LIBERTY (7-2) at #15 MISSISSIPPI (6-2); Noon; SEC Network … When it was originally scheduled, this was likely supposed to be a breather game for Ole Miss between tough SEC contests with Auburn and Texas A&M. Instead, we get treated to a head-to-head matchup between two of the top 2-3 QBs likely headed for the 2022 draft in Mississippi’s Matt Corral (#2, 6-1, 205) and Liberty’s Malik Willis (#7, 6-1, 225). Neither guy is all that big at barely 6-1, but they are both terrific athletes with live arms.
Corral, in particular, is also a leading candidate for this year’s Heisman award. He’s completed 66% of his pass attempts this fall in the rugged SEC, including 15 for scores against just two picks. For good measure, Corral has also run for over 500 yards and 10 more TDs so far this season. Willis is an even better runner than Corral with almost 700 rushing yards this fall; he also has a cannon for an arm, but there are questions about his pocket presence and decision-making. Still, like Corral, Willis has a completion percentage close to 70% (67%) with 21 TD passes versus 6 interceptions on the year.
However, the QBs are the only locks on either team to be drafted this year, although pro scouts will also want to keep an eye on DE Sam Williams (#7, 6-4, 265), who is among the national sack leaders this fall with 8.5, along with OT/G Nick Broeker (#64, 6-5, 305) and LB Chance Campbell (#44, 6-2, 240) from Ole Miss. For Liberty, scouting eyes will be on RB Josh Mack (#8, 5-11, 205), OT Cooper McCaw (#77, 6-5, 305), and DT Ralfs Rusins (#99, 6-6, 325), all of whom have at least some late-round potential.
NORTH CAROLINA (4-4) at #9 WAKE FOREST (8-0); Noon ET; ABC … Speaking of top QB prospects for the upcoming draft, UNC’s Sam Howell (#7, 6-1, 220) was considered to be a top 5 candidate with the potential to be the first pick overall coming into the year. However, it has been a tough year all-around for Howell and the Tar Heels who had been thought of as a possible dark-horse CFP contender. Howell, for example, has a 63% completion rate – good but not elite – along with 19 TDs against 7 picks and won’t be going anywhere near the top ten, but still has enough arm talent that somebody is going to take a chance either in the late first or early second rounds.
Meanwhile, hands up everyone who predicted that Wake Forest would be the ACC’s last remaining unbeaten team heading into November. But the Demon Deacons just keep sneaking up on people and currently sit 9th in the national rankings, their highest ever. Despite their success this fall, Wake doesn’t really have many, if any, draft prospects who are more than late-round types, but they do have some good players starting with redshirt junior QB Sam Hartman (#10, 6-1, 220), one of the best stories in college football this fall, as he has completed 65% of his pass attempts including 22 for scores against only 3 picks. And Hartman has one of the more explosive receivers in the country in WR Jaquarri Roberson (#5, 6-0, 190).
#13 AUBURN (6-2) at #14 TEXAS A&M (6-2); 3:30 PM ET; CBS … This is the only game on this weekend’s college football schedule involving two ranked teams. And while neither Auburn nor A&M are in the top 10, this should be a battle as both are trying to stay within shouting distance of Alabama. One thing we can guarantee, though, is that pro scouts will still be showing up in numbers in College Station this weekend as the Aggies may actually have as many top prospects for the 2022 draft as any team other than the Tide. Indeed, the Aggies may have as many as four players with opening round potential including DT DeMarvin Leal (#8, 6-4, 290), who is a legit top 10 candidate, while versatile G/T Kenyon Green (#55, 6-4, 325) has mid-first round potential. The Aggies have a couple of later opening round prospects in RB Isaiah Spiller (#28, 6-1, 225) and TE Jalen Wydermyer (#85, 6-5, 255), both of whom are generally considered to be the top prospects at their respective positions. Meanwhile, pro scouts will also be watching DT Jayden Peevy (#92, 6-5, 310) and explosive WR/KR Ainias Smith (#0, 5-10, 190), a pair of second-day type candidates.
In contrast to Texas A&M, Auburn has only one legit top 100 prospect and that’s veteran CB Roger McCreary (#23, 6-0, 190), a possible early second day pick, with LB Owen Pappoe (#0, 6-1, 226) being a borderline Top 100 prospect. The Tigers, however, do have a pretty experienced roster led by QB Bo Nix (#10, 6-3, 215), who it feels like has been playing forever. Auburn also has a rising star at RB in sophomore Tank Bigsby (#4, 5-11, 210), while veteran LBs Zakoby McClain (#9, 6-0, 220) and Chandler Wooten (#31, 6-3, 235), along with S Smoke Monday (#21, 6-3, 199) lead the defense.
LSU (4-4) at #2 ALABAMA (7-1); 7 PM ET, ESPN … It wasn’t all that long ago that LSU-Alabama was annually the game of the year in college football. Unfortunately, the Tigers have fallen on some tough times since winning the national championship just two years ago. But it is still LSU and Alabama and there will be some hitting. It’s just that Alabama has more people that can really hit, although Alabama may not produce the record number of early picks that we saw in the past 2-3 years. Massive LT Evan Neal (#73, 6-6, 350), however, looks to be a top ten lock. Meanwhile, both veteran ILB Christian Harris (#8, 6-2, 235) and sophomore OLB Will Anderson (#31, 6-4, 235) are both mid-first round candidates, while WR Jameson Williams (#1, 6-2, 190) is a rising star in the receiver corps. At the same time, Canadian WR John Metchie (#8, 6-0, 195), safety Jordan Battle (#9, 6-0, 210), DT D.J. Dale (#94, 6-3, 310), CBs Jalyn Armour-Davis (#5, 6-0, 190) and Josh Jobe (#28, 6-0, 195), and TE Jahleel Billingsley (#19, 6-4, 230) are all solid second day prospects. The Tide’s leader, though, is true sophomore QB Bryce Young (#2, 5-10, 195) who is already generating some Heisman chatter after taking over for Mac Jones, the 15th pick overall at the 2021 draft.
As mentioned, these are tough times for LSU. As a result, beloved head coach Ed Orgeron will be voluntarily stepping down at the end of the year. The Tigers also likely would have had the highest rated prospect in this game in star CB Derek Stingley, a legit top 5 prospect, but he hasn’t played for weeks because of a foot injury. And LSU only has one other solid top 100 candidate in DE Ali Gaye (#11, 6-6, 250), a late second-day candidate. But he’s out too. The Tigers, though, will show up in Tuscaloosa with a pretty good OL including OT Austin Deculus (#76, 6-6, 325), OG Ed Ingram (#70, 6-3, 320) and C Liam Shanahan (#56, 6-4, 300), although none is more than a third-day prospect. Same for LB Damone Clark (#18, 6-3, 240), who leads the D.
