LSU at #4 Alabama; 7:30 PM ET; ABC: There was a time when this game was expected to be one of the key contests of the season, but after three losses, LSU is no longer ranked at all. For pro scouts, though, this remains a pretty big deal because of the head-to-match between QBs Garrett Nussmeier (#18, 6-1, 205) of the Tigers and ‘Bama’s Ty Simpson (#15, 6-2, 210), two of the top prospects at the position for the upcoming draft. Nussmeier, in fact, was considered to be potentially one of THE top prospects for the 2026 draft period at the outset of the campaign, but he’s struggled with nagging injuries almost all season and just has not been as productive as scouts had hoped. On the other hand, Simpson, who literally wasn’t on anybody’s draft radar after he bided his time on the Tide sidelines for three years, has quietly emerged as a legit candidate for both the Heisman Trophy as well as a top 5 draft grade in recent weeks, although he still has at least another year of eligibility after this season so there is no guarantee that he’d even contemplate turning pro this winter.
Whatever Simpson’s ultimate decision, the Tide look to be in decent shape to extend their current record streak of 16 years in a row with at least one first-round pick at the upcoming draft. LT Kadyn Proctor (#74, 6-6, 365), for example, is currently considered to be a top-10-15 prospect, while DE LT Overton (#22, 6-5, 280), a prototype 3-4 DE, LB Deontae Lawson (#0, 6-1, 230) and NT Tim Keenan (#96, 6-2, 320) are each among the top 2-3 candidates at their respective positions and have at least some later first-round potential of their own. Same for veteran WR Germi Bernard (#5, 6-1, 205), who has emerged as a big-play target this year as he’s averaged over 18 yards per catch and a TD per game so far this year. Meanwhile, other Tigers’ to watch include OLB Harold Perkins (#7, 6-1, 225), who was considered to be potential top 10 candidates for 2025 before missing most of the season with a torn ACL and rising CB Mansoor Delane (#4, 6-0, 190), both of whom have some late-first round potential.
#2 Indiana at Penn State; Noon ET; FOX: This is another game that not that long ago had the look of a potential game of the week, but lost pretty much all its luster with Penn State’s recent collapse. It also had the look of a fascinating head-to-head QB dual between PSU’s Drew Allar and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza (#15, 6-4, 225), but that all became moot when Allar was lost for the year with a knee injury. However, the Nittany Lions do return star RBs Nicholas Singleton (#10, 6-0, 205) and Kaytron Allen (#13, 5-11, 220), both of whom are considered to be top 10 prospects at the position. They run behind an OL that has a couple of solid 2nd day prospects in LT Drew Shelton (#66, 6-5, 310), along with rising OG Vega Ioane (#71, 6-3, 330), one of this year’s top interior offensive line prospects. And while the Lions lost their top defender in Abdul Carter, the 3rd player selected overall this past April, they do get back DE Dani Dennis-Sutton (#33, 6-4, 265), who has 5.5 sacks so far this year and has some second-day potential, as does CB AJ Harris (#4, 6-0, 190), while DT Zane Durant (#28, 6-1, 290) and S Zakee Wheatley (#6, 6-2, 205) are mid-to-late round candidates.
Meanwhile, while Mendoza looks to be the Hoosiers only first round lock, if he should decide to enter the draft, they also have a number of other very good prospects with at least some second-day potential including veteran WR Elijah Sarratt (#13, 6-2, 215), DE Mikhail Kamara (#6, 6-1, 265), 2024 AA MLB Aiden Fisher (#4, 6-1, 235) who led the B1G with 118 tackles last fall, CB D’Angelo Ponds (#5, 5-9, 195), another 2024 AA who is arguably the top slot cover guy in the country, and C Pat Coogan (#78, 6-4, 315) a Notre Dame transfer who anchored the Irish’s OL on their run to the national championship game last fall.
