Do not look now but there are only two weeks remaining in the college football regular season outside of the annual Army-Navy game and a strange outlier of USC-California. Soak it in before the cold months without college football begin to set in. To prepare you for this weekend’s top games, here is a look at the top shelf 2022 NFL Draft prospects in each:
No. 7 Michigan State at No. 4 Ohio State
Saturday, Nov. 20 at 12 p.m. ET on ABC
Michigan State has relied on big plays from its skill players to escape in big moments this season. The Spartans will need more of those heroics this weekend in Columbus. Running back Kenneth Walker III is among the Heisman frontrunners with nearly 1,500 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns in just 10 games. He had five touchdowns in the team’s upset win over Michigan earlier this season. Wide receivers Jalen Nailor and Jayden Reed have made long reception after long reception combining for an average of 18.6 yards per reception on 76 catches. Yet they are not the hyped wide receiver duo in this game.
Ohio State boasts arguably the top two draft-eligible wide receivers nationally: Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. In the recently updated CBSSports.com top 100 prospect rankings, Wilson is the top receiver at No. 8 overall. Olave is quick to follow as the second best wide receiver at No. 16 overall. Olave has been more consistent in that Buckeyes offense while Wilson offers a more dazzling skillset. Wilson’s body control is second to no one in college football.
Saturday’s game does not boil down to who has the best wide receivers though. Ohio State is loaded elsewhere. From Haskell Garrett and Zach Harrison along the defensive line to Sevyn Banks in the secondary, Ryan Day’s defense is talented and deep. Tight end Jeremy Ruckert is one of the premier blockers at his position.
No. 12 Wake Forest at Clemson
Saturday, Nov. 20 at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN
Wake Forest offensive tackle Zach Tom certainly has the ability to start in the NFL. He has some technical components of his game that can be polished but he never panics. Wide receiver Jaquarii Roberson has been making plays for quarterback Sam Hartman all season. Roberson is thin-framed and explosive. On 51 receptions, he is averaging 16.9 yards per catch to go along with his eight touchdown receptions.
It has been a disappointing season for Clemson but that roster is littered with NFL talent. Unfortunately, the transition to D.J. Uiagelelei has taken some time and his pass catchers have done little to aid him. It was recently determined that wide receiver Justyn Ross would have season-ending foot surgery but head coach Dabo Swinney acknowledged that he will depart for the 2022 NFL Draft. Ross is a tall wide receiver that made some impressive catches in contested situations early in his Clemson career.
The Tigers have zone-thriving Andrew Booth Jr. on defense. He is regarded as one of the top cornerback prospects in this draft class. Cornerback Mario Goodrich, defensive end Xavier Thomas and tight end Davis Allen are some of the other talents on that team.
No. 25 Arkansas at No. 2 Alabama
Saturday, Nov. 20 at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS
Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks has elevated his play this season showing that he can not only create yardage after the catch but win at all three levels. He is a big wide receiver, which makes his ability after the catch that much more tantalizing for talent evaluators. Burks has emerged as WR4 and the No. 22 prospect overall in the aforementioned rankings. Penn State’s Jahan Dotson is sandwiched between the OSU duo and Burks.
The Razorbacks also have center Ricky Stromberg and edge rusher Tre Williams among others as likely draft choices.
Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams — an Ohio State transfer — has soared up our rankings to WR6 and the No. 24 prospect overall. In addition to the four wide receivers mentioned above, USC’s Drake London rounds out CBSSports.com’s current top six wide receivers. Williams is just a smooth player like LSU’s Justin Jefferson a few years ago. He glides across the football field and is improving each week. Of all the wide receivers not named Wilson, Williams has the best chance to become the first wide receiver off the board in April.
To fulfill my contractual obligation (that is a joke) of mentioning the other 2022 NFL Draft prospects from Alabama, I will embrace my inner high school principal and read a list of names like graduation: safety Jordan Battle, tight end Jahleel Billingsley, defensive tackle DJ Dale, defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe, offensive guard Emil Ekiyor, linebacker Christian Harris, cornerback Josh Jobe, defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis, wide receiver John Metchie III, offensive tackle Evan Neal, running back Brian Robinson, linebacker Henry To’oTo’o, etc…Draftniks will have to wait until the following year when the valedictorian, edge rusher Will Anderson, is called to the stage.
SMU at No. 5 Cincinnati
Saturday, Nov. 20 at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
SMU running back Ulysses Bentley IV shows good speed and good acceleration. He does not offer much in pass protection but has found other ways to contribute to the passing game. Bentley has 13 receptions on the year. Tight end Grant Calcaterra was born in Cincinnati, moved to California, signed with Oklahoma and then transferred into the Mustangs program after taking some time off to focus on his health. He also does not offer much in pass protection nor is he the most athletic, but Calcaterra does a good job of leveraging the defender with his eyes at the route stem. He recently accepted an invitation to the Reese’s Senior Bowl. The wide receiver duo of Reggie Roberson Jr. and Danny Gray are also heading to Mobile.
For Cincinnati, it begins with quarterback Desmond Ridder, a player many in the draft community like to throw into that first-round tier of quarterbacks. He added a big win over Notre Dame to his resume earlier this season but accuracy is a concern. There is no question of the athletic capabilities that Ridder displays but any team that selects him is gambling on his continued development.
The talent in Ohio’s Queen City extends beyond Ridder, however. Wide receiver Alec Pierce and tight end Josh Whyle have done a great job of making plays underneath. Pierce has soft hands and an above average ability to track the ball in the air.
Cornerback Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner is one of the best at his position and a probable first-round pick. He has not been tested much this season and that is out of respect for his ability to alter the course of a game. Edge rusher Myjai Sanders, linebacker Darian Beavers, cornerback Coby Bryant and safety Bryan Cook are some of the Bearcats’ other prospects on defense.
No.3 Oregon at No. 24 Utah
Saturday, Nov. 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC
Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux fell from No. 1 to No. 2 overall in our updated rankings but that is not an indictment on his talent. Thibodeaux is wiry strong and difficult to keep off opposing team’s quarterbacks. Cornerback Mykael Wright and safety Verone McKinley II are two emerging prospects in the secondary. McKinley is fulfilling a variety of roles for the Ducks in the absence of Jevon Holland, who is playing really good football for the Miami Dolphins this season.
Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd is and has been one of my favorite players in this class. He reminds me of 49ers linebacker Fred Warner in the way that he uses his hands to get off blocks. At this stage of his career, Lloyd is not as good in pass coverage, but he is improving. He is the top rated linebacker at this time ahead of Georgia’s Nakobe Dean.
The full slate of Week 12 college football games can be found at CBSSports.com!
