Washington vs. Stanford 2013 preview: Bishop Sankey and the top NFL Draft prospects

No team in the country has contained Bishop Sankey yet. Does Stanford have what it takes?

Oct 5, 2013, 4:04 PM UTC

Otto Greule Jr

Washington just keeps on winning.

The Huskies are undefeated with a perfect 4-0 record, but Stanford looms on the schedule. The Cardinal have already ended Arizona’s States hopes at a perfect season and look like one of the top teams in the PAC-12.

Washington has plenty of skill on the offensive side of the ball, particularly at running back, where Bishop Sankey has gotten off to a fast start. Can Sankey carry the offense against one of the best defenses in college football? That remains to be seen.

Sankey is the headliner when it comes to NFL Draft prospects in Saturday night’s game, but there could be as many as a dozen future pros between the two teams. Here is a look at what to expect from them.

When Washington has the football

Sankey will be the focal point of Washington's offense once again. He's flashed a balanced skill set early in the 2013 season and was the No. 2 running back on Mocking the Draft's updated position rankings. He has tremendous burst as a runner and the vision to go with his change-of-direction ability at the second level of the defense. Shayne Skov and Trent Murphy anchor Stanford's front seven and will have their hands full with Sankey. Stanford defensive end Ben Gardner could have a big impact on the game if he's able to get into the backfield to take pressure off the linebackers.

Ed Reynolds is the star of Stanford's secondary, and it will be interesting to see where the Cardinal decides to play him for most of the night. His services would be helpful in slowing down Sankey and Washington's running game, but wide receiver Kasen Williams and tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins give the Huskies' passing game some punch. Look for Reynolds to do a bit of everything on Saturday night.

When Stanford has the football

The best NFL Draft prospect on the field Saturday night may be Stanford guard David Yankey. The former tackle shows the athleticism to play almost every position on the offensive line. He's an athletic, pulling guard with outstanding body control in space and an impressive punch at the point of attack. Look for him to free up space for Cardinal running back Tyler Gaffney.

Two underclassmen will likely provide the biggest spark for Stanford's offense, though. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Kevin Hogan has already established himself as a legitimate pro prospect. He is one of the five best quarterback prospects in the country with impressive size and arm strength. He's continued his impressive development early in 2013. Hogan's top target, Ty Montgomery, could also be playing on Sunday's in the future. He's a junior but has shown dangerous after-the-catch ability in Stanford's offense. Washington cornerback Sean Parker faces a tough test when it comes to slowing down Montgomery.

Question of the night

How will Stanford utilize Ed Reynolds to slow down Washington’s weapons in the passing game?

It’s obvious that Stanford is going to have to slow down Bishop Sankey to manage a win on Saturday night. But in order to keep Stanford’s defense honest, Washington needs to show some commitment to the passing attack. With weapons like Williams and Seferian-Jenkins, that shouldn’t be hard to do. It comes down to how Reynolds will be lined up in the secondary and what he’s able to do in order to contain Washington’s big-bodied pass catchers.