Week 9 shook up the college football board in a few places, but it also gave the Commanders another look at a handful of prospects who keep showing up on Saturdays. Some were part of wins, some came up big in losses, and a few did enough to make a clear case that they belong on the radar.
Cincinnati’s upset of Texas Tech was one of the weekend’s louder results, and it came with a strong showing from MJ Cannon. At 6’3”, 213 pounds, he brings size that stands out immediately, but his best work comes in coverage rather than at the line of scrimmage.
Cannon isn’t especially fluid, yet he reacts quickly to what’s happening in front of him, which helps him break up passes or limit yards after the catch when the ball is completed. He also reads the play well enough to trigger downhill and make a stop.
He’s not a true centerfielder, but he can handle the other deep responsibilities. In the win, Cannon posted nine tackles, a forced fumble, a PBU, and an interception.
Cole Tabb kept his strong season rolling even as Cincinnati fell back to earth against Utah. The junior running back is listed at 5’8”, 200 pounds, and his game is built around vision and burst in a zone scheme.
He sees the crease develop, gets to it fast, and once he’s in space, he has very good long speed. He’s not the most powerful or elusive runner, but his low center of gravity helps him shake off tackles.
Tabb also brings value as a receiver, which makes him a legitimate third-down option. Against Utah, he ran for 131 yards on 14 carries and scored a touchdown.
Wake Forest’s rise has been one of the quieter stories of the season, and Carlos Hernandez has been central to it. The senior receiver, who checks in at 6’0”, 190 pounds, gives the Demon Deacons a quick separator because he snaps off routes well and creates the room he needs to get open.
His hands are dependable, and he’s shown he can finish contested catches even without ideal size. There’s also some juice after the catch.
The one thing that still needs work is his ability to beat press man coverage, which could leave him confined to the slot at the next level. In Wake Forest’s win over UVA, Hernandez caught eight passes for 136 yards and a touchdown.
Jelani Thurman was a major reason UNC had a shot against Miami before the Hurricanes escaped Chapel Hill. The redshirt junior transfer from Ohio State is a 6’6”, 245-pound pass catcher who can stress defenses down the seam and on crossing routes because of his speed.
UNC leans on that athleticism, and it showed against Miami. Thurman finished with five receptions for 70 yards and two touchdowns, and he’s now tied for second in the nation among tight ends with six receiving scores.
As a blocker, he competes and gets the job done, but he still needs to play lower to improve his leverage. Expanding his route tree would make him even more dangerous.
On the offensive line, Notre Dame’s Anthonie Knapp continues to look like one of the more dependable pieces in the country. The true junior has been starting at tackle and guard since his freshman year, and at 6’5”, 305 pounds, he plays with the kind of strength that shows up snap after snap.
He stays balanced in pass protection with a wide base, and Notre Dame’s mix of gap and zone runs suits him well. Knapp can pull and lead on gap concepts, and he gets where he needs to go on zone runs to cut off defenders.
He can move people with power and leverage, and he finishes through the whistle.
South Carolina’s Dylan Stewart is starting to heat up after missing games early in the season because of injuries. The junior edge rusher has now put together back-to-back weeks with a sack, and the tools are obvious at 6’5”, 250 pounds.
He has the length teams want, plus the quickness to beat tackles around the edge or convert speed to power and drive them back. There’s still work to do with strength and hand usage so he can disengage more cleanly, but the upside is hard to miss.
Against Tennessee, Stewart had two tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble.
Oklahoma State linebacker Ethan Wesloski keeps stacking production of his own. The redshirt senior is 6’1”, 234 pounds, and he’s been all over the field this season, including back-to-back games with 17 tackles earlier in the year.
He plays with instinct and a high motor, and he’s willing to battle through blocks to get to the ball. Coverage remains the part of his game that needs the most evaluation, but the rest is solid.
In the Cowboys’ homecoming win over Colorado, Wesloski recorded eight tackles, two sacks, and a PBU.
Michigan’s Zeke Berry was one of the main reasons the Indiana game turned into such a defensive grind. The Wolverines lost, but Berry held his own against Nick Marsh and Charlie Becker, two players who could go in the first round.
At 5’11”, 188 pounds, he gave up size but not much else. Berry’s quick feet and fluid hips help him stay attached through routes, and his speed lets him break on the ball.
He’ll hit, though he could be more consistent with his wrap-up and form tackling. He finished with six tackles, a PBU, and an interception.
Carlos Hernandez, Jelani Thurman, Anthonie Knapp, Dylan Stewart, Ethan Wesloski, Zeke Berry, Cole Tabb, and MJ Cannon all had weekends worth noting, and each gave a little more shape to what they might bring to the Commanders down the line.
In Other News...
Commanders May Be Getting The Rams Defense They Didnt Want
The pass rush the Commanders were hoping to avoid appears to be back on the menu in Week 9. Myles Garrett has been working his way back from knee surgery, and after practicing all week, the star edge rusher is expected to be activated from Injured Reserve ahead of Los Angeles game against Washington.
The Rams are still evaluating his readiness before making it official, but the signs point toward him being available Sunday. For a Commanders offense already staring at a tough matchup, the timing could hardly be worse if Garrett is cleared to suit up. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Face A Brutal Test With Their Offense Under Pressure
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Los Angeles brings a balanced challenge, and the matchup leans into the areas where the Rams have looked most capable lately. They have shown advantages both on the ground and through the air against a Washington defense that will have to hold up under pressure for four quarters. With the betting market backing the Rams, the Commanders are left needing a cleaner, more efficient offensive outing than the one they can afford to waste. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Suddenly Have A Short-Week Roster Squeeze Before Rams Game
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The moves on the transaction wire showed how tightly things are being managed, with Robert Henry Jr. activated and Ricky Barber moved onto the active roster as Washington keeps patching together depth. The Rams are dealing with their own injury concerns and roster shuffling, including promoting kicker Joshua Karty, so both sides are heading into the matchup with more questions than theyd like for a game that is coming up fast. [Read more 🡒]