The ninth week of college football is here, which means we are back with another edition of the Scouting Notebook.
The Scouting Notebook will feature prospects to keep an eye on throughout the day. While some may think it’s too early to start talking about the 2024 NFL draft, there’s never a bad time to talk about the future of the Chargers.
With that being said, here are a handful of prospects to watch for in Week 9.
EDGE Jonah Elliss, Utah
It’s wild to think that Elliss didn’t even enter this season as a starter for Utah. The junior from Idaho is 13th in the country with a PFF pass rush win rate of 20.8% and is third in the nation in sacks, behind only James Madison’s Jalen Green and Colorado State’s Mohamed Kamara.
The son of former NFL defensive tackle Luther Elliss and younger brother of Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss and Eagles defensive tackle Noah Elliss, Jonah’s family lineage is rife with pro-caliber talent. It’s possible he doesn’t enter this year’s draft and returns for his senior season, but if he does come out, he’d pair well with standout rookie Tuli Tuipulotu.
Oregon has allowed one of the lowest pressure rates in the country going into Saturday’s showdown with the Utes, one of the reasons quarterback Bo Nix has put together a Heisman-contending season. If Elliss can heat Nix up, however, he’s shown a penchant for mistakes, which could be the difference in the game.
WR Jamari Thrash, Louisville
After obliterating his competition in the Sun Belt at Georgia State in 2022, Thrash transferred up to the Power 5 and has not missed a beat. He has 39 receptions for 639 yards and 6 TDs this season as Louisville’s top receiver and has been a significant reason for the Cardinals’ hot start to the year.
Thrash wins in ways that make it apparent his success will not be limited to Saturdays, even if his impact in the pros is tempered. The senior’s best trait is his route running, aided by short-area agility but otherwise reminiscent of a veteran of the game. While he’s not an eye-popping explosive athlete, he does have some of the best body control in college football, allowing him to make catches inaccessible to many of his peers.
Duke managed to limit the impacts of Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson last week against Florida State, which will make it all the more impressive if Thrash can make a few splash plays to aid the Cardinals to a victory in a ranked matchup with legitimate ACC implications.
RB Braelon Allen, Wisconsin
Allen’s season has been defined by a decrease in usage that came with installing a new offensive system under coordinator Phil Longo. Floated as a potential RB1 candidate in the 2024 class before the year, Allen has largely fallen off the radar in that conversation as Wisconsin has found its new identity.
That is until starting quarterback Tanner Mordecai broke his hand against Iowa. The Badgers are still throwing the ball a ton – backup Braedyn Locke threw 30 times against the Hawkeyes in relief and 41 times last week against Illinois. But Allen also got 29 carries against the Illini, his most of the season and posted a season-best 145 yards with a touchdown.
Wisconsin likely won’t have many rushing opportunities against a juggernaut Ohio State team. Still, Allen has a chance to convert his momentum into a fast start against a strong Buckeyes defense to put him back on the forefront of national audiences’ minds. A bruising, downhill runner, Allen is an intriguing prospect for the Chargers, given the likely remodel of their position room after this season.
S Dell Pettus, Troy
A freshman All-American in 2019 and All-Sun Belt third-team selection in 2020, Pettus seemed well on his way to a high draft selection heading into his junior season in 2021. While he still finished fourth on the Trojans in tackles, his play plateaued, and his stock cooled off. The story remained the same last season, and Pettus began slipping further off draft radars.
Now in his final season of eligibility, Pettus has logged 31 tackles through seven games at Troy, with only one coming behind the line of scrimmage. Troy goes to Texas State on Saturday, facing a surging Bobcats team on homecoming weekend, looking for bowl eligibility for the first time in program history.
Troy’s team is built through their defense, and a vital component of that is Pettus’ play on the back end. That’ll be tested against an explosive Texas State offense that features running back Ismail Mahdi and wide receiver Joey Hobert. A good game for Pettus on Saturday could be the difference between a UDFA contract and a stint in the XFL.
