Scouting the scouts Rams among seven clubs at title gam
Scouts from seven NFL clubs won a lottery for credentials to scout the College Football Playoff national championship game: the , , , , , and . No fewer than three general managers -- the ' Rick Spielman, the ' Les Snead and the ' Rick Smith -- are expected to represent their respective clubs at the game. It will be an opportunity to see some of the top NFL prospects on the biggest stage in college football history. So who might they have an eye on? Here is a quick look at five top players from each team who will be, or might be, available in the 2015 : Oregon 1. Marcus Mariota Pos: QB Size: 6-foot-4, 219 pounds Cla s: Fourth-year Junior (undeclared) Numbers: Mariota's most impre sive statistical accomplishment this season? A staggering TD-INT ratio of 40-3. Semifinal performance: Mariota completed 26 of 36 pa ses in a 59-20 win over FSU for 338 yards and a pair of touchdowns, plus another 62 yards on the ground. Noteworthy: Mariota, who has earned his undergraduate degree, cleaned up on the December awards circuit. Along with the Heisman Trophy, he won the Maxwell Award, the Davey O'Brien Award and the Walter Camp Award. Mariota's game: Mariota operates Oregon's fast-paced, spread offense to near perfection, and is a dangerous tuck-and-run threat in the rare moments that he can't find an open man. 2. Arik Armstead Pos: DL Size: 6-8, 290 Cla s: Junior (undeclared) Numbers: Armstead's production this season has been on the light side for 14 games: 37 tackles and only 2.5 sacks. Semifinal performance: Armstead made four tackles against the Seminoles. Noteworthy: Armstead was a two-sport athlete for the Ducks at one time, playing briefly with the men's basketball team. Armstead's game: Although Armstead hasn't had a big season statistically, his athleticism has jumped off the film in the NFL scouting community. 3. Jake Fisher Pos: OL Size: 6-6, 300 Cla s: Senior Numbers: Over the last three years, Fisher has made 11 starts at left tackle (this season) and another 23 at right tackle. Semifinal performance: College Football 24/7's Bryan Fischer saw Fisher's performance against FSU as a . Noteworthy: Fisher made an unexpected transition from right tackle to left tackle in the preseason, brought about by injury, and effectively anchored the Ducks' front. He mi sed two games with a knee injury. Fisher's game: Although he might be more suited for a return to right tackle at the NFL level, Fisher showed impre sive pa s-protection skills on the left side this season against some of the game's elite pa s rushers. 4. Hroni s Grasu Pos: C Size: 6-3, 297 Cla s: Senior Numbers: Had a streak of 50 consecutive career starts snapped in November by a leg injury. Semifinal performance: Grasu led an Oregon offensive front that dominated FSU's touted defensive line with 639 yards of total offense. Noteworthy: Grasu was one of six finalists for the Rimington Trophy, given to the nation's top center each year. ... He is overcoming an injury that cost him several games, but he came back to play against the Seminoles. Grasu's game: If running the Ducks' fast-paced attack from play to play is harder on anyone than it is on Mariota, it's the 300-pound man who has to chase the spot, make quick line calls and be ready to snap at a moment's notice. Grasu has both the mental handle on the game and the physical stamina that the Ducks' pace of play demands. 5. TonyWashington Pos: LB Size: 6-3, 250 Cla s: Fifth-year Senior Numbers: Delivered big-play moments for the Ducks on a consistent basis in making 10 tackles for lo s and five sacks. Semifinal performance: Jameis Winston's bizarre third-quarter fumble on a fourth-down scramble was in many ways the final Rondae Hollis-Jefferson Jersey nail in the coffin for Florida State, as Washington scooped up the ball up and returned it 58 yards for a score. Noteworthy: Was criticized earlier this year for a crucial personal foul late in the Ducks' only lo s, against Arizona. He celebrated a third-and-1 sack to draw an unsportsmanlike conduct foul, giving the Wildcats a first down on the eventual game-winning drive. Washington's game: Shows outstanding athleticism for a 250-pounder and has pa s-rush skills that will help his scouting evaluation. Ohio State 1. MichaelBennett Pos: DL Size: 6-2, 288 Cla s: Senior Numbers: Delivered 14 tackles for lo s this season, a huge total for a player who spent all his time at an interior tackle position. Semifinal performance: Bennett made a sack and was credited for 1.5 tackles for lo s in a 42-35 win over Alabama. Noteworthy: Bennett is wearing No. 53 in honor of late teammate Kosta Karageorge, who was found dead last month of an apparent suicide. Bennett's game: Bennett returned to OSU for his senior season and improved in virtually every aspect of his game. His quickne s and strength get him into the offensive backfield consistently and he is a major reason why the OSU defensive line is among the nation's best. 2. Taylor Decker Pos: OL Size: 6-7, 315 Cla s: Junior (will return in 2015) Numbers: Decker will play in his 41th consecutive game in the national title game. Semifinal performance: Decker protected Cardale Jones' blind side effectively and sprung some of Ezekiel Elliott's key runs over the left side. Noteworthy: Decker has tattoos illustrating the U.S. Marines and U.S. Navy on each arm, who served in those military branches. Decker's game: Decker has great length and athleticism in pa s protection. He is by far the Buckeyes' most experienced lineman and helped the younger members of the front through early-season struggles with his leadership. 3. Jeff Heuerman Pos: TE Size: 6-5, 255 Cla s: Senior Numbers: Has made 17 catches for 202 yards and a pair of touchdowns this year. Semifinal performance: Heuerman did not make a catch against Alabama. Noteworthy: Here's an NFL combine preview -- Heuerman can do 33 reps of 225 pounds on the bench pre s, tops on the OSU team. Heuerman's game: Heuerman is a cla sic, old-school tight end who plays his best on early downs as a blocker. if he would be called on for more blocking than usual against Alabama, he said: "How much is more? Any more I might as well put on a 70 number." 4. DevinSmith Pos: WR Size: 6-1, 200 Cla s: Senior Numbers: Smith averaged 27.7 yards per catch this season, by far the highest total on the Buckeyes team. Semifinal performance: Smith caught two pa ses for 87 yards and a touchdown against the Crimson Tide. Noteworthy: Smith has appeared in every Ohio State game since his freshman year, 53 in a row. Smith's game: Smith has a similar style to LSU's Travin Dural as a speedy, downfield threat who gains yardage in big chunks. Although he's averaged barely more than two catches per game, he's made the most of them with 12 touchdowns. 5. Doran Grant Pos: CB Size: 5-11, 193 Cla s: Senior Numbers: The Buckeyes' undisputed playmaker in the secondary picked off a team-high five pa ses and broke up a team-high nine. Semifinal performance: Grant played a solid game against Alabama's Amari Cooper, allowing several catches but keeping the Tide's deep threat in front of him. Grant made seven stops. Noteworthy: Grant is one of the Buckeyes' fastest players with a 40-yard dash time reportedly in the 4.3s. Grant's game: Grant's straight-line speed is outstanding, although there are scouting concerns about his size and length. Projected as a mid- to late-round pick, Grant replaced OSU's top cover man this season. *Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter * . Jaylen Nowell Jersey
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