Somewhat under the radar, Washington has quite the stockpile of NFL talent. Defensive tackle Alameda Ta'amu is the team's best senior prospect. Everyone will see his size, but watch how he splits the gap. Ta'amu is usually lined up on the right side of the line, so he may not go head up against Stanford right guard David DeCastro.
DeCastro has blossomed this season as the top guard prospect in the nation. He's a mauling guard who could start right now in the NFL despite being only a junior.
But back to the Huskies. Running back Chris Polk is one of the better big backs eligible for the 2012 NFL Draft. Polk hits the hole quickly and with power. He doesn't have break away speed, but should do well in a platoon.
Washington at Stanford NFL Draft watch notes
Wide receiver
has put together two good weeks in a row, but it will be interesting to see how he does against Stanford’s corners who like to jam. Kearse struggles to get off the line when he’s being jammed, but is dangerous against zone.
Oh, right, Andrew Luck. How could I forget? Luck is facing one of the best cornerbacks he'll see this year in Washington's Desmond Trufant. The junior is one of the nation's leaders in passes defended and could line up against Stanford's Chris Owusu. Should it go down, Trufant against Owusu will be entertaining. If Trufant plays like he has most of the season, Luck won't be targeting Owusu many times.
The Huskies have little else in pass defense other than Trufant, so Luck could have a huge game today. The benefactors could be his trio of tight ends led by field stretcher Coby Fleener. Also expect plenty of targets to fellow massive juniors Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo.
Stanford is loaded with junior talent across the board. Outside linebacker Chase Thomas is coming along nicely this season and has 7.5 tackles for loss. The excellence of offensive tackle Jonathan Martin goes without saying around here. Running back Stepfan Taylor is an underrated player who plays with great body lean and effort.
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