Looking forward to college football: Which local player will see his stock rise


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SALT LAKE CITY — This week the experts at KSL.com looked at what players will be the next big thing for their school. Last year Ziggy Ansah jumped up the draft board — could another local player do the same this year?

The experts gave a name for each of the schools to be their next big thing. All of them went fast, defensive players who are playmakers for their team. Greg Wrubell picked Kyle Van Noy for BYU, Robert Jackson and Mike Grant chose Brian Blechen for Utah and Matt Glade picked Kyler Fackrell for Utah State.

[Kyle Van Noy:](<http://www.ksl.com/?sid=25588859&nid=498&title=byus-next-ziggy-kyle-van-noy >)

What can't KVN do? By the time the dust had settled on the Poinsettia Bowl he looked like a lock to go pro. Here is what Wrubell said about it.

"Van Noy's performance in the 2012 Poinsettia Bowl was the most dominant defensive outing in the entire bowl season, with his efforts helping BYU became the only one of 70 FBS bowl teams not to allow a touchdown in its postseason game.

Kyle Van Noy can do a little bit of everything and now just about everyone knows who he is.
Kyle Van Noy can do a little bit of everything and now just about everyone knows who he is.

Against San Diego State on its home turf, Van Noy outscored the Aztecs by himself, recording a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to help BYU come from behind for the 23-6 victory. His final stat line for the game showed eight tackles, including 3.5 stops for loss, 1.5 sacks, a fumble forced, a fumble recovered (for touchdown), an interception (for touchdown) and a blocked kick."

How much higher can he go? Probably not all that far, not because of his skills, but he is already pretty well known.

"NFL draft experts foresee the Reno, Nev. native as a first-round selection next May; CBS Sports.com ranks Van Noy as the No. 3 NFL Draft prospect at outside linebacker and No. 15 prospect overall, while ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr. also ranks Van Noy as the nation's third-best OLB, calling him "an explosive football player...certainly a very dominant collegiate player." In his first 2014 "Big Board", Kiper ranked Van Noy 23rd overall, noting that Van Noy "is an impressive pass-rusher who plays with max effort, often chasing down plays other defenders would have been out of." USA Today named Van Noy as one of 15 players who could be first-round picks next season."

For those who have watched Van Noy this shouldn't be surprising and a great senior year can help push him a little higher. With high-profile games on the schedule he has a chance to wow all over the country.

Kyle Van Noy Statistics, 2010 through 2012

YearGames PlayedGames StartedTackles (UA-A)TFLSacksINTPBUQBHFRFFBlocked KicksTD
201013235 (24-11)7.52.00221201(fumble recovery)
201113868 (50-18)15.07.033101311(fumble recovery)
2012131353 (37-16)22.013.02581622(fumble recovery, interception)
<b>TOTALS</b><b>39</b><b>23</b><b>156 (111-45)</b><b>44.5</b><b>22.0</b><b>5</b><b>10</b><b>20</b><b>3</b><b>11</b><b>3</b><b>4</b>

Brian Blechen:Blechen has been a disruptive force. He started as a safety and has moved up to be a linebacker. He has become the play making leader for the team on defense who always seems to be in the right place at the right time. What should Ute fans expect in 2013? The Crimson Corner gives the answer.

"Brian Blechen is a very physical, almost violent football player. Blechen's senior year will put him at linebacker which is he has basically been — a linebacker playing safety.

Can Brian Blechen shake some nagging injuries? If so he could make a big leap in the eyes of scouts.
Can Brian Blechen shake some nagging injuries? If so he could make a big leap in the eyes of scouts.

Playing Blechen at linebacker does many things for the Utah defense, but greatest of all it adds speed. Speed has been one of Utah's greatest deficiencies since joining the Pac-12 conference. Blechen is not a fast safety, but will be a fast linebacker."

Can he stay healthy? He had some tendonitis in his knee and that will need to be watched a little. It should be okay for the season.

"There is one main issue that would hinder not only the move the linebacker but Blechen's senior season. It is the same reason that kept him out of spring for precautionary reasons. Blechen has some tendonitis in his knee that is being rehabbed. It is simple, fix the tendonitis and the Utes will have a great linebacker. If the knee continues to force Blechen to miss time it could really hurt a defense that needs not only a playmaker, but a senior leader."

He missed three games last year due to a suspension and battled the injury, but still produced in limited time. If he is 100 percent he could shine.

Brian Blechen Career Stats
DefenseGSoloAsst.TotalSacks/YdsTFL/YardsFFFRP DefInt/Yds
20129382058--3.5 /111--51 /4
2011134434782 /128 /193--23 /60
2010133730671.5 /193.5 /252154 /16
TOTAL35119842033.5 /3115 /5561128 /80

Kyler Fackrell:Fackrell is the youngest of the group, but that doesn't mean he can't make a big jump. He plays an outside linebacker in the 3-4, like Van Noy, so he will get chances to make plays, and if his freshman year is any indication that will happen. This is what Glade said.

Kyle Fackrell could become one of the greats for Utah State in the coming years.
Kyle Fackrell could become one of the greats for Utah State in the coming years.

"All the young man did in his first year, besides starting all 13 games for a defense that finished seventh in the country in points allowed and didn't allow a first quarter touchdown all season, was finish fourth on the team in tackles with 87, combined solo and assisted. That ranks third all time for Utah State among freshman behind Jake Hutton in 2005 and Del Lyles in 1988."

Glade likes Fackrell so much that he made this comparison and then upped the ante.

"I've spend the past couple years on the sidelines of nearly every BYU game because of my responsibilities on the Coach's Show, I've seen a lot of Van Noy…a lot. When he made his first fumble recovery for a TD as a freshman at Colorado State, I was there; when he stripped, sacked, and recovered the ball for a game winning touchdown against Ole Miss, I was in the end zone he scored in; so when I say I see a lot of Van Noy in the way Fackrell plays, I'm not just spewing a bunch of hyperbole.

They are cut from the same playmaker mold.

I'm aware that no Aggie fan wants to hear one of their best players compared to a Cougar, it's downright blasphemous; but it's hard to deny how great Van Noy is.

Now here's the hook, I think Fackrell will be better than Van Noy when all is said and done."

If so Fackrell could go down as one of the best defenders Utah State as ever seen — or even the state of Utah. He is still young, but Glade projected out Fackrell's stats over the next two years using the stats of Van Noy as a guide.

Kyler Fackrell's Projected Stats

YearTFLSacksINTPBUQBHFRFFBlocked Kicks
201283337111
201315.586415122
201422.5145613153

Who is set to see their draft stock rise?

This is a little tricky because all three of these players are in completely different areas. Van Noy is already close to the top of draft boards. Blechen's suspension and injuries might raise red flags. Fackrell can't be drafted for at least another year.

However the pick will be Blechen. Scouts know who Van Noy is, he might be in the top-10 range when all is said and done, but he won't have a huge leap. Blechen can show off the promise he had as a freshman.

#poll

Playing in the Pac-12 he has a chance to show off against great teams of every sort. He can use his speed to battle teams like Oregon and Arizona. He can show some power against Stanford and USC. If he can stay healthy, show that he can make the small plays every time and become the real leader of the defense he could rise.

The idea of Fackrell is really good, but he probably won't get a lot of buzz until next season anyway. If Glade is right he could end up being the best of the bunch. He might even get some All-America team buzz, but for now he will have to wait.

Next week the focus will be on the actual season. What players can these teams not afford to lose to have a successful season? Check it out next week.

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