California has rebounded admirably after back-to-back five-win seasons to earn a spot in this year's Cheez-It Bowl. The Golden Bears will face a TCU team that features a long, athletic edge-rusher with a productive collegiate resume.
We're going game by game to let you know exactly who you should watch to get ready for the 2019 NFL Draft.
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California
Patrick Laird, RB
Laird's production dipped in 2018 after a 1,000-plus yard, 5.9 yards-per-carry season a year ago, but much of that had to do with the lack of consistent blocking in front of him. He totaled 935 yards at just 4.3 yards per carry in his redshirt senior season. Because he's not overly twitchy, it's easy to be surprised when defenders are flying by Laird in the open field. He simply has great vision and can tap into his elusiveness to subtly avoid tackles at the second and third levels of the defense.
TCU
Ben Banogu, EDGE
Banogu transferred from Louisiana-Monroe after the 2015 season and was an instant impact edge-rusher for the Horned Frogs in 2017, when he tallied 8.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss. This year, his tackle-for-loss figure jumped to 17.0 and he managed 7.5 sacks. At 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds with long limbs, Banogu stands out physically on the edge, and he uses his length well. As a run defender, Banogu sets a strong edge and is athletic enough to chase from the backside. He doesn't have a polished repertoire of pass-rushing moves but can flatten to the quarterback if he wins with his speed on the outside. He has mid-round potential.
