#7 KENTUCKY (4-0) @ #14 MISSISSIPPI (4-0); NOON ET; ESPN … If its Saturday there is probably an SEC game with a couple of top QB prospects going head-to-head. That’s certainly the case where 7th ranked Kentucky and star QB Will Levis (#7, 6-3, 235) go against Ole Miss and former Southern Cal QB Jaxson Dart (#2, 6-2, 220), the one-time national prep player of the year who won’t actually be draft eligible until 2024. No problem as UK’s Levis is the guy pro scouts really want to see anyway. In fact, there is even a little chatter growing about him being in the discussion to be the first player selected at this year’s draft if either of CJ Stroud of Ohio State or Alabama’s Bryce Young, currently the top two rated prospects at the position, falters over the course of the rest of the season. He’s strong-armed passer who can get the ball downfield in a hurry, although there may be some concerns that he already has 4 picks thru the Wildcats first four games.
Both team also have outstanding RBs in Chris Rodriquez (#24, 5-11, 225) and Zach Evans (#6, 6-0, 215) of Ole Miss, both of whom are potential top 5 picks at the position. However, RB Chris Rodriguez, who led the SEC in rushing last year, will have some explaining to do at pre-draft interviews as this will be his first game of the year after having been suspended the first month of the schedule as a result of a DWI incident this past spring. For his part, Evans, who leads the SEC with a 6.2 yards per carry average, is currently #3 on the GBN RB positional ranking. Meanwhile, other Wildcats to watch include OG Kenneth Horsey (#68, 6-3, 305), WR Tayvion Robinson (#9, 5-11, 190), and LBs Jacquez Jones (#10, 6-0, 235) and DeAndre Square (#5, 6-0, 225), while Rebels to watch include OG Nick Broeker (#64, 6-4, 315) and OLB Khari Coleman (#23, 6-2, 230).
#18 OKLAHOMA (3-1) @ TCU (3-0); NOON ET; ABC … Unfortunately, Oklahoma probably played itself out of serious CFP playoff consideration when the Sooners lost at home to Kansas State last week. In fact, is in something of survival mode when the play at TCU Saturday afternoon against the unbeaten Horned Frogs. And yes you can ask why Oklahoma which lost to unranked K-State is still ranked while 3-0 TCU is not. But that’s the oft-wonky world of college football rankings. And while the game doesn’t have the national prominence of some of this week’s games across the country, pro scouts will still be there to check out two of the better WRs in this year’s draft class in Marvin Mims of Oklahoma (#17, 5-10, 185), a diminutive slot receiver with special speed and quickness who doubles as one of the better PRs in college, and TCU’s Quentin Johnston (#1, 6-3, 215), a rangy, big-play threat who averaged close to 20 yards per catch in the past couple of seasons, though his numbers are down somewhat this year.
Having TCU on national TV also gives people to check out TCU CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson (#1, 5-9, 180), a possible second round pick this year, while OG Steve Avila (#79, 6-3, 330), DE Dylan Horton (#98, 6-3, 275), LB Dee Winters (#13, 6-1, 230), and CBs Josh Newton (#24, 6-0, 195) and Noah Daniels (#21, 6-0, 210). Meanwhile, other Sooners to watch include QB Dillon Gabriel (#8, 5-11, 205), a very accurate passer who comes over from Central Florida, RB Eric Gray (#0, 5-10, 210), OT Anton Harrison (#71, 6-5, 315), C Chris Murray (#56, 6-2, 310) and DE Reggie Grimes (#14, 6-4, 270), a full-sized edge defender who already has 4 sacks in the Sooners’ first 4 games.
