2019 ACC CFB Week 11: “Draft Stars”
Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
Travis Etienne carved up the NC State defense in Week 11. He racked up 112 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries. Also, he highlighted his versatility and completeness by scoring a receiving touchdown.
Entering the 2019 season, Pro Football Network NFL Draft Analyst Tony Pauline graded Etienne as a 1st-round prospect, and Etienne hasn’t done anything to disappoint. Etienne has a mind-blowing 1,214 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns on the season while averaging close to nine yards per carry. He is clearly one of the three best running backs in college football and a likely top-50 selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. Etienne has blazing speed and can accelerate through an opening as well as any running back in college football. He runs with good vision, makes decisive cuts and is very elusive.
The video below will showcase Etienne’s ability to accelerate through a hole and his slipperiness as a runner, as the NC State defenders couldn’t get a grasp on him as he explodes through the hole for a touchdown.
Etienne is in for the TOUCHDOWN
#5 Clemson leads NC State 28-0 in the 1st Quarter. pic.twitter.com/wIPguOBRXD
— NCAAF Nation (@NCAAFNation247) November 10, 2019
Hamsah Nasirildeen, Safety, Florida State
There are not many built like Florida State safety Hamsah Nasirildeen. He is 6’4″ and weighs in at 215 pounds while possessing elite athleticism and a very impressive physical stature. He went off in Week 11, as he accounted for 22 tackles. Yes, you read that right – 22 tackles, the most by any Florida State player since 1968. He moves extremely well, especially when you consider his size, and he can missile to the football in a blur. In a league where athletic quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson present a dual-threat, players like Nasirildeen’s draft stock will soar.
In Week 11, the Florida State defense wasn’t good. In fact, you could tell they were missing their best player in Marvin Wilson. Fortunately, Hamsah Nasirildeen was everywhere. Out of his 22 tackles, 11 were solo and 12 came against the talented Boston College running backs. It will be interesting to see if Nasirildeen declares for the 2020 NFL Draft. If he does, I could see him being in the first-round conversation.
Michael Pinckney, Linebacker, Miami
While his teammate Shaq Quarterman gets most of the accolades, Miami linebacker Michael Pinckney might be the better draft prospect. Pinckney was marvelous in the Hurricanes’ Week 11 rout of Louisville. The box score shows that Pinckney had eight tackles, three tackles for a loss, a sack, and four quarterback pressures.
Pinckney is currently a mid-round 2020 NFL Draft prospect. He has the physical prowess and speed to play linebacker at the next level. He plays with above-average instincts and is a technically sound tackling machine. Pinckney’s performance in Week 11 on “Senior Day” was the proper sendoff, as he has been the heart and soul of this defensive team for the last few years. The video below will show you just how much his teammates love him.
You’ll be missed, senior Michael Pinckney.
Forever a Miami Hurricane. pic.twitter.com/ylukYER2MK
— GO ‘CANES! (@83_87_89_91_01) November 4, 2019