#6 MICHIGAN (7-0) at #8 MICHIGAN STATE (7-0); Noon ET; FOX … Nobody was expecting all that much from either program heading into the season, but here we are in the final week of October and the 114th meeting between the two in-state rivals is for the Big Ten East lead. It’s also not that hard to figure that pro scouts will be out in force as both teams have a very interesting prospect for the upcoming draft. Michigan DE Aidan Hutchinson (#97, 6-6, 270), in particular, is a top 5-10 candidate with the length, quickness and motor of an elite pass-rushing defensive end. Meanwhile, Michigan State RB Kenneth Walker (#9, 5-10, 210) is rated nearly as highly – he is thought of more as a mid-to-late second day candidate at this time – but he’s maybe had a bigger impact on the conference to date. Indeed, Walker, a Wake Forest transfer, leads the country in rushing yards per game at just over 140 per.
Walker, though, is probably the Spartans only legit Top 100 type prospect, but MSU does have several likely third-day candidates such as DE Jacub Panasiuk (#96, 6-4, 250), safety Xavier Henderson (#3, 6-0, 200), WR/PR Jayden Reed (#1, 6-0, 195) and P Bryce Baringer (#99, 6-0, 215), who is 3rd in the country with an average kick of just under 50 yards per try. The Spartans also feature a big, experienced offensive line that includes LT Jarrett Horst (#79, 6-5, 305), RT AJ Arcuri (#76, 6-6, 320) and C Matt Allen (#64, 6-3, 315), although again none is more than a third-day type prospect.
Like their cross-state rivals, Michigan’s best prospects along with DE Hutchinson are on defense, suggesting Saturday’s game could be a typical old-time drag ‘em out Big Ten battle in the trenches. Indeed, along with Hutchinson, Michigan safety Dax Hill (#30, 195) and DE David Ojabo (#55, 6-5, 250), who could even be faster than #97 coming off the other edge, are Top 100 prospects, while MLB Josh Ross (#12, 6-2, 225) is a rising star who just makes plays all over the field.
#20 PENN STATE (5-2) at #5 OHIO STATE (6-1); 7:30 PM ET; ABC … This was supposed to be the game of the week in the Big Ten, and maybe the whole country, but it lost a ton of luster when Penn State was upset by Illinois last weekend. That almost assuredly knocked the Lions out of consideration for this year’s college football playoff, even if they could still somehow miraculously win the divisional championship.
While the game maybe lost some of its luster, figure that NFL scouts will still be tramping in numbers to Penn State as both teams have a bevy of prospects for the 2022 draft. Indeed, the Buckeyes have one of the best overall draft classes for 2022 that features one of the best 1-2 WR combinations in the country in Garrett Wilson (#5, 6-0, 195) and Chris Olave (#2, 6-0, 190), both of whom have top 15-20 potential for the upcoming draft. The Buckeyes also have two of the fastest rising players in this draft class in OT Nick Petit-Frere (#78, 6-5, 315) and safety Ronnie Hickman (#14, 6-1, 205), both of who could also get significant first-day interest.
The Buckeyes also feature one of the better defensive fronts in college football which includes DEs Zach Harrison (#9, 6-5, 265) and Tyreke Smith (#11, 6-3, 260) and DT Haskell Garrett (#92, 6-2, 300); Harrison and Garrett, in particular, both also have first-round potential.
At the same time, other Ohio State players to watch include massive RT Dawand Jones (#79, 6-7, 360), veteran G/T Thayer Munford (75, 6-5, 320) RB Master Teague (#33, 5-11, 225), TE Jeremy Ruckert (#88, 6-4, 250), and CB Sevyn Banks (#7, 6-0, 200). How far Ohio State goes through the final month of the season, though, could come down to how well redshirt freshman QB C.J. Stroud (#7, 6-2, 220) handles the pressure of the job; so far, he’s been more than up to the job as he’s second in the country in passing efficiency.
At least on paper, Penn State doesn’t appear to have the same talent level on the roster; however, the Lions do have a mid-first round receiver prospect of their own in WR Jahan Dotson (#5, 5-10, 185), one of the fastest rising player in this year’s draft class. He’s not all that big, but he is an explosive speedster who is on pace to catch 84 passes for over 1,100 yards. At the same time, the Lions have a number of solid second day types including safety Jaquan Brisker (#1, 6-0, 200), OT Rasheed Walker (#53, 6-5, 325), OLB Brandon Smith (#12, 6-3, 245), DE Arnold Ebiketie (#17, 6-3, 260), and CBs Joey Porter (#9, 6-1, 195) and Tariq Castro-Fields (#5, 6-0, 195), while QB Sean Clifford (#14, 6-2, 220) is a solid veteran college passer, although more likely a later round draft prospect.
