#9 ALABAMA (10-3) at#8 OKLAHOMA (10-2); 8 PM ET, Friday; ABC/ESPN: Pretty good way to kick-off the CFP playoffs with two storied programs going head-to-head, actually for the 2nd time this season after the Sooners upset the Tide 23-21 just over a month ago right in Tuscaloosa. that LSU plays at Oklahoma. This game also has a ‘Tale of Two QBs ‘ feeling as each team has one with with first round potential in OU’s John Mateer (#10, 6-1, 205) and Ty Simpson (#15, 6-2, 210) of Alabama. In fact, both were considered to be ‘the’ hot QB in this year’s draft class at one time or another this fall, but it may now be more about 2027 as both have struggled at times down the stretch and both have eligibility after this year. 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, although it also doesn’t appear as if any Alabama player is a top 10 lock type prospect. LT Kadyn Proctor (#74, 6-6, 365), for example, is currently considered to be a top 25 prospect, although his grade has slipped over the course of the season, while LB Deontae Lawson (#0, 6-1, 230), NT Tim Keenan (#96, 6-2, 320) and WR Germi Bernard (#5, 6-1, 205) also have at least some later first-round potential. So would DE LT Overton (#22, 6-2, 280), but he won’t play because of an injury, while C Parker Brailsford (#72, 6-2, 290), who anchors the OL, is more of a second-day type. Meanwhile, DE R Mason Thomas (#32, 6-2, 250) is the Sooners’ top prospect, although he looks to be more of a late second-day type.
#10 MIAMI (10-2) at #7 TEXAS A&M (11-1); Noon ET, Saturday; ABC/ESPN: This is the other potential classic this weekend; it certainly looks to be arguably THE best game of the first-round from a draft perspective. Miami, for example, figures to be one of the big players at the draft for the 2nd year in a row after QB Cam Ward was the first player selected overall this past April. The Hurricanes have a couple of legitimate top ten prospects in DE Rueben Bain (#4, 6-3, 270) and RT Francis Mauigoa (#61, 6-5, 315), although both have issues that scouts will have to sort out. Bain, for example, is a powerfully built guy with who can get to the QB on the bull-rush, but also has plenty of dip and bend in his outside rush arsenal, although the fact that he hasn’t actually got to the QB as often as team’s would like is a little disconcerting. At the same time, Mauigoa, the consensus top offensive lineman in the 2026 draft class with a plug and play grade, has concerns about his lack of overall length that might force him to kick inside at the next level. Bain, in fact, isn’t the only Miami DE to have a shot at being a #1 pick as fellow DE Akeem Mesidor (#3, 6-3, 265), already the top-rated prospect for the CFL draft, is actually one of the hot prospects in this draft. Meanwhile, Miami has replaced Cam Ward, the first player selected at the 2025 draft, with former Georgia star Carson Beck (#11, 6-3, 225) who has been solid enough, although he’s not going anywhere near where Ward went this past April. The Canes also feature a couple of other decent mid-to-late round candidates in LB Mo Toure (#1, 6-2, 235), a Rutgers transfer who has been an outstanding player when healthy, but has had his career path interrupted by a couple of torn ACLs, and steady DT David Blay (#11, 6-3, 305).
For its part, Texas A&M also has an intriguing edge rush prospect in rising DE Cashius Howell (#9, 6-2, 250), who was 5th in the country this fall with 11.5 sacks. He’s an emerging mid-to-late first candidate, while the Aggies also feature a number of very good second-day types including LB Taurean York (#21, 6-2, 250), OG Ar’maj Reed-Adams (#55, 6-4, 325), LT Trey Zuhn (#60, 6-5, 320), CBs Will Lee (#4, 6-0, 190) and Tyreek Chappell (#7, 5-11, 180) and WR/PR KC Concepcion (#7, 5-11, 190). The Aggies would also get a huge boost if star RB LeVeon Moss (#8, 5-11, 210) can go this weekend as he’s regarded as one of the top backs in the country when healthy.
#11 TULANE (10-2) at #6 MISSISSIPPI (11-1); 3:30 PM, Saturday; TNT: If this game has the feel on one of those early season SEC versus the little sisters of the poor game, it actually was as Ole Miss clobbered the Green Wave 45-10 back in September. And the only thing that’s changed is that both head coaches are of to greener pastures. In fact, Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffen won’t be on the sidelines at all on Saturday as he’s already at LSU. Tulane’s Jon Sumrall, who signed with Florida, though, was allowed to stay for the playoff game. Its also been rumored that Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss (#6, 6-0, 200) will follow Kiffin like Haynes King above, is arguably one of the best players in college football of whom the vast majority of the country has never heard. He spent 4 years at DII Ferris State where, in fact, he barely played until last season when he led the Bulldogs to the division’s national championship, along the way earning DII All-America honors before transferring to Ole Miss this past winter. At Ole Miss he has emerged as one of the more exciting dual-threat QBs in the country, although at barely 6-feet even, he may be a better prospect for the Canadian league than the NFL. In fact, the players to watch in this game, at least for the upcoming draft, are probably Ole Miss DT Zxavian Harris (#51, 6-7, 330), a massive guy with some athleticism, who is starting to get some buzz from NFL personnel people, while LB Suntarine Perkins (#4, 6-2, 220) is one of the most athletic backers around. We’d also be remiss in not mentioning sophomore RB Kewan Lacy (#5, 5-11, 210) who would be one of the top prospects at the position this year, but won’t actually be draft eligible until next year.
#12 JAMES MADISON (11-1) at #5 OREGON (11-1); 7:30 PM ET, Saturday; TNT: yet another virtual elimination game, although this one’s in the B1G, as Oregon is a loss away from being knocked out of the CFP field, while USC could be a big win away from sneaking in. This game also represents 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 73% of his pass attempts including 21 for TDs against just 5 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-late first round interest. 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.
