2024 NFL Draft: College Football Game Recaps – Week 1

Last year, Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis was one of the most improved players in college football, and his performance against LSU in the 2023 season opener showed that progress was no fluke. Travis was excellent against the Tigers, moving the ball and picking apart their secondary.

In the first quarter, Travis had a nice play on which he scrambled to buy time before finding a check-down for a big gain that wiped out a long-yardage situation. To end the drive, Wilson hit a slant to wideout Keon Coleman, who exploded down the field for a touchdown from about 40 yards out.

Travis made a bad play midway through the first half while trying to throw a screen. He had defenders in his face, yet forced the ball to a well-covered receiver and created an easy interception for the LSU defender. Shortly later, Travis almost had another horrible pick, throwing a ball up for grabs while under no pressure. He simply got lucky that the ball was dropped.

Travis rebounded by lofting in a 20-yard scoring strike on a back-shoulder throw to Coleman, who made a phenomenal catch over the Tigers safety. In the third quarter, those two got the Seminoles moving again despite being backed up deep in their own territory. Coleman ran a go route and made an over-the-shoulder catch that worked out as a 41-yard gain. Early in the fourth quarter, Travis lofted in a short fade pass to Coleman for their third touchdown of the night. Midway through the fourth quarter, Travis found running back Jaheim Bell completely uncovered, and Bell darted down the field for a 44-yard touchdown.

Travis finished completing 23-of-31 passes for 342 yards, four touchdowns and an interception. He also chipped in as a rusher with 38 yards and another score. Travis showed field vision, accuracy, a quality arm, mobility, and composure. He didn’t turn in a perfect game, but it was still a very good performance that will help his draft grade.

Like Travis, LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels showed big improvement during the course of the 2022 season and entered the 2023 season with some buzz, according to what some team sources shared with WalterFootball.com. Unlike Travis, Daniels did not have as good of a performance in the season opener, although it was not a crushing game by any means.

Daniels moved the ball consistently in the first quarter, but Florida State’s defense managed two huge fourth-down stops deep in its own territory to deny LSU points. One of those fourth-down stops was a mistake by Daniels, as he hesitated and took a sack. Given the circumstance was fourth-and-goal from the two-yard line circumstance, Daniels needed to throw the ball up to one of his receivers rather than try to dodge two closing Seminoles defenders.

Daniels bounced back to lead some scoring drives, using his arm and legs to create yardage. He had an impressive 40-yard run that showed his speed to get downfield and some open-field moves to dodge tacklers. At the start of the fourth quarter, Daniels had a bad break with an interception that should not have been, but wideout Malik Nabers slipped and fell down, which let the Florida State corner bring in an easy pick. Daniels threw a 75-yard touchdown pass in garbage time, but it was too little, too late. Three huge fourth-down stops by the Florida State defense made the real difference in the game.

Daniels completed 22-of-37 passes for 347 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He had 64 yards on 15 carries as well. Daniels showed a strong arm, some accuracy, and mobility. However, he also made some bad decisions in terms of taking sacks and not getting the ball out fast enough in some critical situations. Daniels needs to improve his mental quickness and decision-making for the NFL. His performance against the Seminoles presents some good and bad things for pro evaluators.

Florida State wide receiver Johnny Wilson came into this contest with preseason hype, but teammate Keon Coleman was the one who supplied the biggest plays, turning nine catches into 122 yards and three touchdowns. In the first quarter, Coleman took a slant 40 yards to the house, displaying an explosiveness at the second level. Later in the first half, Coleman made a superb hands catch over the safety for a 20-yard touchdown reception. Coleman’s third score was on a short fade pass. His nine reception-, 122 yard-, three score-night was his debut for the Seminoles debut after transferring from Michigan State. Coleman’s performance against LSU will definitely help his draft grade.

Wilson had two bad drops early in the first half, including a third-down play on which he had first-down yardage and plenty of room to run. Wilson came back to make some nice catches, totaling 104 yards on seven receptions on the evening, but for a big receiver who could have separation issues against NFL cornerbacks, dropping multiple passes is bad news. Over the games to come, Wilson needs to show his issues in the 2023 opener were flukes and that he is a sure-handed receiver for the next level.

