2027 NFL Draft: College Game Recaps – Week 7

Notre Dame quarterback C.J. Carr is a projected first-round pick after a strong start to the 2026 season. However, Carr has played a lot of easy opponents until this road game at BYU. The Cougars have some good mid-round talents and young players that look like potential early-round picks in 2028 and 2029. Carr had his worst game of the season against BYU and left points on the field.

In the first quarter on a third-and-6, Carr moved the safety with his eyes and had Jordan Faison running open down the middle seam for a 36-yard touchdown, but Carr overthrew his wide-open receiver, incomplete. Late in the first half, Carr overthrew another open receiver in the end zone, and then he fumbled the ball away when he was clocking inside the BYU five-yard line just before the end of the half. That fumble proved to be very costly as it cost the Irish at least three points if not seven. Carr seemed off with his ball placement for the majority of the game after he missed the wide-open touchdown to Faison.

Midway through the third quarter, Carr’s receiver made a play for him to get a fourth-down conversion, but he got two drives with great field position and only produced a pair of field goals. Early in the fourth quarter, Carr made a good play on a key third down. Nothing was open, and he rolled out before finding Jadan Greathouse wide open downfield for a 38-yard play. Carr ran a quarterback dive to convert a fourth-and-1. That set up a go-ahead touchdown run for the Irish’s star freshman running back Jonaz Walton.

After the defense gave the lead back to BYU, Carr had less than two minutes remaining and was down by four. He made a clutch throw to convert a fourth-and-2 to Greathouse, and they hooked up for 24. Carr then made a great play on a third-down conversion to shake a sack, and then rolled to his left to fire a bullet to Faison. He also converted a fourth-and-5 with 10 seconds remaining at BYU 14, but on the final play of the game, Carr threw an incomplete pass as BYU got away with an obvious pass interference. Carr finished completing 27-of-49 passes for 261 yards with zero touchdowns, zero interceptions, and the critical fumble.

This game won’t help his draft stock, as he seemed to press and missed some throws he should make. His fumble was horrible, and Carr was unable to lead his team to a game-winning drive when it was there for the taking. Carr has beaten up on a lot of weak opponents last year and this year, but he has lost to the tough opponents he has faced.

Tennessee defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam has been a breakout star this season for the Volunteers. Gilliam has been a dominant force at the point of attack with speed, power, and athleticism. That continued against Alabama as Gilliam was eating up the interior of the Crimson Tide offensive line.

Early in the first quarter, Gilliam had a good rush to flush Keelon Russell out of the pocket. Later in the first, Gilliam exploded off the snap with lightning speed to fire past the right guard and blow up a run that yielded a tackle for a loss for a teammate. After halftime, Gilliam helped start a coverage sack after he shed the left guard and then chased out of the pocket to help trip up Russell. Gilliam added a batted pass as well.

For the NFL, Gilliam looks like a dynamic interior defensive lineman. He is explosive off the ball with serious speed to fire a gap and get into the backfield. Gilliam is fast to close on the quarterback and has a burst to dart past blockers that catches guards by surprise. In the ground game, Gilliam is stout to hold his ground, shed blocks, and get in on tackles. He looks like a top 15 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and he could end up going high in the first round if he continues his dominant play.

Alabama’s second loss of the season saw their offense really struggle at Tennessee, but their defense had some nice performances from some of their draft prospects. Safety Bray Hubbard was all over the field in run support and in zone coverage, totaling 10 tackles with a pass batted. This tape could help Hubbard to be a day-two pick. Edge rusher Yhonzae Pierre also played well with six tackles, one sack, and a pass batted. Pierre has good speed off the edge and is versatile with where he can line up and hunt the quarterback. Pierre looks like a potential first-round pick next April.

