CFF Social Distancing Mock Draft Analysis

Americans are now enduring, and tackling, one the more difficult challenges over the past century. I have two teenagers in the house and neither one seems to comprehend the challenges ahead for our country and their generation. Every day, both want to leave the house to see their friends, and my job is to be the good father who must say “no” despite their objections.

In order to take my mind off the unfolding events, I submerge myself in my favorite hobby: fantasy football. Last week, Nate Marchese, a college football fanatic like myself, organized the CFF Social Distancing Mock Draft with some of the top experts in the industry. He reached out to me, and I immediately jumped at the opportunity to partake in the exercise.

I love early mock drafts before ADP coagulates. It is like exploring the west in the 1830s before Americans migrated across the continent. It is a new frontier, and a fantasy manager never knows what will take place at any given point as the draft unfolds. So much fun.

Afterward, Justin Heisey, my CFF: On Campus podcast teammate, inquired if I wanted to analyze the results for Fantrax…of course, I did. I reached out to Nate, and he was kind enough to provide a breakdown of his first six selections also.

Ready to make the jump into College Fantasy Football? Head over to Fantrax and join a league today!

We also answered three vital questions to provide more insight into the upcoming college fantasy football season:

• Identify the one fantasy team that you would switch places with after the draft?
• Your favorite sleeper on your team or someone else’s?
• Who is the top player available not drafted?

I hope the breakdown of the CFF Mock Draft provides all of our readers a timeout from the horrific news across the country. Relax and enjoy the CFF analysis.

Also, please follow all of the stupendous participants in the Mock Draft on Twitter.

The All-American Team:

@CFFNate                     @RealestChrisKay

@Andrewpkatz             @KHookem

@FranchiseKF              @HaitianKid79

@JustinHeisey             @CFFChamps

‪@MBainbridgeCFF     @theCFFsite

@johns_tailgate           @CFFguys

@GridironSchol91

CFF Social Distancing Mock Draft

You can view the results round by round by using the next button at the bottom right of the table. The analysis of the first six rounds follows the table.

First Six Round Analysis:

First Round

QB Justin Fields, Ohio State, 1.03

Anyone who has ever played in a league with me knows that I value quarterbacks very heavily. The 2020 season has a lot of talented quarterbacks but only six I could count that were sure things: Justin Fields, Sam Ehlinger, Brock Purdy, Sam Howell, Spencer Rattler, Trevor Lawrence. Justin Fields is my top quarterback this season and an easy decision out of the three-spot. He finished last year with 51 touchdowns and a mere three interceptions and he’s returning the talented duo of Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. Not to mention the addition of the nation’s top receiver Julian Flemming and Oklahoma-transfer Trey Sermon. In 2020, my advice is not to wait on a quarterback. It is easy to miss this year on a star.

• Justin Heisey

QB Shane Rattler, Oklahoma, 1.09

My No. 3 signal-caller this year is still available towards the end of the first round of a 2-QB draft. Sign me up! Coach Lincoln Riley’s production speaks for itself, and Rattler is uber-talented. I don’t expect the 1,000-yard and 10 TD-run production of Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts but fully expect Baker Mayfield-level statistics. I also considered Rondale Moore here.

• Nate Marchese

QB Trevor Lawrence, Clemson, 1.10

In a 2-QB league, I like to acquire at least one signal-caller in the first two rounds. It is advantageous to have a stud at the position anchor your roster. While the NFL is salivating at the prospect of drafting Trevor Lawrence in the 2021 Draft, I am going to enjoy watching the junior playmaker one more season in college football. After a slow start last September, Lawrence exploded in the second half of the campaign: When the season concluded, he had passed for 3,665 yards, rushed for 563 yards and totaled 45 touchdowns, averaging 25.66 fantasy points, which placed him thirteenth among CFF quarterbacks. Eight of the top 12 scoring field generals have left campus, and Lawrence is my No. 4 ranked quarterback before training camps open. Very happy to draft the Clemson celebrity at No. 10 overall.

• John Laub

Second Round

WR Sage Surratt, Wake Forest, 2.11

There are a lot of varying opinions on who the No. 1 receiver in the CFF community. While some say it’s Ja’Marr Chase, LSU and others continue to look to Rondale Moore, Purdue, I still love Sage Surratt. The Junior from Wake Forest eclipsed 1,000 yards last season without playing most of the month of November while also catching 11 touchdown passes. The Demon Deacons get Sam Hartman, who is a capable passer, an easy out of conference schedule leads into a decent in conference schedule, and he was the eighth receiver off the board. You can’t beat that draft capital.

