2026 NFL Draft: College Game Recaps – Week 3

In the season opener, Miami did a nice job of limiting Jeremiyah Love, but Notre Dame was committed to getting their star running back more touches and better looks in their second game. On Love’s first carry of the game, he fired to the second level, ran over a defender, and got a gain of 13. Later in the second quarter, Love had a chunk run and then showed his speed with an explosive run around the left side for a gain of 16. To cap the drive, Love made a highlight reel play. He got wide open running along the sideline on a wheel route. C.J. Carr’s pass was overthrown, but Love tipped it and made a one-handed catch on the run and exploded 20 more yards before running through a defender over the goal line for a 36-yard touchdown catch. It was a phenomenal play that NFL evaluators are going to love, with his receiving ability being put on display.

In the middle portion of the game, Love also had some nice blocks in pass protection to help his quarterback. He continued to run hard, and late in the fourth quarter, he picked up a hard-fought first down. Then he put his team in the lead with just under three minutes left in the game. Love charged through the line before running through an Aggie defender at the five-yard line and scoring from 12 yards out. Love finished with 94 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. He caught four passes for 53 yards and a touchdown.

For the NFL, Love looks like a three-down starter who is capable of being a work-horse back like Nick Chubb. Love is a physical downhill runner with excellent vision, patience, and cutting ability. Love shows serious power to pick up yards after contact and is capable of creating on his own. As long as he can stay healthy, Love looks like a first-round pick for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Love’s backup, Jadarian Price, would be a starter at the vast majority of schools in the nation, and he could be a second-day pick in his draft class. In the first half against the Aggies, Price had a short touchdown run and picked up some clutch yards. In the third quarter, Price had an excellent run creating for himself to get a 17-yard touchdown run. Price ran for 68 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries. Price is a tough runner with a burst. He has good vision, cutting ability, and is a shifty runner. If he were to enter the 2026 NFL Draft, he could be a late second-round or third-round pick.

Texas A&M has a future NFL back of its own with Le’Veon Moss. Moss was not finding good running lanes in the first half, but he came through with three hard-nosed plays with a trio of plunges into the end zone from a yard out. Moss finished with 81 yards and three touchdowns. He is a strong runner with a powerful build. Moss could be a solid backup running back in the NFL.

Texas A&M wide receiver K.C. Concepcion has played well after transferring to the Aggies, but he had a mixed outing against Notre Dame. Early in the first quarter, Concepcion ran past Christian Gray to get open for a long reception. However, Conception dropped the pass after getting hit by the safety. The very next play, Gray was in zone coverage and had a pass go right to him, but he dropped the interception. In the second quarter, Concepcion made a leaping acrobatic catch and held onto the ball this time. The next play, Concepcion got open, running deep down the field as he burned a freshman corner, but had to slow up for the ball. The defenders had time to recover, and Concepcion made a leaping grab for a 45-yard gain at the two-yard line. Concepcion finished with four catches for 82 yards. Concepcion is a mid-round slot receiver candidate for the 2026 NFL Draft.

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has early-round ability and got his 2025 season off to a strong start with a road win at Clemson. Against Florida, Nussmeier did not play as well.

Late in the first quarter, Nussmeier had a drive start in Florida territory and fired a missile on an out route to move inside the 25. The drive stalled and ended with a field goal, but Nussmeier threw some accurate passes to move the ball against zone coverage later in the second quarter. To end the drive, Nussmeier found wide receiver Zavion Thomas open in the middle of the field for a 23-yard touchdown. Aside from that drive, Nussmeier did not get into a good rhythm in the first half.

In the third quarter, Nussmeier had a few dangerous passes to blanketed receivers that were nearly intercepted. Early in the fourth quarter, Nussmeier made a horrible decision. He was pressured and rolled to his right before throwing back across his body, and the floating pass was easily intercepted by Florida. Nussmeier finished completing 15-of-27 passes for 220 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

For the NFL, Nussmeier has starter ability. He has some strength in his arm, can throw accurately, and generally reads the field well. Nussmeier has some ability to move around, but he is not a running threat for the next level. Nussmeier could be a Derek Carr-caliber quarterback in the NFL, and teams that need a starter will give him serious consideration in the early rounds.

LSU linebacker Harold Perkins Jr missed the majority of the 2024 season with an ACL, but before getting injured, Perkins did not look as dynamic as he did in 2023 and 2022. Perkins was quiet and playing like he was protecting himself from injury. Thus, Perkins had a lot to prove as far as health and being back to his old form this season. He had a solid start to the season against Clemson in the opener, and was facing a dangerous dual-threat quarterback in Gators sophomore D.J. Lagway.