Two NFL quarterback prospects and former teammates went head-to-head at Ole Miss. Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons was in a potential revenge game against his former team. A year ago, Simmons entered the 2025 season as the Ole Miss starting quarterback, replacing Jaxson Dart after he moved on to the NFL. In Week 2, Simmons was injured, and backup Trinidad Chambliss came on as the replacement. Once Simmons was healthy, former Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin stuck with Chambliss as Chambliss had the hot hand. Kiffin was also angry with behind-the-scenes talk from Simmons' family with other schools about the money they could get in the transfer portal. By the end of the season, Simmons was in the portal for Missouri, Kiffin ditched Ole Miss for LSU, and Chambliss remained in Oxford to lead Ole Miss in 2026. Versus a good Missouri defense, Chambliss showed why he led the Rebels on a post-season run last year.

Midway through the first quarter, Chambliss had a receiver open down the seam, and he put it on the numbers for a 10-yard score. His next touchdown strike was even prettier as it came from 21 yards out with him layering the ball between a corner and safety for a 21-yard strike. In the second quarter, Chambliss had a pretty touchdown pass, lofting in a perfect pass to the sideline in the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown. Chambliss was very efficient and effective in the first half. Missouri did a better job defending Chambliss in the second half, but he did add a short rushing touchdown from five yards out on a designed quarterback sweep. Chambliss finished completing 20-of-36 passes for 241 yards with three touchdowns passing, one rushing, and zero interceptions.

This tape is going to help Chambliss's draft grade, as he showed an ability to be effective when working from the pocket. He showed accuracy in throwing some perfect passes downfield and beating good coverage with superb ball placement. As seen in other games, his escapability and running ability are dangerous. Chambliss reads the field well and is special at being able to ad-lib his team into a big play. This tape will help Chambliss a lot with pro evaluators, as he didn’t have to run and showed that he can put up points as a pocket passer.

Simmons has enjoyed a breakout year leading Missouri to some impressive wins. Playing against his former team, his rise got slowed as the Rebels' defense did a nice job of limiting Simmons. The Rebels' offense controlled the ball, and Simmons was never able to get into a rhythm with his receivers. He missed some throws due to inaccuracy and throwing too high on a number of plays. Simmons finished completing 25-of-44 passes for 339 yards with no touchdowns and an interception.

Simmons is very similar to Michael Penix Jr. at Washington. Simmons has a powerful left arm capable of making all the throws and challenging defenses deep downfield. There is no doubt that Simmons has some talent, but he is only in his first year as a starter, and he could use refinement in his footwork, field vision, and get faster at working through progressions. Simmons could use more experience and development. He should return to Missouri next year and looks more like a prospect for the 2028 NFL Draft.

This game featured three potential first-round wide receivers led by Buckeyes superstar Jeremiah Smith. Smith has dominated every team he has played this season, and Indiana was the first opponent that proved to be capable of containing the phenom. Stil, Smith had the game-winning score to help his team snap Indiana’s winning streak.

In the first quarter, Smith was open for some chunk receptions, but Julian Sayin didn’t see him or threw the ball to other wideouts. Early in the second quarter, Smith was covered well, and the cornerback deflected the pass up in the air, and it was intercepted by Indiana center Amare Farrell. On the next Buckeys possession, Smith converted a third-and-long by blocking out the Indiana safety for a gain of 13. Early in the fourth quarter, Smith got open running down the seam, but he had to stop and wait for the ball in the front of the end zone. That let an Indiana corner and safety close ground to get by Smith, but Smith used his height and jumping ability to rip the ball out of the air for a 38-yard touchdown. Smith totaled 68 yards and a touchdown on four catches.

For the NFL, Smith looks like an elite No.1 receiver. He could be a Pro Bowl wideout early in his career, and I think Smith has the ability to be one of the best players at his position in the league. Smith reminds this analyst of Julio Jones, and I think Smith could be a superstar receiver like Jones was during his career with the Falcons. Smith has excellent size, strength, and natural hands. What sets him apart from other big receivers is his tremendous deep speed, burst off the line, and twitch out of his breaks that cause him to get quick separation from defensive backs. Overall, this tape will help Smith to be one of the first players drafted next April.

