Want to get to know the draft prospects for the 2019 NFL Draft? This weekly column breaks down the best matchups to watch each week in college football.
By Charlie Campbell.
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Mississippi State vs. Kansas State; Saturday, Sep. 8, 12:00 PM ESPN
This game features some good draft matchups in the trenches. Mississippi State has potential first-round picks in defensive tackle Jeff Simmons and edge rusher Montez Sweat. They will see some Kansas State prospects for with offensive tackle/center Dalton Risner and left tackle Scott Frantz. Simmons and Sweat could be top-20 picks in the 2019 NFL Draft, so they are going to be a tough test for the Wildcats duo.
Other draft prospects to watch in this game for Mississippi State include safety Johnathan Abram, center Elgton Jenkins, cornerback Jamal Peters and quarterback Nick Fitzgerald – if he’s back from suspension.
Rutgers vs. Ohio State; Saturday, Sept. 8, 3:30 PM ET BTN
Rutgers has an early-round cornerback prospect in Blessuan Austin, and he will see some talented wide receivers for the 2019 NFL Draft in Parris Campbell and K.J. Hill. They could be the best receivers who Austin sees this year, so it will help him a lot if he produces a good tape going against them.
The top prospect in the game is Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa, and he is coming off a great start to the season versus Oregon State. Buckeyes defensive tackle Dre’Mont Jones also dominated against the Beavers. Jones should join Bosa in the early-rounds of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Other draft prospers to watch in this game include Ohio State center Michael Jordan, offensive tackle Isaiah Prince, cornerback Kendall Sheffield, cornerback Damon Arnette and running back Mike Weber.
Clemson vs. Texas A&M; Saturday, Sept. 8, 7:00 PM ET ESPN
Clemson is loaded with NFL talent with three potential first-round picks on the defensive line in end Clelin Ferrell, tackle Dexter Lawrence and tackle Christian Wilkins. The fourth starting lineman, end Austin Bryant, is a potential second-day pick, and all will be tested by Texas A&M junior running back Trayveon Williams. In the Aggies’ season opener against Northwestern State, Williams ran for 240 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries. Texas A&M center Erik McCoy is another pro prospect who will be challenged by the special talents of Lawrence and Wilkins. Other pro prospects to watch in this game include Clemson cornerback Trayvon Mullen and linebacker Tre Lamar. Both of them have first-round skill sets, and it will be interesting to see if they play up to them this season. On the offensive side of the ball, Clemson left tackle Mitch Hyatt needed to show improved strength as a senior, and this could be his first significant test of the season.
Kentucky vs. Florida; Saturday, Sept. 8, 7:30 PM ET SECN
It is a sad state of affairs in Gainesville that on NFL teams’ preseason watch list of early-round prospects, Kentucky has more players than Florida. However on the bright side for the Gators, Mississippi State has a lot of good talent for the 2019 NFL Draft that Dan Mullen brought into the Bulldogs. At any rate, this year the top prospect in this game is Kentucky linebacker Josh Allen. Allen is a dangerous edge rusher who also can run around the field in run defense. Scouts were grading Allen in the early rounds last year, but felt his play fell off late in the year. Allen decided to return for his senior year, and he could prove to be a first-rounder this year.
Florida has some defensive prospects in junior safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson along with edge defenders CeCe Jefferson, Jachai Polite and Jabari Zuniga. They are going to be challenged by a future NFL running back in Bennie Snell. He is a tough runner who is difficult to tackle. The Gators have to limit Snell and force Kentucky to beat them through the air. Florida’s sophomore cornerbacks C.J. Henderson and Marco Wilson have first-round potential for the 2020 NFL Draft and are the strength of the team.
Other prospects to watch include Gators junior right tackle Jawaan Taylor and senior left tackle Martez Ivey. Kentucky linebacker Jordan Jones, safety Mike Edwards and tight end C.J. Conrad are prospects to watch.
USC vs. Stanford; Saturday, Sept. 8, 8:30 PM ET Fox
This is a huge Pac-12 game, and USC has the challenge of defending running back Bryce Love. He was incredible last year, and the speedster Love will probably be starting in the NFL a year from now. The Trojans have early-round defensive prospects in safety Marvell Tell, outside linebacker Porter Gustin and inside linebacker Cameron Smith. That trio has to limit Love to help USC’s young offense, which is having to replace Sam Darnold, Ronald Jones and Deontay Burnett. Love has to be productive and durable to be a first-rounder in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Other prospects to watch in this game include USC cornerback Iman Marshall, Stanford guard Nate Herbig, Stanford right tackle A.T. Hall and Stanford cornerback Alijah Holder.
Michigan State vs. Arizona State; Saturday, Sep. 8, 10:45 PM BTN
This game features two good skill-position prospects for the NFL. Arizona State wide receiver K’Neal Harry has impressed NFL evaluators and is coming off an excellent 2017 season. Michigan State running back L.J. Scott is one of the most physicality gifted running backs in college football and an early-round talent. He has had fumbling issues, however, and needs to show that is a problem of the past in 2018. Both players could be early-rounders next April.
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