2026 NFL Draft: College Game Recaps – Playoffs

Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. is a potential first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and he produced a quality tape against the Aggies. Bain was strong at the point of attack, setting the edge in the ground game and getting some pressure on the quarterback. Throughout the game, Bain was being disruptive and was staying around the ball.

Late in the first quarter, Bain pushed through a block and took down a running back for a loss of two yards. Shortly later, Bain used his strength to push a blocker back and make a leaping block of a field goal. In the third quarter, Bain was initially blocked, but after Marcel Reed had to dodge a few other defenders, Bain was able to track him down for a coverage sack.

For the NFL, Bain looks like a prospect for the middle or back half of the first round. He is strong and quick at the point of attack. Bain shows a nice ability to shed and scrap with offensive linemen. However, Bain is a tweener as he lacks the height and length to be a defensive end in the NFL and the weight to be a defensive tackle. Thus, some sources have him lower than others in the media.

Miami defensive end Akheem Mesidor does not get the attention that Bain does but he is a tough defender at the point of attack. Mesidor was active against the Aggies totaling 1.5 sacks and making some stops in the ground game. In the fourth quarter, Mesidor got upfield before pushing off left tackle Trey Zuhn and tracking down Marcel Reed for a critical sack. Mesidor is a day-two talent that has the ability to become a solid pro starter.

Miami quarterback Carson Beck did not impress against Texas A&M. Beck completed 14-of-20 passes for 103 yards with a touchdown on a screen pass. Beck left some plays on the field, including a long touchdown that fell incomplete because he overthrew an open receiver. The next play, Beck fumbled and was lucky a teammate jumped on the ball. Beck has a powerful arm and pocket passing ability, but he struggles against top opponents and can get rattled by the rush. When he has a clean pocket and his receivers are getting open, Beck can tear up a defense. Beck needs a big game against Ohio State to help his draft stock, but he looks like a mid-round pick and pro backup.

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson was electric for the first two-thirds of the season, but in the final four games, Simpson and the Crimson Tide offense struggled. Simpson showed excellent accuracy and ball placement, but that went off in the final month, and Simpson seemed to get rattled with his offensive line struggling. The opening game of the playoff started out with Oklahoma harassing Simpson and limiting the Crimson Tide offense to some three-and-outs.

In the second quarter, Simpson finally found some rhythm and moved the ball down the field before throwing a short touchdown pass. He led a field goal drive and started to get more comfortable. Simpson was throwing some good passes, and multiple drops from his receivers let him down. Midway through the third quarter, Simpson threw a perfect deep ball to the corner of the end zone to Lotzier Brooks for a 30-yard touchdown. On the next drive after another big dropped completion, Simpson used his legs to take off on a 25-yard run.

Early in the fourth quarter, Simpson then threw a beautiful pass deep down the field along the sideline for a 37-yard gain to Isaiah Horton. Simpson lofted in a perfect strike to beat good coverage by Oklahoma. It was an incredible throw by Simpson. He completed 18-of-29 passes for 232 yards with two touchdowns.

For the NFL, Simpson looks like a starter and a potential high first-round pick. 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. This ape will help him to be a first-round pick next April if he enters the draft.

• 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, and he threw the ball better against Alabama. The ball was jumping out of his hand, and it looked like he had more power in his throws. Perhaps the recovery time allowed him to grip the ball better. Mateer did not play a perfect game, but he looked closer to his early-season and Washington State form.

  On the second drive, Mateer had a receiver wide open downfield for a gain of 25 yards, and Mateer sailed through over his head. The next play, Mateer showed his speed, taking off on a run of 12 before lowering his head into a tackler. To cap the drive, Mateer dodged a few defenders on an impressive 10-yard touchdown run. He added some completions to help set up a field goal, and early in the second quarter, hit a wide-open slot receiver to set up an eight-yard touchdown to Isaiah Sategna III. Shortly later, Mateer rolled out and laid out a perfect deep ball, and it was dropped. It should have gone for a 55-yard touchdown.

  Late in the first half, Mateer made a critical mistake with his team up 17-10 with about 1:20 remaining. Mateer was not on the same page with his receiver, as he thought he was going to break out, but kept running vertically along the sideline. That led to an easy interception that was returned for a touchdown. Without knowing the play call and potential sight adjustment that was missed, it is impossible to know if the interception was the fault of Mateer or the receiver.

  In the third quarter, Alabama shut down Mateer with a steady pass rush and forced punts. At the start of the fourth quarter, Mateer did a good job of reading the defense, working through his progressions. He found Deion Burks breaking free and led him for more yards, hitting him on the run. Burks darted down the field for a 37-yard touchdown on a good play by Mateer. In the fourth quarter, Mateer led two potential scoring drives, but the Sooners’ kicker missed two field goals. Mateer finished completing 26-of-41 passes for 307 yards with two touchdowns passing, one rushing, and an interception.

  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. 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.