Week 14 Scouting Notebook: Trevor Goosby, Dillon Thieneman and more

By Jack Brentnall

Week 14 marked the end of the college football regular season. For many prospects, it was the last chance to see them on the college field, while for others it was a springboard into bowl season and the college football playoffs.

Here is what caught my eye in rivalry week.

Trevor Goosby contains Cashius Howell in Texas upset

Texas’ win over Texas A&M featured one of the weekend’s best individual battles, and Trevor Goosby proved up to the challenge. The Longhorns left tackle did what few have managed this year: he kept Cashius Howell quiet.

Howell entered the weekend with 12 sacks, yet he managed only three pressures on the night and Goosby conceded just one. 

Goosby handled the matchup like a veteran. He showed impressive foot quickness to mirror Howell’s initial burst and repeatedly shut down his go-to high-side rushes. 

He also dealt out plenty of physicality. Goosby consistently won first contact and varied his strike timing to prevent Howell from settling into a rhythm. Even when Howell leaned on power, Goosby held firm and displayed a stable anchor to keep the pocket intact. He even showed some nice flashes as a finisher, torquing Howell with ease and getting him on the deck.

This looked like the version of Goosby many hoped to see entering the season. His run game consistency still needs refinement, especially when it comes to his ability to sustain blocks at the second level, but the flashes remain encouraging. 

I think there is a strong likelihood that Goosby elects to return for another season with the Longhorns in 2026, but with his blend of traits and impressive tape down the stretch, he may well look to capitalise on a weak tackle class.

Dillon Thieneman delivers complete performance vs Washington

Oregon’s defense is full of NFL-calibre players, but Dillon Thieneman stood out against Washington with one of his cleanest outings of the season. His steady production continued, and his impact in key moments elevated the Ducks late.

Thieneman finished the game with 11 tackles and three stops, and he capped the night with a game-sealing interception that showcased his range and ball skills. It was his ability in run support that really stood out to me in this one though.

When scouting him over the summer I felt he was often overly aggressive with his pursuit angles and that he didn’t always process effectively when working in the box. Neither of these issues surfaced against Washington.

He attacked downhill with control and toughness, highlighted by a third-quarter chase-down of quarterback Demond Williams in space for a loss. Oregon also asked him to handle multiple roles, from deep middle to split-field to playing middle hole in Tampa 2, and he looked comfortable across the board.

Thieneman has played dependable, assignment-sound football down the stretch, with the volatility of his Purdue tape looking like a thing of the past. His next test against playoff-calibre opponents should offer valuable context for his projection.

Emmett Johnson continues late-season surge for Nebraska

Nebraska’s loss to Iowa overshadowed another strong outing from Emmett Johnson, who has become the centrepiece of the Cornhuskers’ offense since Dylan Raiola’s injury. 

His ability to maintain a high level of efficiency with a heavy workload (his 132 carries since Week 9 lead all Power Four backs) is a testament to his talent, and that showed again this weekend. 

Johnson posted 217 rushing yards and a touchdown on 29 carries while adding two catches for 22 yards. He forced 10 missed tackles, the third time this season he’s achieved that in a game.

With that sort of production it is easy to see why Johnson is earning increasing buzz in scouting circles. He is a noticeably elusive runner, who shows good vision and fluidity to create his own yardage.

His size (5’11” and 200 lbs) and lack of top-end speed may temper leaguewide enthusiasm, but his skill set is easy to appreciate. Johnson reads leverage well, strings cuts together without losing balance, and offers legitimate value as a pass catcher with 370 receiving yards on the year.

Whether he declares remains a question, yet his late-season consistency has firmly placed him on scouting radars.

Parker Kingston flashes big-play potential vs UCF

BYU locked up a spot in the Big 12 title game behind a dynamic performance from wide receiver Parker Kingston, who supplied explosive plays as both a receiver and a returner.

Kingston recorded six catches for 126 yards and a touchdown and added another score on a 55-yard punt return. That outing brought him to 57 receptions for 804 yards and five touchdowns on the year, leading the Cougars in all major receiving statistics.

Speed is the foundation of his profile. Kingston shows serious short-area quickness and true vertical juice, backed by his track background and 10.54 100-metre time in high school. His lighter frame shows at times against press and through contact, but he offers immediate special teams value at the NFL level. Three punt return touchdowns in two seasons underline that point.

As a redshirt junior, Kingston could return, but another strong outing in the Big 12 title game against Texas Tech might prompt a move to the draft.

JACK BRENTNALL

HEAD OF NFL DRAFT CONTENT

Previously the founder of The Jet Sweep, Jack joined The Touchdown as head of Draft Content in 2024. A Scouting Academy alumnus, Jack has been Covering the NFL Draft since 2020. Follow him on Twitter @Jack_Brentnall.

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