Every week in lead up to the slate of college football games on Saturday, we will be highlighting several high-profile games as well as several players in each matchup who project to be sought after in the 2024 NFL Draft and specifically how they may be viewed by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
West Virginia at UCF 12:00 PM EST FS1
The Mountaineers of West Virginia travel south to face the UCF Knights to kick off things Saturday. The Mountaineers boast one of the best center prospects in this draft class in C #54 Zach Frazier. The 6-3, 306-pound senior has been playing heavy snaps since his freshman campaign, starting 38 of 39 career games, including 29 straight at center. He is a four-time high school state wrestling champion, and you see that in how he can leverage blocks and use his core strength to win in pass protection and in the running game. He is sturdy in the middle, having the technical skill, experience, and reliability to become an NFL-caliber starting center.
For the Knights, look out for CB #11 Decorian Patterson. Patterson, a sixth-year senior who transferred from Middle Tennessee, enjoyed a breakout performance in 2022 when he had seven interceptions and 11 pass deflections. He’s been pretty quiet this season with the Knights but has the size and length you look for in a prototypical corner, standing 6-0 and weighing 193 pounds. Patterson is a fringe draft pick given his age and only one year of impressive tape, but he’s still a player to watch on the other side of the football, one who is capable of making big plays.
#1 Georgia vs Florida 3:30 PM EST CBS
The Bulldogs and Gators square off in their annual rivalry game in Jacksonville as Florida looks to make it somewhat of a contest against the top-ranked Dawgs.
For the Bulldogs, watch out of CB #3 Kamari Lassiter. The 6-0, 180-pound junior has been a fast riser in the draft community, widely seen as a potential Day Two pick. He only has one interception in three seasons, but he does a good job of staying sticky in man coverage and reacting quickly to receivers coming out of their breaks. He also is physical, willing to come up in run support and pop someone, making him a well-rounded defender. Look for Lassiter to be tested in this game as he attempts to add more splash to his resume.
The Gators have their own cornerback prospect in #3 Jason Marshall Jr. Marshall has great size at 6-1, 200 pounds with the length to contest bigger receivers on the outside as well as the mass to hold up against the run. He has two interceptions in his three-year career as a Gator, possessing decent speed and athleticism to run with most wideouts down the field. He may draw the difficult test of covering WR Ladd McConkey, giving Marshall a tough test against fellow future NFL competition.
BYU at #7 Texas 3:30PM EST ABC
The Cougars travel to Austin to face the Longhorns on Saturday afternoon. Keep your eye on OT #78 Kingsley Suamataia for the Cougars as the 6-6, 325-pound redshirt sophomore is currently gaining steam as a potential late Day One pick. Suamataia transferred from Oregon after a redshirt season, starting 12 games for BYU last season and being named a second-team freshman All-American. He’s a road grader in the running game and can be difficult to work around as a pass blocker thanks to his size and length. He’s a good athlete as well, prompting him to declare early this season that should he receive a good grade from the advisory committee, making him one of the most intriguing prospects in the draft class.
WR Xavier Worthy gets all the headlines for the Longhorns’ passing game, but WR #5 Adonai Mitchell is quite the prospect himself. The 6-4. 196-pounder has great size with legit deep speed to track balls down the sideline as a deep threat. His height makes him a viable red zone threat, being a mismatch for smaller defensive backs. He’s also a capable route runner, being able to generate separation and work a full route tree. Mitchell figures to be a mid-round prospect but can continue to work to improve his draft stock against a BYU pass defense this weekend.
#3 Ohio State at Wisconsin 7:30 PM EST NBC
The third-ranked Buckeyes head to Madison Sunday night to face the Badgers in a Big Ten showdown. The Buckeyes are led defensively by LB #33 Tommy Eichenberg, who was expected to declare last year but decided to come back for one last run before the pros. He has 54 total stops on the season along with a sack and a forced fumble, being a player who excels playing with the ball in front of him. Eichenberg is an instinctual player who plays well in zone coverage too, making his drops and contesting passes. A likely mid-round pick, Eichenberg is a name to watch.
For the Badgers, keep your eye on OT #79 Jack Nelson. The 6-7, 311-pound senior is in his third year as a starter, playing right guard as a sophomore before kicking to left tackle last year. He’s a stud run blocker as they usually make them at Wisconsin, showing good strength and effort at the point of attack. He’s also a decent pass protector, allowing four sacks in 2021 and 2022 combined and has fared well to start this season. He’ll face a tough test against Ohio State’s EDGEs, but Nelson is a name that could move up the rankings to close the season heading into the pre-draft process.
Colorado at #23 UCLA 7:30 PM EST ABC
The Buffalos head to Los Angeles. to face the Bruins at the Rose Bowl on Saturday night. Colorado has WR #10 Xavier Weaver, who has had several big games so far this season, including a seven-catch, 124-yard performance last week against Stanford. He scored two touchdowns through the air and one on the ground in a stunning double-overtime loss. Weaver only has average size (6-1, 180 pounds) but has shown the ability to win down the field and create in space after the catch. He looks to continue to build on his strong 2023, making himself a draftable prospect, likely somewhere on Day Three.
The name to watch for the Bruins is EDGE #15 Laiatu Latu. The 6-5, 265-pound senior is a force off the edge, having the size, length, and speed that teams covet in a pass rusher. Latu posted 10.5 sacks last season and has 6.5 in 2023, winning with a blend of speed and finesse as well as power and strength. He can beat tackles around the corner or go right into them, overwhelming them at the point of attack. Latu figures to be a first-round pick this spring and can add to his sack total by chasing after QB Shedeur Sanders and crashing Colorado’s parade.
