NFL Draft 2018: Updated ranking of the top 32 draft prospects entering Week 9
Tyquan Lewis
DE, Ohio State
At this point, there really should have been an all-bye week prospects list. Like teammate Sam Hubbard and a ton of other talented prospects across the country, Tyquan Lewis is coming off of the bye week as well.
The same that was said for Hubbard can really be said here. He’s going to have a huge test this week with Saquon Barkley and Penn State coming to town in a game that should decide the Big Ten East.
Penn State might have rolled over Michigan behind Barkley, but their offensive line has given up some one-on-one battles to opposing defensive linemen. As one of the monsters of his conference, this is a chance for Lewis to step up.
He thrives in those one-on-one battles and could really disrupt the run game here. With a loud home crowd behind him, this is a perfect opportunity for him to lead the Buckeyes’ defense to a huge day.
Da'Ron Payne
DL, Alabama
The Alabama defense flexed their muscles yet again behind a big performance. They shutout Tennessee and the only points that the Volunteers got were off of an interception return for a touchdown.
To hold a team to zero points is the mark of a great defense and they continue to show why they are the best in the nation. Da’Ron Payne had himself a nice showing against the Volunteers as well.
While he only had one tackle, he also got his hands up for a pass defensed but more importantly two quarterback hurries on the day. A man his size chasing after a quarterback is going to be a terrifying site.
When he’s getting pressure and breaking free for shots at the quarterback consistently, it shows how lethal his power and technique can really be. He’s just yet another monster in a long list of them for Alabama.