
One half of arguably the nation's most talented 1-2 wide receiver combo, Washington hauled in 69 receptions on 110 targets for 1,418 yards to lead the nation in receiving yards. His 131.4 passer rating when targeted was 13th-best among all draft-eligible wide receivers but where he stood out was his ability on the deep ball. Washington was targeted on 35 passes at least 20 yards downfield, and he brought down 17 of them (second-most among draft-eligible WRs) for 715 yards (most) and seven touchdowns (fifth-most). – @PFF_Cam
Oklahoma State wide receiver Marcell Ateman
All Ateman did as the ‘No. 2 WR,' was bring down 55 receptions on 84 targets for 1,053 yards, 13th among draft-eligible receivers. He bested his teammate with his 135.5 passer rating when targeted and finished with a 3.43 yards per route run average, eighth-best and just below Washington's 3.47. The bigger of the two at 6-foot-4, Ateman's ability to high-point the football should make him a valuable red zone asset for any NFL team. – @PFF_Cam
Oklahoma State offensive tackle Zachary Crabtree
Crabtree had a breakout season in Stillwater, allowing a career-low in QB pressures with just 10 total all season. Of his 10 pressures allowed this year, Crabtree allowed just two combined hits on his quarterback (one sack, one QB hit), tightening up his technique and improving vastly from his previous three years. In his three years prior, Crabtree had allowed at least two hits and two sacks in all three seasons. He also improved as a run blocker this season, paving the way for Justice Hill, and rounding out his game for the next level. – @PFF_Cam
Oklahoma State interior defender DeQuinton Osborne
A lesser-known prospect on the Cowboys, Osborne is the team's leader in QB pressures, racking up 22 total this season including five sacks, seven QB hits and 10 hurries. His most-improved facet this season was his sure-tackling, as he missed just two tackles on 34 total tackle attempts this year and graded positively during both of his two seasons in Stillwater. As a JUCO-transfer, he'll be a talented prospect to watch during the draft process as he'll have more limited tape for NFL scouts to watch. His Alamo Bowl game tape may prove huge against a talented ACC opponent. – @PFF_Cam
Oklahoma State safety Ramon Richards
In the pass-happy Big 12, Richards was targeted a whopping 69 times this year from his strong safety position. He allowed 41 receptions but got his hands on 12 passes of his own by the way of two interceptions and 10 pass breakups. His numbers this year push him to 10 career interceptions and 19 career pass breakups. That amount of production alone should warrant a few eyes from NFL scouts. – @PFF_Cam
Oklahoma State safety Tre Flowers
Flowers patrolled the back end of the Cowboys defense with great prowess this season, allowing just 15 receptions into his coverage for just 207 yards while he intercepted two passes and broke up another seven. In all, he allowed a passer rating of just 61.8 when targeted and didn't allow a catch of over 30 yards all season. He has 20 career plays on the ball with four interceptions and 16 pass breakups for Oklahoma State. – @PFF_Cam
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