#4 TCU (9-0) at #18 TEXAS (6-3); 7:30 PM ET; ABC … TCU is one of just four still unbeaten programs in major college football along with usual suspect types Georgia, Ohio State and Michigan and by all accounts will be in the 4-team CFP playoff if they can run the table. However, its not going to be easy for the Horned Frogs with road games against ranked teams over the next couple of weeks including Saturday’s outing against the 18th ranked Longhorns at Texas. At the same time, though, there is nothing cheap about TCU’s undefeated record as the Frogs feature one of the top offenses in the country led by QB Max Duggan (#15, 6-2, 210), a dual-threat type who quite simply having a Heisman type season in which he has thrown for 24 TDs against just a couple of picks. And that he lifted Duggan literally all the way from being a draft afterthought to a legit late second-day candidate. However, the Frog that pro scouts really want to see is WR Quentin Johnston (#1, 6-3, 215), a rangy, big-play threat with at least some mid first-round potential, but who has also been banged up a lot this fall and may or may not play in Austin. If healthy, Johnston pairs with fellow WR Taye Barber (#4, 5-10, 190) to give TCU one of the better 1-2 WR punches in college football. At the same time, CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson (#1, 5-9, 180) is a likely 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) are all later round candidates.
Its been a frustrating of sorts for the Longhorns who have lost three times this year, but by a total of only 11 points including a one-point loss to Alabama and another in OT. In fact, Texas has the top prospect in this game in star RB Bijan Robinson (#5, 5-11, 225) who has at least some top ten potential. Unfortunately for Texas, Robinson is their only real draft lock, although OLB DeMarvion Overshown (#0, 6-3, 220) should get some third-day looks. If there is hope for the Longhorns, and there is hope, it may come via the fact that they have two of the top talents in the country for the 2024 draft in redshirt freshman QB Quinn Ewers (#3, 6-2, 210) and sophomore WR Xavier Worthy (#8, 6-0, 165).
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While the TCU-Texas match-up is the only contest this weekend with true national implications, there are in fact a number of interesting contests across the country with intriguing prospects for the upcoming draft. The two that were most interested in are:
Maryland (6-3) at #16 Penn State (7-2); 3:30 PM ET; FOX … We mention this game because PSU has at least a couple of rising prospects for the upcoming draft including CB Joey Porter (#9, 6-1, 200) who is very much in the mix to be the first corner off the board this coming April, while RSO LT Olumuyiwa Fashanu (#74, 6-6, 310) is an emerging star on the offensive line. Meanwhile, other Lions to watch include FS Ji’Ayir Brown (#16, 5-11, 205), WRs Parker Washington (#3, 5-10, 215), and Mitch Tinsley (#5, 6-0, 205), and widebody NT PJ Mustipher (#97, 6-3, 320).
Maryland also has a couple of very good second-day prospects in OT Jaelyn Duncan (#71, 6-6, 320), who figures to be one of the first half dozen or so players at the position off the board this coming April, along with star WR Dontay Demus (#7, 6-3, 215) who is both big and fast. And nay team looking for a sleeper type corner in the later rounds might want to check out the Terps’ Jakorian Bennett (#2, 5-11, 195).
#25 Washington (7-2) at #6 Oregon (8-1); 7 PM ET; FOX … Same story here, we’ll be checking out this game for another look at Ducks’ CB Christian Gonzalez (#2, 6-2, 205) who has emerged as legit first-round cover corner with prototype size and length along with track speed. It will also give folks the chance to see first-hand what’s going on with transfer QBs Bo Nix (#10, 6-2, 215) of Oregon and Washington’s Michael Penix (#9, 6-2, 215), both of whom are putting up very Heisman like numbers this fall. Nix, a three-year starter at Auburn, for example, never broke the 60% completion mark in the SEC, but is posting has completed 73% of his passes for 277 yards per game and 22 scores against 5 picks. Meanwhile, Penix, the former Indiana signal caller is at 66% but is throwing for over 350 yards per game.
At the same time, the Ducks’ best prospect along with Gonzalez is MLB Noah Sewell (#1, 6-2, 255), 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), LB Justin Flowe (#10, 6-3, 220) and DJ Johnson (#2, 6-3, 270), a former top-recruit who has shifted back and forth between ER and TE at Oregon. Meanwhile, the Huskies’ best prospects re veteran OG Jaxon Kirkland (#51, 6-6, 340) and DE Zion Tupuola-Fetui (#58, 6-4, 255) both of whom have some late second-day potential.