North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye enters the 2023 season as the consensus second-rated quarterback prospect for the 2024 NFL Draft, and he did nothing to fall any lower in his first outing of the year.

Maye saw the field very well in the opening frame, making some excellent reads and finding the best matchups to exploit. He contributed to a touchdown drive, and in the second quarter, he had a phenomenal play where he scrambled to buy time before throwing a strike to move the chains downfield. It was a superb play that displayed Maye’s athleticism, vision, and ability to ad lib his team into a big play. Shortly later on the drive, he had a receiver open along the sideline by the front of the end zone but missed the throw, sailing it out of bounds on what could have been a 31-yard touchdown. Maye came back to convert a third-and-long by firing a missile to a receiver on a slant.

Maye didn’t miss again on a similar play when he had a receiver streaking into the end zone, and Maye lofted in a perfect 34-yard touchdown strike. Early in the third quarter, Maye heaved another deep ball for a big gain that set up a rushing touchdown. He then tossed another touchdown a short time later thanks to his receiver winning on the 50-50 pass. Maye drifted toward his left with defenders close to a sack and tossed the ball up. He was fortunate his wideout made the play.

Late in third quarter, Maye had his first real mistake, rolling out and telegraphing a pass that was undercut for an interception. He then quickly tossed his second pick, although it was not Maye’s fault as much. The pass was a little off the mark, but the ball bounced off the hands of his receiver and the cornerback was able to control the deflection for the turnover. Maye finished the evening having completed 24-of-32 passes for 269 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also picked up 25 yards on the ground.

Overall, the tape against South Carolina will help Maye. While he didn’t put together a flawless performance, he threw a number of beautiful passes that showed his accuracy, strong arm, mobility, field vision, and creativity. Maye looks like a high first-rounder and a legit franchise quarterback.

South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler could have been a potential second-day pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, but he decided to return to the Gamecocks. Rattler is a talented player, and it would not be surprising if he manages to rise into first-round consideration for the 2024 NFL Draft. His performance against the Tar Heels should help him in that effort.

On South Carolina’s second possession, Rattler hung tough in the pocket and threw a spike for a gain of about 20 yards. Then on the very next play, Rattler tossed a well-placed deep ball to his receiver for a 38-yard gain. Rattler made some good passes on that drive and on another one which produced rushing touchdowns for the Gamecocks.

Rattler played well for a lot of the game, but the South Carolina offensive line was getting smoked, allowing Rattler to be sacked often or be pressured on almost every attempt. He took 10 sacks and was hit on countless attempts. At the start of the fourth quarter, Rattler lofted in a beauty of a pass that set up the Gamecocks deep in North Carolina territory. Once again, however, the offensive line ruined the drive, but throughout the fourth quarter, Rattler did his part, firing accurate bullets to move the ball. Rattler finished the game having completed 30-of-39 passes for 353 yards.

Rattler has serious arm talent for the NFL and is capable of making all the throws. Thanks to accuracy and precision, Rattler throws some strikes that lead his receivers for yards after the catch. Rattler also has mobility and toughness to make plays with his feet. In the past, Rattler struggled with consistency and decision-making, but he looked very improved in the 2023 season opener. Rattler will help his draft grade with pro teams via his perfomance against the Tar Heels.

North Carolina linebacker Cedric Gray is one of the top linebacker prospects for the 2024 NFL Draft, and he had an excellent start to the 2023 season. Gray was around the ball all night, making tackles in the ground game and showing pass-rush ability. In the early going, he picked up a superb open field in the flat and rocked Rattler on a blitz. Late in the second quarter, Gray came on a blitz around the corner and eventually chased down Rattler for a coverage sack. Gray continued to make plays in the second half, getting in on tackles and creating pressure on blitzes. This was a good tape to start the year for Gray.

Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is in the running to be the top prospect for the 2024 NFL Draft, but he had a quiet start to the season. The Buckeyes spread the ball around in this contest and their offensive line struggled in short-yardage situations, leading to punts and lost possessions. In the third quarter, Harrison caught a 24-yard touchdown after getting open in zone, but Harrison accidentally had his outside foot step out of bounds, which negated the score. Harrison recorded two catches for 18 yards. Overall, the tape from this game won’t hurt or help Harrison.