• Justin Heisey

WR Rondale Moore, Purdue, 2.05

My No. 1 receiver falls to pick 18. I was willing to take him in the first round, so certainly pleased to see him here. Health is the only concern, and he looked 100% in spring practice. Coach Jeff Brohm’s history of receiver production is stellar. Teammate David Bell doesn’t concern me for Moore, but Moore does worry me for Bell.

• Nate Marchese

RB Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M, 2.04

Having acquired an upper-echelon QB, I needed to draft a stud running back for my roster. In CFF leagues last year, I acquired Spiller off the waiver wire in mid-October and enjoyed watching the freshman become a weekly starter. At 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, he was an Under Armour All-American in high school and effortlessly made the leap in competition for the Aggies. The rising sophomore started eight games and was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team after rushing for 946 yards and ten touchdowns. He also snatched 29 passes for 203 yards. Currently, Spiller is my No. 5 runner, and I am overjoyed that he was still available.

• John Laub

Third Round

RB Jermar Jefferson, Oregon State, 3.03

I was a bit uneasy about drafting Jermar Jefferson in 2019 due to Art Pierce and B.J. Baylor making names for themselves in the spring. Jefferson missed multiple games due to injury last season, and when he returned, Art Pierce was holding down the fort. This season, Jefferson has the same coach for a third year, talented receivers to open up the passing game, a talented quarterback in Tristan Gebbia, and no Art Pierce. The line isn’t the most experienced, but most of his difficult games take place in the middle of the season and leaves the beginning and end of the season with easy matchups.

• Justin Heisey

RB Kylin Hill, Mississippi State, 3.09

Best available running back: I’m perfectly fine getting a top 10 runner as the twelfth runner off the board. Less value in ½-point PPR, but he came back for a reason, and Leach proved with Max Borghi that there is backfield value in his system. Expect plenty of check downs in blowouts that Mississippi State is likely to be in throughout the season.

• Nate Marchese

WR Justyn Ross, Clemson, 3.10

In fantasy football, one of my favorite strategies is to draft a pitcher-catcher duo on the same team. I crossed my fingers that Justyn Ross would remain on the board in the third round to partner with Lawrence. Bazinga! Over the past two seasons, the junior playmaker has totaled 112 catches for 1,865 yards and 17 touchdowns. At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, he was named Freshman All-America by 247Sports in 2018 and honorable mention All-ACC in 2019. Building a fantasy squad around the Tigers’ aerial attack will surely provide plenty of fireworks all season.

• John Laub

Fourth Round

WR Renard Bell, Washington State, 4.11

Renard Bell was my next highest player on the board and this one is interesting because the next three picks were also wide receivers. Bell began a streak that included Jaylen Waddle, CJ Johnson, and David Bell. While the upside of Johnson and Waddle is certainly enticing, Bell was the player that most stuck out to me because coach Nick Rolovich has entered the building. Why take a chance on an Alabama receiver who I think might not explode due to their change in quarterback when I can pick the presumed No. 1 in an offense that has produced players like John Ursua, Cedric Byrd II, and JoJo Ward. This is without mentioning that Washington State has one of the most talented quarterback rooms they’ve had in some time and the coaching change is one of the easiest offensive transitions of all the new staffs.

• Justin Heisey

QB Brock Purdy, Iowa State, 4.05

Didn’t see any RB/WRs that I absolutely loved here, so I was happy to get my other starter behind center. Purdy was a bit of a boom or bust starter last year, so he fits in with my strategy so far. I trust in Coach Matt Campbell to lean on his play-makers. I saw a drop off in QB value after him, so I didn’t want to wait on my second signal-caller much longer.

• Nate Marchese

RB Journey Brown, Penn State, 4.04

Without question, I am acquiring as many shares as possible of Journey Brown. In 2017, Brown redshirted and last season, shared snaps and carries in the backfield until November. Finally, the sophomore earned the majority of touches, rambling for over 100 yards in four of the final five games while scoring 10 touchdowns. At 5-foot-11 and 207 pounds, Brown is a superb athlete who brings intensity, explosiveness, dedication, and commitment to the field every day. I am clearly more bullish on Brown than most CFF experts and am willing to reach for “my guy” in the fourth round.