In the second quarter, Perkins exploded from middle linebacker on a blitz and was unblocked. He chased down Lagway to force a third-down incompletion. Just before the half, Perkins did a nice job of dropping into coverage and almost made a diving interception. In the third quarter, Perkins added another pass breakup when he batted down an attempted screen pass to the flat.

Perkins was flying around the field showing his excellent speed, versatility, and instincts. He was active in run defense, had a sack, a tackle for a loss, and looked good in coverage. It is imperative for Perkins to stay healthy this season, but he is off to a strong start with quality games against Clemson and Florida.

There were a number of receiver prospects in this SEC rivalry game, but one wideout kept his team in the game with some huge plays, and that was Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell II. Brazzell used his 6-foot-5, 200-pound frame to make monster plays that had his team get an early lead, and then retake the lead entering the fourth quarter.

Early in the first quarter, Brazzell got open running a deep post and shook off a pass interference attempt to catch a deep pass, and then coasted another 25 yards into the end zone for a 72-yard touchdown. Shortly later, Brazzell found pay dirt again. Brazzell ran another deep post and took advantage of blown coverage by Georgia safety K.J. Bolden to get open for a 14-yard touchdown. After Tennessee blew a lead, Brazzell came back to make a huge play for his team. On a pass deep down the field, Brazzell outjumped a Georgia defender to make a leaping grab around the five-yard line, and then he scooted into the end zone for a 56-yard touchdown. On the next drive, Brazzell ran an excellent comeback route against Daylen Everette to get open for a gain of about 15. Brazzell finished with six receptions for 177 yards and three touchdowns.

For the NFL, Brazzell is a big outside receiver who offers a size mismatch. He uses his height, length, and catch radius to make receptions over defensive backs. While his size is impressive, what really helps him on this tape is showing speed. He ran by defenders and showed acceleration to get deep down the field and get open for his quarterback. This tape will definitely help Brazzell, as he looked like a starting outside receiver for the NFL.

Georgia cornerback Daylen Everette could have been a second-day pick had he entered the 2025 NFL Draft, but Everrett decided to return to Georgia for the 2026 season. Given how he performed in this game against Tennessee, Everette does not look significantly improved over last season. Everette has good size and is physical, but he has some natural stiffness in the hips. He lacks quick-twitch explosion, and that gives him issues with not giving up space out of breaks. Everette would be best suited for the playing zone and press-man. He looks like a day-two prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Two good prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft were unfortunately out of this game with injury. Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy and Georgia offensive tackle Earnest Greene III both missed this game. McCoy has yet to play this year, and both of them need some good tape and showing they are healthy to be potential first-rounders next April.

Last year, Oregon defensive end Matayo Uiagalelei flashed for the Ducks with double-digit sacks and provided some impressive splash plays. However, similar to teammate Jordan Burch, there was a lack of consistency, and his impressive play happened in flashes. Teams want to see more consistency out of Uiagalelei this season.

After a quiet opening period, Uiagalelei started to get more active. In the second quarter, Uiagalelei finally made his presence felt when he used a tremendous spin move to dart past the right tackle and chase down the quarterback for a sack. In the third quarter, Uiagalelei burst into the backfield to blow up a run for no gain.

For the NFL, Uiagalelei has excellent size, speed, and athleticism to rush the passer off the edge. Uiagalelei showed his special ability in this game with some impressive plays. However, last week Uiagalelei was a ghost going against a weak opponent in Oklahoma State. His consistency and effort need to improve dramatically immediately to get himself in first-round consideration for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq has created a buzz in the scouting community, and Sadiq gave proof of that against Northwestern. While Sadiq did not have a huge stat line, catching two passes for 35 yards and a touchdown, he contributed and showed his well-rounded ability and mismatch skills for the NFL. In the early going, Sadiq was showing well as a blocker, pushing a defender into the turf and fighting hard at the point of attack. Late in the first half, Sadiq ran a route out of the slot and juked a safety about 10 yards downfield to accelerate away from him and get open for a 24-yard touchdown catch.

For the NFL, Sadiq is a mismatch receiver as he is very athletic and fast. Sadiq is a smooth route runner with a burst of speed, making it challenging to keep him from getting separation. While Sadiq is not huge, he blocks well for his size and gives a good effort. Sadiq looks like a pro starter, and he could go in the first or second round next April.

This game had the potential for a good draft matchup with Oregon’s Isaiah World taking on Northwestern defensive end Anto Saka. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound Saka has a good skill set and has produced nine sacks over the past two seasons. Unfortunately, they did not line up against each other very much. Saka lined up more often against the right tackle, but he rotated out of the game a lot and looked like he was limping and trying to play through an injury. World cruised against the Wildcats. He was rock solid in pass protection and solid as a run blocker. It will be interesting to see how World performs against better competition later in the season.