Ohio State cornerback Denzel Burke had a strong start to his career before some disappointing tape in the 2022 season. He got his 2023 season off to a quality start, showing good coverage in zone and knocking away some passes. Burke will see better tests in the weeks to come, but he had a mistake-free opener versus Indiana.

Ohio State defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. was impressive. He had a key third-down pressure that helped force a punt in the first half. He also made his presence felt in the ground game, getting off a block and making a tackle at the line of scrimmage. Early in the fourth quarter, Hall shed a block and collapsed the pocket in a hurry to lay a bone-rattling hit on the quarterback. This was a strong tape for Hall to open the 2023 season.

Two Indiana defenders helped themselves with strong games versus the talented Ohio State offense. Hoosiers linebacker Aaron Casey was all over the field and had a superb opening to the season. In the early going, Casey had two downhill runs for big tackles near the line of scrimmage. One was on a third-and-short to get his defense off the field. Later, Casey showed his speed by getting close to the sideline to tackle wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. At another point, Casey bolted past the left tackle to notch another tackle for a loss. Casey collected over 10 tackles against the Buckeyes and showed next-level talent. He demonstrated the speed to fire downhill, was physical at battling blockers, anticipated well, and made good decisions. This performance will definitely help Casey’s grade for the 2024 NFL Draft.

The other Indiana defender who flashed was transfer defensive end Andre Carter. After a quiet first quarter, Carter came alive on a third-and short. He exploded off the line and cut underneath a blocker to get a tackle for a loss that forced a Buckeyes punt. In the third quarter, Carter looped around to the middle on a stunt and tackled the quarterback for no gain on a third-and-goal to force a field goal. In the fourth quarter, Carter exploded off the ball to fire past the blocking attempt from the tight end to notch another tackle for a loss. Carter is a strong, thickly built defensive end with straight-line quickness. He has some stiffness limitations, and Indiana moved him around, including rushing him from the inside as well. If Carter has a good season, he could end up being a second-day or mid-round prospect for the 2024 NFL Draft.

Miami has been known as “Tight End U,” but in recent years, Iowa has taken over as the true tight end factory for the NFL. Former Hawkeyes tight ends are set to make over $40 million in the NFL during the 2023 season with a series of good prospects like George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant. Last year, Sam LaPorta turned in a superb season for Iowa, and he has established himself as an immediate starter for the Lions after being a high second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The 2024 NFL Draft is going to feature two more Iowa tight end prospects in Erick All and Luke Lachey.

All joined the Hawkeyes this year, coming over from Michigan, where he missed the 2022 season due to injury. Team sources from around the NFL, however, said they felt All had second-day potential for the 2023 NFL Draft. All transferring to Iowa will let the program team him up with Lachey to form another talented Hawkeyes tandem.

Early in the season opener, both All and Lachey hit excellent blocks in space to spring the receiver for a good gain on a bubble screen. Midway through the first quarter, All got open for a short touchdown pass. He lined up at fullback in I formation on that play, and after the snap, he pushed through two defenders before running to the flat to get open for the score. Later in the first half, All showed nice agility, getting low to make a catch a foot off the ground. He finished the day with three receptions for 15 yards and the score.

Lachey put together a really nice debut to the season. He had one pass that went off the tips of his fingers in what could have been 17-yard touchdown. The ball was a little overthrown by Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara and was not a true drop by Lachey. In the fourth quarter, Lachey used his big size to make a leaping grab over a defensive back for a 21-yard gain. Lachey ended up leading Iowa in receiving with seven receptions for 73 yards.

Lachey was physical as a blocker, getting after defenders and tying them up to keep them from getting in on tackles. As a receiver, he showed the ability to contribute, getting open on some crosses and using his big body to present a good target for McNamara. This contest yielded a good tape that will help Lachey’s draft grade.

Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean enters the 2023 season as an early-round prospect for the 2024 NFL Draft. DeJean had a quiet opener overall because Utah State did not have a passing attack that really challenged him. At the end of the first quarter, DeJean had a deflected pass fall through his hands incomplete. It was a lower catch about knee/thigh high, but one that DeJean should have snagged. DeJean was sound in coverage, staying in phase and in good position. He flew over to ball-carriers and made some good tackles in space. DeJean will see better tests in the weeks to come, and this tape won’t help or hurt his draft stock.

Utah State is not stocked with talent for the 2024 NFL Draft, but one player who had an excellent debut to the 2023 season was safety Anthony Switzer. Switzer was all over the field for the Aggies, making clutch open-field tackles to get his defense off the field and keep Utah State from allowing some big game-changing plays. In the first quarter, Switzer showed a nice ability slip by two blockers and snuff out a screen. He was the last defender to stop a potential touchdown. In third quarte,r Switzer made another hard tackle in the flat to prevent first-down yardage.

The 6-foot, 210-pound Switzer has quality size for the NFL and showed impressive tackling ability. Last year, Switzer was injured and missed the season, and prior to that he played at Arkansas State. His outing against the Hawkeyes was an impressive debut for Switzer with Utah State.

Quarterback Cade McNamara was making his Hawkeyes debut after transferring from Michigan. Things got off to a fortunate start on the second play from scrimmage when a cornerback fell down, allowing McNamara to easily loft in a 36-yard touchdown. Shortly later, McNamara found All open in the end zone for a short scoring strike after an effective play action. McNamara slumped after that fast start, missing some throws he should have completed. He finished the contest having gone 17-of-29 for 191 yards and two touchdowns. McNamara needs a strong season to become a candidate to end up as a late-round or undrafted backup competitor.

There was a very good draft matchup in Utah cornerback Zemaiah Vaughn taking on Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall. Both players had some wins and losses.

Early in the second quarter, Vaughn covered Pearsall well, running a route into the end zone to help force an incompletion. At the start of the third quarter, Pearsall made a costly mistake, letting a pass bounce off his hands and fall into the arms of a Utah defensive back for an interception. Pearsall rebounded on his next play by beating Vaughn on an out-and-up to get wide open for a 40-yard reception. If Florida quarterback Graham Mertz had thrown a better pass, the catch could have gone for a long touchdown. Vaughn showed poor eye discipline on the play, peeking into the backfield and losing track of Pearsall after he cut vertically. In the fourth quarter, Vaughn notched a nice pass breakup, slapping the ball away while providing blanket coverage.

Midway through the fourth quarter, Gators wide receiver Caleb Douglas made a phenomenal touchdown catch, leaping above Vaughn and controlling the ball over the helmet and arms of Vaughn. It was a jump ball that Vaughn was in good position for, but he failed to locate or play the ball well.

In the fourth quarter, Pearsall was wide open in the end zone for a would-be touchdown after running a great route, but Mertz couldn’t get him the ball. Pearsall finished the evening with eight receptions for 92 yards.

Overall, Pearsall looked like a second-day or mid-round pick against Utah. While he is shifty and a quality route-runner who possesses the ability to add yards after the catch, he lacks a defining trait that could let him consistently get the better of pro defensive backs. Meanwhile, Vaughn needs to improve his eye discipline and tracking of the football. He looks like a possible second-day prospect for the 2024 NFL Draft.

Florida cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. entered the season as a prospect to watch, but his year got off to a rough start against Utah. Cornerbacks need to have short memories, and that was put to the test for Marshall right out of the gate. On his first play from scrimmage of the 2023 season, Marshall was beaten by Utah receiver Money Parks for a 70-yard touchdown. Parks generated some separation from Marshall while running a deep post. After the Florida safety fell down and Marshall’s dive came up short, Parks was able to coast into the end zone.

Marshall performed better in coverage after that play. On one target, he was close to his receiver on a slant and forced an incompletion. Marshall also made a few tackles in zone coverage during the game, but his tackling attempts on ball-carriers lacked tenacity and attitude. His best play of the night came on a tackle for a loss on an end around. Aside from that takedown, Marshall’s tackling attempts seemed half-hearted. Overall, the tape from this season opener is not going to help Marshall because he showed some struggles with deep speed.