Thursday Night Multiview: Players Who Popped In the First Week

I missed football, man. I couldn't wait to get the multiview fired back up and have multiple meaningful games going at once again, even if trying to keep up with everything on the screen can get a little ridiculous. The hard part about watching that many games at once is that it's easy for players to blend into the background unless they do something that makes you stop and look back over. These guys all found a way to make sure I couldn't miss them.    McNabb's so fluid out there but still finds a way to make such sharp cuts that defenders can't keep up, especially when Brophy asked him to work toward the sideline. He didn't have to gear down or make some huge, dramatic cut on his out-breaking routes — he could slice through the break, stay balanced, and get his head back around without wasting much time. That made everything look easy, but it also gave his quarterback a clean target when the ball came out on time. Brophy's offense didn't have much working against Hamilton, but McNabb still showed the quickness and route-running that made him the elite prospect he is and earned him a commitment to UNLV. There's a real comfort to the way he moves, and it lets him create separation without looking like he's fighting his own body to do it.     Powell stood out more as a complete tight end than a guy just waiting around for targets. He was effective as a blocker, whether he was attached to the line or working out in space, and Brophy could trust him to do the dirty work without taking him off the field. He also felt like a nice safety valve in the passing game — a big, reliable body the quarterback could find when the first look wasn't there.     Van Zee isn't the loosest, most sudden mover in the world, and there were a couple moments where that showed. But he's strong, he plays with good physicality, and he was consistently in the right spot to make himself a factor. That matters a lot at linebacker, especially when a guy's not wasting steps or getting himself out of position trying to make a highlight play. He also did a good job of playing through contact and making sure the ballcarrier had to deal with him once he got to the hole. There's a steadiness to his game that Hamilton can rely on.     Fields was just elegant out there. He has that easy movement to him where he doesn't look like he's working that hard, then suddenly he's right where he needs to be. For a kid with his length, he stays smooth through his transitions and carries himself like somebody who already knows he belongs against top competition. He didn't look rushed when the play developed in front of him, and that calmness helped him stay connected without having to panic or grab. There is a lot to like about the way he combines size with that kind of natural movement.     DeGraffenreid's instincts jumped out right away. He was clearly communicating, getting people lined up, and seemed to understand what was developing before the ball got there. He moved really smooth too, which is a nice combination with that awareness — he wasn't just seeing it, he was putting himself in position to actually do something about it. He looked comfortable playing fast because he was processing everything quickly, and that really opened things up for him to stay involved even when the action moved away from him.     Joe was just really comfortable working the pocket all night. He didn't lose composure when the pocket collapsed, and he kept finding ways to buy himself just enough space to get his feet set and let it go. When he did, he could really unload it deep, and it wasn't just the arm strength either — he looked like he had a pretty good feel for when the shot was there without forcing every throw downfield.     Windom is so, so, so fast. The thing that really separates him isn't just top-end speed either; he gets up to speed in a blink, which makes any little bit of space feel dangerous immediately. Red Mountain doesn't need to manufacture much for him when he gets going — give him a crease, let him catch a ball with room, and he can turn a regular old play into a problem real quick. Defenders have to respect that acceleration, and even a small hesitation can be enough for him to get past them.     Smith is just a magician with his legs, but what really stood out was that he never seemed overly eager to prove it. Even when the pocket started breaking down, he kept his eyes up and stayed a passer for as long as he could. Defenders just can't cover as long as they're asked to when he starts extending plays. When he did decide to run, though, there wasn't any hesitation — he got north, made people miss, and turned busted plays into something Casteel could build on. Red Mountain had to account for both sides of that all night, and Smith still kept looking for chances to beat them through the air instead of letting the game turn into backyard football. There were a couple throws he'd want back, but the way he balanced it all made him a problem from start to finish.     This kid has the kind of frame that catches your eye before the ball even gets near him. He's long and lanky, but his hands are really good too, and he looked comfortable actually catching the football instead of just knocking it down. Once he had the ball, he didn't look like a defensive back who was ready to get tackled and call it a day — he looked natural with it and had some real return ability. His length gives him a chance to make plays that other defensive backs simply can't reach, but the hands are what make that frame especially interesting.     Smith is one of those guys who can just do whatever you need him to do. He can catch it, run it, tackle, cover in space — there aren't many places you can put him where he looks out of place. He's also just so strong and athletic that it's easy to see why Marana trusts him in so many different situations. He plays like a guy who's built to handle a lot without the moment getting too big for him. He brings a physical edge no matter where he lines up, and he doesn't look like he's just filling a role when he moves around. The versatility's impressive, but so is the fact that he looks comfortable enough to make plays from all of those spots.     Jett's got a really good strength-and-speed combination. He's not just a back who runs hard or can get outside; he's got enough juice to make people miss the angle once he gets through the first layer, but enough strength to get himself through it in the first place. That's a tough kind of runner to deal with because defenders can't just sit there and wait for him to get to them. He can punish a defense for playing too soft, then make it pay again if defenders overcommit and give him a lane outside. Once he gets into the second level, he has the balance and burst to turn a solid run into something much bigger.     Flores was powerful all night, and quarterbacks definitely felt him after he got there. He didn't have to do anything flashy to make an impact — he just kept bringing real force when he was around the ball and made the pocket feel uncomfortable. The three sacks and rushing touchdown tell you how involved he was, but the bigger takeaway was that he looked like Salpointe's kind of player: physical, versatile, and hard to ignore on either side of the ball.

I missed football, man. I couldn't wait to get the multiview fired back up and have multiple meaningful games going at once again, even if trying to keep up with everything on the screen can get a little ridiculous. The hard part about watching that many games at once is that it's easy for players to blend into the background unless they do something that makes you stop and look back over. These guys all found a way to make sure I couldn't miss them.