Blogging The Boys
Every week here at Blogging the Boys, we’ll spotlight the biggest college matchups and the players who could soon wear the Star. If you want to get a jump on who might help America’s Team in the years to come, this is your weekly college football guide. (For teams previously covered in other weeks, we move down the depth chart, giving you more insight on other draft candidates)
Number 3 Miami rolls into Tallahassee to face number 18 Florida State in a rivalry game where Miami hope to remain unbeaten this season. The Hurricanes want to grind gears with a bruising ground game and long, clock-eating drives, while the ‘Noles will look to answer with hurry-up heat, explosive shots, and use their home field advantage to bring the noise against their fierce in-state rival. This all comes down to third-down efficiency and even the stealth economy of special teams field position. Call this a razor-thin victory here for Miami and a final score predictions of the Hurricanes scoring 30 points and winning by only a field goal.
Miami:
CJ Daniels, WR
Through the early 2025 slate, he’s been exactly the steady hand Miami ordered with 18 catches, 191 yards, and three touchdowns, moving chains and cashing red-zone chances. Daniels plays like a route artisan whether from the slot or outside. He carves space with pacing and body lean, then finishes with strong, trustworthy hands. He tracks the ball early, stacks the defensive backs, and wins angles more than footraces.
The problems with Daniels come in the form of long speed, so separation is crafted, not gifted. Long corners can jolt him at the line and his YAC skills are more steady than highlight worthy.
Damari Brown, CB
Brown is a coverage chameleon on the boundary, winning with stride efficiency, timing, and a huge wingspan. Press or off-man, his quick feet and long arms squeeze windows and let him win through the catch point easily. Stack healthy reps and sharpen the first strike and he profiles as a dependable CB2 in the NFL who lets coordinators call more man without losing zone integrity. The to-do list going forward, sturdier play strength at the line as big receivers can walk him back if his first strike arrives late.
Florida State:
Darrell Jackson Jr, DT
At 6’5” and a whopping 337 pounds, Jackson is a giant human being built to cave pockets. He forklifts guards with a brilliant bull rush, soaks up doubles like a sponge, and has adequate ability to finish when the quarterback can’t climb. He’s not a side-to-side dancer (size being the drawback here), so...
