HailWV All-Time WVU Fantasy Football Draft: Rounds 10-12
By Ken Durbin
After 9 grueling rounds, we are down to the final 3 rounds of the fantasy draft. As with any real fantasy league, the final few rounds are a good place to take a sleeper pick who pays out big late in the season or to just pick up a player you have an unhealthy infatuation with (Pishko).
Before we fire up the last 3 rounds, let’s see who is off the board already:
QB: Geno Smith, Major Harris, Marc Bulger, Jeff Hostetler, Pat White, Oliver Luck, Chad Johnston
RB: Ira Errett Rodgers, Avon Cobourne, Amos Zereoue, Steve Slaton, Noel Devine, Qunicy Wilson, Artie Owens, Adrian Murrell, Jim Braxton, Kerry Marbury
WR: Stedman Bailey, David Saunders, Tavon Austin, Chris Henry, Khori Ivy, Danny Buggs, Cedric Thomas, Rahsaan Vanterpool, Shawn Foreman, Darius Reynaud, Reggie Rembert, Jock Sanders, Rich Hollins
TE: Anthony Becht
K: Paul Woodside, Pat McAfee
DEF: 1996, 1954, 2010
Round 10:
37. Patrick Pishko Selects: WR James Jett (1989-1992)
James Jett’s career consisted of 1,384 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also had 125 returns for 1,620 yards, totaling 3,076 career all-purpose yards. Upon graduation, his all-purpose yardage was fifth all-time at WVU; his receiving totals were 8th.
38. Alan Searles Selects: QB Rasheed Marshall (2001-2004)
Rasheed Marshall; we may not remember Rasheed as one of our best passers, but as Nick Backay said, the numbers never lie. He is sixth in career passing yards, fourth in passing touchdowns, and sixth in rushing touchdowns and 15th in rushing yards to boot, which is second in both categories for quarterbacks behind Pat. A solid, solid backup that can step in for Major if he busts a wheel.
39. Brandon Miller Selects: K Jay Taylor (1996-1999)
Jay Taylor is 4th on WVU’s all time points scored list with 310. In his career, he converted 53 field goals (including a long of 52 yards) and 151 PATs. He was solid and consistent, making him a good choice as a fantasy kicker.
December 1, 2011; Tampa, FL, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers kicker Tyler Bitancurt (40) kicks a field goal during the first quarter of their game against the South Florida Bulls at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE
40. Ken Durbin Selects: K Tyler Bitancurt (2008-Present)
This late in the game, I need a kicker. A lot of the more accurate kickers are off the board, so I’m going to go with the kicker is going to finish in the top 3 in terms of total career points. Bitancurt, while not the most accurate kicker in history (71% on field goal attempts), has racked up 308 career points. That is currently good enough for 5th on the all-time points leader board. He will easily pass up Jay Taylor (310), Paul Woodside (323) and Steve Slaton (330) to get to at least 2nd on the list. Again, fantasy is all about points, so to get the guy who will have the 2nd most points in WVU history with the 40th pick in the draft is a steal.
Round 11:
41. Ken Durbin Selects: RB Bob Gresham (1968-1970)
I’m in desperate need of depth at running back, so I’m looking for a Darren Sproles-like back-up. Who better than Gresham to fill that void. He was a great triple threat runner for Coaches Jim Carlen and Bobby Bowden. Gresham does not blow people away with his statistics, but he racks up points in various ways. Gresham ran for 2,181 yards and 18 touchdowns, caught for 340 yards and 3 touchdowns, and returned the ball for 691 yards. I’ll take that kind of versatility in a fantasy back-up any day.
42. Brandon Miller Selects: 1981 Defense
Only two picks left and I haven’t taken a defense yet. I’m going to go with the 1981 defense, which was headlined by LB Darryl Talley. They only gave up 12.9 points per game and held opponents to 10 points or less in 6 of the 12 games. Only twice did the defense give up more than 20 points. Those numbers make this a great fantasy defense.
43. Alan Searles Selects: WR Brandon Myles (2003-2006)
Myles never put up tremendous numbers at WVU, but he was always a threat to break the long one. At this stage in the draft, Myles is a good value pick.
44. Patrick Pishko Selects: TE/RB Will Johnson (2007-2010)
He didn’t really get much of an opportunity at WVU but is obviously worth a spot; he’s a starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers now at fullback and has shown excellent hands and great technique in run-blocking. I believe he is partially responsible for the resurgence of the run game in the ‘burgh this season.
Round 12:
45. Patrick Pishko Selects: OL Rich Braham (1990-1993) (Pishko’s Man Crush)
As a former walk-on in 1990, Rich Braham went on to become possibly the best O-lineman in the history of the program. He made 37 starts for the Mountaineers, which culminated in being named team MVP and an All-American. Braham went on to the NFL where he played 13 seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals after originally being traded to them by the Arizona Cardinals (bet they regret letting him slip away). Braham played in 146 career games, 142 of which he was a starter.
46. Alan Searles Selects: RB Garrett Ford Sr. (1965-1967)
My Mr Irrelevant; Garret Ford, purely to keep my APR in check as the former athletic advisor.
And yes, put that on there.
47. Brandon Miller Selects: RB Jason Gwaltney (2005)
Last up, I’ll take the star that never was, RB Jason Gwaltney. If he scored as many fantasy points as we all fantasized him scoring at WVU, he’d be the best fantasy player ever.
48. Ken Durbin Selects: RB Owen Schmitt (2005-2007)
With Pishko and Miller wasting two picks on Braham and Gwaltney (the equivalent of picking back-up receivers for the Jaguars) I have decided to pick my team mascot: Owen Schmitt. He is not stat machine like many other players I could have gone with for the last pick, but he is my favorite Mountaineer of all time. He gave the Rich Rod teams an attitude, an edge. He also brought a lot of talent to the field, piling up 1,291 yards of offense and 15 touchdowns. Not too bad for a fullback.