Week 12 SCOUTING NOTEBOOK: SEC tackles impress, Mike Green and more

By Jack Brentnall

Where to start with Week 12? This really felt like a great week for scouting draft prospects and there were plenty of names that caught my eye.

This week we’ve got a bumper edition of the scouting notebook, with five players highlighted, including a pair of SEC tackles and a rising edge rusher.

Here are some of my key draft prospect takeaways from Week 12.

Kelvin Banks impresses vs Arkansas

If you like a good trench matchup, you will have been keeping an eye on Texas-Arkansas this weekend. The battle between Longhorns left tackle Kelvin Banks and Landon Jackson looked to be one of the best individual battles of the weekend, and it didn’t disappoint.

Both players had their moments, but I came away really impressed with what I saw from Banks. He made his impact felt as both a run blocker and pass protector and did a good job of limiting Jackson’s impact.

Whether it was caving in the Razorbacks’ defensive line to spring a few nice runs or showing off his talent on vertical sets in the passing game, Banks showed why many regard him as one of the top prospects in this class.

The fact he looked this good against a player like Jackson was particularly encouraging. Banks doesn’t have great length and he has struggled noticeably when tested by longer-armed rushers. At 6’6” and 281 lbs, Jackson looked on paper like a very tough test, but Banks handled him well.

The next few months will see a lot of debate over who is the OT1 in this class and whether or not Banks is better at tackle or being kicked inside to guard, but games like this reinforce the talent he has. At the end of the day, that is what matters most.

Missouri OT Armand Membou continues to rise up boards

In my preview to Week 12, I highlighted Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou as a player to watch. After a strong start to the season he was due to face off against a South Carolina defense that boasts one of the most fearsome edge rushing duos in football.

Membou didn’t disappoint. He looked comfortable working against Kyle Kennard and star true freshman Dylan Stewart and held up noticeably well in pass protection. Membou conceded a single pressure on 35 dropbacks in this game. He has now conceded just six pressures all season and hasn’t allowed a single sack or hit on 361 dropbacks.

It wasn’t just a good day at the office in pass protection – Membou also had some great moments as a run blocker. Throughout his time at Missouri he has earned a reputation as one of the best zone blocking tackles in the SEC, and that was on full display this weekend as the Tigers averaged five yards per carry.

This game builds on what is becoming an impressive resume for Membou. When combined with his athletic potential it is easy to see why NFL teams are going to be interested in him as a prospect. Membou’s reported 1.63 10-yard split would be the best mark from an offensive tackle prospect in the last decade.

There is no guarantee Membou declares this year. He is still a true junior and he may benefit from a return school in order to improve his functional strength. That said, if he does declare there is clearly a lot to like. He has shown that he can hang with the very best pass rushers the SEC has to offer, and that is no mean feat.

Another dominant outing for Mike Green

If you are looking for a riser in draft circles, look no further than Marshall’s edge rusher Mike Green. Green had a strong redshirt freshman campaign in 2023, and has taken his game to the next level this season. He was electric again this weekend.

Against Coastal Carolina, Green looked unblockable. His outrageous quickness caused all sorts of problems for the Chanticleers’ offensive line and he finished the game with a career-best nine pressures on his 41 pass rushing snaps. Two of those pressures resulted in sacks and he managed to force his second fumble of the season.

This game builds on what has been a hugely impressive few weeks for Green. He now has seven sacks and two forced fumbles in his last three games. He also leads the FBS with 15 sacks. Two more will see him set a conference record.

NFL teams are going to be enamoured by Green’s athletic potential. A member of Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List, Green has been clocked running a 4.57 in the 40-yard dash. That would have been the third fastest time of any edge rusher in last year’s class.

Green admittedly is a little smaller than your typical NFL edge rusher at 6’4” and 248 lbs, but he plays much bigger than that on tape and has proven he can be a difference maker against the run too. His 40 defensive stops this season leads all FBS edge rushers.

With numbers like that it should come as no surprise that last week Green was announced as a semi-finalist for the Bednarik Award, given annually to the most outstanding defender in college football.

The only real question now is whether he declares. As a redshirt sophomore, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him to return to school or potentially go after a big money NIL deal. It feels like he’s played himself into the top 50 conversation and potentially even the first round though. You can expect to hear his name a lot more over the coming weeks and months.

Tyler Warren puts Purdue to the sword

College football is home to so many exciting players, but there really aren’t many that you can properly call unique. Penn State tight end Tyler Warren is one of those rare few and he showed it again this weekend against Purdue.

Warren finished the game with eight catches for 127 yards and a touchdown, marking his third 100+ yard game of the season. Six of those catches went for first downs and he had a perfect passer rating when targeted.

Penn State continued to sprinkle Warren into the gameplan in other ways too and his alignment versatility was on full display. Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki had Warren line up inline, in the slot, out wide, in the backfield, and even five snaps at quarterback.

Warren managed to lead the Nittany Lions with 63 rushing yards too, including a really impressive 48-yard touchdown that showed off his athletic ability.

Warren graded out as my TE2 in summer scouting, but it feels like he is now firmly in the race to be the first tight end taken alongside Michigan’s Colston Loveland. The fact that he is this dynamic of an offensive weapon whilst standing at 6’6” and 261 lbs is rare and it is easy to see how he can be a special player at the next level.

A career day for Omarion Hampton

When it comes to draft-eligible running backs, all of the focus has been on Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty and his potential Heisman candidacy. That’s kind of understandable given the season he is having, but it does mean there are a few other players who maybe haven’t been getting the attention they deserve. One of those is North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton.

In what has otherwise been an underwhelming season for the Tar Heels, Hampton has been excellent. In 10 games he has rushed for 1,422 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has also seen plenty of usage as a receiver, with 281 yards and a score on 31 receptions.

This has been a season full of great games for Hampton but his performance in Week 12 against Wake Forest was the best yet.

He finished up with a career-best 244 yards on his 35 carries, averaging seven yards per attempt. 72% of that yardage came after contact. Hampton also added five catches for 16 yards.

For all intents and purposes, Hampton is the entire North Carolina offense. He accounted for 72% of the team’s total yards against Wake Forest and 13 of the team’s 21 first downs. He now has eight consecutive games of 100+ rushing yards, which is a school record.

Hampton also has a chance to set a new school record for rushing yards in a single season. Another 299 yards would see him break Don McCauley’s record that has stood since 1970.

At 6’1” and 220 lbs Hampton has NFL-ready size and he shows impressive contact balance and burst to rip off big gains. He still needs to show some improvement with his vision and pacing, but there is a lot to like from an NFL perspective and he should be a solid contributor on Sundays.

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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