Major conferences dominate the conversation for many casual observers of college football. Who is the hot commodity in the SEC or Big Ten primed to land significant capital in the NFL Draft? Which players from the ACC should I be keeping my eyes on? Much of the same applies to the landscape of devy leagues. Major conference production is an ideal indicator for next-level production, but do not overlook the smaller conference players.

DeAngelo Williams, Matt Forte, Aaron Jones, Michael Turner, Rashaad Penny. What do these players have in common? They come from Group of Five (G5) conferences. The American Athletic Conference (AAC), Conference USA (C-USA), Mid-American Conference (MAC), Mountain West Conference (MWC), and Sun Belt Conference (Sun Belt) all have athletes that have translated to the NFL level. Identifying these “small school” talents is crucial to success in the devy format. Let’s break down a couple of the G5 running backs you need to know.

Lew Nichols (Central Michigan)
Any devy diehard or draftnik who spent time reading this when evaluating OL Bernhard Raimann already knows this kid is unique. Nichols produced a banner year as the nation’s leading rusher one season ago and sits atop this list. The 2021 MAC Offensive Player of the Year lit his conference on fire, rushing for 1,848 yards and 16 rushing TDs and hauling in 40 receptions for 338 yards receiving. Simply put, Nichols can do it all. Even so, we must adjust for the competition level. Yes, the introduction of this article lends credence to the relevancy of “lower-level” competition. Still, there is a reason in and of itself that this whole conversation comes with a qualifier.

On tape, Nichols does not showcase a ton of burst but does have a mixed bag of tricks to draw from as an elusive runner for his size. At 5-foot-10, 220-pounds, he is savvy enough with his calm-but-shifty footwork and stiff-arm to find room into the second level both as a rusher and mechanically capable receiver. If we’re to make a professional comparison, he is a poor man’s David Montgomery. While his somewhat upright running style is not preferable, Nichols’ strong center of gravity makes him a back you can count on to fall forward to gain the extra yard and fight to maximize the result of a given play. With his understanding and utilization of his size, there is little reason why Nichols can’t translate into a late-Day 2/early-Day 3 NFL Draft pick in the stacked 2023 class. The depth of the 2023 Power 5 running backs will suppress Nichols’s shine, but he has what it takes to succeed at the next level.

Rasheen Ali (Marshall)
This redshirt freshman sensation’s potential is worth following in devy leagues. Ali shouldered a significant workload at Marshall en route to leading the nation in rushing touchdowns in 2021. To the naked eye, the stacked pistol formation offense that Marshall offers could lead a viewer of Ali’s tape to think, “well, how does this translate to the pro game?” But, if you think about it, plenty of NFL teams run these schemes. Anyone who is a fan of the Baltimore Ravens would tell you this is normal, but I digress.

The point is that Ali showcases many of the same skills described when previously evaluating Nichols, but with a better first step and more natural receiving mechanics. Ali’s tendency to use his lower-half motor to compensate for his slender frame to mow over defenders speaks to a different skill set than what Nichols offers. Do not let this analysis justify having Ali ranked higher as things currently stand. However, if Ali can make good on what he has already shown with a well-enough-rounded skill set, from an NFL perspective, there is a chance we have a gem on our hands. Keep an eye on him.

Honorable Mentions: DeWayne McBride (UAB), Camerun Peoples (Appalachian State)

• 2023 NFL Draft: Matthew Freedman’s Way-Too-Early Top 50 Prospects
• 2023 NFL Mock Draft: Matthew Freedman’s Way-Too-Early Version 1
• Devy Trade Value Chart
• An Introduction to Devy Leagues
• Devy Draft Strategy Guide
• Devy Sleepers to Target
• Devy Mock Draft: Round 1
• Incoming Freshmen Running Backs to Watch
• Incoming Freshmen Quarterbacks to Watch
• Incoming Freshmen Tight Ends to Watch
• A Devy Guide to the Transfer Portal

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