Meet the Players: Part 2

Welcome back to another entry to the Buster Bowl Blog. We have got four more players to introduce, so without further ado, let us dive right in.

Dustin Debeau

Dustin is a locker room guy. Regardless of the odds, he will put his head down and get to work, evidenced by his performance two years ago. Similar to Bush, Dustin is a captain in this year’s Buster Bowl. Had he been draft eligible he likely would be a middle-to-low tier prospect. The golf game is still a work in progress but as White Goodman would say, “[He’s] got a personality.” His personality is the primary reason why ~86% of prospects in this year’s draft class would prefer to be drafted by Dustin instead of Bush in this upcoming (results from anonymous poll).

Dustin’s player comp: David Ross

David Ross was the glue that held the Cubs together during their comeback from a 3-1 deficit against the devil worshiping Cleveland Guardians, then referred to as the Cleveland Guardians. His bat was slightly below average, but he came up big when he needed to. Similarly, Dustin will be tasked with ensuring the team sticks together and, when called upon, stepping up to the tee box and handling business. Like David Ross, Dustin has the opportunity to put Bush in a body bag.  

 

Michael Foster

Foster first appeared in the Buster Bowl as a fill-in but has since become an integral part in this event. He does not rely on big drives to compete. Instead, he leans on his refined iron and wedge play for success. According to the Buster Bowl Pipeline, Foster is a top 5 prospect. Despite his high draft stock, he has not garnered buzz for his play; rather, he remains a topic of discussion because of his status for the Buster Bowl being questionable. While I cannot disclose the exact reason (Potential HIPAA violation), let’s just say he ain’t shootin blanks. Aside from his playing status, it is hard to find flaws in his game. Expect Foster to play a major role in this year’s Buster Bowl.

Foster’s player comp: Hunter Renfrow (Clemson Career)

     

While at Clemson, Hunter Renfrow generally flew under the radar as a draft prospect, largely in part because of his size. With three All-ACC honors to his name, one of which was first team honors, you would imagine he would have been more of a household name. This is likely a result of the dreaded SEC bias. However, he etched his name into the history books with his monster performance against Alabama in the national championship game (7 catches, 88 yards, 2 touchdowns). Like Renfrow, Foster has put together an impressive resume during his tenure as a Buster Bowl participant, a resume that has largely been overlooked. Will he put together a performance grand enough to put him in the spotlight? We shall see.

  

Jason Gross

              Jason can absolutely stripe the golf ball, and when his irons and wedges are hot, you better watch out. Additionally, the guy looks like a PGA golfer. His clubs are in pristine condition, his golf attire is always dapper, and he has got a nice swing. Dan Abbgy cannot get enough of this guy’s swing. He has said “Jason has the purest stroke. It is just so pure. I cannot get enough of this guy’s stroke” on multiple occasions. If the old adage “Look good, play good” was true, Jason would be the first player off the board. However, Jason has been prone to putting together absolute stinkers of rounds. We still do not know what transpired on hole 5 on April 29^th, but I would expect Gross to be drafted closer to the fourth round.

Jason’s player comp: Henry Ruggs III

Henry Ruggs possessed all of the skills and virtues of a top-tier NFL wide receiver. His route running was clean, his speed was in the 98^th percentile, and his hands were relatively dependable. However, his stat lines were as unpredictable as his driving. Some days he would post a fantasy score that would put him in the top 10, other days he would accumulate 3 catches for 21 yards. Likewise, Gross looks the part of a top-tier golfer, but he can turn in variable performances. When he has it all working, he can hang with the best of them. But like Henry Ruggs III, he is susceptible to losing control. We shall see which version of him shows up to the Buster Bowl.

 

Aaron Krupansky

Now here’s a guy that can play some golf. As the number two prospect, according to the Buster Bowl Pipeline, Kru is looking to pick right back up from where he left off last year. He has a 3-1 record, with the one loss coming to Coatney in best-ball match play. In his defense, Dan was an absolute LIABILITY on the first 18, but they followed it up with a win when they scrambled on the second 18. Like Coatney, it is hard to find drawbacks in this guy’s game. There have been a few moments when he tries to do too much with the golf ball, but that typically only happens when he has established a cushion between him and his opponent(s). The guy can shape a shot. He is a competitor, but his sportsmanship is equally commendable. Last year, he put his clubs down and spent roughly 15 minutes coaching up Bushy and helping him with his golf swing. Did it help? Absolutely not. Was it a hopeless affair? You bet, but he still tried.    

Kru’s Player Comp: Trea Turner

Both of these guys are true gamers. They have a lot of flash in their play, but it comes naturally. It pairs nicely with their skills they utilize within their respective disciplines. Trea Turner is probably better than Kru at Crud, the game where you bounce the pool ball off of the far wall and get it to stop as close to the bottom rail as possible. Kru is absolute cheeks at that game.

 

Next week we will provide player comps for Alan LaBov, Joshua Magley, Chandler McKinney, and Noah Reed.