Today's Sun Bowl between Virginia Tech and UCLA has a ton of NFL caliber prospects who will entice New York Giants' fans. The best prospect for either side is UCLA's star pass rushing linebacker, Anthony Barr.
Barr is definitely a controversial prospect because he has not had a great season. However, I view him as a lump of clay, similar to Dion Jordan. Barr has extreme length and athleticism. His jump off the snap is comparable to Jadaveon Clowney. A strong game would do wonders for his draft stock, which is hovering around the top 10. He would be an incredible SAM for the Giants if used properly.
The other linebacker prospect is Eric Kendricks. He lacks ideal size at 6-foot, 228 pounds, but like his brother, Eagle linebacker Mychal Kendricks, Eric is fast, smooth, and excels in pass coverage. He is currently an inside linebacker but may have to shift to WILL in the pros.
Xavier Su'a-Filo is an intriguing guard prospect. A big man at 6-3, 305, Xavier is light on his feet and is a strong run blocker. He has had some pass protection issues, but could be a Giants target. His draft range is fluid, anywhere between second to fifth round.
Finally, Brett Hundley, the quarterback of the Bruins, is a possible top 10 to early-second round prospect. He needs a big game in the season finale to solidify his stock.
Switching gears to Virginia Tech, the best prospect they have to offer is cornerback Kyle Fuller. He's a sticky player that offers tight coverage and is one of the top zone corner prospects in the nation. He has good size at 6'0 and 190 lbs and many think he could be a perfect slot corner.
Antone Exum is a massive 6-1, 224-pound cornerback in the mold of last year's first round pick Xavier Rhodes. Exum is a similar prospect, but his stock has cratered due to an ACL tear early in the year. He has been relatively untested thus far and a large part of his stock will be based on medical evaluation. He'd be perfect in a man scheme, but may move over to safety in the NFL.
Finally, the last prospect who bears mentioning is James Gayle, defensive end. He's a pure pass rusher who relies on speed, speed, and more speed off the edge. He isn't a great run defender and he needs a big game to push his stock in the earlier rounds, as he is currently a fourth- to fifth-round prospect.
Game Details
Teams: UCLA Bruins vs. Virginia Tech Hokies
Game Time: Tuesday, Dec. 31st 2 p.m. ET
TV: CBS