#2 ALABAMA (4-0) @ #20 ARKANSAS (3-1); 3:30 PM ET; CBS … Alabama should get a real test Saturday afternoon when they play at #20 Arkansas, which has probably been pointing to this date since the schedule came out earlier this year. However, nobody’s crying any tears for Nick Saban and company as they have as much talent for the 2023 draft as any program in the country. Indeed, in QB Bryce Young (#9, 6-0, 195), the reigning Heisman winner, and DE Will Anderson (#31, 6-4, 245), the returning defensive player of the year in college football who posted 17.5 sacks last fall, Alabama has two legit contenders to the the #1 pick overall at the upcoming draft. Meanwhile, CB Eli Ricks (#7, 6-1, 190), who transferred from rival LSU, also has top 10 potential, while RB Jahmyr Gibbs (#1, 5-11, 200), ILB Henry To’oTo’o (#10, 6-2, 230) and S Jordan Battle (#9, 6-1, 210) will get later opening round consideration. What sets the Alabama draft class from the rest of the field, though, is its depth as WR Jermaine Burton (#3, 6-0, 200), OGs Emil Ekiyor (#55, 6-3, 310) and Javion Cohen (#70, 6-3, 305), S Malachi Moore (#13, 6-0, 190), FS DeMarcco Hellams (#2, 61, 210), CB Brian Branch (#14, 5-11, 195), DTs Byron Young (#47, 6-3, 295) and Justin Eboigbe (#92, 6-5, 295), NT DJ Dale (#94, 6-2, 300) and TE Cameron Latu (#81, 6-5, 245) all have at least some second-day possibilities. Note, though that Battle and Young are both day-to-day with injuries.
Arkansas will be a test for the Tide as they likely come into the game with a burr under their collective saddles after their dreams of an unbeatne season went DOINK last week when a last second FG attempt hit the goalpost in a two-point loss to Texas A&M. The Hogs are led by junior QB K.J. Jefferson (#1, 6-3, 245), an outstanding dual-threat type who is closing in on 1.000 career rushing yards with the Hogs, while he has a completion percentage just under 70% with 8 TD passes against just one pick. That comes after a breakout year in 2021 when Jefferson threw for 2,700 yards and 21 TDs versus only 4 interceptions as he completed 67% of his pass attempts while also running for close to 700 yards. Jefferson isn’t quite considered to be a top-tier prospect – yet – but he has the tools and is clearly getting closer. Arkansas also likely would have had a second second-day prospect in FS Jalen Catalon, but unfortunately he’ll miss the rest of the year with a shoulder injury. That said, the Razorbacks do have a number of other good prospects, though, including OLB Drew Sanders (#42, 6-4, 235), an Alabama transfer who already has 5.5 sacks this season, C Ricky Stromberg (#51, 6-3, 315), WR Jadon Haselwood (#9, 6-3, 215), TE Trey Knox (#7, 6-5, 245), S Latavius Brini (#7, 6-2, 215) and LB/S Bumper Pool (#10, 6-2, 232) who if nothing else has one of the coolest names in college football!
#10 NC STATE (4-0) @ #5 CLEMSON (4-0); 7:30 PM ET; ABC … Just maybe the most intriguing game of the day, though, will be in the ACC where #5 Clemson hosts #10 North Carolina State. However, we’ll be watching to check out Wolfpack QB Devin Leary (#13, 6-1, 215), another one of those guys lurking right behind the top tier QBs. Leary isn’t all that tall, but he has a very quick release and plenty of arm talent and will get a real test from the Clemson defensive front which just may be the best in college football, at least outside Georgia. Indeed, the Tigers feature a pair of top 10 prospects for 2023 in DT Brian Bresee (#11, 6-4, 305) and DE Myles Murphy (#98, 6-5, 275). Clemson also has one of the top pure LBs in college football in Trent Simpson (#22, 6-3, 240) who’ll get some first-round consideration of his own. Whether the Tigers get back to the CFP playoff this year will depend on how well QB D.J. Uiagalelei (#5, 6-4, 235) plays this fall. So far, he’s been better than last year, but still has some Clemson fans calling for freshman QB Cade Klubnik (#2, 6-2, 195) one of the top recruits in the country at the position this year.
