2026 NFL Draft: College Game Recaps – Week 14

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson has become a hot prospect as he has been playing at a very high level for the Crimson Tide. In tight games, Simpson made some great passes to lead his team to wins over good teams like Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt. Against Oklahoma, Simpson was not as good, and Alabama had a surprising loss. Versus Auburn, Simpson was not prolific, but he did make some great plays to help his team.

On the first drive of the game, Simpson had a receiver running open deep down the field for a long touchdown, but Simpson overthrew him, resulting in an incomplete pass. Simpson came back to use his underrated running ability as he took off on a designed run for a 26-yard gain. A couple plays later, Simpson was pressured and backed up and threw an incredible pass to the back of the end zone to Isaiah Horton for a touchdown. It was an incredible throw from Simpson. He was flat-footed with defenders in his face immediately, and somehow he got an incredibly accurate throw to his receiver in the back of the end zone about 30 yards away.

Shortly later, Simpson connected with Horton again, tossing a soft pass to the flat to lead Horton into the corner of the end zone for a touchdown. Midway through the fourth quarter, with the score tied at 20, Simpson made a great play with his feet to dodge a few tacklers and scramble for a first down. To put his team in front, Simpson fired a missile in a tight window to Horton for a go-ahead touchdown with just under four minutes remaining. Simpson finished completing 19-of-35 passes for 122 yards with three touchdowns. Auburn’s defense played well, but Simpson managed the game effectively, avoiding turnovers and delivering some big plays to lead his team to a road win.

With the way Simpson has played this season, he looks like a starter and a potential high first-round pick next April. Simpson has shown some serious arm talent, making some beautiful throws downfield with superb ball placement to beat tight coverage. Simpson (6-2, 208) is accurate, smart, has a strong arm, and throws with timing and anticipation. Simpson has shown good ball security and decision-making all season. With his skill set and upside, Simpson could be a good pro starter.

There was a great draft matchup in this game with Alabama left tackle Kayden Proctor taking on Auburn edge rushers Keldric Faulk and Keyron Crawford. In the first quarter, Crawford came close to a sack after making a good read and coming unblocked to force a throwaway from Ty Simpson. The next play, Crawford pressured Simpson coming on a stunt around the line, and Falk was right there as well after getting off a block from Proctor using power and quickness. Later in the first quarter, a run went away from Faulk, but he chased it down from the backside for a big tackle. Shortly later, Faulk came close to a sack using speed to fire around Proctor and get a hit on Simpson. Crawford added another near sack, getting through a tight end for a hit on Simpson. Overall, this was a good tape that will help Faulk and Crawford and shows that Proctor needs some work for the NFL.

Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer had an excellent 2024 season with Washington State, and a hot start to 2025. After thumb surgery caused him to play poorly in a number of games, Mateer was better over the past few games. With a playoff spot on the line, Mateer really struggled and did his best to give the game away to LSU. Fortunately for the Sooners, the Tigers’ defense gave away a fourth-quarter lead and Oklahoma essentially clinched a playoff spot.

Mateer struggled to move the ball in the first half. He had some passes off the mark and some bad luck. On the Sooners’ second play, Mateer had a pass deflected by Tigers edge rusher Patrick Payton. LSU linebacker Harold Pickens caught the deflection and raced down the field to set up LSU inside the Sooners’ five-yard line. At the half, Mateer had 99 yards, completing 14-of-22 passes.

In the third quarter, Mansoor Delane came close to intercepting a pass from Mateer as Delane came over the top and almost made a falling interception. The ball bounced off Delane’s hands to fall incomplete, and Delane left the game with an injury after the play. Mateer came back to make a nice throw on a third-and-long to move the chains, but a few plays later, Mateer stared down his tight end going down the seam, and his pass was intercepted by Tigers safety A.J. Haulcy. Haulcy had a nice return before Mateer chased him down for a tackle, and it was a poor play by Mateer.

On the next drive, Mateer made a couple of good completions to get into LSU territory, but then he had another terrible pass with an underthrown ball with poor location for an easy interception by the Tigers’ cornerback. Mateer got a touchdown pass, but it was on a tunnel screen to Deion Burks and not a special throw by Mateer. Mateer was gifted another touchdown when he had a receiver run straight down the field and was left completely uncovered. Mateer lofted a pass downfield for a 58-yard touchdown in busted coverage. That proved to be the game-winner for the Sooners. Mateer finished completing 23-of-38 passes for 318 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. This was an ugly tape as Mateer had poor field vision and ball security.

Mateer has a lot of talent to be a pro starter. He has a strong arm, can fire some lasers into tight windows, is very mobile, and is a dangerous runner with speed and toughness. His accuracy can be streaky, and while he will make some beautiful throws, he has some get-away-from-him. Part of that issue could be the thumb injury on his throwing hand, but he still needs to get more consistent. His decision-making needs some improvement, as Mateer can be reckless as a gunslinger with some dangerous passes and then taking some bad sacks, waiting for a big play to emerge rather than taking a check-down or throwing it away. His field vision and decision-making need improvement. Mateer has a lot of talent, and he could be a Baker Mayfield-style quarterback in the NFL. However, he needs refinement and development. Sources say Mateer is inclined to go back to school, and that is a good idea for making him better prepared for the NFL.

Delane had a good game overall and came back to play after getting banged up. He was sound to run the route and prevent separation. This tape will help Delane to be a first-round pick next April. Perkins had a solid season overall for LSU, but he was not the dynamic force that he was early in his collegiate career. Perkins looks more like a day-two pick from this tape.

Ohio State has a ton of talent on the defensive side of the ball for the 2026 NFL Draft, but they were only able to show what they are capable of in little spurts in this rivalry game. The Buckeyes’ offense dominated the time of possession, so the defensive prospects did not get a lot of opportunities to stand out.

Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese could be a rare linebacker to go high in the draft, and he flashed on a few plays. In the second quarter, Reese fired into the backfield on an attempted perimeter run, and he took down the ball carrier for a loss of a few yards. On the next play, Reese dropped into zone coverage, and then he fired to the backfield to take down the back for no gain on a third-down attempt. Reese was rock solid against Michigan.

Next to Reese, teammate Sonny Styles also played well. He had some good tackles in run support, showing his speed to fire into the backfield to make tackles for a loss. Styles is big, fast, and athletic. He could be a nice outside linebacker value on the second day of the draft.

Ohio State safety Caleb Downs looks like a future first-rounder, and he played well against Michigan. In the third quarter, Downs had a good pass breakup, picking up a crossing receiver in zone coverage and coming close to an interception. In the fourth quarter, Downs had a good play, lining up as a sub linebacker and then coming downhill in zone coverage to make an open-field tackle that forced a punt. This tape will help Downs to be a first-rounder next April.

On the defensive line, end Kenyatta Jackson had a sack, pushing through the left tackle and tripping up the quarterback. Jackson had multiple pressures as well as the sack. Nose tackle Kayden McDonald was a big, strong interior presence plugging up rushing lanes. This was quality tape for both of them.

Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate was not prolific, but he had a huge play to help put the game out of reach for the Wolverines. After losing out on a 50-50 pass, Tate came back to make a back-breaking play. In the third quarter, Tate got open running a deep post. Tate ran a good route, getting the safety to bite on a step towards the corner, and then Tate broke wide open with a slant to the middle. The pass was dropped in for a 50-yard touchdown. Tate caught four other shorter passes and finished with five receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown. Tate looks like a first-round pick next April, and this tape will help his cause.