Indiana wide receivers Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh are first-round talents as well. Both of them played well against the Buckeyes, but one play that got away from Marsh ended up being the difference in the game. It should not have mattered if Indiana had not missed two field goals, but the final play for the Indiana offense will sting and sit with Marsh going forward.

In the second quarter, Marsh used his big frame to wall off a defensive back for a first-down conversion with a tough catch from Marsh. In the third quarter, Marsh burned his cornerback on a go route and was wide open for a 75-yard touchdown, but quarterback Josh Hoover did not see him. In the fourth quarter, Marsh had a few completions to move the chains and get his team back in the game, including a 19-yard touchdown. Marsh got separation running into the end zone and then used his size to make a leaping grab on a pass that was slightly behind him. Late in the fourth quarter, Marsh was wide open running into the end zone for a game-winning touchdown, but the ball drifted to lead him out of bounds, and Marsh stepped out after he made the catch. Marsh caught three passes for 57 yards and a touchdown. For pro evaluators, he was impressive with his combination of size and speed.

In the first quarter, Becker used his speed and size to get open on a slant for an 18-yard gain. Shortly later, Becker was being held and interfered with by Devin Sanchez, but the refs did not call an obvious penalty. Becker got open running an out route and showed nice feet to tap his toes to stay in bounds. Early in the third quarter, Becker got open with a burst away from a jam to get a completion for 36 yards. Becker had a few other good receptions to move the chains as he finished with nine catches for 165 yards.

Becker looks like a top-10 pick for the 2027 NFL Draft. Wide receivers with Becker’s skill set of being big, fast, and productive don’t last long in the NFL Draft, and Becker has special ability for the NFL. Big receivers are a dime a dozen, but what sets Becker apart from a typical big wideout is that he can really run. He has explosiveness and deep speed to get vertical. After a fast first step, Becker has a second gear to accelerate down the field and stretch defenses over the top. He can run by double coverage and create separation from defensive backs by beating them in a vertical race downfield. His speed and route-running skill allow him to consistently generate separation from defensive backs, as he is very difficult to run with. Becker shows good technique as a receiver as well. He tracks the ball well and has late hands to reel in passes even with defenders close. At his stature, Becker has big size, weight, height, strength, and length to present a dangerous mismatch versus defensive backs. Becker is similar receiver to the Colts’ Alec Pierce. This tape will help Becker to go in the top 10 next April.

Texas quarterback Arch Manning has put his draft stock in question with underwhelming play this season. Manning has a first-round skill set with a strong arm, size, and running ability. However, he has had struggles with field vision, shaky decision-making, and inconsistent accuracy. After losing the game for his team against Oklahoma with two terrible second-half interceptions, Manning did not rebound against Florida versus a secondary that has been lit up recently by Missouri and South Carolina. Tigers’ quarterback Austin Simmons and Gamecock’s trigger man LaNorris Sellers were much more effective in recent weeks against the Gators than Manning was. And Florida’s backup quarterback outplayed Manning to deal Manning his first home loss as the Longhorns starter.

In the first quarter, Manning showed the issues he’s been having when he stared down a screen pass that was well covered and threw the ball up for grabs. It was a dangerous throw that could have been picked off. Later in the first half, Manning threw a ball deep down the field into double coverage, and he was lucky it was incomplete because the Gators cornerback knocked the ball out of the hands of the Florida safety. Those plays illustrated his struggles. Manning was not getting into any rhythm as a passer and kept his throws short and safe. He could not get the ball to his first-round talent receiver Cam Coleman. Entering the fourth quarter, Manning was only 10-of-14 for 77 yards. Texas had 17 points with a rushing touchdown and a touchdown on special teams.

In the fourth quarter, Manning rolled out and took a bad sack when he could have thrown the ball away instead of trying to outrun multiple Gator defenders. Late in the fourth quarter, Manning was in a fourth-and-7 down by 10 with less than six minutes remaining. Manning made a great play to shake off a sack, then stepped up and threw a deep ball strike while taking a hit in the face for a 62-yard completion. Two plays later, Manning threw a bullet to Cam Coleman for a touchdown to cut the Gators’ lead to 27-24. Those two throws were the best plays of the day for Manning, but the comeback vibes didn’t last long.