• John Laub

Fifth Round

RB Nikia Watson, Wisconsin, 5.03

In back to back picks I have chosen to go with the system over the player and athletic upside. Nakia Watson is the presumed starter for the Wisconsin Badgers after backing up Wisconsin-great Jonathan Taylor for the past several seasons. Wisconsin’s lead running back has averaged 285 carries over the past seven seasons and has included some of the most talented backs in the history of the sport. If Watson can outlast incoming freshman Jalen Berger, he would be the best fifth round pick I’ve ever made.

• Justin Heisey

RB Xazavian Valladay, Wyoming, 5.09

Fingers were crossed for receiver CJ Johnson to make it to this spot, but perfectly happy with Valladay when the East Carolina state didn’t. Valladay produced a 29-295-2 bowl game stat line. He’s a top 10 runner for me. Quarterback uncertainty doesn’t matter. He also proved to be effective in the passing game as a freshman. I expected big things last year, and he came through in spades. Expecting even more in 2020

• Nate Marchese

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC, 5.10

I acquired Amon-Ra St. Brown two years ago in a CFF Dynasty league and am finally going to reap the rewards of my investment. Last year, Michael Pittman, Jr. commanded a large target share in the Trojans’ passing attack and luckily, he has moved onto a professional career. Certainly, more opportunities are in store for St. Brown. At 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, the junior playmaker has soared since arriving on campus with 137 catches for 1,792 yards and 10 touchdowns. He earned honorable mention All-PAC 12 last year and PAC-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year honorable mention two seasons ago. In 2020, St. Brown is primed to be named First Team all-conference. All aboard the Amon-Ra Express…I am the conductor!

• John Laub

Sixth Round

RB Re’Mahn Davis, Temple, 6.11

After multiple rounds of big-name wide receivers flying off the board, the fifth and sixth rounds saw 15 of 26 picks go running back. I followed up Nakia Watson with Temple’s freshman breakout star Re’Mahn Davis. The Owls’ battering ram finished up last season just shy of 1,000 yards but managed to do so serving behind senior back Jager Gardner. Davis is not only a strong runner but a threat in the receiving game with 15 receptions and a pair of scores a year ago. He is the clear focal point of the Temple offense with Anthony Russo and Jager Gardner out of the picture, and he will feast on the weaker defenses of the AAC.

• Justin Heisey

WR Terrace Marshall, LSU, 6.05

Probably my least favorite selection that I made. Wanted to go receiver but didn’t love my options after Aman Ra St-Brown went off the board. Debated Isaiah McKoy but chose Marshall based on how great he was when healthy last year and hoping for production from the void left with Jefferson’s departure.

— Nate Marchese

RB C.J. Marable, Coastal Carolina, 6.06

As a freshman, C.J. Marable played at Presbyterian College and was voted First Team All-Big South. In January 2018, he enrolled at Coastal Carolina and participated in spring practices. He earned 118 carries, rushed for 719 yards and produced eight touchdowns his first year in a Chanticleers’ uniform. Last season, Marable surpassed the 1,000-yard barrier and scored 14 times. A dual-threat ball carrier, he has snatched 53 passes for 475 yards over the past two seasons, which increases his fantasy value in ½ point ppr-scoring formats. In the sixth round, I am very happy acquiring a stud pass-catcher as the third running back on my roster.

• John Laub

Identify the one fantasy team that you would switch places with after the draft?

If forced to change franchises, I would trade my roster for Andrew Katz’s. First, I really admire his backfield with Breece Hall and Najee Harris, who are in my top six CFF runners, and has great depth at the position with Zamir White and Bryant Koback. Despite waiting on quarterbacks until the fifth round, he acquired Kedon Slovis, my No. 11 ranked QB, and Chevan Cordeiro, who is a high-ceiling prospect. Considering the low draft capital spent, I’m a little envious of the duo. His receiver corps with George Pickens, Tre Walker, Randal Grimes, and Skyy Moore are very solid with promising upside. And of course, he acquired one of the top tight ends in college football with Kylen Granson in the seventh round.