#7 Texas Tech at #8 BYU; Noon; ABC: Hands up everyone who has a prop bet on Texas Tech at BYU being the only game currently on the remaining college schedule – and there’s still a month to go – between teams ranked in the top 10. This could also very well be the best game of the day, at least from a competitive standpoint; however, neither team necessarily has a ton of top draft prospects. The one major exception is Tech DE David Bailey (#31, 6-2, 250), an explosive edge rusher who leads the country with 11.5 sacks and is garnering plenty of first-round talk, while LB Jake Rodriquez (#10, 6-1, 235) leads the country with 7 forced fumbles ad rock-solid NT Lee Hunter (#2, 6-3, 335) is an emerging second-day prospect. For its part, BYU’s top prospect is also a LB in Jack Kelly (#17, 6-2, 245), another late second/early third day candidate.
#3 Texas A&M at #22 Missouri; 3:30 PM ET; ABC: The Aggies have been quietly chugging along this fall and have worked their way up to #3 and have a number of top prospects, although RB Le’Veon Moss (#8, 5-10, 210), arguably A&M’s top candidate for 2026, won’t play as he continues to be sidelined by an ankle injury. However, the Aggies still have several other second-day type prospects including LB Taurean York (#21, 6-2, 250), OG Ar’maj Reed-Adams (#55, 6-4, 325), rising ER Cashius Howell (#9, 6-2, 250) and LT Trey Zuhn (#60, 6-5, 320), along with CBs Will Lee (#4, 6-0, 190) and Tyreek Chappell (#7, 5-11, 180).
In fact, the top prospect in this game may actually be Missouri LT Cayden Green (#70, 6-5, 325), who is finally back in the lineup after missing much of the season to date with an undisclosed foot injury. When healthy, though, Green is a proven road-grader who is considered to be the top OG prospect for the upcoming draft as he likely lacks the length to stay outside at the next level, while fellow OT Keagen Trost (#79, 6-3, 320), a much-travelled 7-year veteran who has made stops at Morgan State, Indiana State and Wake Forest, could also get some looks, as may S Jalen Catalon (#6, 5-10, 200), another productive veteran who has been around including last year at UNLV when he posted 96 stops and 5 picks. The Tigers best prospects other than Green, though, are DEs Zion Young (#9, 6-5, 265) and Damon Wilson (#8, 6-4, 250).
#9 Oregon at #20 Iowa; 3:30 PM ET; CBS: This is another chance to check out Ducks’ QB Dante Moore (#5, 6-2, 210) who continues to draw mentions as a potential #1 pick overall at the 2026 draft, although he has indicated that happy where he is for the time being. For the record, to date Moore has completed over 70% of his pass attempts including 19 for TDs against just 4 picks. And whether Moore, who has two years of eligibility left, actually enters the draft or not, the Ducks still could be major players at the 2026 draft as they feature a umber of high-ceiling prospects DE Matayo Uiagalelei (#10, 6-4, 270), LT Isaiah World (#76, 6-7, 320) and TE in Kenyon Sadiq (#18, 6-3, 245). All three are currently generating mid-first round interest at worst. World is part of what may be the best OL in college football with Alex Harvey (#71, 6-5, 330) at RT, Poncho Laloulu (#72, 6-2, 320) at C and Emmanuel Pregnon (#75, 6-4, 320) and rising junior Dave Iuli (#74, 6-3, 325) at the OGs. Meanwhile, other players to watch on the Ducks defence include S Dillon Thieneman (#31, 6-0, 205), MLB Bryce Boettcher (#28, 6-2, 235) and DT Bear Alexander (#1, 6-2, 305) each of whom has at least some top 100 potential. For its part, Iowa also features a couple of very good OL prospects in C Logan Jones (#65, 6-3, 305) and G/T Gennings Dunker (#67, 6-5, 315), both of whom are solid second-day candidates, while Mark Gronowski (#11, 6-2, 235) is one of the better dual-threat QBs in the country.
