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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Utah vs. Washington; Friday, Nov. 30, 8:00 PM ET FOX
The Pac-12 Championship game will include quality defensive players for the NFL. Utah linebacker Chase Hansen has put his draft stock on the map this year and will be tested by Washington running back Myles Gaskin. Gaskin led the Huskies to a road win over Washington State into the conference championship. Hansen has to shut down Gaskin to give the Utes a chance. Another NFL prospect who will be challenged by Gaskin is Utah safety Marquise Blair, who will be playing at the Senior Bowl in January.
Other prospects to watch include Washington safety Taylor Rapp, safety JoJo McIntosh, cornerback Jordan Miller, cornerback Byron Murphy, defensive tackle Greg Gaines and right tackle Kaleb McGary.
Texas vs. Oklahoma; Saturday, Dec. 1, 12:00 PM ET ABC
The Red River rematch should be a shootout as both teams have dynamic receivers who are tough to cover. There are three good wide receiver prospects in this game with Texas’ Collin Johnson, Oklahoma’s Marquise Brown, and Texas’ Lil’Jordan Humphrey. Each of those three could be second-day picks, and Brown will be a challenge for Texas cornerback prospect Kris Boyd, who is a bit of a love-hate prospect in the scouting community.
The best prospect in the game could be Oklahoma right tackle Cody Ford, who could be the top guard for the 2019 NFL Draft.
Georgia vs. Alabama; Saturday, Dec. 1, 4:00 PM ET CBS
The SEC Championship Game includes a ton of NFL talent going head-to-head, as one could expect. The best matchup of future pros is Georgia cornerback DeAndre Baker versus Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy. Jeudy is not eligible for the 2019 NFL Draft, but if he were, he would probably be the first wide receiver selected next April. As it stands, Jeudy could be the top wide receiver for the 2020 NFL Draft. Baker could be the top cornerback in the 2019 NFL Draft, so this will be a hugely important tape for the draft grade of each of these players.
The top prospect in this game is Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. WalterFootball.com was first to report that NFL teams were viewing Williams as a high first-round talent, and he has been dominant this season. Alabama defensive tackle Raekwon Davis is a top-20 talent, while Alabama’s third tackle, Isaiah Buggs, could go in the early rounds of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Behind the Crimson Tide’s star-studded line are early-round prospects at linebacker in Mack Wilson and Anfernee Jennings. Things continue in the secondary too, with Alabama safety Deionte Thompson being the top safety prospect for the 2019 NFL Draft.
Georgia linebacker D’Andre Walker is another good prospect to watch. He has played well this year, showing an ability to rush off the edge. The Bulldogs will need him to get after the quarterback and play well against the run to have any shot at knocking off the Crimson Tide. Alabama left tackle Jonah Williams gets a lot of media hype with high first-round projections, but team sources have not been as high on him. He will be tested by some talented Georgia edge rushers, including Walker.
Alabama running back Damien Harris is one of the top tailback prospects for the 2019 NFL Draft, and he could be a Thursday night selection next April.
Northwestern vs. Ohio State; Saturday, Dec. 1, 8:00 PM ET FOX
Both teams have quarterback prospects with good skill sets in Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins and Northwestern’s Clayton Thorson. Haskins has received a lot of media hype, with some draft analysts projecting him as a first-round pick, but in speaking with team sources, they weren’t as enthusiastic. Thorson has a good skill set and is an accurate passer who has lifted Northwestern to wins despite playing with a terrible set of wide receivers and a weak offensive line.
The best prospect for the 2019 NFL Draft is on the defensive line. Ohio State defensive tackle Dre’Mont Jones has had an excellent season and should be a first-round pick next April. Northwestern defensive end Joe Gaziano has played well over the past two years.
A good draft matchup will come with Ohio State speedster wide receiver Parris Campbell taking on Northwestern cornerback Montre Hartage. The speed of Campbell is going to be a big test for Hartage.
Other prospects to watch include Northwestern linebacker Nate Hall, Ohio State right tackle Isaiah Prince, Ohio State center Michael Jordan, Ohio State cornerback Kendall Sheffield and Ohio State cornerback Damon Arnette.
Clemson vs. Pittsburgh; Saturday, Dec. 1, 8:00 PM ET ABC
The best prospects in this game come on Clemson’s defensive line with end Clelin Ferrell, tackle Dexter Lawrence and tackle Christian Wilkins, who all likely first-round picks next April. Fellow end Austin Bryant could be a second-day pick. Tigers cornerback Trayvon Mullen is a likely first-rounder, and linebacker Tre Lamar also has early-round talent. Clemson’s defense will be challenged by Panthers running back/fullback Qadree Ollison. The big bruiser has played well as a senior and could be in the Senior Bowl come January.
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