#5 NOTRE DAME at #2 OHIO STATE; 7:30 PM ET; ABC … Wow! What a way to start the season with two of college football’s great programs going head-to-head with both ranked in the top 5. They both have top 5 draft classes. Indeed, If any team is going to give Alabama a run for its money as the top team in the country, both on the field and at the draft, it could be Ohio State which has its own candidate to be the #1 pick this year in QB C.J. Stroud (#7, 6-3, 215), while WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (#11, 6-0, 200) is a better prospect that either of former teammates Garrett Wilson or Chris Olave, the 10th and 11th players selected respectively at the 2022 draft. The Buckeyes also have arguably the top OT combination in the country in LT Paris Johnson (#77, 6-5, 310), a third OSU top ten prospect, and massive RT Dawand Jones (#79, 6-7, 350), although the latter is more likely a second-day target. Same for DE Zach Harrison (#9, 6-6, 270) and safety Ronnie Hickman (#14, 6-1, 205), CB Cameron Brown (#26, 6-0, 190) and C Luke Wypler (#53, 6-3, 305). For good measure, the Buckeyes also have two of the best prospects in the country not eligible for the upcoming draft in RB Treveyon Henderson (#32, 5-10, 215) and CB Denzel Burke (#5, 6-0, 195).
Notre Dame isn’t quite as talented as Ohio State, but does have a top ten prospect of their own in star TE Michael Mayer (#87, 6-5, 265) easily the best player in the country at the position after he hauled in 71 passes for over 800 yards and 7 scores last fall. Meanwhile, DE Ike Foskey (#7, 6-5, 265), who had 11 sacks last fall, is a very good mid-first round prospect, while safety Brandon Joseph (#16, 6-1, 200), a two-time All-American who transferred across the state line from Northwestern, gives the Irish a third solid opening round candidate. At the same time, C/G Jarrett Patterson (#55, 6-4, 310) is a second-day candidate who is generally considered to be one of the top 2-3 C prospects this year, although he’ll be at OG if he is able to suit up against the Buckeyes after dealing with a foot injury the past several weeks. Whether the Irish can stick with the Buckeyes, though could come down to how well sophomore QB Tyler Buchner (#12, 6-1, 215), who is making his first career start, can handle the pressure.
#11 OREGON at #3 GEORGIA; 3:30 PM ET; ABC Defending national champion Georgia, which dominated the 2022 draft, also figures to give Alabama some competition at the upcoming draft, although like Ohio State, the Bulldogs don’t really have the same kind of depth as the Tide. And like last year, the strength of Georgia draft class will be its defense which features at least three top first-round prospects in DT Jaylen Carter (#88, 6-3, 300), CB Kelee Ringo (#5, 6-2, 190) and OLB Nolan Smith (#4, 6-3, 235). Carter, in fact, will get plenty of top 5 consideration, in fact, he could ultimately be in the discussion as to who goes first overall, while Ringo is arguably the top cover corner in next year’s draft with top 10 potential of his own. The Bulldogs also have several solid second-day candidates including FS Tykee Smith (#23, 5-10, 200), CB Chris Smith (#29, 5-11, 195), OT Broderick Jones (#59. 6-4, 310), OG Sedrick VanPran (#63, 6-3, 310) and TEs Arik Gilbert (#7, 6-5, 255) and Darnell Washington (#0, 6-6, 270).
Certainly nobody is ever going to accuse Oregon of not putting itself out there. Last year, for example, the Ducks came east and played – and won – at Ohio State so going on the road to play a top-rated inter-conference opponent is nothing new to the Ducks, although one wonders if defending national champion Georgia might be a mountain just a little too high. Oregon, though, shouldn’t have any trouble finding its way to the stadium as Dan Lanning, the new Ducks’ head coach, was the Dawgs defensive co-ordinator last year on the way to the national title. Bo Nix(#10, 6-2, 215) , the Ducks’ new QB, should also be able to find his way around as he was a three-year starter at Auburn before transferring to Oregon this off-season. The Ducks’ best player though is MLB Noah Sewell (#1, 6-2, 255), a latter first-round prospect, while other Ducks to watch include G/T TJ Bass (#56, 6-4, 315), C/G Alex Forsyth (#78, 64, 315), DT Brandon Dorlus (#3, 6-3, 290) and LB Justin Flowe (#10, 6-3, 220)