• John Laub

If I had to switch, it would be with either Zach Hall or Kevin Brown. Zach Hall took a similar approach in his draft as me with 3 QBs, 4 RBs, and 4 WRs. He ended up with three signal-callers in Adrian Martinez, Logan Bonner, and John Rhys Plumlee who all have incredible upside. Not to mention he has the second-best selection of running backs in the league with Kenneth Gainwell and Kobe Lewis spearheading the lineup. Receivers have some upside with Vaughns from USC serving as a strong and consistent player while the upside of Isaiah McKoy and Dyami Brown keep me interested to see where the team goes. Also, TE Brevin Jordan is very good and gets D’Eriq King as his quarterback.

Kevin Brown has a very high ceiling with Jayden Daniels and Holton Ahlers at quarterback and some interesting options at the skill positions. Jordan Whittington has a chance of taking the Duvernay role in the Texas offense which is big time for Whittington, who is listed as a running back. Wan’Dale Robinson is still considered a wide receiver which could make him a top ten wide receiver in the Nebraska offense should he play running back. Brown also has sure-fire producers in Tylan Wallace and Mo Ibrahim who are the alpha males in their offenses.

• Justin Heisey

Your favorite sleeper on your team or someone else’s?

RB Jamale Carothers, Navy, 10.11

Jamale Carothers is one of my favorite players on my squad, and I took him in the tenth round. Carothers may not have Malcolm Perry to help him out anymore, but there were games last season where he looked so dominant on his own that I’m confident that he will be just fine in 2020. Carothers finished the year up with 14 rushing touchdowns and only had three games without a touchdown. This is exclusive of mentioning his 188-yard, five score game against Houston to cap off the regular season. Carothers is the guy for Navy this year and will kill it as long as Perry Olsen can handle handing the ball off.

• Justin Heisey

RB Jerome Ford, Cincinnati, 10.02

Kevin Brown also got a great pick in Jerome Ford. The redshirt is going to a red-hot Cincinnati team who’s last running back just finished up a phenomenal career. Coach Luke Fickell wants to move the ball on the ground, and the Alabama-transfer is immediately eligible and ready to go. I expect him to clear 1,200 yards and double-digit touchdowns, and I’m still kicking myself for not picking him earlier that round.

• Justin Heisey

WR Osirus Mitchell, Mississippi State, 11.09

Willing to take a flyer on the projected top WR in a Leach offense at receiver No. 48. The talent has always been there and the growth was seen last year in route running. He’s a big and athletic playmaker in the air raid system that will be playing catch-up often. Mitchell, or the highly touted JUCO transfer Heath, will have a big year, and I am banking on the more established Mitchell

• Nate Marchese

RB Pooka Williams, Jr., Kansas, 8.12

After grabbing WR Khalil Shakir in the eighth round, I placed Pooka Williams, Jr. in my queue and hoped that he would make it to me in the ninth. Unfortunately, @FranchiseKF plucked the Jayhawks’ junior onto his roster. In two years, Williams has propelled himself among the elite runners in the Big 12, earning Freshman All-America all-purpose and Newcomer of the Year in 2018 and First Team All-Big 12 last year. He has recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns and scored 14 times. I will be targeting Williams throughout the summer and hope to gain many shares.

• John Laub

Who is the top player available not drafted?

 WR Victor Tucker, Charlotte

One of my favorite features of college fantasy football is to identify weekly starters outside of the Power Five conferences. Over the past two seasons, Victor Tucker has snatched 106 passes for 1,621 yards and nine touchdowns. Last year, he was named honorable mention ALL-C-USA and two years ago, earned C-USA All-Freshman Team. At 5-foot-11 and 177 pounds, the redshirt junior teams with quarterback Chris Reynolds to form one of the undervalued passing twosomes in the nation.

• John Laub

Alan Bowman was my best available quarterback still on the board and it’s easy to see why he was likely left there. While Bowman has played incredibly when he’s on the field, he’s had ample issues with staying on the field. He collapsed a lung last season and even though he’s healthy now, it’s no assurance he stays that way. There is also Jhamon Ausbon for Texas A&M lingering as well as despite finishing just under 1,000 yards a season ago with more than 60 receptions. I also assumed someone would’ve snagged Malik Willis from Liberty. Willis is for sure an under-the-radar stud for the Flames this season.

• Justin Heisey

Fantrax was one of the fastest-growing fantasy sites of 2019 and we’re not letting our foot off the pedal now! With multi-team trades, designated commissioner/league managers, and drag/drop easy click methods, Fantrax is sure to excite the serious fantasy sports fan – sign up now for a free year at Fantrax.com.