UTAH STATE (9-3) at #19 SAN DIEGO STATE (11-1); 3 PM ET; FOX … This another second-tier championship that one often wouldn’t merit a preview, but this game has some very good prospects. Indeed, San Diego State, in particular, has a couple of legit second-day prospects in DE Cameron Thomas (#99, 6-5, 270) and P Matt Araiza (#2, 6-2, 200). Thomas is among the top edge rushers in college football with 9.5 sacks and is currently #27 on the GBN Big Board. Meanwhile, folks in the NFL scouting community can’t stop buzzing about Araiza who leads all of football this fall with a 51.8 yards per punt average, which if it holds up would set an NCAA single-season high. Araiza, who also kicks FGs, has 6 punts longer than 70 yards this fall, whereas no one else has more than two. He’s currently listed as the 55th best prospect overall on the GBN Big Board. And Araiza actually isn’t the Aztecs’ top-rated prospect. That honor belongs to rising DE Cameron Thomas (#99, 6-5, 270), who is among the top edge rushers in college football with 9.5 sacks; he’s currently #27 on the GBN board. Meanwhile, other SDSU players to watch with some later round potential include RB Greg Bell (#34, 5-11, 200), LT Zach Thomas (#76, 6-5, 300), TE Dan Bellinger (#88, 6-6, 255), DT Jonah Tavai (#66, 6-4, 305), LB Caden McDonald (#54, 6-3, 235), CB Tayler Hawkins (#9, 6-1, 205) and safety Trent Thompson (#18, 6-2, 200.)
Utah State likely won’t have anyone selected in the early rounds this year, but does have a national statistical leader of its own in WR Deven Thompkins (#13, 5-5, 155) who leads the country in receiving with over 1,500 yards. However, he’ll likely have to wait until the later rounds because he’s so small by NFL standards.Meanwhile, other Aggies who could get later round consideration include fellow WR Derek Wright (#8, 6-1, 195), OT Alfred Edwards (#72, 6-6, 320), DE Nick Heniger (#42, 6-2, 235), LB Justin Rice (#3, 6-2, 225) and S Shaq Bond (#25, 5-11, 185).
