It’s another light slate of games, but there will be plenty of talent on display. Here are some guys who will take the field Saturday and likely be seen on Sunday in the future as we check out the college football Week 3 NFL Draft prospects.
Houston vs. Baylor
William Bradley-King, Edge – Baylor
Marquez Stevenson, WR – Houston
Transferring into Baylor from Arkansas State, William Bradley-King is a long edge rusher who has solid first step quickness off the ball. He is a smart player who can get after the quarterback with a variety of pass rushing moves and does well using his hands to disengage from defenders and attack up field. At Baylor, Bradley-King will be challenged to improve his run game production where he tends to have lapses in concentration and lose his gap and edge integrity. Dave Aranda has a history of developing NFL edge rushers like TJ Watt, Arden Key and K’Lavon Chaisson and will put Bradley-King in position to make plays and get noticed by NFL scouts.
Marquez Stevenson is not well known around the country, but Houston fans are aware of his talent and looking forward to seeing him back on the field in 2020. Stevenson is a bit of a swiss army knife lining up in the slot as a receiver but seeing use as a runner on motion and jet sweeps as well as a kick returner for the Cougars. He has some injury concerns and could stand to add weight, but the acceleration, quickness and legit sub 4.4 speed Stevenson possesses are next level tools. If he can improve his route running, Stevenson will begin to climb up draft boards.
Appalachian State vs Marshall
Zac Thomas, QB – Appalachian State
Josh Ball, OT – Marshall
With the rate Zac Thomas is going, he will never have to buy a beer on the Appalachian State campus once he is finished with his career. Thomas has 23 wins in his career and is one of the best quarterbacks in Appalachian State history. Thomas is dual-threat quarterback who stresses defenses on designed runs and RPOs. Accurate within the short and intermediate parts of the field, Thomas does well throwing on the move and checking down to his backs and tight ends. Arm strength and pocket awareness are the two areas of his game that need improvement if he hopes to see his name called in the NFL draft.
Josh Ball can’t be missed on the Marshall offensive line where he stands at 6-foot-8 and weighs in at over 300 pounds. Ball has a past that includes a dismissal from Florida State and a trip to community college before he reached Marshall, but there is no doubt he can play. Ball is a mauler in the run game and has shown the ability to play both tackle spots. He uses his length to win in pass protection but can struggle with technique in his pass sets at times and has not faced a lot of top tier pass rushers thus far in his college career. Ball will get a strong look from NFL evaluators who will certainly take note of his physical tools.
USF vs. Notre Dame
Liam Eichenberg, OT – Notre Dame
Tommy Kraemer, IOL – Notre Dame
Sorry USF, but this week is all about the big fellas.
Notre Dame is an offensive line factory and Liam Eichenberg looks to be the next stellar linemen to make his impact in the NFL. At 6-foot-6 and over 300 pounds, Eichenberg has the requisite size and length to play on the outside in the NFL. He shows good balance and a real solid punch in pass pro which also translates to his run blocking where he is best in power concepts. Eichenberg will look to improve his footwork and mobility which can get him into trouble and could limit him to a power scheme at the next level. Regardless, his experience on the edge against some of the countries premier pass rushers over the past couple seasons have helped him develop into one of the best tackles in college football.
Tommy Kraemer is the classic Notre Dame mauler. Kraemer isn’t the most athletic guy, but he has tremendous strength and moves bodies on the interior of the line of scrimmage. He will likely be a power scheme dependent player at the next level with his lack of mobility, but Kraemer will shut down anyone who primarily wins with a bull rush and lock up undersized players if they line up directly over the top of him. Look for him to pave the way for Notre Dame running backs and NFL running backs in the future.
Wake Forest vs NC State
Sam Hartman, QB – Wake Forest
Emeka Emezie, WR – NC State
The transfer of Jamie Newman surprised a lot of people, but in Sam Hartman Wake Forest has a proven starter who knows the offense and has a bit of gunslinger mentality. Hartman looked like a developing star until injuries cost him a few games and opened the door for Newman to take over. With a strong arm and dual threat ability, Hartman simply needs more snaps on tape to show he has a next level skill set. He will look to keep the offense rolling this year and get Wake back to a bowl for a fifth consecutive season.
Emeka Emezie is one of those guys who shows up every year in the NFL and simply outworks everyone else. He is ultra-competitive in every phase of the game and consistently wins at the catch point. At 6-foot-3 and over 200 pounds, Emezie profiles as a possession receiver at the next level with his ability to box out defenders and make catches outside of his frame. He will have to make the most of his opportunities in the run heavy NC State scheme and ideally show some additional speed on tape. Another strong showing and Emezie could be on his way to the combine and draft in 2021.
Miami vs Louisville
Quincy Roche, Edge – Miami
Tutu Atwell, WR – Louisville
Roche was recognized by his teammates as one of the most physical players on the team when he was at Temple. He likely could have been a top 100 pick last year but returned to college, transferring to Miami to take a step up in competition. Roche is a pass rushing expert who can win in many ways, but what makes him truly elite is his ability bend the edge which is probably best in the 2021 class. His play strength, ability to convert speed-to-power and hand usage are all there to make him one of the most complete prospects in the draft. He is prone to taking a play off here or there, but Roche should find his name in the first round conversation if he can put together a stellar final season at Miami.
Tutu Atwell is a house call waiting to happen, turning jet sweeps, screens and slants into big plays and touchdowns with regularity. Atwell’s best asset is his ability to gain yards after the catch where he competes for every inch of turf. Improved play strength will be a huge part of his development at Louisville especially showing he can get off press coverage. Atwell is undersized but with his speed and quickness, he could be the 2021 draft’s version of KJ Hamler.
Photo courtesy of Baylor Athletics
Keep the conversation going by reaching out to Nick Larson on Twitter.