College Bowl Preview: 12/22

The college bowl season has begun and over three weeks some of the better players in the collegiate ranks will be performing everywhere from Honolulu to Toronto, Miami to San Francisco.

These games will feature a lot of players who could be playing on Sunday’s next year and could be wearing the red and gold of the Chiefs.

We will provide some analysis and information on the players that we’ve heard from the scouts that are considered draftable and could be part of the plan to turn the Chiefs around.

Maaco Bowl Las Vegas

December 22, Las Vegas

Brigham Young (10-2) vs. Oregon State (8-4)

ESPN, 7 p.m. CST

BRIGHAM YOUNG

#32 TE Dennis Pitta, 6-5, 248 pounds – A consensus All-America and the No. 1 receiving tight end in the country this season, although calling him a tight end may be a misnomer. He’s really a very big wide receiver and his ability to catch the ball and play in a passing offense is exceptional. This season he has 57 catches for 784 yards and seven touchdowns. He’s caught passes in 42 consecutive games and over his career has close to 3,000 receiving yards. He was a finalist for the John Mackey Award that goes to the top tight end in college football. He was also a captain for the Cougars and as a kid, he was an eagle scout. Pitta started at Brigham Young in 2003 as a 190-pound walk-on wide receiver and eventually earned scholarship status. As a member of LDS church he did a two-year mission, going to the Dominican Republic; that makes him older than the average senior coming out. He’s also married and his brother-in-law is BYU QB Max Hall.

Evaluation – There’s little doubt that Pitta can make the move to the pro level as a receiver. He’s advanced in all aspects of the passing game, and he knows how to find open spots in the defense, his route running is exceptional and his hands are good. What the NFL doesn’t know about him is whether he can block because that hasn’t been something he’s done at BYU. Pitta has the athletic skills and should be able to handle the assignment if that’s what is asked of him. Before the all-star game, Combine, workout season, he’s considered a late third-round or early fourth-round choice. Strong efforts between now and April could move him even higher.

Others to watch – #15 QB Max Hall, 6-1, 202 pounds – An up-and-down 2008 season knocked Hall down the charts to start the current schedule. He’s a typical BYU thrower at quarterback, a bit undersized, but smart and savvy and well trained in throwing the ball. In 38 games he’s thrown for more than 11,000 yards, with 91 TD passes against 40 interceptions and a 65.4 percent career completion percentage.

OREGON STATE

#5 QB Sean Canfield, 6-4, 216 pounds – His college career was interrupted by a torn labrum in his left –throwing – shoulder and surgery that went down between his sophomore and junior seasons. There was no real buzz around Canfield until this senior season, when he was 21-6 on TDs-to-INTs and was selected to the first-team All-Pac 10 squad and he’s been tendered an invitation to the Senior Bowl. In 35 games, he’s thrown for 5,802 yards, with 38 TD passes to 25 interceptions.

Evaluation – Put it this way, Canfield will come out of college with more games, starts, playing time and throws than Matt Cassel did and Cassel was a seventh-round choice. Scouts say right now Canfield should be a sixth or seventh-round selection. But a strong bowl game and Senior Bowl performances, along with good stuff at the Combine could push him into the middle rounds.

Others to watch:
#32 LB Keaton Kristick, 6-2, 229 pounds – A member of the Pac-10 Conference first-team defense, he had 87 total tackles this year. Over his career of 47 games, he’s had 197 total tackles, 5.5 sacks and two interceptions. Scouts are concerned because he’s been bothered by stingers this season; maybe a medical risk. As seventh-round prospect. #73 G Gregg Peat, 6-3, 292 pounds – Played at right guard and was named to the conference first-team offensive line. Peat’s body type is more vertical than horizontal, so he may be able to add some weight. Good feet and athletic ability, plus he’s smart, with a 3.65 GPA in business accounting. Peat is a sixth to seventh-round project.