Draft Quack: A Holiday at the Alamo Edition

There are some fun cross country #Pac12AfterDark potential in today’s bowl games.

#13 Stanford vs #15 TCU 9 PM ESPN

Valero Alamo Bowl

Location: Alamodome (home of the UTSA Roadrunners and former home of the Spurs) San Antonio, TX

- The Cardinal travel to San Antonio to sight see and take on the home state Horned Frogs. Philosophically, you couldn't find two vastly different programs than these two. While TCU likes to rely on its stalwart defense of past years, it has become a more and more spread heavy offense. Stanford is, well, Stanford. The Cardinal posted a 9-4 record which won the Pac-12 North but got beat by USC in the title game in a rematch. TCU had a 10-3 record but they lost to Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game (also a rematch). How many ways can TCU HC Gary Patterson cook up a scheme to stop all world RB Bryce Love? Can the Cardinal keep up with a TCU offense? Also, Valero is a gas station company, apparently.

Stanford prospects to watch

1. Bryce Love 5'10 180 RB Junior

- Love is arguably the second best back in the entire nation, regardless of draft class. A great athlete with plus lateral agility and instincts. He was invited to the Heisman Trophy ceremony and won the Doak Walker Award for best back in the country. Production is off the charts good. 237 carries for 1,973 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior. He has elected to play in the bowl game unlike his predecessor.

2. Quenton Meeks 6’1 204 CB Junior

- Meeks is the unquestioned leader of the Cardinal secondary and is CB1 material for the lucky NFL team that drafts him. He’s an interesting prospect for a lot of teams looking to replicate the Legion of Boom given his reported measurements and physical traits

3. Harrison Phillips 6'3 295 DT RS Junior

- Phillips is the latest out of the defensive line factory from Palo Alto. He's a disruptive force in the run game. Has been flying up the boards this year. A handful to deal with on the interior for opposing linemen. Recent projections have him going as early as the first round.

TCU prospects to watch

1. Kenny Hill 6'1 205 QB RS Senior

- It's been an interesting ride for Mr. Hill in his college career. He transferred to TCU after being released from his Texas A&M obligations. A pretty good athlete that has been compared to Johnny Manziel in the past. Has grown up tremendously from being an immature college kid to a model teammate. Off field questions will follow him however at the next level. An above average arm with decent pocket awareness.

#18 Washington State at #16 Michigan State 9:00 PM FS1

San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl

Location: SDCCU Stadium (formerly Qualcomm Stadium) San Diego, CA

- Part time social media wunderkind / full time coach Mike Leach takes his Cougars to San Diego. Michigan State is also there too so there's that. The Spartans put up a respectable 9-3 record, which was good for a third place finish in the Big Ten East. They won two of the three big interdivision matchups (beat both Michigan and Penn State but lost to Ohio State). The Cougars were the talk of college football as a darkhorse playoff contender before they Coug'd it against Cal and Lossington. Expect a defensive battle here (shocking I know).

Washington State prospect to watch

1. Hercules Mata’afa 6’3 250 DL RS Junior

- HM might be country’s most underrated defensive line prospect. He’s a tackling machine and is an impact player regardless of position or size. Fundamentally sound. Above average athleticism. NFL teams will have questions regarding his size and ability to put on weight. Simply put, he’s a machine. Projected as a second round pick currently.