In the After getting the ball back near midfield down by three, Florida sent a blitz up the middle at Manning. While getting spun to the ground, Manning had poor ball security and fumbled the ball away. The Gators recovered to take over in Texas territory with two minutes remaining. It was an ugly play as Manning had a receiver wide open in the flat early in the play, and he didn’t make the throw while holding onto the ball too long and then making a game-losing turnover. Manning finished completing 14-of-20 passes for 173 yards with a touchdown.

Regarding the NFL and the 2027 NFL Draft, Manning should probably return to Texas next season for his football development. If he enters the draft, he still could be a first-round pick, as plenty of teams are in need of a young starter and Manning has a good skill set and family pedigree. However, as a player, he needs to improve his field vision, accuracy, and decision-making. Given the family history, it would not be surprising if Manning does return to school and looks to improve before taking on the NFL.

Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons has been among the best players in college football this season regardless of position, and he entered this game as the nation’s leader in sacks. Simmons was active in the first half, getting in on tackles and causing some disruption in the backfield. In the third quarter, Simmons came up with a clutch sack using speed to get upfield and then ducking under the right tackle to get to the quarterback for a third-down sack that got his offense back on the field. However, early in the fourth quarter, Simmons went down with a leg injury. He ended up limping to the sideline and then was carted into the locker room. Hopefully the injury is not serious, as I have Simmons as one of the first players off the board in my latest 2027 NFL Mock Draft. If Simmons avoids a major injury, he looks like a lock for the top-10 next April.

Another high first-round pick next April for Texas is left tackle Trevor Goosby, and he was going against some really good young defensive linemen from Florida who will be early-round picks in the 2028 NFL Draft. Goosby has been really good this season, and that continued versus the Gators. Goosby put on a clinic and was superb.

As a pass blocker, Goosby is hard to get around due to his massive size and length. He shows the athleticism to slide his feet and get depth in his drop to cut off the edge from speed rushers. With quality quickness, Goosby can get to his spot and negate the speed rushers' ability to blow by him. With his mass, he is also tough to beat with a bull rush, as Goosby is a load for defensive ends to get moving backwards. Goosby has the talent to be an effective pass blocker.

In the ground game, Goosby is special. In the passing-driven game, there are many finesse left tackles that are good in pass protection but struggle to create any push or movement in the ground game. Goosby is a well-rounded blocker as he is reliable in pass protection and an absolute bull in the ground game. At the point of attack, Goosby is a mauler that has the power to drive block and push his defender back. He can reset the line of scrimmage and create space for his back to run behind him. Goosby shows the strength to sustain blocks, and he will bury defenders with violence. Goosby is also good at crashing down on defensive tackles and sealing the backside for his back. Goosby looks like he will be a real asset as a run blocker in the pros. Goosby looks like a legit top-10 pick next April and a potential franchise left tackle.

Florida running back Jadan Baugh was dominant in the early going of the season before getting slowed in recent weeks by Missouri and South Carolina. Baugh ran hard against the Texas defense and had some critical yards in the second half to help give the Gators a lead. Midway through the fourth quarter, Baugh showed his vision and burst when a run looked stopped, but he saw a defender overpursue, and he busted it to the outside with a burst to accelerate into the open field for an 11-yard touchdown. Baugh finished with 91 yards on 25 carries with the game-winning score. Baugh is a legit first-round pick as he is an excellent runner with power, vision, quickness, instincts, and versatility. This tape will help him to be an opening-night pick in the NFL Draft.

Texas safety Jelani McDonald had a good tape against the Gators. McDonald had a great open-field tackle on Florida speedster receiver Eric Singleton to get his defense off the field. McDonald also had a big hit on Baugh downfield on a chunk run. That hit briefly knocked the big and strong Baugh out of the game. McDonald is a well-rounded safety who helps cover deep, in the middle of the field, and make tackles in the ground game. This tape will help McDonald to be an early-round pick next April.